A Guest Drove Our Volvo XC60 Through a Calgary Spring Storm — Here's What They Said
April in Calgary means surprise blizzards. One of our guests hit a spring storm on Highway 1 in our Volvo XC60 — and messaged us to say it was the best rental decision they'd made. Real guest feedback, real storm, real AWD.
Sixteen centimetres of snow fell on Calgary overnight on April 16. By 8 a.m., police had logged over 100 collisions. Highway 1 west of the city — the road every Banff-bound tourist takes — was down to near-zero visibility in blowing snow. RCMP pulled multiple vehicles out of ditches along the QE2.
If you’d picked up a compact sedan at the YYC rental counter the night before, you were white-knuckling it through that. No AWD. Probably all-season tires. No idea what the car underneath you was going to do when the lane markers disappeared.
One of our guests was driving our 2022 Volvo XC60 through that same storm. Here’s the message they sent us the next morning:
“Your Volvo is absolutely beautiful, handled amazing in that storm last night. Very comfortable and happy that I chose to book with you.”
We didn’t ask for that message. They sent it unprompted. That’s the kind of feedback that matters — not a five-star rating clicked in two seconds, but someone taking the time to say the car kept them safe when conditions got ugly.
What Makes the XC60 Different in a Storm
The XC60 comes with AWD standard on every trim. Volvo’s system continuously monitors wheel grip and shifts torque to whichever axle has traction — you don’t toggle anything, you don’t think about it. It just works.
Our unit runs dedicated winter tires from October through April. That’s a detail most airport rental counters won’t match. If you rent from a national chain at YYC, winter tires are either an upcharge (when available) or simply not offered. AWD helps you accelerate on snow; winter tires are what help you stop and turn. You need both.
Volvo’s City Safety system — standard on the XC60 — runs active auto-braking that works at speeds as low as 4 km/h on icy surfaces. Pilot Assist holds your lane and manages following distance in low-visibility conditions, the exact scenario where fatigue and stress cause mistakes on Highway 1 in a spring whiteout.
Is the Volvo XC60 Good in Snow?
Short answer: yes, if it’s on the right tires. AWD is only half the equation. A lot of rental SUVs advertise AWD but ship on all-season rubber, which hardens below 7°C and loses grip on packed snow. Our XC60 wears winter compound tires rated for severe snow service (the mountain-snowflake symbol). On the stretch between Canmore and Lake Louise — where the highway climbs through the Bow Valley and wind exposure gets serious — that’s the difference between confident driving and a stress headache.
The 90-Minute Drive You Actually Want to Enjoy
Calgary to Banff is about 130 km, most of it on the Trans-Canada. In clear weather it’s a scenic hour-and-a-half cruise through the foothills. In a spring storm, it can feel like three hours of controlled anxiety.
The XC60’s cabin is built for that drive. Heated front and rear seats take the edge off a cold morning start. The climate system keeps the windshield clear without you fiddling with controls. The Sensus touchscreen handles navigation so you’re not squinting at your phone mount in low visibility. And the cabin is quiet — Volvo’s sound insulation is noticeably better than most mid-size SUVs in this price range. When the wind is howling outside and snow is hammering the bodywork, the interior stays calm. You show up at your hotel in Banff feeling like you drove through weather, not survived it.
What the Airport Counter Can’t Give You
When you rent at YYC, you’re paying a 10–15% airport concession surcharge on top of the daily rate. If you’re under 25, add another $25/day. You get whatever vehicle is available in the lot — you can request a category, but you can’t pick the exact car, the exact tires, or know whether it has AWD until you’re standing next to it.
On Turo, you book a specific vehicle. You see the photos, the specs, the reviews. Our XC60 is listed with AWD, winter tires, and a five-star host rating. No concession fees. No underage surcharge games. You know exactly what’s waiting for you.
For couples or small families heading from YYC to Banff, Canmore, or Lake Louise — especially in the shoulder months when Calgary’s weather flips between spring sunshine and full-blown blizzards in the same week — the XC60 is the car that makes the drive part of the trip instead of the part you endure.
Book the XC60
Our 2022 Volvo XC60 is available on Turo, departing from Calgary. Check dates, pricing, and guest reviews on the listing:
If you’re travelling as a larger group or need a truck for gear, check out our GMC Sierra 1500 and Yukon XL — same host, same standards, same winter tires.