By Tara Tuckwiller on November 19, 2010 in
Do you really need winter tires? Can't you just get by on all-seasons? If you regularly drive on snow and ice, experts don't advise it, according to our latest report on snow tires. If your winters aren't too cold or snowy, all-season tires with plenty of tread are probably fine, say pros at ConsumerReports.org and TireRack.com. But when the mercury plummets -- even if the roads are clear -- all-season tires start to lose their grip.
"Remember that with a two-ton vehicle, it is just four hand-sized contact patches that touch the road, provide the grip needed for accelerating, braking, and handling," says ConsumerReports.org. "That's not much keep you and your passengers safe. Especially in the cold, with a glaze of ice."
"The rubber in four-season tires tends to harden when temperatures reach -8 to -10 degrees Celsius" (14 to 18 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Transports Québec, where snow tires are now mandatory for everyone. Winter tires make for safer braking on cold pavement -- they cut braking distances by up to 25 percent, Québec's transportation department found -- and they could save your life. Car crash deaths fell 24 percent in the first winter of Québec's new tire law.
To find the best winter tires, we sifted through more than a dozen snow tire tests by major auto magazines, nonprofit groups and other reliable experts in the United States, Canada, Norway and Sweden (thanks to Henrik Nordström of Scandinavian Translation Service for painstakingly translating the latter). We identify the best winter tires for every need, with top performers starting at just $70 for the excellent General Altimax Arctic. The step-up Michelin X-Ice Xi2 (*Est. $95) offers a a quieter, comfier ride and a bit more ice grip, or you could try the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 (*Est. $170) for maximum ice bite. Performance cars can stay sure-footed in winter with the higher speed-rated Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 (*Est. $130). And if you drive an SUV or pickup truck, the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 (*Est. $130) is the runaway favorite of both experts and owners -- some of whom say they never would have made it through last year's horrendous winter without their Blizzaks.
You'll also find expert advice to guide your shopping trip. Want to save some cash? Try "minus-sizing" your snow tires. Tempted to buy just two snow tires for your drive axle, or leave the snow tires on year-round? Bad ideas, experts say. Learn more in our updated full report.