minicar: I am thinking about getting Mini Cooper, but am not sure about how it handles in wintry weather. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question! :)For somone who owns a Mini Cooper: How does this vehicle handle when driving in snowy and/or icy conditions?I drove my '06 through last winter, and had several bouts with snow. It handles it very well, just like you'd expect a front wheel drive vehicle to do. If anything, it is considerably better than most front wheel drives. I drove it across several mountain passes. I had some cable chains in case I needed them (the law requires you have them around here), but never did feel a need to install them. I kept the stock Continentals on all winter. I bet with studs on, you'd be hard pressed to get into trouble, unless you did something stupid (which all of us are capable of doing). Didn't have occasion to drive in freezing rain last year. That is a challenge in any vehicle, a Mini included. But I am sure it will do better than most under those conditions too.|||Old Minis in Chicago winters used to do fairly good until snow got higher than mid way to axle. The Citroen 2CV or DS series or Saab's with larger tires could go through snow a couple inches higher, but the Minis and R12, R15s, R16s did better than most American rear drive cars in mush. Ice is dangerous for any vehicle- even the Jeeps can get into trouble on ice. Chains or studs on tire help on ice, the Mini with front drive maintains control fairly good.For somone who owns a Mini Cooper: How does this vehicle handle when driving in snowy and/or icy conditions?Has good road holding normaly, and with careful driving should be just fine in wintry conditions. I have had 2 Mini Coopers and now own the new Mini Clubman because I needed more room with a new baby grand daughter, and I love the Mini!|||Friends of mine in Colorado have no problems at all with their Mini's in show or ice conditions. A set of Blizzak tires, cables if necessary, and you're good to go!For somone who owns a Mini Cooper: How does this vehicle handle when driving in snowy and/or icy conditions?Same as every other car in the snow. You lose controll|||Lousy. It's got such a short wheel base and is so light that it just slides around all over the place. The ruts in the road own it! I leave mine parked in the winter. They're down right dangerous on ice! I live in the Idaho mountains....we INVENTED snow here!! I challenge anyone here who claims that is handles good in real winter conditions to come up here and try out a winter here. And, by the way, they're CHAINS, not cables...where do you people live??? I mean.....c'mon..."friends of mine in Colorado"??? That's like "I know a guy who heard someone say once...".|||It handles like a dingy in a typhoon.