Yep, another snow tire thread...

madar

Contributor
:
2016.5 CX 5 Touring AWD, 2015 SCION XB
Man, we just got nailed with one hell of a snow storm today. Weather service, or dis-service in this case, was saying 1 to 3 inches around 11am when it started snowing, ended up with a winter storm warning with 4 to 8 inches with freezing rain and sleet. I left work early at 1 and begin my 25 mile drive home which normally takes 45 minutes, ended up being 2 hours!! Snow was coming down at a rate of 2 inches an hour, temps dropped from 30 when I left to about 25 while I was going home with windy conditions, no salt trucks or road plows to be seen! People were all over the road, if you had a FWD car with all seasons, forget it, you weren't going up the slightest incline. The road covered fast with snow and ice and it got slicker than I've seen in quite a few years. I'm running Continental Winter Contis with my AWD, and it was virtually like I was driving on blacktop, was actually passing cars creeping along at 10 mph and easily maneuvering around all the cars that slid into the side of the road and were trapped. If you're even considering snow tires, make the investment, you really won't believe the difference.
 
That tire was a close second tr rep swayed me to michelin and historically not a big fan of mich..how's the hwy noise? Dry road handling?
 
That tire was a close second tr rep swayed me to michelin and historically not a big fan of mich..how's the hwy noise? Dry road handling?

These tires sound like an all-season, they are really quiet. I've had the Blizzaks on before these and these are way better handling in the snow and ice, much more predictable.
 
That tire was a close second tr rep swayed me to michelin and historically not a big fan of mich..how's the hwy noise? Dry road handling?

I heard the Michelins are better than the Blizzaks in terms of dry pavement driving. Since we get snowstorms that melt fairly quick and long periods of dry pavement, I'll probably check out the Michelins next time.
 
Wife has DM-V1s and I can confirm they're awesome in bad conditions, but pretty bad in good conditions and they wear quickly..she does less than half the driving I do and wanted "snow claws"..short of going studded I think they're pretty much tops. The Michelin is soft but definitely a better handler than the bliz(also seems very good in wet/hydro resistance)- pretty nice balance and very tolerable in clear conditions.
 
If you can find them in your area, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV's are what we're running on our 2017 CX-5 GT AWD. Really awesome on snow or ice, great lateral grip. Very low rolling resistance and quiet. Only drawback is price but I figured living in the North it was worth it. Had R2 SUV's on our Ford Escape and they were amazing over a 5 year period on from December 1st to April 1st, still had over half of their tread left...car had 55,000 miles on it when we traded it in for this one, hoping these do just as well!
 
I have to buy snows for trips away from the coast this winter. My 2015 CX5 normally runs 19 wheels. I plan to get 17 wheels and higher profile snows. 225-17 Blizzaks on for a great price at Costco. Any reason I should NOT run 17 wheels /tires with the same diameter as my 19 wheels/tires?
 
If you can find them in your area, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 SUV's are what we're running on our 2017 CX-5 GT AWD. Really awesome on snow or ice, great lateral grip. Very low rolling resistance and quiet.

Can't say enough about Hakkapeliitta. I show up at places of work during the day for appointments and people ask me "Is it slippery out there". My answer is I don't know I have Hakkapeliittas Yes, They are that good.

I recomended then to a friend. He called me a few months later and said a car spun out in front of him on I90. He stopped, Saw a car coming up behind him fast so he started back up and puled over on the the shoulder as the car behind slid past him into the car in front.
 
I have to buy snows for trips away from the coast this winter. My 2015 CX5 normally runs 19 wheels. I plan to get 17 wheels and higher profile snows. 225-17 Blizzaks on for a great price at Costco. Any reason I should NOT run 17 wheels /tires with the same diameter as my 19 wheels/tires?
This is what you should do. The 17" tires will be cheaper and its not like snow tires typically last as long as all seasons.
 
I have to buy snows for trips away from the coast this winter. My 2015 CX*5 normally runs 19* wheels. I plan to get 17* wheels and higher profile snows. 225-17 Blizzaks on for a great price at Costco. Any reason I should NOT run 17* wheels /tires with the same diameter as my 19* wheels/tires?

That's the exact same size I put on, cheaper, quieter (more rubber between the rim and the pot hole) I have Blizzaks on my Ford Focus, great tires...not Hakka's but still very good! :)
 
We are now on our 5th winter with the Hakka R2 tires and they're still performing great, lots of tread left. (Car only has 80,000 km so half and half). We have a FWD and it handles the snow and ice very well. Easily drive through snow deeper than the under carriage. Gives a good planted feel on icy highways. On regular hard packed snow, it's difficult to activate the ABS cause the rubber grips so well.
For people asking about ride quality, they ride better and quieter than the stock all season Yoko's.
FWIW, I use the stock aluminum wheel for winter and have after market wheels for summer, both in 17".
 
We are now on our 5th winter with the Hakka R2 tires and they're still performing great, lots of tread left. (Car only has 80,000 km so half and half). We have a FWD and it handles the snow and ice very well. Easily drive through snow deeper than the under carriage. Gives a good planted feel on icy highways. On regular hard packed snow, it's difficult to activate the ABS cause the rubber grips so well.
For people asking about ride quality, they ride better and quieter than the stock all season Yoko's.
FWIW, I use the stock aluminum wheel for winter and have after market wheels for summer, both in 17".

There are two tyre companies that consistently steal the winter- snow tyre test every year and they are Nokian with their hakapelitta range and Continental with their snow tyre range. I had used the hakapelitta Rsi tyres before and thought that they were great for winter driving in 2wd, BMW 3 series, until I changed my car to Mazda cx-5 and got continental snow tyres this time and realised how good they really are! I have used Michelin snow tyres before in my RAV4 but they do not come any where near the Nokian or continental.
 
I would recommend whatever snow tires Mazda put on their CX-5's at their BC press event. Everyone universally praised the handling and performance of the car and said it often felt like they were on normal pavement and not 18 inches of snow.
 
There are two tyre companies that consistently steal the winter- snow tyre test every year and they are Nokian with their hakapelitta range and Continental with their snow tyre range. I had used the hakapelitta Rsi tyres before and thought that they were great for winter driving in 2wd, BMW 3 series, until I changed my car to Mazda cx-5 and got continental snow tyres this time and realised how good they really are! I have used Michelin snow tyres before in my RAV4 but they do not come any where near the Nokian or continental.

Do you recall if your Nokians were louder than the Continentals? I almost bought a set of Continental TS830s, but I get on forums like this, and hear the horror stories about bulging sidewalls and blowouts... Even though I am in Michigan, I don't necessarily need the very best snow tires--The majority of the time, I am driving on dry or wet roads, and the Contis are known for their nice ride. Along that line, I am also considering the Nokian WR G3 "All Weather".
 
I have some of the Conti Extreme Contact DWS tires on my G35x... it only occasionally sees snow so a good compromise.

IMO I think Nokian might be making better inroads here in US...just a few years back a brand not heard much of here by many.


https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireModel=ExtremeContact+DWS&tireMake=Continental



There are two tyre companies that consistently steal the winter- snow tyre test every year and they are Nokian with their hakapelitta range and Continental with their snow tyre range. I had used the hakapelitta Rsi tyres before and thought that they were great for winter driving in 2wd, BMW 3 series, until I changed my car to Mazda cx-5 and got continental snow tyres this time and realised how good they really are! I have used Michelin snow tyres before in my RAV4 but they do not come any where near the Nokian or continental.
 
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The Nokian was my second choice behind the winter contis, they were about $100 more for the set
 
How do you find them? My 2018 GS is coming with 17" but I am thinking of going with 16". Those Blizzaks are offered by a dealer near me.

Thanks!

I love my DM-V2*s. Riding on 17.

Most miles I drive are on dry pavement in West Denver, so it isnt worth dropping a bundle. I feel like Im in a tank on snow. It just keeps going. I drive my grandkids to hockey so there is no avoiding storms. The community I live in is on a hillside, so there is no avoiding slopes - gotta have AWD and good snows when its nasty out. OEM 19*s did OK while new, but once worn I was ready to consign them to summer duty.
 
I love my DM-V2*s. Riding on 17*.

Most miles I drive are on dry pavement in West Denver, so it isn*t worth dropping a bundle. I feel like I*m in a tank on snow. It just keeps going. I drive my grandkids to hockey so there is no avoiding storms. The community I live in is on a hillside, so there is no avoiding slopes - gotta have AWD and good snows when it*s nasty out. OEM 19*s did OK while new, but once worn I was ready to consign them to summer duty.

Denver here as well. Agreed the Blizzaks feel like a tank when it does finally snow (I have the WS80's), but dry pavement I just feel I'm wearing them down faster.
 
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