Five cars for skiers and snowboarders

There's something special about waking up at the crack of dawn on an frigid winter's morn, smug in the knowledge that soon you'll be carving your way through glorious snow.

Surrounded by pristine alpine national park, it's an incredible way to escape the monotony of daily life, each lungful of crisp, icy air enhancing the invigorating experience.

But getting there and back is almost as important as skiing and boarding itself and if you can do it in style and comfort – and of course as safely as possible – it's going to make the journey almost as rewarding as the destination.

So if you're keen on snow sports what should you choose? Is all-wheel drive necessary? Diesel or petrol? What about electric cars? Will any SUV cut the mustard? How much space and what features are required for reaching the alpine regions? Here's a few cars to get the shopping list started, no matter your budget.

There are very few Subaru's that aren't capable in the snow and that's because every model comes with a tried-and-tested all-wheel drive system… except the BRZ sports car, but getting skis in one those puppies would be tougher than self-isolating for months on end.

The Subaru XV has a higher ride height than regular small cars (like its Impreza sibling) which means it's less likely to get snagged on obstacles.

You'll see plenty of Subaru vehicles heading up to the ski fields in winter because they're predictable to drive, safe and generally reliable. It's also why Subaru buyers are among the most loyal, returning to the brand again and again.

Despite being a 'small car', you can fit skis and snowboards on the roof or in the boot (with seat/s folded) and you can hook up Apple CarPlay or Android Auto to while away the drive with your favourite podcasts.

Volvo prides itself on building safe cars and if you can plump for the circa-$63,000 entry-level turbo-diesel Swedish SUV, you won't be disappointed.

The larger-sized Volvo XC60 has loads of interior space for your gear, a solid all-wheel drive system and this has a frugal diesel engine. It will also cosset you in the latest Swedish-designed leather-accented furniture and all models comes with heated door mirrors, which are a godsend when things get frosty. It's basically like a Swedish ski lodge on wheels.

Having personally taken a Ford Ranger Raptor to the snow myself, I can attest to its epic ability in all conditions. Snow mound in your way? No drama, plough straight through it! If it's a hillock, blast over the top, flying like an eagle.

Instead of taking the usual sealed road up to Mount Baw Baw, I took the back way in the Raptor, a dirt road that was way more fun (and less trafficked). The Fox dampers are just amazing and provide ultra-smooth ride comfort.

The beauty of 4x4 dual cab utes is that you can still cram five people in and their gear – the snowboards fit easily in the tray along with all our gear.

The biggest and most luxurious BMW SUV money can buy is the X7 and it's a great snow mobile on many different levels. But it's not cheap. If you've got a spare $130K (at least) the seven seats, massive boot and lavish interior will impress all who are granted entry.

On top of the clever all-wheel drive system, semi-autonomous driver assistants, heated mirrors and heated front seats, there's the smug satisfaction you'll have rocking up to the chalet in a fancy-pants and utterly massive 4WD.

It has about 400 USB ports so everyone can while away their time playing games on their phones and up front there's even a pair of heated cup holders that will keep your coffee toasty warm.

Rocking up to the snow fields in a $400,000 Lamborghini Urus (yellow, of course) will communicate to all and sundry that you're a 'player' who 'knows what's up'.

The big Lambo's stonking 4.0-litre V8 pumps out so much power that even when you realise there are no snow chains within coo-ee of Thredbo that fit 22-inch alloy wheels, you'll have saved enough time to order an Uber up to the top carpark and still be ahead of the great unwashed masses.

It comes standard with heated seats and door mirrors and enough room in the back for boards and skis.

But perhaps the best thing about using the Urus SUV as a snow vehicle is the fact that the engine gets so freakin' hot it'll melt all the snow in front of it anyway. After all, the Urus 'knows what's up'.

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