Dedicated winters or severe snow rated A/S

[Andrew.802]

I live in the Northeast (Northern Vermont) and am trying to decide whether I should buy a set of dedicated snow tires or severe snow-rated all-season tires (with the 3-peak logo). My wife has the latter on her Rav4, and they perform well, but she has AWD. I have a 2024 FWD Hybrid. I’m looking for advice from someone with real-life experience using both options on a FWD vehicle.

Sponsored

 

[Optimus]

I run dedicated snow tires on all our vehicles, regardless. On our hybrid Mav, I run Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 in stock size on aftermarket wheels. They work awesome! I have run many brands over the years, and Blizzaks and Nokians are my favs. We average about 85” a year in snow here, sometimes as high as 144” just a couple years ago, and under 40” just last year. We also live in an area with a rapid 600-foot elevation change , meaning it’s all hills. Nothing beats a dedicated snow tire for me.

 

[Montana]

A/S and A/T's will do "okay" for all weathers but they are still not snow tire compound.

Being you are FWD, I'd definitely invest in snows.

Of course, people will weigh in telling you they have driven uphill in the snow both ways for 40 years on FWD summer tires and not had a problem. Do yourself and everyone else on the road a favor and ignore them.

If ice is bad enough where you live and your state allows it, I'd run studded. I have in the past on FWD vehicles and it makes a massive difference.

 

[jasonojordan]

As others stated if only FWD if you depend on the vehicle to perform in all weather situations and get you safely to and from home during the winter I would run dedicated winter tires they will out perform even the best 3 peak rated AT in snow and ice due to the ply ableness of the rubber alone.

 

[IHateSpeedbumps]

Of course, people will weigh in telling you they have driven uphill in the snow both ways for 40 years on FWD summer tires and not had a problem.

All my vehicles that I have had summer tires on in places with real winter have been the safest vehicles I have been in. Granted they were stuck in place spinning tires the whole time.

 

[tom_tucker]

I live in the Northeast (Northern Vermont) and am trying to decide whether I should buy a set of dedicated snow tires or severe snow-rated all-season tires (with the 3-peak logo). My wife has the latter on her Rav4, and they perform well, but she has AWD. I have a 2024 FWD Hybrid. I’m looking for advice from someone with real-life experience using both options on a FWD vehicle.

My Mich X-ICE's (on a separate XL steel set) did great up in Vermont and NY this March. Separate trips but both had 18"+ type storms in route and during. I can't imagine not have dedicated snows. Then again, I'm a skier who comes in from out-of-state. I'm not a local who has a tractor plow that can wait for the plows or stay home or use another car that day.

That trip to Vermont was insane, 100's of cars off the road. March 23rd, 2024. The FWD Maverick slayed it with the snows. I still don't stop on steep hills. Keep distance from next car and shoot up the slope.

 

[AlsMaverick]

As others stated if only FWD if you depend on the vehicle to perform in all weather situations and get you safely to and from home during the winter I would run dedicated winter tires they will out perform even the best 3 peak rated AT in snow and ice due to the ply ableness of the rubber alone.

The word you were looking for is "pliability".

 

[jasonojordan]

The word you were looking for is "pliability".

Pliabilitinesss

 

[todd92]

While no one will argue that dedicated winter tires are superior, especially regarding ice grip, short of living somewhere where they are required or in a heavy snow region where mobility under any condition is needed, a tire like the Michelin Cross Climate 2 is nearly as good, wears much longer and avoids the semi-annual changover.

 

[Andrew.802]

My Mich X-ICE's (on a separate XL steel set) did great up in Vermont and NY this March. Separate trips but both had 18"+ type storms in route and during. I can't imagine not have dedicated snows. Then again, I'm a skier who comes in from out-of-state. I'm not a local who has a tractor plow that can wait for the plows or stay home or use another car that day.

That trip to Vermont was insane, 100's of cars off the road. March 23rd, 2024. The FWD Maverick slayed it with the snows. I still don't stop on steep hills. Keep distance from next car and shoot up the slope.

Funny! I remember exactly what storm you are talking about. I had just bought the Maverick and tried to go to work with the stock summers....big mistake.

 

[todd92]

Funny! I remember exactly what storm you are talking about. I had just bought the Maverick and tried to go to work with the stock summers....big mistake.

No Maverick comes with summer tires. Either all-season or all-terrain.

 

[ThisWas]

a tire like the Michelin Cross Climate 2 is nearly as good, wears much longer and avoids the semi-annual changover.

I'm tempted to go with a year-round tire when it's time to replace the tires I've got now, the mediocre "all season" tires that came with my FWD XL and a set of Blizzaks I've mounted on a second set of wheels. However, I worry that if I don't need to change the tires twice a year I'll be too lazy to rotate them.

(I'd originally written "summer tires" but Todd92 thinks they're "all-season." I guess there must be different seasons in New Jersey than we have in New Hampshire.)

 

[Andrew.802]

No Maverick comes with summer tires. Either all-season or all-terrain.

They are A/S but no one in their right mind would run them in the winter.

 

[Gray Goose]

I run dedicated snow tires on all our vehicles, regardless. On our hybrid Mav, I run Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 in stock size on aftermarket wheels. They work awesome! I have run many brands over the years, and Blizzaks and Nokians are my favs. We average about 85” a year in snow here, sometimes as high as 144” just a couple years ago, and under 40” just last year. We also live in an area with a rapid 600-foot elevation change , meaning it’s all hills. Nothing beats a dedicated snow tire for me.

You must be Duluth or North Shore. Forgot to mention it can also snow 11 months out of the year!

 

[Jason22]

Do you just put snow tires on FWD - front tires ? or do you need them on the back too ?

Sponsored