Hard to make good choices with out some local knowledge.
the only thing that saved them was the cell call out. And a lot of work by the Sheriffs SAR and a BLM Ranger.
Staying with the car wouldn't have helped, even if they lit a fire, no one would have seen the smoke, or known to look for them.
catching cell coverage in that area is tricky, at best.
maybe a lion hunter or snow-mobiler would have found them in the car in time (with out the cell phone call) but UNLIKELY.
walking downhill to civilization would have taken them into Kanab Canyon, then into the Grand Canyon- they might have seen a river trip go by every other day or so, if they could have made the 30 mile hike to the river.
Sycamore
