Snow Tires

All-season tires or snow tires?

Even if your car has traction control or an ABS braking system, those features won't improve traction on snow and ice. Experts at The Tire Rack say only snow tires will actually improve grip on snow and ice. Although all-wheel-drive or front-wheel-drive is an advantage, you'll still improve safety by swapping your summer or all-season tires for winter ones. This is because snow tires have special tread designs that help them bite into the snow. Snow tires also use a softer rubber compound, so they stay flexible at lower temperatures.

Though you might be tempted to buy just two winter tires for your drive axle, every expert we found says this isn't a great idea. That's because mixing winter and all-season tires can lead to poor handling balance. The Toronto Star's John Mahler says that this strategy can be dangerous in skid situations, as the front wheels get different traction than the rear wheels. All experts say four winter tires are your best bet, and even inexpensive winter tires will do better in ice and snow than all-season tires.

Plus-sizing is popular for summer tires; plus-sizing means choosing a larger wheel size and corresponding tire than originally specified for your vehicle. For example, if your car specifies a wheel size of 16-inches, increasing wheel size by one inch would result in a 17-inch wheel, or 'Plus One' for your vehicle. The tire you buy will then need to have a shorter sidewall and wider tread to accommodate the same load and tire diameter.

Although many drivers are doing this for cosmetic reasons -- a larger wheel and wider tire has a sportier look -- reviews say plus-sizing is a bad idea for winter tires. That's because wider tires must carve a wider path through snow, which means more resistance and drag. Instead, experts recommend using a narrow winter tire. Narrower tires can more easily cut a path through snow and slush. You can "minus size" your original tire size by selecting a narrower tread and smaller wheel size. This can also save you some money, since narrower tires and smaller wheels are usually cheaper than wider tires with larger wheels.

Winter tires are generally Q or H rated. H-rated tires are rated up to 130 miles per hour, while Q-tires are rated up to 99 miles per hour. When it comes to winter tires, however, the speed rating translates a bit differently. Consumer Reports says that more expensive H-rated tires generally get better performance at lower speeds in ice and snow. Q-rated winter tires are usually less expensive.

Best snow tires for harsh winters

While they are popular in Scandinavia and the parts of North America with the harshest winters, studded tires are not as popular in most of the United States. Studs are small metal spikes imbedded in the tire tread by the tire dealer. Most reviews acknowledge that studs are a big help on ice, though they don't make much of a difference on snow. Because studs contribute to road damage, however, many areas restrict their use. Studded tires are also a lot noisier than non-studded tires. While Consumer Reports says studded tires are still best if you live in a region where icy conditions are prevalent, non-studded tires are the best choice for most people.

For the first time, a Scandinavian reviewer agrees that studless tires are best for most. Although 70 percent of Swedes rely on studded tires, Motorföraren's tire expert, Hasse Britth reports that studless tire technology has made a breakthrough. This year, the studless winter tires beat all but two of the studded snow tires in Motorföraren's ice-braking test. This test demonstrates that even the most faithful of studded tire users can now consider a studless tire, says Britth.

At Teknikens Värld, the best studless tires performed just as well as the best studded tires on ice and snow. Reviewers here say that studded tires still have their place, however, particularly if you live in the interior of Northern Sweden.

Still, one studless tire is the top choice of several reviewers for harsh climates where roads stay snow- and ice-covered all winter. The Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi (*est. $115) studless tires are "the best winter tires I've tried to date," writes engineer Haney Louka in his review at Canadian Driver. Teknikens Värld calls the RSi "the best Nordic studless tire" -- meaning the best in severe winters. Motorföraren rates the RSi as best on winter road surfaces.

The Nokian RSi snow tire does have a drawback. It doesn't handle as well on roads that are merely wet or dry, testers found. Top reviewers found the RSi more likely to hydroplane than many other snow tires on wet roads. And in Motorföraren's tests, the Nokian RSi posted the longest braking distance of any studless snow tire on dry pavement. On constant snow and ice, however, the RSi is hard to beat, according to reviews. The studless RSi beats almost every winter tire in Motorföraren's ice-braking tests; only two studded tires manage a shorter stopping distance. In the same test, the RSI also beats all winter tires in accelerating on ice. The RSi offers a comfortable ride, note reviewers at Teknikens Värld, as well as the lowest rolling resistance (and therefore, the best gas mileage) of any snow tire in that test.

At Canadian Driver, reviewer Haney Louka likes the RSi's "driving safety indicator," which shows drivers how much tread is left. The numbers "8 6 4" are raised in the center of the tread when the tires are new. The numbers disappear as the tires wear. "Simple, yet effective," Louka writes.

Although Louka found the RSi snow tires noisy and dull-steering on dry pavement, he appreciated them as soon as the snow started to fall in Winnipeg, Canada. The RSi winter tires were able to plow Louka's Mazda6 wagon through eight inches of wet, heavy snow, and he wound up helping a stuck Ford pickup. The RSi makes the previously tested Michelin Pilot Alpin (*est. $100) pale in comparison, Louka writes. The Pilot Alpin posts decent but undistinguished ratings in another North American snow-tire test.

A less expensive -- but still highly effective -- severe winter tire is the Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 (*est. $65) . The WS-50 actually bests the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi in one of the top North American tests, displaying impressive traction and braking on snowy and icy roads.

The entire Blizzak snow-tire line gets good ratings from various reviewers. Bridgestone's latest snow tire for cars and minivans, the Blizzak WS-60 (*est. $80), rates above average in tests at the Canadian Automobile Protection Association. It also takes top honors in tests at The Tire Rack, showing the same excellent ice traction as the less expensive WS-50. For light truck and SUV drivers, the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 (*est. $80) is a top choice, according to the Automobile Protection Association.

Blizzak snow tires also earn the highest praise from consumers posting at Epinions, with a perfect average of five out of five stars. Thirty-two consumers there have reviewed the Blizzak, more than any other winter tire. Several say it’s unmatched on snow and ice, but note that it wears out quickly. Toronto Star reviewer John Mahler notes the same complaint, but calls the Blizzak line an "excellent choice."

No other studless severe winter tire gets as many nods from reviewers as the Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi or the Bridgestone Blizzak. However, several other snow-tire brands perform very well in limited testing, including the Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice (*est. $130) , Dunlop Graspic DS2 (*est. $60), Pirelli Snow Control 190 (*est. $90) and Nokian Hakkapeliitta WR (*est. $115). The Gislaved Soft Frost 2 performs very well in Scandinavian tests, but it’s not available in the United States. We did find another top performer in the Scandinavian tests, the Continental ContiVikingContact 3 (*est. $100), available in the U.S. through Internet retailers.

Yokohama Ice Guard snow tires (*est. $70) are recommended by Toronto Star reviewer John Mahler, based upon their technology. They use microscopic air pockets in the rubber to stick to ice, similar to the Bridgestone Blizzak. Canada's Automobile Protection Association finds the Yokohama Ice Guard IG20 "above average" in tests.

Unfortunately, however, this Yokohama snow tire doesn't fare as well in Scandinavian tests. Reviewers at Auto Motor & Sport say this winter tire "fails completely" because it tends to lose grip suddenly in tests. Motorföraren’s testers found the same complaints about the Ice Guard IG20, plus they found it fared worse in ice braking and wet and dry performance than other snow tires. It's a winter tire that they cannot recommend, reviewers there conclude.

Studded snow tires

Studdable snow tires can be used without studs, although once you've driven on them without studs, you lose the option of having them installed later. It's possible to install studs, then remove them later if the tread hasn't worn too much, but with 80 to 100 studs per tire, it will take a while to remove them all.

The Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 (*est. $120) outperforms other studded snow tires in reviews. It earns first place among studded tires in tests at both Motorföraren and Auto Motor & Sport, where it handled all winter road situations well. It performed poorly on wet roads in both tests, however.

"This tire should be retired once the first rays of spring sun are felt," Canada's Automobile Protection Association advises in its recommendation of the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5. Like the Scandinavian testers, Canadian testers found that the Hakkapeliitta 5 performs very well on snow and ice. It's expensive, though, the Automobile Protection Association notes. Testers at Teknikens Värld agree that the Hakkapeliitta 5 feels very safe on winter roads, but they downgrade it for its braking performance on wet and dry roads.

Several of the top studded performers in Scandinavian tests aren't sold in the U.S., including the Michelin X-Ice North and Gislaved Nord Frost 5. We did find the Continental ContiWinter Viking 2 (*est. $115), one of the top studdable performers in the Scandinavian tests, available in the United States through Internet retailers and specialty tire dealers. The Pirelli Winter Carving (*est. $70) , a studdable tire that can be found in the U.S., ranks a bit behind the others, but it's also less expensive.

Performance snow tires for mild winters

If winter comes and goes in your area -- rainy or dry roads most days, with bouts of snow and ice -- a good performance winter tire will keep you ready to handle any road condition, experts say. The Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 (*est. $75) is by far the experts' favorite in this category, winning accolades from testers in the United States, Canada, Scandinavia and Germany.

With its TS810 model, Continental has managed to do what nobody else has managed to do -- provide good handling on all surfaces, sums up the review at Teknikens Värld, where the TS810 scores higher than any other snow tire, studded or studless.

The ContiWinterContact TS810 is one of the top performers in Teknikens Värld's "moose test," handling the avoidance maneuver better than most other studded or studless tires. In top North American reviews, the TS810 snow tire provides good snow traction and ice braking, while still offering top performance on wet and dry roads with a comfortable, quiet ride.

The Canadian Automobile Protection Association rates the ContiWinterContact TS810 as “acceptable,” calling it pleasant and quiet. The APA points out, however, that the tire's asymmetric tread pattern prevents the driver from rotating the tires from one side to the other to avoid uneven wear. They also note that the TS810 loses its effectiveness in prolonged winter conditions.

A close runner-up is the Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip line, which gets good marks from various reviewers. The widely available Ultra Grip GW3 H (*est. $85), a performance winter tire, outclasses even the top-ranked Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 in snow traction and ice braking in one top test, while still performing very well on wet or dry roads. The Goodyear Ultra Grip 7 (*est. $160), which is more widely available in Europe, is a top recommendation at Germany's Auto Zeitung and at Sweden's Auto Motor & Sport.

The Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 H (*est. $100) falls slightly behind the Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip on snow traction in one top test, although it still ranks as a good choice. The Vredestein Snow Trac 2 (*est. $175) beats all other snow tires in the German test at Auto Zeitung, but it is expensive and harder to find in the United States.

Snow tires for light trucks and SUVs

In climates with mild winters, owners of trucks and SUVs can probably get by with all-terrain tires. Since SUVs and trucks are heavier than cars, that's an advantage in inclement weather. Still, installing dedicated winter tires will further improve traction and handling in snow and ice.

Not as many reviewers elaborate on the best winter tires for light trucks and SUVs. The most helpful review we found is at the Automobile Protection Association (APA), which provides results of a Canadian test of eleven winter SUV/truck tires, including several that are available in the United States.

Reviewers at Auto Zeitung also conduct an SUV winter tire test, but several of the models -- although they are sold in the U.S. -- are not offered in large enough sizes to fit most light trucks and SUVs sold here. The prices that follow are for 265/65-17 tires, such as those appropriate for a 2008 Dodge Durango, or for the closest size offered.

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 (*est. $125) wins the APA test, performing well on all road surfaces -- icy, snowy, wet and dry. Acceleration and braking are strong points, testers say, but the DM-Z3 doesn’t offer an especially smooth ride. This review also points out that the DM-Z3 snow tires lack a strong central rib, which can diminish its stability.

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 also gets positive reviews from truck and SUV owners at The Tire Rack. Echoing the APA test results, drivers from the U.S., Canada and Germany report that the DM-Z3 is capable on snowy, icy and wet roads.

The top tire in the studdable category, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 (*est. $220), is also the runner-up in APA’s light truck/SUV winter tire test. The Hakkapeliitta 5 scores slightly better than the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 on ice, but slightly below the DM-Z3 on deep snow and ordinary wet and dry roads. Overall, the Hakkapeliitta 5 performs well on all measures. It is a bit noisy, the APA reviewer points out, and it’s more expensive than most winter truck tires.

Two more light truck/SUV snow tires that earn an above-average score in the APA test also earn good reviews from users at The Tire Rack: the Michelin Latitude X-Ice (*est. $140) and Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow (*est. $160).

The APA lists more tires with above-average performance, including the Firestone WinterForce (*est. $80) and Toyo Open Country (*est. $160), but we could find no other reviews to back up those picks. The Hankook Icebear W300 (*est. $150) scores well in Auto Zeitung’s test, and in a top North American test it performs well on most measures, but it scores a “poor” rating in one review for snow traction.

The Tire Rack points out that truck and SUV owners can sometimes save money by “minus-sizing” -- buying a smaller wheel and a narrower tire for snow use -- even considering the expense of buying the second set of wheels. This can expand the number of brands light truck and SUV owners can choose from, as smaller winter tires are easier to find. However, the APA points out that the tire pressure monitoring systems on many newer vehicles make it more expensive, and sometimes impossible, to install smaller wheels for winter.

Important Features: Snow tires

Choose a tire type and size to suit your vehicle and driving conditions:

• Narrower tires are better when it comes to driving in ice and snow. Although wider tires with correspondingly larger wheels are a popular look these days, reviews say narrower tires are best for cutting a path through snow and slush. It's best to go with the tire size specified for your vehicle -- or even switch to a compatible narrower tire with a smaller wheel.

• Studded vs. studless tires? Studded tires have traditionally performed better on ice than non-studded tires, but some new studless tires perform just as well in recent tests. Studded tires are noisier as well. Editors at Consumer Reports say that your choice comes down to your climate; if you regularly deal with icy roads, studded tires may be the way to go. Be aware, however, that many states and municipalities limit or ban the use of studded tires because they contribute to road damage.

• Get four matching winter tires. Although it may be tempting to just buy two snow tires for your drive axle, reviews say that's a bad idea. Different tires react differently, and non-matching tires can deliver unpredictable handling.

• Winter tires wear faster than regular tires, so timing is important when installing and uninstalling. Snow tires don't come with treadwear ratings. Their softer rubber compound and deeper treads wear down more quickly than all-season tires. You'll want to install them before the weather turns, but you'll also want to remove them promptly in the spring.

You can find out what size tires are right for your vehicle by consulting your owner's manual or by looking on the sidewalls of the tires currently on your vehicle. Tire sizes are represented by a ratio followed by a whole number. The ratio comprises the width in millimeters and the percentage of that width that makes up the profile (the distance between the rim and the outer edge of the tire); the whole number is the rim diameter in inches. A tire with a size of 215/60-16 is 215mm wide, 129mm (60% of 215) from the ground to the rim, and it’s intended for a 16-inch wheel.

Tire manufacturers use letters to represent the maximum speed (in miles per hour) at which a tire should be driven. There are about twenty different speed ratings, but the most common are Q (up to 99 mph), R (up to 106 mph), S (up to 112 mph), T (up to 120 mph), H (up to 130 mph), V (up to 149 mph) and Z (169 mph and above). Snow tires most commonly have a Q rating.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of picks	Model	Price
4	Continental ContiWinterContact TS810	(*est. $75)
3	Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5	(*est. $120)
3	Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi	(*est. $115)
2	Michelin X-Ice North	Not available in the U.S.
2	Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip 7	(*est. $160)
2	Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50	(*est. $65)
1 each	Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 , Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 H , Bridgestone Blizzak WS-60 , Continental ContiVikingContact 3, Continental ContiWinterViking 2, Dunlop Graspic DS2 , Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D , Gislaved Nord Frost 5, Gislaved Soft Frost 2, Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip GW3 H , Goodyear Eagle Ultra Grip Ice , Mastercraft Glacier Grip II, Michelin X-Ice , Nokian Hakkapeliitta WR, Pirelli Snow Control 190 , Pirelli Winter Carving , Toyo Observe GO2+, Vredestein Snow Trac 2, Yokohama Ice Guard series , Yokohama IT-S GE-072

The Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 is the best all-around winter tire, handling roads whether they are wet, dry, snowy or icy, experts say. However, for constantly harsh winter conditions, reviewers recommend the studless Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi and Bridgestone Blizzak tires, or the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5.

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