With the Polar Vortex on the tip of everyone’s tongue lately, driving can become a major hassle for some drivers. Freezing temperatures, icy roadways, and rundown equipment can adversely affect your driving abilities, and is why we have compiled a list of ten car features to aide in winter driving.

  1. All-Wheel Drive – The helps the vehicle provide power to all four wheels, which can improve acceleration when there’s snow, ice, or rain on the ground. For more information, find out “Do You Need an All-Wheel-Drive or Four-Wheel-Drive-Car?”
  2. Engine Block Heater – Cold weather makes your vehicles slow to start, and can ultimately prevent it from starting at all. This pre-heating device can reduce cold-weather stress on the engine.
  3. Headlight Washer/Wipers – A headlight washer or wipers will work to clear blockage, and prevent snow, ice, and road salt.
  4. Heated Front Seats – Heated front seats are possibly one of the greatest advancements in automobile manufacturing. Other car models offer all seat warmers as well!
  5. Heated Rear Seats – These are completely necessary to keep your passengers happy. If you get to be warm, but not them, you could have a mutiny on your hands.
  6. Heated Side Mirrors – This ensures that glass is always free of fog and ice.
  7. Heated Steering Wheel – During the winter, this can often be one of the coldest utilities in your car. The heated steering wheel will ensure that your hands do not lock up while driving.
  8. Remote Vehicle Starting System – With this feature you can wake up, lean towards your window, and start your car remotely to heat it up. By the time you get in your car, it will be warm and toasty.
  9. Windshield Wiper De-Icers – This will work to thaw your wipers so they don’t remain stuck to the glass when the wipers are activated.
  10. Winter Tires – When snow is on the ground, tires can make the difference between a safe drive and serious accident.

If you utilize these winter features in your car, trips to your in-laws will be much safer. Though spring is technically around the corner, with these unprecedented temperatures it is highly necessary to have make your life easier!