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Traction in a Prius

I've put about 30,000 miles on my 2002 Prius, and just recently got caught in a snow storm while on a trip. The now was not real bad, but we were watching the altimiter closely to see if we were headed down (out of the snow) or up (where it might get heavier). We did not put the chains on the tires, as the snow accumulation was never more than an inch.

The CVT of the Prius performed perfectly and, in retrospect, made the car feel extremely stable. There was no shifting or jerkyness of any kind. The power (when applied to climb hills) was applied smoothly and without any sign of losing traction.

All this was at speeds as low as 25 and as high as 45.

Anyone have a similar experience with a CVT?

Reply to
dbs__usenet
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I kept my Ford Explorer so I could get up my steep driveway in winter. My previous car, a mini-van with front wheel drive, often couldn't make it and I figured the Prius would have trouble too. Much to my surprise it walked right up a layer of ice with 5" of heavy snow on top. That same day I tested stability control system on a sharp curve. It acted like it was glued to the road in a situation where the Explorer's rear end would have come around. Anybody want to buy a '95 Explorer with leather seats and Eddie Bauer kit that has a lifetime average of 18.1 mpg? Only 110,000 miles. :-)

Reply to
Bill

Not in Dallas :_>

Why did you think that a CVT might be problematic in snow or ice?

Reply to
richard schumacher

It was not an expectation that it would be a problem. It was the suprise that it felt so much better than my Camry with it's V6 and auto tranny. I've taken that through the mountains many times, and it was always white knuckle time when we drove through snow.

Daniel

Reply to
dbs__usenet

It may have been the vehicle stability control system that helped. The Prius' CVT-equivalent should not matter to traction.

Reply to
richard schumacher

I credit the CVT with at least part of it because of the extra smooth power tranmission. The auto tranny will sometimes up or downshift when in hill country, and I can feel the abrupt change in speed, especially when it downshifts. I've been told that sudden changes in wheel speed can contribute to the wheel breaking free.

The Prius, on the other hand, had very smooth transitions from coasting downhill to powering uphill.

Daniel

Reply to
dbs__usenet

Hmm, good point.

Reply to
richard schumacher

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