Dashing through the snow, sort of . . .

LE MASSIF DE CHARLEVOIX, QUE - “Go, go, go, go!” I heard from the instructor perched at the corner. Okay, okay, I was going. The engine was roaring, the wheels spinning, tossing chunks of snow skywards.

My entry speed had been a little hot, so the front wheels were plowing ahead instead of steering the car.

But my coach and I were on the same page, basically following the ol’ deep snow-driving rule that simply states, “whatever the hell you do, don’t stop”.

So, with the traction control turned off and the gas pedal pegged

angle a touch and, well, just sort of waited for the all-wheel-drive system and winter tires to eventually sort the whole mess out.

The Lexus RX 350 roared, bounced and bounded across the ruts and drifts and somehow kept its momentum with the engine straining, the chassis shuddering

the boundary of high snow banks to pull successfully through the corner.

Whew!

through and after that performance the setup crew reassessed the course, shut down the little whoop-de-doo hills I had barely gotten over, smoothed the deeper ruts and diverted the following vehicles through somewhat less challenging

patches of snow.

We had come in search of a Quebec winter but had to look hard to

out of the still green countryside for the snows of Le Massif de Charlevoix, a ski area about an hour east of Quebec City.

This was all in aid of demonstrating the capabilities of Lexus all-wheel-drive systems.

And Toyota’s premier division certainly has a lot of AWD alternatives to choose from.

Out of the grand total of ten cars, six hybrids and four different SUV/CUV models in the Lexus lineup, only two model lines - the ES and CT200h - come without AWD availability.

Granted, few of these all-wheeldrive systems were designed for

any kind of serious off-road rock crawling. Rather, the AWD technologies help enhance overall performance with an intelligent system that can shift from 100 percent FWD to a 50/50 power split (front/ back), while hybrid systems incorporate a separate, third electric motor for the rear wheels.

And, as was so ably demonstrat-

in Quebec, the AWD serves pri ing assist to all-road, all-weather driving security.

Those all-wheel-drive systems complement a Lexus lineup that, for the most part, has been thoroughly refreshed for the 2016 model year.

An all-new 2016 Lexus RX 350 AWD, boasting new styling inside and out, more power and a long list of added content, shows its stuff in an AWD driving exercise on the snows of Le Massif de Charlevoix in Quebec.