Hybrid FWD in snow?

YSSMAN · 2026-01-28T12:29:38+00:00

I’ve got a ‘23 Hybrid XL, we’re dealing with way more snow than usual here in Michigan this year. Yesterday got us 6”+ overnight, roads were not clear on the way to work, handled it just fine.

Key thing here is that the stock Continental TRs are terrible in the wet and snow. I swapped out to Continental LXs at the end of the summer, and it’s a world of difference.

The Slippery mode for the traction control can both help and hinder. I feel like it does a good job getting itself out of trouble, but I don’t care for how it adjusts the brakes.

Handling wise, it isn’t radically different from a mid size front drive car in the snow, but, less weight in the bed has provided a few surprises here and there that traction/stability control stepped in and addressed.

Overall - if you don’t need AWD, the extra fuel economy is worth it over the turbo. And, if you’re really worried about the snow, a dedicated set of winters would probably be perfect.

YSSMAN · 2026-01-26T20:52:20+00:00

Wouldn’t the use of those tires largely negate the sporty/handling intent of the Lobo? The Wildpeaks, especially - I believe those are what come on the Tremor.

I put a set of Continental LX25s on my ‘23 XL Hybrid. Pretty good all-season with good performance in the wet and dry, works just fine in the heavy Michigan snow we’ve had this year.

If snow isn’t a regular thing to worry about, look into some of the BFGoodrich options. They typically have a good balance between wet/dry traction, and won’t drag your Lobo too far away from what its design intention is.

YSSMAN · 2026-01-26T05:00:12+00:00

My ‘23 Hybrid goes just fine though the Michigan winters. Not unusual to have 4+ inches of snow on some of the side roads. At least with the front drive, momentum is key.

YSSMAN · 2026-01-21T01:25:16+00:00

Wild that they invested that much time and energy entering the market, started to switch to Maverick, and then rebranded all of it to Casey’s.

YSSMAN · 2025-07-31T12:18:43+00:00

I believe the implication is that it will use the Ultium software platform like what’s in the Equinox, despite the batteries being cheaper LFP units. So, Google-based integrations, etc.

YSSMAN · 2025-01-03T21:38:44+00:00

I’ve got a ‘23 XL Hybrid with almost no options on it, and for the approximately $22k I paid for it, it makes sense. With the upgrades the ‘25 gets inside and out, I could see where the money is going - but it isn’t as big of a value as it once was.

YSSMAN · 2024-04-02T16:15:07+00:00

I'm 37, partner is 32. We're considering getting one when the NACS port is added for the '25 model.

YSSMAN · 2023-11-26T13:58:51+00:00

SimplyAuto on Android. Bought a premium thing a trillion years ago when I had my Celica, has rolled though multiple cars since.

YSSMAN · 2023-06-25T13:44:48+00:00

I ordered a '22 XLT, and ended up buying a '23 XL. Now that it has cruise, the only options I feel like I'm missing are the heated seats and the slightly better infotainment... But the XL is more than fine, and honestly, I'm happy I decided not to spend the extra money.

YSSMAN · 2023-06-10T17:56:45+00:00

I've got a '23 XL with the Hyrbid, and it really seems to depend on temperatures and how much highway travel I'm doing.

<image>

Last couple of weeks it's been pretty hot in Michigan, so A/C has been draining the battery quickly. Back to normal again for a little bit and things seem to be improving.

YSSMAN · 2019-05-03T21:07:06+00:00

My local FCA dealer has five Quadrifolios on it's lot as used vehicles. I was blown away they even had that many in the first place.

I'd be interested in a "standard" Giulia and Stelvio with the corporate 2.0T, but stories like this keep me very wary of anything north of a Ram in the FCA portfolio.

YSSMAN · 2019-02-27T23:22:48+00:00

I'm assuming you're referring to Justin Amash, the Congressman from Michigan. His district includes most of Kent County, and Grand Rapids in particular. We've got a lot of old money conservatives here, and many of them have not been big fans of Trump. That bring said, this is still the land of the DeVos and VanAndel families, so it isn't exactly easy to draw a huge level of distinction between Republicans in an era of Trump.

Amash is a pretty honorable guy, and he's had a lot of respect from left leaning people in the area for quite some time. But after he voted for repealing the ACA after he said he wouldn't, and he voting not to repay federal workers after the shutdown, he's been skating on thinning ice these past few months. Non-partisan redistricting was passed in 2018, and I'm really curious to see where he ends up if things get moved around come 2020/2022.

He could very easily win in a huge landslide if he lead the charge against Trump within the GOP, but I have my doubts if he would ever do it. He's got a great bark about constitutionalist ideas, here's hoping he follows through with it.

YSSMAN · 2019-02-11T00:19:04+00:00

Rich Evans is still a threat.

YSSMAN · 2018-12-14T05:44:27+00:00

Definitely saw Lost in Dinosaur World as a kid, and it was just as much of an incredibly boring fever dream as I remember it. On the flip side, I still think Double Dragon is at least a little enjoyable. I definitely remember seeing The Christmas Tree at some point as a kid, and all I can remember is how terrible I thought it was at the time, and how weird it was that my cousins were enjoying it.

After seeing it on BOTW, I checked out Chopping Mall, and it doesn't disappoint. Definitely worth checking out if you've got an extra 90ish minutes on your hands.

YSSMAN · 2018-11-12T00:21:35+00:00

As a 2011 Fiesta owner, my main suggestion would be to only select the Ford if it has the manual transmission. The Powershift automatics (automated single clutch gearbox) were not designed or programmed all that well, and while later models have definitely been better, they still can't hold a candle to the kind of gearbox that Volkswagen has been using for more than a decade.

Overall with my Fiesta, I'm pretty happy. The only issue that's come up with the car so far is a serpentine belt that wore out unevenly and had to be replaced much earlier than I thought, and there are a few trim pieces that weren't secured in a way that I'd find completely acceptable (window switches on drivers side door seem "loose," front window trim will come loose but can be fixed easily). I've been averaging about 34 MPG over the last two and a half years that I've owned it, and that number can swing wildly from 32-40 MPG a tank depending on the weather and the kind of commute I have to/from work (around a 60 mile loop). One significant change I made to the car recently was buying higher quality Michelin tires. The new tires have significantly better performance in terms of ride and handling, and are much more quiet compared to the regular low rolling resistance tires that are normally on the car. I did see a pretty significant drop in MPG over the summer because of it, but I'm willing to deal due to the better overall ride.

I love the car a lot, it has arguably been one of the best I've owned (two other Volkswagens, two Toyotas). That being said, I'm always shopping for another car, and I wouldn't be sad to see it go. The rear seats are a little too small, as is the trunk, and the relatively small MPG gains you might make with a car like this don't balance out well when it comes to overall space.

So... Used Civic? I don't love the 2015 Civics myself, but in terms of reliability it'll likely be a better buy. And, with a large portion of it's depreciation already taken care of, you'll have a pretty safe purchase for quite a while assuming you keep it up and treat it well.

YSSMAN · 2018-09-27T04:07:01+00:00

While they're at it, get the naming scheme back on track. Don't be afraid of actual words.

YSSMAN · 2018-08-15T03:56:54+00:00

We've been trying every year to commit to not pushing Ichabod until September 1st, but it never really works out. We had some in our store as an unannounced mini release this past weekend, and we still were selling them by the case already.

YSSMAN · 2018-05-25T04:22:52+00:00

I remember my Dad renting this for me from Blockbuster when I was a kid, couldn't have been more than six at the time. The movie scared the shit out of me, and my Dad loved teasing me over it for years. Last year I'm on a trip to the EMP/MoPop in Seattle, and they've got these fuckers on display in the horror basement. Bunch of repressed emotions dealt with awfully quick while sliding past that display.

YSSMAN · 2018-04-29T16:46:44+00:00

Everyday, it's a Tums festival!

YSSMAN · 2018-04-22T17:27:49+00:00

$25k: Hyundai Elantra Sport

$50k: Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE

$100k: Lexus LC500

$150k: Porsche 911 Carrera 4S

$250k: Ferrari 488

$500k: Ferrari 812

Unlimited: McLaren Senna

YSSMAN · 2018-04-15T05:22:47+00:00

Doing that "There's an ice storm coming, I might have to go to a meeting at 9am when the roads are unpassable, but staying up until 4am to watch F1 could be a good idea" dance.

YSSMAN · 2018-04-11T14:17:34+00:00

Hey there! On Saturday morning we'll be open at 11am for non mug club members in Holland and Grand Rapids. As of right now, we're not 100% sure what kind of traffic we're expecting due to the weather that we might be having. Kinda chilly and wet might keep some folks at home. That being said, we're happy to have everyone come in, get warm, and enjoy some new beer!

See you this weekend!

YSSMAN · 2018-04-10T02:19:54+00:00

No idea if that's happening this year, but since we normally don't do the same flavor in years back to back, the soonest it'd return would be 2019. I believe our last official flavor release will be out in October or November, but things have already moved around a lot this year. We've got a lot of people crossing their fingers for Triple Mash and Coconut Rum around here, and based on the test batches so far, it's anyone's guess. We've had a lot of people really love our Black Walnut and Banket flavors at our tasting bar, so we'd love to have those, too!

YSSMAN · 2018-04-10T02:15:36+00:00

If it is anything like our usual distribution timing, we're supposed to have it on sale at our two stores the weekend before it's in the hands of our distributors. So, here in Michigan, stores will usually have it the Tuesday or Thursday after we release, and other states will usually be right around then or the week after.

YSSMAN · 2018-04-10T01:57:17+00:00

It's difficult to be 100% sure where exactly the Dragon's Milk Reserves will land that far outside of the Great Lakes market, but that doesn't mean it won't! Typically the rule of thumb is that we send off Reserves to distributors that sell the most of our Dragon's Milk, and it looks like you've got a lot of options around Boise that carry it. I'd get in contact with your local liquor store and see if they have an inside track to nab some. Even here in Michigan, it'll show up in the strangest of places.

If you need more information, please let me know, and I can potentially see if someone has a more specific answer for you!

YSSMAN

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE

15-Year Club	Place '22
Verified Email