10 of the Best Winter Cars & SUVs for $30K or Less
It’s the time of year when CAA is busiest, towing vehicles from driveways, car parks, and the side of the road. An unreliable car will show itself when the mercury drops and snow and ice take over the roads. If your car leaves you high and dry in the winter, it can be both frustrating and dangerous!
A reliable vehicle can make life during the cold season so much more pleasant.
For under $30,000, you can find a winter car that has everything you need to get through the ice and snow between now and the spring melt.
The following vehicles made our list for scoring highly with our writers in several of the following categories: ground clearance, rugged design, handling on snow and ice, comfort features, and price point.
Our Top 10 Winter Cars & SUVs For Under $30K
This list showcases brand new prices, but if you keep your eyes peeled, you might be able to snag a similar, gently used model at an even better price!
1. Subaru Impreza Touring with EyeSight
For well under $30K, you can get one of the highest-rated cars for the snow, and a trim level higher than base. The Subaru Impreza Touring with EyeSight 5-door is listed at $24,795 and is powered by a BOXER engine with 152hp and the smooth acceleration of a CVT transmission.
The most impressive feature for winter drivers is the standard equipment Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive. Along with dominating traction, the Touring trim with EyeSight includes driver-assist technology, heated seats, and pretty awesome in-vehicle infotainment.
2. Mitsubishi RVR ES AWC
If a compact SUV is your style, Mitsubishi has an affordable option with equipment to cut the chills. The Mitsubishi RVR ES with All-Wheel Control (AWC) gives you pretty much everything you need to trek through snowy conditions. A 2.0L MIVEC four-cylinder and a CVT transmission along with all-wheel drive make the RVR ES a mechanically-sound package.
The ES trim includes heated front seats, heated mirrors, automatic climate control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and plenty of hands-free phone functions that can be controlled without taking your gloves off.
3. Toyota RAV4 LE AWD
You’ll need to keep your eye out for a promotion to keep the price under $30k for the RAV4 LE AWD, but it’s possible. It’s one of the most popular crossovers in Canada because it’s such a reliable vehicle no matter the season.
The RAV4 LE trim includes heated front seats, Toyota Safety Sense 2.0 technologies along with Blind Spot Monitoring and Rear Cross Traffic Alert, as well as a 203hp 2.5L engine. With the RAV4, you’ll stick to the road thanks to Active Torque AWD.
4. Honda HR-V LX AWD
A serious contender in the subcompact crossover segment should be the Honda HR-V. It drives like a car with the capability of an SUV. The HR-V LX trim offers Forward Collision Warning, Collision Mitigation Braking, and Lane Keeping Assist as standard, along with interior comforts like heated front seats and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The HR-V is spectacular with Real Time AWD with Intelligent Control System, and it’s a good deal at under $30K.
5. Jeep Compass Sport 4x4
The name ‘Jeep’ inspires confidence in rough driving conditions, so the Jeep Compass is definitely a contender. The Compass Sport trim is the entry level, but it gives you the essentials, albeit pushing you slightly over budget.
A 2.4L four-cylinder engine, a six-speed manual transmission, push-button start, and power windows are included along with Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay. With Jeep’s Active Drive 4x4, you’ll get into the iconic Jeep brand for just over $30,000.
6. Hyundai Tucson Essential AWD
Hyundai is well known to be among the best value for your money, and the Tucson proves it. For just over $28K, you enter the slightly larger crossover market and still benefit from a plethora of standard features.
The Essential AWD trim comes with a full suite of driver-assistive features including Blind Spot Collision Warning, plus heated front seats, fog lights, and 7-inch touchscreen radio. It's powered by a 2.0L 4-cylinder engine.
7. Ford Ecosport SES
If you’re a Blue Oval aficionado, we’ve got an option for you as well. The Ford Ecosport SES gets in well under the $30,000 mark and is perfect for Canadian winters. For that dollar figure, the Ecosport SES is powered by a 2.0L I-4 and has Ford’s Intelligent 4WD system as standard equipment.
Being an upper trim level, you get a bunch of fun equipment like alloy wheels, 8-inch touchscreen with SYNC 3, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and Intelligent Access with Push-Button Start.
Also, FordPass Connect allows you to remote start your engine if you have a cell signal.
Not too shabby, eh?
8. Chevrolet Trax LT AWD
Carrying on the theme of small crossovers, the Chevy Trax LT AWD is another popular choice.
Stepping up from the LS trim to the LT gets you remote engine start and heated outside mirrors, although the Premier trim is where heated seats and steering wheel come into play. Still, the AWD system included in the Trax LT AWD package means you’re getting great value.
9. Mazda CX-3 GS I-ACTIV AWD
Mazda seems to know what Canadians want and the CX-30 is proof. Heated front seats come standard, as does the 8.8-inch Mazda Connect display that works with gloved hands as well as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
That’s all in addition to the performance and fuel efficiency you can expect from the Skyactiv-G 155-hp engine and the intuitive traction from I-ACTIV AWD. The CX-30 is a 2020 IIHS Top Safety Pick and a true bargain at just over $28,000.
10. Kia Soul EX Limited
You don’t necessarily need 4WD or AWD to drive confidently in the winter. The Kia Soul proves it with nearly six inches of ground clearance.
And because you don’t need to pay for AWD, you can get more toys and equipment in your car. Things like leather upholstery, heated front and rear outboard seats, heated steering wheel, premium Harman Kardon sound, and even a Heads-Up Display are included with the Kia Soul EX Limited.
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