Toyota Camry In Snow & Winter Driving? (Explained)

The Toyota Camry is a compact car and one of the most popular Toyota models worldwide.

Debuting in 1982, the Camry has since become one of the company’s flagship vehicles alongside the Land Cruiser.

It has a decent fuel economy, loads of safety features, and a posh interior. This has contributed to its mostly positive ratings and impressive reception in the global market.

Given its critical and commercial success globally, it would be correct to say the Toyota Camry is an excellent mid-size car.

But, just how excellent is it for winter driving? Let’s get some answers.

Here is the short answer to whether the Toyota Camry is good for snow and winter driving:

Toyota Camrys can deliver a great performance in snow and winter. It has an available All-Wheel Drive that contributes stability when traction is low. The AWD is aided by Toyota’s Vehicle Stability Control and Anti-Lock Brake System, a low center of gravity.

Is a Toyota Camry Good in the Snow?

First, you will need one of the Toyota Camry models with 4Wd.

It’s perfectly normal to be concerned about the Camry’s performance in the snow, especially since it’s a compact sedan.

Truth is, the Toyota Camry handles snow just fine.

Features such as the All-Wheel Drive, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, and Traction Control are available on the Toyota Camry.

They give the Camry a much-needed traction boost on slick roads typical of snowy weather.

It also comes with an optional V6 engine that can produce up to 301 horsepower, which gives it enough impetus to traverse snow.

What Features Will Improve Winter Driving?

The Toyota Camry sports certain features that make it splendid for winter driving. The features are explained below:

Vehicle Stability Control

The Toyota Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) is one of the most important winter features on the Toyota Camry.

It was designed to enhance safety by restoring traction and helping the driver maintain control of the vehicle.

Driving during winter poses a risk to a vehicle’s traction and may result in loss of control or, worse, going off the pavement.

The Vehicle Stability Control stops this from happening with your Camry by closely monitoring such situations.

If your vehicle momentarily goes rogue, the VSC will automatically apply brakes to prevent a skid.

It will also slightly reduce engine power to decelerate your Camry and help you regain control safely.

Traction Control

The Toyota Camry also comes with a traction control system like most other vehicles. This feature is particularly useful during winter when traction is extremely low.

One of the major signs of low traction is unusual wheelspin.

Once the Camry’s Traction Control senses excessive wheelspin, it will cut the engine power supply to the unaffected wheels, which will ensure the car remains stable.

It will also apply select brakes to prevent total loss of traction on the affected wheels.

Anti-Lock Brake System

The Anti-Lock Brake system is one of the pre-installed safety systems on the Toyota Camry.

During winter, drivers tend to brake more times than usual because of the prevailing circumstances.

This could, however, trigger a wheel lockup and cause a crash. ABS prevents a wheel lockup entirely by dampening brake pressure which lets the wheel rotate.

Electronic Brake Force Distribution

The Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) system is another feature that guarantees safe winter driving with the Camry.

The EBD complements the Anti-Lock Braking system in stopping a wheel lockup and a potential skid.

It does this by smartly rationing brake pressure to the wheels based on the weight on each wheel. This would effectively prevent any of the wheels from locking up.

All-Wheel Drive (AWD)

The All-Wheel-Drive system is undoubtedly one of the most crucial features sported by the Toyota Camry.

The All-Wheel-Drive intelligently dispenses torque to all four wheels, as needed. It was designed to reduce the chances of traction loss in wintry conditions.

Sending more power to the wheels guarantees a stable winter drive with your Camry while guarding against tire slips.

Comfort and Entertainment Features

The Toyota Camry also ensures that drivers and passengers enjoy comfort and warmth while crushing through wintry roads.

The seats and the steering wheel and side mirrors are heated, keeping the entire vehicle at a considerable level of warmth.

The Toyota Camry also features elegant infotainment features to assuage the usual boredom associated with a long winter journey.

They include a 9-inch touchscreen with Apple Car Play, Android Auto, Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, and nine JBL speakers.

Great music, internet connection, heated seats, and other comfort-enhancing features make winter driving a lot more pleasant.

Even though these features don’t directly impact drivability, they can improve the driver’s state of mind and bring about much-needed positive energy.

Make sure to also read our article about 3 common problems of the Toyota Camry. 

Does A Camry Have Snow Mode?

Most modern cars have certain driving modes designed to boost their ability in various conditions.

The Toyota Camry has three such modes: Normal Mode, Econ Mode, and Sport Mode. Unfortunately, the Camry does not have a snow mode like some other vehicles.

Thankfully, it has several other features that make driving in winter and snow safer and more fun.

Can You Install Additional Snow Gear on Camry?

Even with its multiple winter-friendly features, the Toyota Camry has a not-too-great ground clearance of 5.7 inches.

This means the Camry needs all the help it can get to power through snow, and thankfully, there are snow gears available on the market.

Snow gears are extra vehicle accessories designed to boost a vehicle’s effectiveness in the snow. Below are four examples of snow gear you can install on your Toyota Camry:

• Snow Chains
• Snow Socks
• Snow Tires
• Ice Studs

Before buying and installing snow gear, make sure they are permitted in your region. Some states and provinces across North America prohibit the use of certain snow gear.

In the same vein, make sure your preferred snow gear fits your Camry perfectly. Using ill-fitting snow gear is counterproductive.

How Much Snow Can a Camry Handle?

The Toyota Camry can handle a moderate level of snow, given its winter driving features and capabilities.

However, it slightly falls short in the ground clearance category with just a 5.7-inch ride height.

By our estimation, the Camry can comfortably handle about 3 to 4 inches of snow.

Please also read our article about 11 Toyota Camry statistics you should know. 

How Do Camrys Handle Low Winter Temperatures?

The Toyota Camry sports a fuel-injected engine making it invulnerable to problems associated with low-winter temperatures.

Your Toyota Camry should start fine in frosty weather, barring some internal issues. They include dead or weak batteries, clogged filters, and blocked fuel lines.

If your vehicle has any of these issues, have it diagnosed by a trusted automotive expert.

Can A Toyota Camry Drive on Ice?

Considering its safety and traction control features, the Toyota Camry is well equipped to drive safely on ice. That’s, of course, subject to the driver’s carefulness and expertise while driving on ice.

The Camry is also compact enough and strongly hugs the ground, reducing the risk of a rollover accident.

Does the Camry Have 4WD?

The Toyota Camry isn’t equipped with a four-wheel-drive system.

However, it fully makes up for this with the available All-Wheel Drive system, which performs just as well as the 4WD in snow and winter.

The AWD handles low traction conditions competently and stabilizes your Camry in winter.

Also read our article about how long the Toyota Camry lasts.

What About Older Camry Models and Winter Driving?

The Toyota Camry featured an All-Wheel Drive System between 1988 and 1991 before suspending the system on subsequent models.

However, in 2020, Toyota re-introduced the AWD system for the Toyota Camry.

The Anti-Lock Brake system was introduced in 1991, and in 2011, Toyota introduced a star-safety system comprising several safety features.

They include Electronic Brake Force Distribution, VSC, Traction Control, amongst others, and they have featured on every Camry model since then.

If you are going to get an older Camry model, we advise buying one with Toyota’s star-safety system.

Also, the All-Wheel Drive model is much better if you will be driving regularly in winter and snow.

Do Camrys Need Snow Tires?

Toyota Camrys absolutely need snow tires to enhance their performance in snow.

If you have to deal with snow constantly, we recommend replacing your Camry’s all-season tires with snow tires.

They are more expensive but are better suited for snow than the regular all-season tires.

Can You Mount A Snow Plow on A Camry?

Snowplows aren’t suitable for sedans like the Toyota Camry.

Truth is, they help a great deal in traversing snow, but they are better suited for large trucks and SUVs.

Mounting a snowplow on your Toyota Camry might cause long-term damage.

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