People living in regions where temperatures dip below the freezing mark for few months a year understand the concept of a winter car all too well.
Needing to negotiate snow, ice and frigid temperatures, a winter car needs to be robust, reliable and sure footed. This leads most people into buying good all-around vehicles or a cheap, well used, affectionately nicknamed winter beater. The latter is usually only driven during winter months in place of a much nicer, high performance ‘summer’ car.
SEE ALSO: 2014 Mazda MX-5 Review
So what makes a winter car good? Well, conventional wisdom states it shouldn’t be a convertible as too much heat can escape through the roof. It shouldn’t be sports car as they are too performance orientated and temperamental and can’t handle cold temperatures or slick roads all that well. Finally, it definitely shouldn’t be rear-wheel drive as there’s no way to get any traction in the snow with one of those archaic drive line designs.
So the fact I’m proposing a rear-wheel drive, convertible sports car is a great winter vehicle may seems mildly insane. Ok, I’ll admit, maybe it isn’t the world’s best winter vehicle, but the 2015 Mazda MX-5 actually does a decent job when the weather gets cold. Most scoff at the idea that such a little roadster works well when the weather turns frightening, but I intend today to prove it’s a capable, fun ‘winter beater’. Follow along with me on twitter @mikeschlee and check back here regular for updates throughout the day.