Canada is one of the snowiest countries on Earth. And whether we like it or not, we still need to get to work, school, and hockey practice. To many Canadians, this means it’s a given to drive pickup trucks or SUVs. Since they often come with a standard or available all-wheel drive system (AWD system) or four-wheel drive system (4WD system), plus more weight and higher ground clearance, these vehicles can be beneficial in snowy conditions. However, not every single Canadian truly needs a truck or SUV. In fact, cars can provide plenty of benefits in winter weather, including a lower centre of gravity and better handling on slippery roads. Plus, you’ll enjoy better fuel economy all year long.
If you live in the city or suburbs, it’s worth considering whether a snow-ready car would meet your needs. Below, you’ll find our list of the best cars in Canada for dealing with winter weather conditions that you can buy new in 2025. If you’re set on an SUV, check out our separate list of the Best SUVs for Snow, where you’ll find suggestions such as the Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the Subaru Outback and Subaru Forester crossovers, among others.
Remember, no matter what type of vehicle you drive, the best insurance against slippery surfaces in snowfall is a quality set of winter tires. The rubber in winter tires is designed to find better traction at much lower temperatures than all-season tires can. Some people call them snow tires, but they help immensely in cold winter conditions, even when there’s no snow! No matter where you live in Canada, winter tires are an essential part of your safety plan for icy conditions.
Prices shown include destination charges and dealer fees but not options or sales taxes. While they were current at time of publication, prices are subject to change.
Best New Cars for Snow in 2025
- What Makes a Good Car for Snow?
- Alfa Romeo Giulia
- Audi A4 Allroad
- BMW 5 Series
- Lexus IS
- Mazda3
- Porsche 911 Carrera 4
- Subaru WRX
- Toyota Camry
- Volkswagen Golf R
- Volvo V90 Cross Country
What Makes a Good Car for Snow?
All-wheel drive (AWD) helps cars get moving low-traction conditions. (It doesn’t help you stop, though. That job is reserved for quality winter tires.) Geared transmissions are also more desirable than continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) in the snow since the ability to select your own gears gives you more control.
We’ve leaned toward recommending cars with AWD on this list of the best new cars for navigating through snowy roads. With modern traction control and stability control systems, though, AWD is not strictly necessary. Winter tires can make a significant different in helping front-wheel drive (FWD) or rear-wheel drive (RWD) cars gain traction. With a good set of winters, all of these drivetrain options can be manageable in most urban and suburban winter driving situations in Canada.
Other options to consider while shopping include heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a multi-zone climate control system with separate controls for each of the front seats, and an anti-lock braking system. With rare exceptions, you’ll find these features are standard on all the cars listed along with touchscreen infotainment systems. More exceptional features to look for include heated outboard rear seats and heated windshield glass or a heated windshield wiper bay.
2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia
An Alfa Romeo Giulia may not be the first car that comes to mind when you consider cold weather, but that’s precisely why it’s a great choice for those who want to stand out. The Giulia, which is relatively uncommon on Canadian roads, comes with standard AWD on every trim but the high-performance Quadrifoglio (which, sadly, was discontinued at the end of 2024). The aluminum 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque, which is fed through an eight-speed automatic transmission with standard paddle shifters for added control. Just bear in mind Alfa as a brand has mixed reviews for dependability. The 2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia starts in Canada at $63,590.
2025 Audi A4 Allroad
Most of Audi’s cars comes with a standard AWD drivetrain in Canada. So why are we singling out the Audi A4 Allroad for snow driving? There’s so much about this compact wagon that’s smart for Canadian winter road conditions. It comes with 34 millimetres of extra lift compared to the standard A4, there’s extra cladding around the wheel wells, and its wagon proportions give you 1,654 litres of cargo space unimpeded behind the front-row seats. The 2.0-litre turbo four-cylinder engine makes 261 hp and 273 lb-ft of torque, which runs through a seven-speed automatic transmission to Audi’s quattro AWD. The 2025 Audi A4 Allroad has a Canadian starting price of $58,800. Sadly, 2025 is expected to be the final year for the Audi A4 Allroad. The next-generation A5 is set to replace the A4 line-up, and no wagon version is planned as of this writing.
2025 BMW 5 Series
It’s common for luxury brands to offer standard AWD on most of their vehicles, sedans included, and BMW is no exception. There are plenty of Bavarian sedans and coupes that will fit the bill in winter weather. We’ve selected the 5 Series to list here because of its combination of midsize proportions, a wide stance, and a well-tuned available adaptive suspension. The 2025 BMW 530i xDrive sedan has a 2.0-litre turbo 4-cylinder engine with 255 hp and 295 lb-ft and an 8-speed sport automatic transmission. If you’re interested in an electric vehicle, there are two versions of the BMW i5 available, both of which also offer AWD. The 2025 BMW 5 Series starts in Canada at $74,457.
2025 Lexus IS
The Lexus IS has such a reputation for bulletproof winter performance that you’ll often see it on the grids at ice racing events. Of course, those tend to be 20-year-old rear-wheel-drive (RWD) used cars, but you’ll likely be happiest if you choose an AWD version when buying new for on-road use. To get AWD, you have two options. The 2025 IS 300 comes with a 3.5-litre naturally aspirated V6 creating 260 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque, while the IS 350 uses the same engine to generate 311 hp and 280 lb-ft. In either case, power routes through a six-speed automatic transmission. In Canada, the 2025 Lexus IS starts at $51,598.
2025 Mazda Mazda3
Surprisingly, AWD remains a relative rarity among mainstream compact sedans, and this pushes buyers into luxury brands on a regular basis. This is part of what motivated Mazda to add AWD to its Mazda3 offerings back in 2019, and it remains a compelling alternative to this day. The brand’s i-Activ AWD is available with both sedan and the hatchback Mazda3 Sport, and with either the base 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine (191 hp and 186 lb-ft of torque) or the upgraded turbocharged version (up to 227 hp and 310 lb-ft). The only option you can’t select with AWD is the available six-speed manual transmission, which requires front-wheel drive (FWD). The 2025 Mazda Mazda3 starts with AWD in Canada at $34,926.
2025 Porsche 911 Carrera 4
You might think we’re crazy for suggesting you can daily drive a Porsche 911 year-round in Canada. But hear us out: not only does a 911 Carrera 4 carve through snow like a dream, but it delivers a ridiculously good time while doing it. While you can choose any AWD version of the 911 to this effect, you needn’t look any further than the no-frills 911 Carrera 4, which produces 379 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque from its 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged inline-six-cylinder engine. In Canada, the 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera 4 starts at a price of $153,802.
2025 Subaru WRX
SSubaru’s rally racing history paints a vivid picture of just how capable its cars can be in snowy conditions. That’s why we’ve chosen to highlight the Subaru WRX on this list. While it’s not currently available in high-performance STI format, it does have standard symmetrical all-wheel drive along with a 2.4-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine churning out 271 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. Better yet, you can still equip it with a six-speed manual transmission if you choose. Given that the Subaru Legacy has been discontinued and the WRX is a more capable tool for snow than the Impreza or the BRZ, the WRX is the standout driving experience in winter driving conditions within the Subaru car line-up. The 2024 Subaru WRX started in Canada at $36,174. (2025 pricing has not been announced as of this writing.)
2025 Toyota Camry
Toyota has several cars available with AWD, but we’ll happily recommend the ninth-generation 2025 Toyota Camry. Not only does it offer AWD on most trim levels, but the new Camry also comes with a standard hybrid powertrain. This combination of a 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine and Toyota’s hybrid drive system generates 232 hp on models equipped with AWD. It also burns no more than 5.3 litres per 100 kilometres, which is ridiculously good fuel economy for a midsize sedan. The new Camry comes with a long list of standard safety features and driver assist technologies such as blind spot monitoring, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, and automatic high beams. That’s a big part of why we’ve overlooked the electronically controlled CVT and added the Camry to this list. Pricing for the 2025 Toyota Camry with AWD starts in Canada at $40,945. If you want a larger Toyota sedan that’s good in the snow, check out the Toyota Crown. If you’d prefer something smaller, consider the Toyota Corolla Hybrid AWD or the Toyota Prius AWD.
2025 Volkswagen Golf R
Unlike the closely related Volkswagen Golf GTI, the Golf R comes with VW’s 4Motion AWD system. This gives it a raucous quality as a winter car that’s begging for a curvy and snow-covered road. The Golf R’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine generates 315 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque when matched with the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, or 280 lb-ft with the six-speed manual. To that point, the 2024 model year was billed as the last for the manual Golf R, so you may wish to investigate that while you can. The 2024 Volkswagen Golf R carried a Canadian starting price of $50,781. (Pricing on the 2025 model, which is expected to receive some mild updates, is not yet available as of this writing.)
2025 Volvo V90 Cross Country
Few cars stop us in our tracks like a Volvo V90 Cross Country. It offers an ideal balance between stunning looks, wagon styling, and off-road ready features such as hill descent control, plastic wheel claddings, selectable driving modes, and a high ground clearance of 19.5 centimetres to get through deep snow and icy roads better than the average car. Its turbocharged and supercharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine produces 295 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque, sent through an 8-speed automatic transmission to standard AWD. We fervently hope Volvo sells plenty of these so the automaker has incentive to keep building them. In Canada, the 2025 Volvo V90 Cross Country has a starting price of $73,989.
Note: Prices shown include destination charges and dealer fees but exclude taxes. While they were current at the time of publication, prices are subject to change.
