When the German military took delivery of the first vehicles, they immediately put them to the test on- and off-road in snow and ice to test their capability at handling European winters.
Several four-wheel-drive vehicles were used as reference points.
The two-wheel-drive Kübelwagen surprised even those who had been a part of its development, as it handily out-performed the other vehicles in nearly every test.
Most notably, thanks to its smooth, flat underbody, the Kübel would propel itself much like a motorised sled, when its wheels were sinking into sand, snow, or mud, allowing it to follow tracked vehicles with remarkable tenacity.

In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in North Africa.
 This evaluation, done at the Army's Aberdeen (Maryland) Proving Ground (on more than one?
a number of publications include photos of a single Kubelwagen), resulted in the publication of War Department Technical Manual TM E9-803, 6 June 1944.
 It was intended for distribution after the D-day invasion of Europe to US military personnel who might encounter ones that had been abandoned, possibly for lack of fuel or a minor technical problem, and with the help of this manual, might be put into service as additional vehicles.
So thorough was the analysis that it included information beyond what could be done as field servicing, plus ways of dealing with very low temperatures.
 U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945 (p. 416), states "The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the American 'Jeep', is inferior in every way, except in the comfort of its seating accommodations."

At the same time, another Kübelwagen, also captured in North Africa, had been dissected in Britain by engineers of the Humber Car Company, whose report said it exhibited no "special   brilliance" in design except in details and that "it is suggested that it is not to be regarded as an example of first class modern design to be copied by British industry".

Among the design features that contributed to the Kübelwagen's performance were:
Light weight, although some 41 cm (16 in) longer than the Willys MB, it was over 300 kg (660 lb) lighter.

Very flat and smooth underbody, that allowed the car to slide over the surface it was traversing.

Considerable ground clearance, roughly 28 cm (11 in), in part thanks to:
The use of portal gear hub reduction, providing more torque and ride height simultaneously.

Independent suspension on all four wheels.

Self-locking differential, limiting slippage and retaining traction.

In addition, the air-cooled engine proved highly tolerant of hot and cold climates, and was less vulnerable to bullets due to the absence of a radiator.
For starting under winter conditions, a specially volatile starting fuel was required, contained in a small auxiliary fuel tank.

As the body was not a load-bearing part of the structure of the vehicle, it could easily be modified to special purposes.

The Kübelwagen could reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
When the German military took delivery of the first vehicles, they immediately put them to the test on- and off-road in snow and ice to test their capability at handling European winters. Several four-wheel-drive vehicles were used as reference points. The two-wheel-drive Kübelwagen surprised even those who had been a part of its development, as it handily out-performed the other vehicles in nearly every test. Most notably, thanks to its smooth, flat underbody, the Kübel would propel itself much like a motorised sled, when its wheels were sinking into sand, snow, or mud, allowing it to follow tracked vehicles with remarkable tenacity.
In November 1943, the U.S. military conducted a series of tests as well on several Type 82s they had captured in North Africa.  This evaluation, done at the Army's Aberdeen (Maryland) Proving Ground (on more than one? a number of publications include photos of a single Kubelwagen), resulted in the publication of War Department Technical Manual TM E9-803, 6 June 1944.  It was intended for distribution after the D-day invasion of Europe to US military personnel who might encounter ones that had been abandoned, possibly for lack of fuel or a minor technical problem, and with the help of this manual, might be put into service as additional vehicles. So thorough was the analysis that it included information beyond what could be done as field servicing, plus ways of dealing with very low temperatures.  U.S. War Department Technical Manual TM-E 30-451, Handbook on German Military Forces, dated 15 March 1945 (p. 416), states "The Volkswagen, the German equivalent of the American 'Jeep', is inferior in every way, except in the comfort of its seating accommodations."
At the same time, another Kübelwagen, also captured in North Africa, had been dissected in Britain by engineers of the Humber Car Company, whose report said it exhibited no "special   brilliance" in design except in details and that "it is suggested that it is not to be regarded as an example of first class modern design to be copied by British industry".
Among the design features that contributed to the Kübelwagen's performance were:
Light weight, although some 41 cm (16 in) longer than the Willys MB, it was over 300 kg (660 lb) lighter.
Very flat and smooth underbody, that allowed the car to slide over the surface it was traversing.
Considerable ground clearance, roughly 28 cm (11 in), in part thanks to:
The use of portal gear hub reduction, providing more torque and ride height simultaneously.
Independent suspension on all four wheels.
Self-locking differential, limiting slippage and retaining traction.
In addition, the air-cooled engine proved highly tolerant of hot and cold climates, and was less vulnerable to bullets due to the absence of a radiator. For starting under winter conditions, a specially volatile starting fuel was required, contained in a small auxiliary fuel tank.
As the body was not a load-bearing part of the structure of the vehicle, it could easily be modified to special purposes.
The Kübelwagen could reach a top speed of 80 km/h (50 mph).
Volkswagen Kübelwagen