According to Consumer Reports, these car batteries are among the best for cold weather – Jalopnik

A dead battery in frigid temperatures can really mess up your day, and the situation can become downright dangerous – or deadly – ​​when the weather gets cold enough. Also, temperatures don’t have to be that low before you start having health problems: You can get frostbite in 20 degrees Fahrenheit by simply being outside for an hour and trying to start your car.

That’s why jumper cables or portable jump starters should be an important part of your car’s emergency equipment. Of course, the best way to be prepared for cold-weather driving is to make sure your battery can withstand freezing temperatures in the first place. And for that, we can contact our friends at Consumer Reports. They recently completed their annual car battery survey, testing over 100 batteries and only rating them after reviewing five of each.

CR’s in-depth testing results in an overall rating for each battery, along with separate figures for their expected lifespan, reserve capacity and – the subject of this article – cold weather performance. Since Consumer Reports focused on eight of the most common battery sizes as determined by the Battery Council International (BCI) group size rating system, we’ll do the same by featuring these cold weather winners: ACDelco, Duracell Platinum, Duralast Platinum, Odyssey Performance (in two sizes), Super Start Platinum (in two sizes), and X2Power Premium. Keep in mind that there are over 80 BCI group numbers for passenger cars/light trucks, and the best way to know what size your vehicle needs is to consult the owner’s manual.

The BCI groups take into account things like a battery’s physical size and performance, along with the chemistry they use – such as Advanced Glass Mat (AGM) setups – and are ultimately sorted by which car brands they fit. For example, according to CR, Group 24/24F batteries are typically intended for the Japanese Big 3 (and their associated luxury sub-brands: Honda/Acura, Nissan/Infiniti, and Toyota Lexus). Here, the Duralast Platinum was the only battery to achieve both a top score for cold weather performance and a CR recommendation, using AGM chemistry. AGM is more expensive than traditional lead-acid chemistry, but can extend the life of your car battery.

The following are the Group 35 batteries suitable for some Honda, Nissan and Toyota vehicles, as well as rides from Japanese car manufacturers Mazda and Subaru. The CR-recommended X2Power Premium AGM battery set the benchmark in this category with perfect CR scores for cold weather performance, battery life and reserve capacity, plus the CR ‘Green Choice’ designation for its environmental impact.

In Group 47 – compatible with Buicks, Chevrolets, Fiats and VWs – the Duracell Platinum achieved the highest CR rankings for the three key test criteria.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz join Hyundai in sometimes requiring Group 49 batteries, with the category leader, the ACDelco Professional, being a good example. It was the highest scorer in the group overall, supported by a CR recommendation, although it didn’t get the very best score for cold weather performance; nor any other Group 49 battery tested by CR.

As mentioned, two batteries had the highest CR rating in cold weather in two different categories, but remember we’re still talking about different BCI group sizes. So the Odyssey Performance battery that ranked No. 1 for BCI Group 48 – compatible with Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Jeep, Mercedes-Benz, Mini, Volkswagen and Volvo vehicles – cannot be swapped with the Odyssey Performance battery that topped Group 94R (for sports cars, European cars and trucks).

While the Odyssey Performance had the best possible Group 94R scores for longevity, reserve capacity and cold-weather performance, and earned a CR recommendation with a Green Choice designation, it didn’t quite have the reserve capacity for a perfect score in that category in Group 48. Otherwise, it matched its CR performance there with the 94R battery.

It was a somewhat similar story for our last battery, the Super Start Platinum which, despite leading two BCI groups with its ability to handle cold temperatures, had slightly different results in the two groups. In Group 51R, which includes batteries for Audi, BMW, Hyundai and Mercedes-Benz products, the Super Start Platinum was in the top segment for performance and cold weather longevity, and the CR recommendation carried a Green Choice label. Full-size cars, trucks and SUVs from Ford (and the former Mercury division responsible for some of the most beautiful cars ever) can be found in Group 65, where the featured Super Start Platinum earned perfect scores in all three core categories, but still didn’t earn the nod for Green Choice recognition.