Automatic 4x4s in snow / ice?
I've clocked up more than 200,000 kilometres in my 1993 Hilux, it's a great car for (solo) travel; light, rugged and very capable. But in my next trips I want to head to the Russian Far East in the middle of winter, and I need a car with a petrol engine. I've had my Hilux diesel in Russia down to -25ºC in Russia without any problems, but I think getting to -40ºC would be no-go, and there is nothing worse when travelling than a vehicle you can't trust.
Anyway, I've seen a good candidate car, but it is automatic. My gut feeling has always been to avoid them as they use more fuel (not much of an issue now), are far harder to repair, and are in my opinion totally unnecessary outside of the city.
So my question is, how good is an automatic off-road? Specifically in snow?
Anyone here who has experience of using an auto 4x4 in very low temperature conditions?
Thanks!
EO
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EurasiaOverland a memoir of one quarter of a million kilometres by road through all of the Former USSR, Western and Southern Asia.
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