treinjapan
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 19, 2013
- Messages
- 49
Sapporo is known as the "city with the most snow", so as you can imagine, I was hesitant to get a Leaf. I never found any "real world" videos online of people driving in real DEEP snow on real roads. But we went ahead and bought it anyways, and here are the results of my findings.
(A link showing some snowing city statistics: http://www.rhinocarhire.com/Top-Ten/Snowy-Cities.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
We got a 2012 Leaf G (SL everywhere else I think) with Blizzaks, and I came from a 2002 Subaru Legacy (AWD). Sapporo gets insane snowfall, but the temps aren't that bad, averaging probably somewhere around -3 or -5 celsius. We live on a street that only gets plowed once a year. For the most part, because people drive over the snow and compact it, it's not often deep and "sandy" like driving on a beach, but it gets compacted and compressed, often making for really bumpy and almost hilly roads. Obviously this REAMS your mileage, so sometimes I get as low as 2.2 km/kw with the heater on. But once out on to the main streets that are better maintained, that jumps up to 5 or 6 km/kw.
As far as handling and not getting stuck and stuff, the Leaf does just fine. The only time I've been "stuck" so far in the Leaf was when I tried to drive up a hill of really loose and "sandy" snow that was about 2 feet deep. I got stuck, so I just backed up and went up it with a bit more speed, then we got through it. I never got stuck on that particular hill with the Legacy, but sometimes you could feel the back tires pulling you sideways a bit before traction kicked in.
As I get more used to driving an FF car again, I'm sure my confidence will elevate and I'll be brave enough to try the mountains or other more precipitous places, but for now, I'm very satisfied with our Leaf!
(A link showing some snowing city statistics: http://www.rhinocarhire.com/Top-Ten/Snowy-Cities.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false
We got a 2012 Leaf G (SL everywhere else I think) with Blizzaks, and I came from a 2002 Subaru Legacy (AWD). Sapporo gets insane snowfall, but the temps aren't that bad, averaging probably somewhere around -3 or -5 celsius. We live on a street that only gets plowed once a year. For the most part, because people drive over the snow and compact it, it's not often deep and "sandy" like driving on a beach, but it gets compacted and compressed, often making for really bumpy and almost hilly roads. Obviously this REAMS your mileage, so sometimes I get as low as 2.2 km/kw with the heater on. But once out on to the main streets that are better maintained, that jumps up to 5 or 6 km/kw.
As far as handling and not getting stuck and stuff, the Leaf does just fine. The only time I've been "stuck" so far in the Leaf was when I tried to drive up a hill of really loose and "sandy" snow that was about 2 feet deep. I got stuck, so I just backed up and went up it with a bit more speed, then we got through it. I never got stuck on that particular hill with the Legacy, but sometimes you could feel the back tires pulling you sideways a bit before traction kicked in.
As I get more used to driving an FF car again, I'm sure my confidence will elevate and I'll be brave enough to try the mountains or other more precipitous places, but for now, I'm very satisfied with our Leaf!