If you had to pick a between a Toyota Prius and a Tacoma to drive in the snow, which one would you choose? Most likely the Tacoma, right? I wouldn’t blame you considering it’s a mid-size truck with a heightened stance and four-wheel drive. However, I’ve actually driven in the snow with both vehicles and can boldly say that the Prius actually provided an easier driving experience. Shocking, right?

The Toyota Tacoma’s high stature is great for the snow, but kind of a hindrance

Don’t get me wrong, I’m fully aware that the 2022 Toyota Tacoma is essentially a work truck that can be gussied-up to the gills with all types of off-road equipment to make it a bonafide boulder crawler. Its high ride height is great for traversing snowy roads and it’s definitely the rig that I would choose if I had to get to my imaginary vacation cabin in the deep woods of Colorado.

However, when it comes to around-town driving that only involves stopping at stoplights and slowly turning around corners, it’s kind of a pain. I’ve driven a few different Tacomas, the most notable one being the TRD Pro, and found that its numb steering feel and wide ratio made the truck unwieldy to drive in the powdery snow we get in Colorado.

If anything, it feels like you’re at the helm of a small boat in the middle of a storm and the brakes don’t help either. When it’s time to slow the truck down, the soft brake pedal doesn’t inspire the most confidence that you’ll stop. But that’s a given, considering the Tacoma TRD Pro weighs around 4,500 pounds. Otherwise, the Tacoma is more than capable of handling a snowstorm, just don’t expect the highest feeling of control when going through it.

The Toyota Prius was much easier to drive in the snow

On the other hand, I found that the Toyota Prius was much easier to drive in the snow. I know, it’s smaller, lighter, and most importantly, front-wheel-drive – so it’s bound to handle better, right? Technically yes, but what’s even better about it is that its lower center of gravity and weight balance, thanks to the battery, make it feel more manageable when driving around town on a snowy night.

No, it won’t get you out of the crazy snowstorm or get you to that cabin in the woods on a bad January day. However, if you mainly need to run errands while the white stuff pours from the sky, a Prius will get you to where you need to go just fine. Its brakes are touchy, but they work well if you time your braking right. And its steering is number than most other cars, but you can at least tell where the wheels are pointed at any given time, which leads to a more confident driving experience.

It’s still an apples-to-oranges comparison

No matter which way I compare these two Toyota models, it’s still an apples-to-oranges comparison. However, this little comparison is my two cents on which car is easier to live with when it comes to normal everyday driving in the snow. Sure, the Toyota Tacoma is still a clear winner when it comes to sheer capability. But if you just need to get from point A to B when the road gets slippery, then the Toyota Prius will do just fine.