Passenger vs SUV winter tires

J

JF1444

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:
Metro Gray CX-5 GT AWD
I've been shopping for winter tires for my yet-to-arrive CX-5 GT and am now quite confused!(scratch)

For a car, the choice was basically a 'passenger' car winter tire. Read some reviews,select driving style and pick one within budget. The same holds true for the cx5 but do I need to now throw in 'suv or light trucks' tires into the mix??

Ratings on many sites and reviews separate passenger cars and SUVs and a tire highly rated for one kind of vehicle does not even make the 'list' for the other!

Should I concentrate my search for SUV and light truck tires since that's what the cx5 is?
Or consider passenger car tires since the cx5 is a small suv and lighter than most in its class?
What do I look for? Load rating? Sidewall strength? Thread depth?? (scratch)

ANY recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
 
Would personally give the stock tires a shot before buying new ones. Between the ground clearance and the AWD I have a feeling that the stock ones will be just fine for everything but the most extreme stuff. Also remember that true snow or off road tires are loud as hell on dry roads, they wear fast on dry and also return worse mpg. Passenger all-seasons on the other hand are a good compromise all round and are easy to live with.
 
I believe where he is from winter tires are mandatory. In most Canadian winters the stock tire would certainly NOT be anywhere near good enough IMO.
 
JF1444 said:
What do I look for? Load rating? Sidewall strength? Thread depth?? (scratch)

ANY recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Click to expand...

As long as the load rating matches that of the stock tire you'll be fine. Nothing says you HAVE to use a 'truck' tire with anything as long as the load rating will handle it.
 
BranCKY3 said:
As long as the load rating matches that of the stock tire you'll be fine. Nothing says you HAVE to use a 'truck' tire with anything as long as the load rating will handle it.
Click to expand...

^+1

Most of the time, a real SUV/light truck tire will have a different tread design to support higher load ratings. At 99-102 load rating, you're fine!
 
Thanks for the reassurances! :)
And yes stock tires will not cut here - snow tires are mandatory by Dec 15th in Qubec. Kind of sucks since I'll barely have time to enjoy the car when it arrives and I'll have to slap on the winters...:(
 
Given the weight of the CX5 and its payload capacity, I'm betting passenger tires are fine. Don't think light truck tires are an absolute necessity.

I can see how in Quebec you'd need winter tires. Here in the rainy BC lower mainland, the stock tires will do me fine as we rarely ever seen snow, and only for a day or two at that.

I personally like the Nokian all weather tires and run them on my wife's Civic, they're a good compromise for around here, but probably not good for heavy snow that you see further North or back East. Best to check with a reputable tire store as to options.

Hope you get your car before the snow falls!
 
you'll be fine with passenger tires. Most European SUVs use them anyway (Q3/Q5/X3/X1/Tiguan/Kuga/Juke....). SUV tire is for quite heavy SUVs (think Land Cruiser, Pathfinder, Patrol, Hilux...) and those who need serious off-road/rough-terrain duty. Wannabe SUVs aka crossovers are just fine with "regular" tires. But if you want to get nasty..... :)

Just keep in mind that some tires are only available in SUV "profile" eg 55-60-65% while passenger usually go low profile 40-45-50%. Depending on your tire size/profile, this may be a limiting factor for you.

I have 235/55/R19 for summer, and that size is a SUV profile, couldn't find premium passenger tire in that size (they only had 235/45/R19).....


Cheers,
Miki

Cheers,
Miki
 
Last edited:
under200 said:
Also remember that true snow or off road tires are loud as hell on dry roads, they wear fast on dry and also return worse mpg. Passenger all-seasons on the other hand are a good compromise all round and are easy to live with.
Click to expand...
First of all, an all season tire is only effective above 7 Celsius. Second, with new winter tire technology tires are quieter and can even have better rolling resistance than some all season tires (so unless your putting on some cheap no name brand winter tire or studded, noise is not an issue).
 
under200 said:
Would personally give the stock tires a shot before buying new ones. Between the ground clearance and the AWD I have a feeling that the stock ones will be just fine for everything but the most extreme stuff.
Click to expand...

Unless you consider regular ice "extreme stuff" this is simply not true. Even a non-studded snow modern snow tire will far out-perform an all season radial (and some of them are quieter than some all season radials).

Passenger all-seasons on the other hand are a good compromise all round and are easy to live with.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind the OP has the Grand Touring model (presumably with the 19" wheels). The reports I've read indicate there is quite a difference in snow performance between the tires that come on the 17" wheels and the 19" (17" better).

I've had my AWD Touring with the 17" wheels out in two inches of wet slush. The whole setup worked very well at clearing the slush from under the tread and allowing traction on the pavement below but the pavement was above freezing. I would not expect excellent performance on ice. With all season radials on an unexpected patch of ice you had better pray that the car in front of you doesn't have modern snow tires.
 
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