Three Cars to Conquer Any Road

There’s a certain satisfaction that comes from having the right tool for the job. For Canada, that means having a vehicle capable of confronting back-country roads, deep snow and highway miles, all with style. Here then, are three quite different tools, which are all more than up to the job of tackling your next adventure.

(1/6)

Specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8



Power: 567 HP



Gearbox: 8-speed auto



Price:$108,200

Land Rover Discovery Sport

Freezing water running off a nearby glacier is pushing us downstream in the Discovery Sport. The car is in over its wheels. It’s January in Iceland and the sun is just coming up, casting a pinkish glow on distant volcanoes.



Always go with the current when driving across a river, never against it. If the current’s strong enough, it could tip the car over. And maintain a steady speed. Don’t lose momentum or you could sink into the riverbed.



The far bank is approaching. It’s a wall of ice — a vertical block. We’re going to ram into it. Can’t stop, can’t go back. The impact jolts us forward out of our seats, and then back. But the Land Rover is still going, the front wheels are out of the water, clawing at the ice, and with another jolt the back wheels are out too. It’s shocking to find that our feet are completely dry. Hell, we had our seat warmers on while fording a river.



Nobody makes SUVs like Land Rover. It’s all they do, and they’ve been doing since the ‘70s— and before that, under Rover, since the ‘40s. What makes Land Rover unique — and unlike, say, Jeep — is that the firm’s vehicles are not just supremely capable off-road, but also seriously luxurious.



The Discovery Sport is the new entry-level model in the lineup, but in Iceland it proved itself every bit as capable as its higher-end siblings. It can be fitted with a gigantic glass panoramic sunroof, a full leather interior, and incredibly — despite the fact it’s technically a compact SUV — a third row of seats. All-wheel drive is, of course, standard.



The Discovery Sport felt totally confident — even when its drivers were not —on roads made of pure ice, hardpack snow, even glacial rivers. The littlest Land Rover pulled itself through the worst winter conditions Iceland could throw at it. So yes, we feel confident recommending it for snow days in Canada, because heaven knows, no matter what time of year it is, there’s always another icy road just around the corner.



Matt Bubbers

Volvo V60 Cross Country

When was the last time you were in a Volvo? Up until a few months ago, the last time I sat in one of the Swedish automaker’s comfortable, famously safe seats was in university. My roommate drove a white 1990 Volvo 200 Series wagon with a Baby on Board deckle and a popular punk rock band’s sticker on the rear window. She used to drive us up to the ski hill in it, equipment strapped to the roof. She got it from her older brother, who got it from their parents who bought it new, drove the family around for a decade or so and only traded it in when they were ready to get another. It was the car’s safety-forward design that gave it such staying power in that family, and, if you ask, it’s the same for other Volvo-loyal families, too. Safety has a way of engendering loyalty.



But the latest clutch of Volvos is about more than just safety. That heritage remains intact, of course—Volvo’s “Vision 2020” is to have a lineup of cars in which it’s impossible to have a fatal crash, and with the newest suite of safety-tech, which scans the road for pedestrians and will even brake autonomously to avoid collisions, they’re well on their way. Still, strides are being made to diversify the brand’s appeal, and it’s about time, because in today’s market, vehicles have to hit bull’s-eye on an array of targets like tech, design, performance, comfort and, of course safety, in order to compete.



And on this, Volvo’s aim is true. The all-new V60 Cross Country — a rugged sort of wagon — works perfectly downtown in fair weather, toting the young-uns from recital to practice and back again. But, it will also conquer a country winter, when hockey tournaments require a few hundred kilometers of travel over icy roads. It’s the type of car that looks more at home with a roof rack than without (and that’s a good thing). Its elevated ground clearance (7.9 inches more than its wagon predecessor), hill descent control, navigation system and Haldex all-wheel drive, make it suitable for adventure in any season, even the worst Canadian winters. Swedish winters aren’t exactly tropical, after all.



And though the long, low, boxy silhouette that defined my ex-roommates’ old 200 Series wagon is gone, this is still a Volvo wagon. Scandinavian design is evident in its airy modern cabin, and crisp, clean exterior lines that somehow look at home on an adventure, or parked beside your other, perhaps less practical ride.



So, regardless of when the last time was, the next time you find yourself in a Volvo might be sooner than you think.



Coleman Molnar

Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre turbo 14



Power: 240 HP



Gearbox: 9-speed automatic



Price: $41,490

BMW X6M

Standing before me are two things that should not exist: a Formula One race track in the middle of Texas, and an electric blue SUV that can lap it. Fast.



Both things feel like a bluff that’s been called; boardroom jokes that somehow became real. But, here they are: The Circuit of the Americas, and on it, the 2015 BMW X6M.



Yes, it is an SUV. Yes, it has BMW’s superb xDrive all-wheel drive system. Yes, it will handle the snow banks and icey roads with ease, even though none are on display here in Texas. But most importantly for bad weather speed demons: it’s a product of BMW’s M Division, which means it’s very, very fast no matter the weather.



By our calculations, the X6M is the most powerful all-wheel drive vehicle BMW has ever made. It’s twin-turbo 4.4-litre V8 engine — shared with the M5 and X5M — produces 567 horsepower here. Now in its second generation, the X6M feels like it’s come of age, all rough edges smooth off. The coupe-like shape no longer looks awkward stretched over an SUV frame. The eight-speed automatic is even snappier than before. And, 0-100 km/h comes up faster too, in just 4.2 seconds. The suspension feels a bit too stiff initially, but as the speed increases, the ride feels perfectly judged.



On the back straight at the Circuit of the Americas, the X6M effortlessly hits 225 km/h. Wonder how fast it could go on ice?



Matt Bubbers

Specs

Engine: 2.5-litre, inline 5-cylinder



Power: 250 HP



Gearbox: 6-speed automatic



Price: $44,100