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Comment by dtgriscom | Hacker News Reader

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dtgriscom·

> Terrible in snow and ice

Are they worse than most front-drive cars? (And what about compared with a Trans Am?)

> No way to defrost your windshield, unless you're already driving

I've wondered about that. The Prius still gets its cabin heating from the ICE?

> Poor rear window visibility

Agree completely.

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My experience with a prius in the north east was that it wasn't particularly bad in ice and snow and the few times I got caught in snowstorms it handled about as well as any front wheel drive car. I certainly wouldn't go out into a snowstorm with it if I had the choice, but thats true of almost any non-awd drive. The windshield defrosting situation was also a non issue for me.

Man I miss my prius, I sold it when gas was under $2...

Agreed. I still have a 2008, and it has gotten me through a couple nor'easters. Even with the original Goodyear Integrity tires. One of them was on the rolling hills of I-90 and I-84 through western Massachusetts and Connecticut. On every uphill portion I'd pass people who had gotten stuck, until I finally reached a place to stop for the night and wait out the storm. The front wheel drive seems to make it better than a lot of other cars out there. Put some CrossClimate2 tires on it, and it would be even better.

Cabin heating is done by heat pump but the gas engine kicks on for the front defrost. I don't know what parent is referring to wrt not being able to run defroster.

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