True as it clearly shows the difference between being able to stop in time or hit the obstacle and shorten the car a few feet. We’ve all been in the situation where we barely stopped in time. I prefer to be in the car which stops best, rather than sitting behind a car that stops better than mine.
Bottom line: If you live in snowy climates having anything less then all weather tires is begging for an accident. All weather tires continue to improve but still no substitute for for winter tires.
This was a great video. You should demonstrate how much better stopping is with a true 4 wheel drive system. I watched Wyatt on YT Channel TEAM O'NEIL RACING and he had to identical JEEP Cherokees with identical tires and switched back and forth between 2hi and 4hi....the difference was about 2 car lengths shorter in 4hi. He also does it with an F250 plow and a Toyota Tacoma.
All season tires are just summer tires with some winter compounds. All weather tires are just winter tires with some summer compounds. So that’s why all seasons are good in summer and below average in winter and why all weathers are good in winter and below average in the summer. Nothing beats dedicated summer tires in the summer and dedicated winter tires in the winter. Any other approach will always end up with a decision on what season you want to compromise on.
I am very glad that he emphasizes that stopping is the MOST important aspect of winter driving. A car that will not go is aggravating. A car that will not stop is dangerous.
@@andeekaydot Haha, I've seen so many pileups in the winter because of people following too close. In western WA. almost no one here knows how to drive in snow anymore, partly because we get so little of it, mostly because they mostly are from places like California or other countries, so when one can stop reasonably well they often get rear ended by 2 or 3 more that can't. Last winter I saw lots of SUV's and crossovers left on the sides of the road when there was only about 4" of snowfall. I was just driving a front wheel drive Honda but most of these people were just not able to get around with their AWD because you still have to know how to drive in that stuff no matter the vehicle and stopping is by far the most important aspect. That first winter seems to be a real wake-up call for those that buy a 4WD or AWD and think it will take care of them like magic.
@@WhoWouldWantThisName IT is almost the same here in Europe concerning knowledge of how to be have in winter traffic. I learnt driving in the heavy snow winter of 1979 in Northern Germany. There I got my first experience in extreme Winter driving, finding any car always has four wheels to stop, but the times had only two to start going. Four wheel drive may make you assume "I can go there". But, to keep lane, avoid accidents, and to stop safely, you also need to look far ahead, appropriate tyres, and distance. Still today I go to work on shift in the early morning when no snow plows are yet on service or come home in the night when their service has stopped. So I've to deal with snow and ice in our Mountain area on a daily basis. What I found is people do no longer keep safety distance (3 times as much as on dry pavement), they go speeding on curvy country roads or drive unreasonably slow on straight stretches. They tend to trust in their cars' safety features, though those will not overcome the laws of physics. I believe most people are no longer able to "feel the surface" when driving, to react considerably - , because of all those electronic helpers, supposing they will do their job. And, I think, usage of more and more automatic cars does not really help in adverse situations, either. At least, Winter tyres are mandatory in my country in that kind of weather, and using chains is not illegal. In winter, even more than in any other season, I drive as if every body else in traffic I have to deal with were absolute maroons.
@@andeekaydot Very well said. Yes, the following distance is probably the greatest factor and also the rule of not stopping if you can avoid it. So often I see people simply behaving as if in normal conditions and they can't adapt to the mindset of snow driving. One has to set aside the rules a bit and just do what the conditions call for. I have slowly driven through a red lights and stop signs, just like a yield, in front of police and they didn't bother me because they could see I was doing what was actually the safe and practical thing to do. I stayed clear of everyone and timed my passage through an intersection right to give lots of space between others. We often have people stop on a slight incline then they are unable to start going again. Probably one of the most common noobie mistakes. I tell younger drivers to treat it like they are in a boat. Just slow and speed gradually and keep rolling. Don't stop unless you have to and definitely stay to the flat-est roads available no matter how much further you may have to go. Around here nearly everything is on a hill and it's just a question of how steep. So planning your trip based on these factors is something new to most drivers. The GPS is not going to help you with that and everyone these days is almost completely dependent on it. They don't even know how an address works now. It 's like random numbers and words to them, and may as well be like a phone number or URL. I try to at least teach them direction and basics of the map system so they can determine where they are and where something else is relative to them. Most city planners now don't seem to understand these things either based on new street names and such (alphabetization, street, avenue, place, way, etc.). It all means something, or it used to and is supposed to anyway. But the fundamentals of handling the car through a turn and correcting a slide, etc. is something they have to get hands on practice with, like I did as a teen. In the US they all go to a private driving school now instead of driver's ed. in high school and in those schools they don't teach anything related to snow, or any inclement weather conditions. I think they do tell them to allow more following distance but that's about it. I think what I went through for class A commercial driver's testing should be the standard testing for all drivers. I still drive like I'm in a truck with a trailer no matter what I'm in out of habit and it keeps me out of trouble like spotting traffic jams a half a mile ahead instead of the last second. Anyway, essentially stay flat, roll slow, think ahead, and time yourself with the other cars you need to pass behind or in front of and stay off the brakes (using park brake to assist when necessary) is most of what they need to know. Turn into the slide, if the rear slides around, and the rest is practice and feel for your vehicle. Oh and have a plan like AAA for towing should you need it is always a good idea all the time. `Get home bag' in the trunk optional.
Installed my continental control contact sport SRS and honestly they are amazing tires. Comfortable, great traction, exceptional snow performance. These tires are great and I recommend them to anyone. Steering is a bit sluggish I should say and a little more road noise. All in all compared to many other tires I’ve had these are the best I’ve had on. Great for snow I never have an issue and I can blaze past people with confidence!
I live in a winter city in Canada. My experience generally mirrors what was tested. A couple of caveats: 1) the all-weather tires we used wore down about twice as fast as the all-seasons; and 2) in our long winters ice tends to be the bigger problem for tire performance. If your State/Province allows tire studs, they really help. Many places don't allow studded tires. You really need to find a winter tire that also performs well on icy roads. That would be a good test to run.
Yep, I live near Edmonton, and actually snow is a blessing, no problem. Our city used not even to scrape snow to asphalt, considering it safer. It is ice what is the problem. I drive all-weather on my BMW-X1, OEM ones last 60,000 km, which is less than advertised, but that's life.
Agreed. I live near Winnipeg and due to cold temps, salt really doesn’t work. Icy roads can stay icy for weeks. Nokian Hakkapelliita 9 factory studded winter tires allow you to stay on the road and be safe
1) Use those softer tires on winter (should last for 2 - 3 winters) and swap out after winter for summer tires. 2) ice needs studs basically or other things that tries to pierce the surface.
I do not care if a winter tire wears down faster than normal. I would rather go in the snow and stop safely with a tire that does not last as long than be stuck and slide into someone with a tire that lasts longer. Common sense should rule here.
Swede here, from the far enough to call most Canadians southern people. Switching between summer- and winter tyres aren't optional, and no one will ever bother with anything rated below Nordic Winter as those cheaper Chinese tyres used down on the Continent will give as good grip as hockey pucks when the cold sets in. Regardless, I'd keep some cheap set of snowchains or better quality tyresocks in the boot for those seldom cases the tyres aren't enough. That also allows using unstudded tyres if mostly driving in the city.
For comparison with those stopping distances. The gaps will widen by 9x if you bring that up to major highway speeds of 75mph. Stopping distance is proportional to the square of speed. Those hundreds of feet are why you equip winter tires and maintain appropriate following distance and speed for the conditions. Stay safe, everyone!
75 during winter months. You are an idiot. Common sense should tell you that you cannot drive at the same speeds in the winter that you do in the summer. Just because it is not slippery in one place does not mean the roads are clear and dry everywhere. Have your heard of black ice. Idiot.
I wonder if they drove over the course many times to compact the snow and "average" it out first. That might cause each test to do better than the previous one.
I have Blizzak's and can confirm they are amazing in snow and ice. I was passing people stuck in pickups and SUVs during a snow storm several years ago, in my FWD Sienna minivan running Blizzaks 🤣 Tires make all the difference!
My experience too, you have to be careful with these Blizzaks, as it is like driving on dry pavement. They impressed the hell out of me, I already ordered a second set, going on next week... Supposed to be a rough winter here in Michigan.
@@golferpro1241 It will depend on how much you drive. The car these are on is not driven much, and the tires were left on all year for three years. So, I would say if you do not drive much, and get them off prior to the temps getting over 40*, I could see four to five years out of these. I kept my old ones, and will run them during spring summer and fall... They are great in the rain. Like I say, this car is only driven to the store and back, it rarely goes anywhere.
@@golferpro1241 I just picked up a set of Toyo Snow tires, OBSERVE GSI-5 (225/60R16 T), for $317 delivered from CARiD. They look very good for the money, may want to check them out too. I put these on my work sled, the Bridgestones went on my mother's car for obvious reasons. I will see how the Toyo's work when we get some snow and report back. They ride nice, with no road noise. Great on wet roads too. They have near five star ratings too, and for the money...
I have winter tires and can confirm that they're better than all-season tires, such as the blizzak. also those "all-season" tires in the beginning is what we call fuel-efficient summer tires. no wonder we think you can't drive on snow for shit..
By far the very best winter tire review video I have ever seen. The only thing you left at home was the 100 foot tape measure but excellent video. I like it, thank you gentlemen for your time.
When I lived in Upstate New York, putting those snow tires on in November gave you that extra bit of confidence for driving in the weather. We were not allowed to have any spikes or anything like that, but I never had an issue with the snow tires. The only issue was finding somewhere to store the summer/winter tires when not in use.
Stopping distance really is everything when it comes to preventing an accident in bad weather conditions, surprised to see how big of a difference these tires made
If I was going to be a complete nob, I’d suggest that driving appropriate to road conditions and to your vehicle set-up is everything when preventing an accident. But agreed, once the accident is ‘under way’ then how you stop and how controlled that stop is, is everything. But when you see people’s approach speed into corners, overtaking in snow, how and when they start stopping at junctions or roundabouts (late and hard on the brakes) it beggars belief. Most people who cause accidents in winter (or heavy rain etc) do so because they’re driving like it’s mid-summer, bone dry and that they’re on fresh hoops and driving a car with full driver aids and a monster set of 8-pot Brembos. 😬
@@leangrypoulet7523 I've driven in PA my whole life on all seasons and AWD cars. (51 years old) Like you said you need to know the limits of your setup. Even now that I'm finally getting some all-weather (sever snow rated) tires for my new 4Runner I'm NOT going to drive any different then I did with a Subaru on all seasons. If they had invented all weather tires when I was young I would have had them my whole life, I wish the selection was larger on them. Last year I stuck with the factory all seasons because all I saw was all terrain, Blizzaks, and all seasons to choose from. BF Goodrich has the "trail-terrain" available in my tire/rim size now so I just grabbed some.
@@DigitalHaze65536definitely I have no problem just running all seasons on my trailblazer just because it's heavy enough that it helps a lot and I am usually very careful in the snow but if I could afford to I would definitely want to get myself some all weather or some winter tires
Appreciate the time and effort you guys took to make such an unbiased and informational video like this. Swapping tires out in the cold like that, and testing on the same stretch of road back to back...wow. Hat is off to you.
I live in Vancouver, Canada with some snow in the winter but not too often. I also travel for work a lot and am often not in town so I don't actually put that many miles on my car. For me, the perfect option is the All-Weather tire. I don't mind the faster wear because I am barely in town so I don't drive that much. But for the few times it snows, I am happy to have my All-Weathers. And for those VERY serious snow days, I just don't go outside.
@@SteedDigital1 there are plenty of thrills with winter tires, like having to pass suvs and trucks in a tiny prius when its snowing and then make eye contact as you pass while laughing. worth every penny
I have had dedicated snow tires on my fwd SAABS for decades and I routinely pass big American 4x4 trucks on snowy roads. They will be fishtailing, while at 5 to 7 mph faster my car is running straight and true. And in acceleration from a dead stop I frequently beat them once I hit 2nd gear. TIRES MATTER MORE THAN 4WD!
Great effort in showing the difference in acceleration and breaking using different tire compounds. If I may add, the difference in vehicle handling is night and day when using a dedicated snow tires.
They are awesome, I came from France to Finland (just north of Rovaniemi) with my Sprinter last february. I put 4 Nokian WRC 3 non studed before taking of, they performed absolutely perfect on snow. On ice spots well they did good but in Sweden i had to be very carefull in the turns. I actually hit a guard rail at the end of a turn, I didn't though that the road was this slippery and I came to fast. Not a big deal, I slightly bent a lower body panel and I work at a good body shop... Plus it gave me an excuse to finally do a entire paint job with raptor paint.
I have always run snow tires on my vehicles. I drive an AWD SUV and the “ all season” factory tires were terrible in winter. I live in New England and every time we get a winter storm, the local evening tv news always has photos of AWD SUV’s off the road lying on their side or upside down. The majority of these SUV’s come equipped with just “all season” tires and people drive them way too fast because they think their AWD vehicle is invincible.
Yawn. There’s always that one guy and you’re it. I’m sure OP meant passenger vehicle (non truck). The F150 is the best selling vehicle only in the USA. The best selling vehicle of all time is the Corolla so you’re not entirely correct there either.
Great video ... winter tires are all about SAFETY in winter !!! While winter tires are recommended and encouraged for all Canadian drivers, there are only two provinces where winter tires mandatory by law - Quebec and British Columbia.
I didn’t know about B.C.Anyways,four cars in households and every single one is riding on Nokian Hakka 3 during the Winter.We don’t need a law to tell us what’ s good and safe for us.
The law on BC highways that is posted on altitude highways shows both the snowflake and M&S. I run Nokian WR series all weather tires but I am not a skier so tend to time my trips for good weather. I have been caught on sheer ice with them and they are very stable at speed. I make a habbit of not tailgating however.
I’m not sure Winter Tires are mandatory in BC however if you are to travel on the Coquillhala Highway in winter ❄️- then Winter Tires are mandatory. In MB I run All Weather tires
I've used fwd cars almost my entire life in the NW cascades -- I also worked at a ski resort. I want awd and more ground clearance for trails/summer, but, when it comes to a few inches of snow/ice on a road, I've never had an issue as long as I had snow tires.
In PNW and a lot of other places with mountain pass restrictions, having AWD is more convenience wrt legal requirements than an actual need, if equipped with proper snow rated tires.
No doubt, I live in NE Ohio and get along just fine with fwd and a dedicated winter wheel set. No one else here seems to do this, and just run bald all seasons. However, if you live some place like Buffalo or Colorado Rockies, having AWD would certainly be standard for me. With the sedans, at a certain point the ground clearance becomes the issue. However I find myself passing ram trucks and Subarus all winter long in my accord with Goodyear winter commands. I had an awd 3 series with toyo g3 ice tires a few winters back, thing was no joke, great winter car with no ground clearance 😂
@@Kushpatel9047 If you have summer tires, it may be worth investing in a good set of all weather regardless. Else you can get by with chains (or any legal equivalent) + existing all season tires. The key is knowing the limits of your equipment in the specific conditions and adjusting accordingly.
Excellent video and very helpful! I appreciate the amount of work that went into it! My German relatives run either snow tires, or summer tires. None of this ‘all-season’ nonsense, which do nothing well. Thx again!
I am currently using the Blizzak DM-V2 and have been for four and a half years. This is my 5th winter seasons now on the same set and it still performs. I will definately recommend theses tires. I used to think all season were great until I had all weather tires. Having winter tires boosts your confidence to another level when driving in the winter. Definately a life saver. By the way, our winter lasts almost 6 months out of the year.
Great video demonstrating the difference in tire types in snow. In the past I'd always used highly rated all weather tires. I live in central Indiana, and winters we either get a lot of snow or very little snow. Not much in between. In previous cars I'd owned (Probe GT, Celica GTS- both front wheel drive) all weather had always been good enough in snow, and just needed to be extra cautious on ice. A few years ago I bought a Scion FRS (rear wheel drive) and bought some highly rated all weather tires for it (General Altimax RT43). After a night where we got about a foot of snow, the drive to work that morning was terrifying. The highways had been plowed, but still had probably 1-3" of packed down snow on them. I was sliding all over the place when giving the car any gas. Just had to stay in the right lane with my hazards on going like 25-35mph and made sure to give myself LOTS of room for stopping. Going around any kind of bend I had to slow down even more or the car was wanting to go sideways. Bought some dedicated winter tires that same day and got them installed a couple days after that (General Altimax Arctic 12). It was a night and day difference in both handling and stopping distance. No more having the rear end fish tailing with the slightest amount of acceleration, and stopping distance easily cut in half or more. Now my main problem is clearance since the car sits pretty low to the ground. It is a bit of a pain having to store an extra set of tires and change them out each year, but it really makes a huge difference in safety so it's definitely worth the extra trouble/money in my opinion. As a side note, if you have winter tires you really need to swap them out once temps are consistently around 50F or higher. The rubber compound makes them very soft at warmer temps, and they lose a lot of traction on wet pavement when warm.
Thank you. This is what I wanted to know. I have always used snow tires, but my mechanic introduced all weather as an alternative to save on semi-annual switch and storage, but I think I am going to stick to winter. Safety First!
I bought a set of Toyo Celsius all-weather tires a couple of years ago and they're amazing in the snow. I'll never buy another set of all-season tires again.
Ya having a great set of tires that work all year is the best. I got a set of genera Grabber A/T X for my Volvo wagon, and they preform awesome in the snow and huge rain with lot of standing water. It’s awesome. However high speed handling and cornering in the dry on pavement is a little washed out.. not dangerous but it feels less responsive when driving it like a sports car vs all seasons or summer tires…
Same! I thought I was happy with my Cooper CS5 Grand Touring tires... until I got my Toyo Celsius tires! Honestly an improvement in every regard for me personally!
Those differences in stopping distance sure reinforce paying for a decent set of snow tires. One fender bender will have cost you more than a set of snows!
Not even mentioning the potential medical costs for possible accident victims... I would be in favor of having insurrance discounts for people who use wintertires on their vehicles.
I mean, it would have been nice for him to give actual measurements. He went from "feet" to "paces" all while counting his individual steps heel to toe, which is neither a foot nor a pace. Aside from that, at least he marked it with cones so we could still have the visual reference.
Bridgestone Blizzak hands down the best winter tire. Have used Blizzaks here in Colorado on 3 different suv’s over 25 years. Nothing else comes close. Great video, thanks for doing the tests!
My wife and I live in Montana WAY off the beaten path, and have a couple 12 degree hills to climb to get to our house, and the Blizzaks work great! My wife’s RAV4 and my 4x4 Tacoma climb up the hills with ease. If you drive much in snow, I highly recommend a high quality winter tire!
@@Daniel-dj7fh In Canada (Alberta) we do get somewhat moderate amounts of snow but lots of ice & winter lasts 6 months. Actually most people have all season tires. Most trucks including mine have AT tires not winter tires. My parents have Porsche Cayenne and it has all seasons - heck we were shocked when it actually started in -30C. Usually Porsche is known for always breaking down compared to Toyota - but Porsche is 10x as much fun to drive vs. Toyota - it breaks down like 100x more.
I was pretty much expecting those results. The all seasons tires performance impressed me, better than I thought. In my neck of the wood winter tires are mandatory. It's a bit of a hassle swapping the tires 2 times a year but it's worth when you live in snow country.
Nice test. You combined quantifiable results with the video showing it happen and making the results more real to people. We only get a couple blasts of snow per year so I have all-weather tires plus AWD on both our cars and it makes a huge difference. But on glare ice, nothing beats good snow tires.
I run snow tires on steel wheels. They cost a little more than than my insurance deductible, and last for several seasons. Hopefully they will help me avoid using my deductible and they do save some miles on the all seasons that so run the rest of the year. The only thing that stops me now is deep snow that my Civic can’t tackle and some sense to know when to stay home. I prefer them to my 4x4 pickup with hard all season tires.
@@alanhassall I got 11-12 winters out of my first set of Michelin X-Ice. The X-Ice 3s I own now come with a 40,000 mile tread wear rating so they should be even better. For the record, they are mounted on cheap steel wheels. Those rims have been sprayed with Krown rustproofing every year so they remain rust free in their 16th winter.
@@Rankidu I suppose it would require some precise technical equipment to measure whether the rubbers gets harder over time. What I can say is that my new Michelin winter tires are nearly as quiet as the Defenders that I use the rest of the year. That is amazing.
@@rightlanehog3151 well, I got four out of my Blizzaks in Iowa. The roads are usually clear thanks to lots of salt use so I’m pretty sure they burn up here. If the roads were snow covered, they would last longer. If they lasted even less time, they would still be worth the price. I ran them all of last summer because they wouldn’t have had the tread for another winter.
Great test. I would also point out that even though the difference is most pronounced in snow and ice conditions, even on dry roads when it gets below freezing the winter tires softer compound is very grippy while all seasons get harder like wearing hard-soled dress shoes. I'll never go back to all seasons in the winter months.
Tons of effort to make this happen. I know it's a 3 year old video, but just props in general for the amount of work/effort/tire swapping to make this happen.
A very good demonstration of tire testing. Just about everyone in Canada have 2 sets of tires (winter & all-season). All weather tires will be at its best when new in winter sure, but use it all summer then you'll see a big difference in them in the second winter, not so good. Still can't beat having 2 sets of tires, a dedicated winter and dedicated 3-season/summer. Tires last longer too cause you're using them half the time. Use winter tires when temperatures are around 7°C/44°F and below. Just because some states have no laws for it doesn't mean you don't need it. Protect your family, your investment and others...Use winter tires. Just my 2 cents.
scary thing is, winter tire adoption in canada (not including quebec because its law there) is still about 50%. Im trying to convince my friend his all weather tires with the 3 peak is still not good enough.
@@majorphysics3669 3 peak all weather tires may be ok for 1st winter, maybe the 2nd if they are not used in the rest of the seasons which is likely not the case. Keep at your friend about winter tires, hopefully they will realize. And what you said is true about 50% of people, it depends on the region they live I suppose. If the roads are dry pave, the other 50% will be out and about, sometimes gets caught in bad weather, that's when it's best to just have winter tires. But I guess some folks don't have a place to store their tires. But my area in Newfoundland, winter tires are a must have. We have a wetter climate than say Alberta. Here the snow is wet, slushy and packs easily to make ice. Also gets slimey when the plow trucks put down sand and salt mix. Be safe this winter.
@@majorphysics3669 I'm GETTING winter tires tomorrow (IN Bend oregon), I'M new to the tire storage thing , my first real winter in the snow, SO FED UP WITH RAIN👎 be happy with the snow Screw the rain
Well done guys! When I lived in CO I had dedicated winter tires (with studs) for ski season. That was way back in the 80s and I drove 280Z. I now live in Northern IL and realize you can't test every brand. Based on your results the Firestone won for me!
Great visual representation of the differences. What you call snow tire is probably the closest to what we call nordic winter tires, and everyone puts on those where I'm from. It's a combination between studded and no studded winter tires. But man are they a big difference, and the best of the best this year was the Continental VikingContact 7. I got them on my Model S and wow are they impressive. Had a trip over the mountains this winter and could easily drive at speed limit on iced up roads with snow on top of the ice. Quite impressive tires. The problem in my country is some people tend to leave the winter tires on the entire year, and that is almost just as bad as wrong tires in the snow. Really soft compound in the summer time, and the braking distance is horrible. A good test for you to try out when it get's really toasty outside. Proper street racing tires (Toyo Proxes R888 or Michellin Pilot Sport Cup2) and all the way to snow tires. I think the difference should be just as big as this test.
Awesome demonstration guys. On my channel I try and do in-depth demonstration’s so I appreciate when others do the same. I only watched this because I knew what results you would get and just wanted to see it. I drove an Astro van minivan with around three-quarter ton of construction tools and supplies on it in the winter in the area of Aspen & Snowmass and up on the mountains. With my blizzaks, that thing was unstoppable, and when hitting The brakes it stopped amazingly well. Now I am in Grand Junction and don’t really need them but if I ever did, I would absolutely buy Blizzaks again. This test proves why everyone that deals with a lot of snow needs good winter rated snow tires. I will refer people to your video as it’s a good educational one.
I was hoping that was going to be the "all weather" tire in this test. I'm due for new tires and trying to decide between the Ecopia and the CrossClimate2. Basically is the loss in range (nissan leaf) worth the trade off for better winter traction. Glad to see the Ecopia is good by all-season standards.
They both perform similarly on snow and ice. Weathergrips feel like winter tires on dry roads with relatively heavy steering feel/understeer. Cross Climate 2s have a lighter/oversteer feel on dry roads.
Excellent real world testing ! I’ve been running snow tires for 15 years and I can say they are night and day over an all season . I’ve had Nohian & Michelin . The all weather are a great alternative for those that want one set of tires . I live in Ontario Canada . 🇨🇦 -11C today 🥶
Such a great video and a great visual comparison!! I live in Canada (Vancouver, BC) and in this part of the country, snow isn't really a thing. We only have snow cover about 5-7 days a year on average as the South Coast of British Columbia has the mildest weather in all of Canada. While the rest of the country is seeing a brutal snowy winter, we are here smoking weed on our patios and watching cherry blossoms bloom in February. In British Columbia, snow tires are mandatory in most areas, but NOT in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver area) or Southern Vancouver Island because as I mentioned, winters are typically mild here. Whenever snow hits however, There is traffic CHAOS as I see dozens of people skid out, crash, and get stuck as most people in this city do NOT have snow tires. If only people could understand the difference a snow tire actually makes!! I drive a small little car as a student on a budget (Toyota Echo). I can get around just fine in the snow with my Bridgestone winter tires! In the end, nothing is worth more than your health and safety!
Tbh, some vancouver drivers just underestimate the weather and lack of skill to drive in the rain/snow. A lot of people just assume that their stock SUV is capable of anything.
Fun fact if you look it up BC does not require REAL snow tires only the M+S logo which is on most all seasons. The triple peak snow flake is the only real way to quickly judge a tire. Do not be fooled by M+S (mud and snow)!
I have a front wheel drive and studded winter tires, and live in the Okanagan. Right now, these are the way to go, but dry, they are loud and sluggish... worth it!
Nice job. I live in upstate NY. With less snow in winter than last century, I am looking to put an all-weather on my all-wheel drive. Don't want to deal with two different tire sets.
I'd be interested in a test of wet and dry roads too, at temperatures just above freezing. Where I live (mid-Michigan), the roads are usually plowed within a day. So usually, the roads are cleared, but there's a few days where I have to drive to work in the snow. Moreover, it is often freezing temperature in the morning but just above freezing temperature in the afternoon. So I'll drive to work on ice but drive home through water puddles. I went with an all-weather tire (Michelin CrossClimate 2) because I wanted something that could handle not only snow and ice, but also wet and dry. Winter tires do best on snow and ice but worse on dry and wet. An all-weather tire seemed like the best compromise. With the CrossClimate 2, I found I was able to drive just under the speed limit on a 55 mph snow-covered country road just fine. I comfortably stopped before every stop sign. Just to be safe, I drove a few mph below the speed limit, but I felt like I could have probably have driven 55 mph if I had wanted to try. The one problem I had was when I made a 90 degree left turn from a plowed road onto the snow-covered country road. I thought I was going slow enough, but my car still began to fishtail and over-steer the moment it hit the snow. So I learned my lesson. Go REALLY slow when making 90 degree turns, especially when transitioning from pavement to snow. Once my car was entirely on the snow, I was able to get a feel for my snow handling. But I think that transitioning from pavement to snow hit me with a surprise, and my car began to fishtail before I had gotten a feel for the snow.
I find it hilarious that you are doing this test after what I've been through this winter. I have a Toyota 4Runner and for certain circumstances didn't put my Blizzaks on this year. Of course, we have been getting more snow then normal, go figure. I have a well rated Michelin tire on it now and trust me it makes a HUGGGGGEEE difference between the 2. I was on a hill and spun out and had to go through a red light. I was so pissed off. That would never have happened if I had the winter tires on. If anyone out there thinks this test is BS, send them my way, because I know first hand what I saw in the video is true. You can turn a front wheel drive car into a 4 wheel drive with good winter tires. Blizzaks are good and so are the Hankook Ipikes.
I don’t know what to say, I always knew that all season tires are for places where they have mild winter temperatures and it barely ever snows. For any place that snows everybody knows it’s winter tires mandatory.
I've lived in Minnesota most of my life, neither I nor my parents have ever had winter tires, and I know very few people who use them. Yes they are better but they are also more hassle than most people are willing to put up with. All season tires haven't ever really been a problem for me, but I do like the new all-weathers a lot better.
@@plmn93 I'm north of the border in Manitoba. Once you get winter tires you can never go back. My parents always used to run All-seasons in the winter, but now they have winter tires. If you have to stop unexpectedly you'd be glad you have winter tires.
Here in Kansas you don’t need snow tires. We only get about 3-6 snows a winter here but and it’s usually cleared off the roads within 24-48 hours. I don’t really think snow tires are worth it here when there’s usually only snow on the roads for less than a week total in winter. You can get by with all seasons for those handful of snowy days we have.
i live in central new york and we average anywhere from 100-200" of snow per year. it's rare to see someone running winter tires. most think AWD is good enough yet don't realize awd/4wd does nothing to slow you down. the best part of running 4 winter tires on your vehicle is being able to go around all of the idiots stuck in the snow.
@@97I30T Yeah, most of the East coast is plowed within hours, unless you live way out. And a lot of people either don't have a place to store extra sets of tires, or can't even afford extra sets. Tommy saying they must be mandatory comes from privilege, as do most socialist ideas.
I use studded tires even though they are illegal here in Minnesota. I rather be safe than sorry, I’ll take a ticket instead of an accident. I don’t recommend doing this but it’s what I do.
One of the best and most helpful youtube videos I have ever seen, I live in a cold country and I know that the most important thing about car driving during the snowy winter is the stopping procedure, and in this video that has been given the main focus.
I'd like to see a test where they check the overall control, roadholding of the tires, as well as how they behave in the ice, dry, wet and in slushy conditions. Some cheap tires are tweaked for snow acceleration and stopping, but handle really bad, which might land you in the ditch.
I agree. Ice and slushy snow are by far the worst road conditions in the winter. How a tire handles these are the true test in my opinion. It would more accurately demonstrate the ability to remain in control in treacherous conditions. That's just as important as stopping distance in regards to safety. That being said, this test in the video was well done and demonstrates the differences.
As a Canadian, I can really appreciate the effort you put into this. Surprised that the battery device did the work in those temperatures. When it comes to ice storms, stopping really is the crux of the matter.
I have the same RAV-4 and just replaced the stock tires with CrossClimate2 from Costco. Tires are expensive at $800 installed but worth it here in the rainy PNW. We just had a big ice storm with two days worth of slick ice on the roads. I don't think anything less than studs feels really secure on the frozen ice.
I've driven on a frozen lake on Blizzak WS90s. Obviously pure ice. Blizzaks aren't bad at all on ice, you just have to plan ahead when making turns or stopping a bit.
Interesting test. I’d be interested in seeing you run the same test in the summer, to see if the all weather tires have any down sides vs all seasons in warmer weather. Where I live, outside of DC, almost no one uses snow tires in the winter. I typically only see people with RWD cars using snow tires, unless they have another vehicle to drive in winter. We simply don’t get that much snow, and most people know to slow down and brake gently if they must drive, or stay home until the snow melts, which is usually only a day or two. However I could see switching to an all weather tires if there were no or very little disadvantages to warm weather driving.
Great comparison. So may times I've heard you need all wheel drive or 4x4 but rarely people mentioned dedicated snow tires in comparison. I had front wheel drive cars here in PA with snow tires and had no problem tackling inclines or turns and stops in snowy conditions.
Nicely done! We have a set of the Firestone all weather weathergrip on our Outback. I found they work really well. For my Impreza I have a set of dedicated snow tires. This way I can run summer rubber in the summer and snow tires in the winter. Best of Both Worlds but I do have a place to store my tires and I swapped them out myself. It's amazing how many people think just because they have all-wheel drive they don't need better tires in the winter
First couple of years on my '11 Forester, after deciding my stock tires were useless in snow, I ran Yokohama ATs. Great in snow, and surprisingly good all around. But after 2 years of continuous use, they weren't so good in snow. I got a set of General Altimax Arctics, and driving them in snow isn't even interesting. I also got some Nitto Motivos for warm weather. They actually do better in snow than you'd think--sometimes I leave them on for the first snow of the season, because "interesting" is fun.
Great video. I'll be sharing with my daughter. I live in Canada, and it's surprising how many people are unaware of the huge difference, even up here. Only wished your video had a cornering component as well. Once the steering wheel is turned on snow and ice is when the real hell "breaks loose".
@@pizzasaurolophus you are full of shit. dedicated winter tire will always beat all season in snow and freezing temp. I did find some all seasons could manage Southern Ontario winters when new, second winter usually deteriorated traction.
We use a Firestone snow tire on the front wheels, with studs, on a FWD Buick. Snow or ice is no problem, but they have to come off in April here in Ohio.
@@chrisdallas3194 I have some ordered from Costco for a 2021 Forester, hoping I made the right choice. They’ve got to be better than the oem tires I bet regardless.
@@mayorofsexytown6958 i have a Subary Outback H6 05, i got Michellin crosclimate + on for 2 years now still looking for snow. So far Dry and wet they are excellent and they have proven durable for a tri peak rated tire in summer temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius. (104+) Fahrenheit.
I bought 4 Crossclimate 2 All Weather tires for my car about a 6 weeks ago. They are MUCH better in the snow and rain than the Michelin All Season tires that came with the car.
Great video. I have never heard of all weather tires. A pretty good option based on the results. This test proves how important using snow tires are. I work with someone who keeps all seasons on (even in the winter). Why chance traction loss if all seasons give a sub-par result?
I have a couple of questions about the testing though. How much of an influence does using the same road over and over have on the results? Doesn't the surface snow level and compactness of the snow change because of the previous runs? It would have been nice to see the original tires that came on the vehicle tested again at the end to help verify the results.
Great video. The purpose with the winter tires is first to being a softer rubber to maximize friction to the snow. Secondly is the tiny lamella to increase the area between tire and the surface and therefore increase friction ie better control and increase stopping power. A cheap winter tire brand often mix the rubber with plastic it might be good in the beginning but will be slippery after a short while. Unfortunately a top brand like Nokia and their hakkapelitta has lent them to this and is or at least has been poor winter tires despite the price. Don’t know if you are allowed to run studded winter tires if so I view that as the best combo. Wintertires could be slippery and dangerous on road and warm temperature. The soft rubber will create a car with dangerously poor stability in breaking and during evasion action. Winter tires saves life - stay safe. Again thx for great video.
Your wrong about the soft compound being dangerous in warm weather. Summer tires like the indy500 or Toyota r888 are made of super soft compounds which increases dry weather grip. The downside is that tires with softer compounds wear down 2-3 times as fast as regular touring tires or even performance all seasons.
@@jasonthomas4895 Being “soft” or “hard” is not a one dimensional metric. Winter tires in hot summer weather do tend to (a) increase stopping distance, and (b) induce excessive body roll; on top of wearing out very quickly.
@@toukoaozaki you are correct to a degree. The biggest difference is tread pattern and tread depth. Now it could be that the winter tire is too soft for summer and basically breaks down, which causes less stopping distance than a dedicated summer tire.
Going back 60 years to when I was at school studying physics, we experimented with friction. The surface area in contact makes no fifference to the amount of friction! With tyres, it must be the edges on the tread pattern that incease the grip - hence the extra grooved surfaces
In January 2021 we did the same kind of test on emergency vehicle (ambulance) on an icy track. We and up with 15-30% longer braking distance with high-end 4 season tires VS mid-range winter tires.
I think it would an interesting comparison between a very capable 4x4 vehicle with stock/all-season tires vs a non-capable car with snow or all-weather tires.
I do that test every single year in my chevy cobalt. I have never once spun out or got stuck all while driving past countless 4x4s stuck in the ditch or spun out in the median. you could put snow tires on a bicycle and do better that stock tires on a 4x4, tires are the only thing that matters when driving in snow.
I used to Exclusively Dr., Audi Quattro's when I lived in Montana, and we actually did a similar test to this. Even with all the differentials locked, the 4000 Quattro was worse in everything we did with all season tires on than the Front Wheel Drive Audi 4000 with snow tires, with the exception of acceleration. I said for years, I would rather take what is considered a poor winter car like a mustang or Camaro with snow tires on it, than an all wheel drive vehicle with all seasons. Stopping and cornering, and the control that they bring, are far more important than acceleration in day to day driving.
@@sminthian Was going to say the same thing. 4WD or AWD might help you avoid getting stuck in snow and accelerate better, but it won't do anything to prevent skidding or impact stopping distance.
My go to winter tire has always been Blizzaks until last winter when all the local tire shops were out of stock for my size. The tire shop I used recommended the Arctic Claw WXI and they actually outperformed the Blizzak by a substantial margin. The Arctic Claw is my new go to winter tire.
Thanks for the recommendation. I almost bought these for my Subaru but I found my favorite Sumitomo Ice Edge tires on Amazon. Tread pattern looks very similar.
Those Blizzaks! Just put 4 of these on my wife's 2019 Honda insight, putting 4 more on our civic next week... amazing snow tires! Had them on my '07 civic a few years ago, the difference in stopping distance and control is amazing!
Have the Firestone Weathergrippers on my car for 18 months. Great tire. Good wet traction and excellent snow traction. They are a bit noisier and less fuel efficient than stock but well worth the extra traction.
I've been very happy with my winter tires, we get nice and cold in the pacific northwest and you notice even on wet pavment summer and all seasons starting to get hard and not as grippy. They also seem to be less prone to hydroplaning, for the same reasons they are good in snow. My winter tires almost throw water out to the side, changing how they interact with standing water noticably. It isnt always possible to avoid standing water in the area, and half an inch of water creats a serious hazard if you have normal tires that ride over the top. Obviously avoidance is your best bet, but avoiding water in the pacific northwest is avoiding going outside at all, not reasonable.
9:42 Great outdoor tire tests where the rubbers meet the snowy and icy road! I noticed you didn't use hub rings on the steel wheels? 10:25 The iconic snow/winter tire ever built is the Finish Nokian Hakkapeliitta, the one who invented the 1st snow/winter tire in 1934.
I agree. Though I find it odd that Hakkas never seem to be at the top of the ratings in tire tests. I’ve had more than one set and can’t say enough good things about them.
@@theBear89451 All weather tires seem a smart alternative for year around use for folks who live where snow and ice only occur occasionally. Much better than all season, but won't take the beating that dedicated snowies would on roads that are mostly clear and dry.
@@alansach8437 You have to keep in mind that a set of 4 of these Blizzaks for me is $720, while a set of those weathergrips is $500. I've had cheaper Hancook winter tires here in Canada and switched to weather grips on our car and can't tell the difference. I also don't need to worry about changing them out, or remembering when they were last balanced or rotated from the previous year.
Some A/S tires are actually quite good in snow (usually not the OE spec), but yes the modern all weather tires are often much better. Also, did you factor tire pressure? An increase of several thousand feet altitude will increase the pressure inside the tire as outside pressure decreases.
Thank you for creating all of these videos- I just moved from Florida to Minnesota and needed guidance on what type of care/tires I need. I feel more confident car shopping now because of you two!!
@@mblake0420 Sounds great when someone decides to use summer tires mid winter, crashing in a family car and killing the occupants. Would love to have that freedom aswell.
@@Bertus31 Tis your freedom to imagine the worst case scenario and pretend it will happen every single time summer/all season tires are being used. Your freedom to lay guilt trips have no limits. Thanks!
@@mblake0420 its also up to you but if you dont have them the insurance doesnt pay and when u kill someone it gets quickly to homicide charges. The freedom is uo to you
Rhodey, I've have the Crossclimate 2 and put a half year of driving on them in Edmonton, Canada. I've owned a lot of winter tires, and I can affirm that they drive like a dedicated winter tire on both snow and ice. I also have another vehicle with the X-Ice XI2 Latitude, and the delta between them is so small, I'd be really upset if I had the Crossclimate 2 and bought a separate set of winter tires thinking I was getting better winter traction. The X-Ice is a tire generation old, so maybe the Michelin X-Ice Snow and its ilk might perform better. And if ice is a problem, I'd still go with studs.
@@Daniel_Ho_Status_101 how did the CC2 do in the most recent polar vortex with -30C where there was ice on the roads everywhere during the Xmas week before NYE? I was in Calgary and not sure I would have survived without a dedicated winter. Would be great if you said the CC2 performed admirably.
@@vegita319 The CC2 are superb on ice, better than the Hankook W419, W401, Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3, and Pilot Alpin PA2 (I've owned all these older model winter tires). The X-Ice Latitude XI2 might be a little better, but it's a small difference. I fear road ice more than deep snow, and this cold spell had a lot of both. I understand that the CC2 have a winter compound but a summer tread pattern, but it seems to work as well as other all-weather tires with all-season compounds and winter tread patterns.
It would be great if you could repeat these tests in the spring with the 2 all-seasons and the all-weathers in the same Rav4 on both wet and dry road surface. Get to work, Tommy! 😀
Yes in semi-permanent snowy conditions a dedicated snow tire will be best, but all weather tires are made to stay on the car all year round, saving you money on storage charges and changing charges, most people don't live on mountains so these tires are aimed at these folk, whereas 95% of folk are looking for a tire that performs well in a wide band of conditions, certainly better on the odd occasion when we get snow, but also when it's cold and rainy conditions, something that dedicated summer tires don't perform so well in. So it's a case of 'Horses For Courses' for most city folk living in regions where winters can be snowy on the odd occasion, then a tire such as the Michelin CrossClimate 2 will do the job perfectly while saving you money.
I just got perelli weatheractive for explorer st 21in, looking fwd to their performance. So far they are showing good noise control and comfort with good dry braking performance
Very good test! Thanks for all the work and frozen fingers! :) "Driving carefully" in snow at 30 mph or so, stopping 50 FEET shorter could avoid a lot of accidents! Hopefully the car behind you has good tires, too! ;)
![Winter Tires vs All Season [All Weather] Tires - What the Data Tells Us](/img/n.gif)
Great video, nothing beats a good visual representation of the differences between tires.
True as it clearly shows the difference between being able to stop in time or hit the obstacle and shorten the car a few feet.
We’ve all been in the situation where we barely stopped in time. I prefer to be in the car which stops best, rather than sitting behind a car that stops better than mine.
Bottom line: If you live in snowy climates having anything less then all weather tires is begging for an accident. All weather tires continue to improve but still no substitute for for winter tires.
This was a great video. You should demonstrate how much better stopping is with a true 4 wheel drive system. I watched Wyatt on YT Channel TEAM O'NEIL RACING and he had to identical JEEP Cherokees with identical tires and switched back and forth between 2hi and 4hi....the difference was about 2 car lengths shorter in 4hi. He also does it with an F250 plow and a Toyota Tacoma.
All season tires are just summer tires with some winter compounds. All weather tires are just winter tires with some summer compounds. So that’s why all seasons are good in summer and below average in winter and why all weathers are good in winter and below average in the summer. Nothing beats dedicated summer tires in the summer and dedicated winter tires in the winter. Any other approach will always end up with a decision on what season you want to compromise on.
Rims! Driving on compacted Snow!!
I am very glad that he emphasizes that stopping is the MOST important aspect of winter driving. A car that will not go is aggravating. A car that will not stop is dangerous.
Amen!
And then you gotta put a bumper sticker on, reading "Do not tailgate. I'm on winter tires!"
@@andeekaydot Haha, I've seen so many pileups in the winter because of people following too close. In western WA. almost no one here knows how to drive in snow anymore, partly because we get so little of it, mostly because they mostly are from places like California or other countries, so when one can stop reasonably well they often get rear ended by 2 or 3 more that can't. Last winter I saw lots of SUV's and crossovers left on the sides of the road when there was only about 4" of snowfall. I was just driving a front wheel drive Honda but most of these people were just not able to get around with their AWD because you still have to know how to drive in that stuff no matter the vehicle and stopping is by far the most important aspect. That first winter seems to be a real wake-up call for those that buy a 4WD or AWD and think it will take care of them like magic.
@@WhoWouldWantThisName IT is almost the same here in Europe concerning knowledge of how to be have in winter traffic.
I learnt driving in the heavy snow winter of 1979 in Northern Germany. There I got my first experience in extreme Winter driving, finding any car always has four wheels to stop, but the times had only two to start going. Four wheel drive may make you assume "I can go there".
But, to keep lane, avoid accidents, and to stop safely, you also need to look far ahead, appropriate tyres, and distance.
Still today I go to work on shift in the early morning when no snow plows are yet on service or come home in the night when their service has stopped. So I've to deal with snow and ice in our Mountain area on a daily basis.
What I found is people do no longer keep safety distance (3 times as much as on dry pavement), they go speeding on curvy country roads or drive unreasonably slow on straight stretches. They tend to trust in their cars' safety features, though those will not overcome the laws of physics.
I believe most people are no longer able to "feel the surface" when driving, to react considerably - , because of all those electronic helpers, supposing they will do their job.
And, I think, usage of more and more automatic cars does not really help in adverse situations, either.
At least, Winter tyres are mandatory in my country in that kind of weather, and using chains is not illegal.
In winter, even more than in any other season, I drive as if every body else in traffic I have to deal with were absolute maroons.
@@andeekaydot Very well said. Yes, the following distance is probably the greatest factor and also the rule of not stopping if you can avoid it. So often I see people simply behaving as if in normal conditions and they can't adapt to the mindset of snow driving. One has to set aside the rules a bit and just do what the conditions call for. I have slowly driven through a red lights and stop signs, just like a yield, in front of police and they didn't bother me because they could see I was doing what was actually the safe and practical thing to do. I stayed clear of everyone and timed my passage through an intersection right to give lots of space between others. We often have people stop on a slight incline then they are unable to start going again. Probably one of the most common noobie mistakes. I tell younger drivers to treat it like they are in a boat. Just slow and speed gradually and keep rolling. Don't stop unless you have to and definitely stay to the flat-est roads available no matter how much further you may have to go. Around here nearly everything is on a hill and it's just a question of how steep. So planning your trip based on these factors is something new to most drivers. The GPS is not going to help you with that and everyone these days is almost completely dependent on it. They don't even know how an address works now. It 's like random numbers and words to them, and may as well be like a phone number or URL. I try to at least teach them direction and basics of the map system so they can determine where they are and where something else is relative to them. Most city planners now don't seem to understand these things either based on new street names and such (alphabetization, street, avenue, place, way, etc.). It all means something, or it used to and is supposed to anyway. But the fundamentals of handling the car through a turn and correcting a slide, etc. is something they have to get hands on practice with, like I did as a teen. In the US they all go to a private driving school now instead of driver's ed. in high school and in those schools they don't teach anything related to snow, or any inclement weather conditions. I think they do tell them to allow more following distance but that's about it. I think what I went through for class A commercial driver's testing should be the standard testing for all drivers. I still drive like I'm in a truck with a trailer no matter what I'm in out of habit and it keeps me out of trouble like spotting traffic jams a half a mile ahead instead of the last second.
Anyway, essentially stay flat, roll slow, think ahead, and time yourself with the other cars you need to pass behind or in front of and stay off the brakes (using park brake to assist when necessary) is most of what they need to know. Turn into the slide, if the rear slides around, and the rest is practice and feel for your vehicle. Oh and have a plan like AAA for towing should you need it is always a good idea all the time. `Get home bag' in the trunk optional.
Nice job guys, I'm super happy to have someone else talking about tires as they're so important :)
Tyre Reviews, love your videos! You're the #1 for Tyres
You should do a video of studded all terrain tires vs studless winter tires
Your channel has been quiet recently. Miss your content! Your turn to do this test because your overlays and style of video are much more informative.
That's perfect. More tests more info.
Installed my continental control contact sport SRS and honestly they are amazing tires. Comfortable, great traction, exceptional snow performance. These tires are great and I recommend them to anyone. Steering is a bit sluggish I should say and a little more road noise. All in all compared to many other tires I’ve had these are the best I’ve had on. Great for snow I never have an issue and I can blaze past people with confidence!
Great demonstration. I know why TFL sent their young guys out: I need a recovery nap after swapping tires :)
I see the new Raptor 36.5" tires weigh 69lbs each! Not counting the wheels! They're going to have to start molding handles into the sidewalls...
Same man. I'm 37 and i would rather leave it up to these boys. I did this stuff in my early 20's but not now.
I live in a winter city in Canada. My experience generally mirrors what was tested. A couple of caveats: 1) the all-weather tires we used wore down about twice as fast as the all-seasons; and 2) in our long winters ice tends to be the bigger problem for tire performance. If your State/Province allows tire studs, they really help. Many places don't allow studded tires. You really need to find a winter tire that also performs well on icy roads. That would be a good test to run.
Yep, I live near Edmonton, and actually snow is a blessing, no problem. Our city used not even to scrape snow to asphalt, considering it safer. It is ice what is the problem. I drive all-weather on my BMW-X1, OEM ones last 60,000 km, which is less than advertised, but that's life.
Agreed. I live near Winnipeg and due to cold temps, salt really doesn’t work. Icy roads can stay icy for weeks. Nokian Hakkapelliita 9 factory studded winter tires allow you to stay on the road and be safe
1) Use those softer tires on winter (should last for 2 - 3 winters) and swap out after winter for summer tires. 2) ice needs studs basically or other things that tries to pierce the surface.
I do not care if a winter tire wears down faster than normal. I would rather go in the snow and stop safely with a tire that does not last as long than be stuck and slide into someone with a tire that lasts longer. Common sense should rule here.
Swede here, from the far enough to call most Canadians southern people. Switching between summer- and winter tyres aren't optional, and no one will ever bother with anything rated below Nordic Winter as those cheaper Chinese tyres used down on the Continent will give as good grip as hockey pucks when the cold sets in. Regardless, I'd keep some cheap set of snowchains or better quality tyresocks in the boot for those seldom cases the tyres aren't enough. That also allows using unstudded tyres if mostly driving in the city.
For comparison with those stopping distances. The gaps will widen by 9x if you bring that up to major highway speeds of 75mph. Stopping distance is proportional to the square of speed. Those hundreds of feet are why you equip winter tires and maintain appropriate following distance and speed for the conditions.
Stay safe, everyone!
75 during winter months. You are an idiot. Common sense should tell you that you cannot drive at the same speeds in the winter that you do in the summer. Just because it is not slippery in one place does not mean the roads are clear and dry everywhere. Have your heard of black ice. Idiot.
who. drives at 75mph in that snow?
Allow me to reply that:
A floridian visiting a Northern State :)@@roadbiker8333
@@roadbiker8333
Not me that's for sure
@@roadbiker8333 here in Edmonton, Canada idiots drive 100km/h on ICE, not snow.
I’m impressed that you kept the test standard using the same car whilst changing the wheels out in the elements.
Takes 4 minutes with a impact. Not a big deal tbh. But at least they can chage a tire i suppose.
@@nobodynoone2500 I think you missed the joke there, buddy..
@@jarkkoseppanen899 Well then, so did I. Go on, feel great about yourself. What joke?
I wonder if they drove over the course many times to compact the snow and "average" it out first. That might cause each test to do better than the previous one.
I have Blizzak's and can confirm they are amazing in snow and ice. I was passing people stuck in pickups and SUVs during a snow storm several years ago, in my FWD Sienna minivan running Blizzaks 🤣 Tires make all the difference!
My experience too, you have to be careful with these Blizzaks, as it is like driving on dry pavement. They impressed the hell out of me, I already ordered a second set, going on next week... Supposed to be a rough winter here in Michigan.
@@michaelwright1602 How many miles can you get out of them if you change them up in spring? Thanks
@@golferpro1241 It will depend on how much you drive. The car these are on is not driven much, and the tires were left on all year for three years. So, I would say if you do not drive much, and get them off prior to the temps getting over 40*, I could see four to five years out of these. I kept my old ones, and will run them during spring summer and fall... They are great in the rain. Like I say, this car is only driven to the store and back, it rarely goes anywhere.
@@golferpro1241 I just picked up a set of Toyo Snow tires, OBSERVE GSI-5 (225/60R16 T), for $317 delivered from CARiD. They look very good for the money, may want to check them out too. I put these on my work sled, the Bridgestones went on my mother's car for obvious reasons. I will see how the Toyo's work when we get some snow and report back. They ride nice, with no road noise. Great on wet roads too. They have near five star ratings too, and for the money...
I have winter tires and can confirm that they're better than all-season tires, such as the blizzak. also those "all-season" tires in the beginning is what we call fuel-efficient summer tires. no wonder we think you can't drive on snow for shit..
By far the very best winter tire review video I have ever seen. The only thing you left at home was the 100 foot tape measure but excellent video. I like it, thank you gentlemen for your time.
When I lived in Upstate New York, putting those snow tires on in November gave you that extra bit of confidence for driving in the weather. We were not allowed to have any spikes or anything like that, but I never had an issue with the snow tires. The only issue was finding somewhere to store the summer/winter tires when not in use.
Up here at the top of NY I've had good luck with Winterforce on my Jeeps
Thanks TFL, this takes a lot of effort. This is good info for everyone. Thanks to Bridgestone also.
Stopping distance really is everything when it comes to preventing an accident in bad weather conditions, surprised to see how big of a difference these tires made
If I was going to be a complete nob, I’d suggest that driving appropriate to road conditions and to your vehicle set-up is everything when preventing an accident. But agreed, once the accident is ‘under way’ then how you stop and how controlled that stop is, is everything. But when you see people’s approach speed into corners, overtaking in snow, how and when they start stopping at junctions or roundabouts (late and hard on the brakes) it beggars belief. Most people who cause accidents in winter (or heavy rain etc) do so because they’re driving like it’s mid-summer, bone dry and that they’re on fresh hoops and driving a car with full driver aids and a monster set of 8-pot Brembos. 😬
@@leangrypoulet7523 I've driven in PA my whole life on all seasons and AWD cars. (51 years old) Like you said you need to know the limits of your setup. Even now that I'm finally getting some all-weather (sever snow rated) tires for my new 4Runner I'm NOT going to drive any different then I did with a Subaru on all seasons. If they had invented all weather tires when I was young I would have had them my whole life, I wish the selection was larger on them. Last year I stuck with the factory all seasons because all I saw was all terrain, Blizzaks, and all seasons to choose from. BF Goodrich has the "trail-terrain" available in my tire/rim size now so I just grabbed some.
@@DigitalHaze65536definitely I have no problem just running all seasons on my trailblazer just because it's heavy enough that it helps a lot and I am usually very careful in the snow but if I could afford to I would definitely want to get myself some all weather or some winter tires
Appreciate the time and effort you guys took to make such an unbiased and informational video like this. Swapping tires out in the cold like that, and testing on the same stretch of road back to back...wow. Hat is off to you.
Hi Tommy,your test and experience over the tires was real , honest,and educational,so thank you for your time, efforts, and other people in your team.
I live in Vancouver, Canada with some snow in the winter but not too often. I also travel for work a lot and am often not in town so I don't actually put that many miles on my car. For me, the perfect option is the All-Weather tire. I don't mind the faster wear because I am barely in town so I don't drive that much. But for the few times it snows, I am happy to have my All-Weathers. And for those VERY serious snow days, I just don't go outside.
I already have dedicated snows for my car, but I like watching these anyway to remind me the money was well spent. Thanks for the video guys.
Which are those??
It's one of those purchases that has no thrills. You just have to remember things not happening/going is what you paid for.
@@SteedDigital1 there are plenty of thrills with winter tires, like having to pass suvs and trucks in a tiny prius when its snowing and then make eye contact as you pass while laughing. worth every penny
@@TaylorPhase I hope you look at them straight in the eyes and laugh like Jeff Bezos
I have had dedicated snow tires on my fwd SAABS for decades and I routinely pass big American 4x4 trucks on snowy roads. They will be fishtailing, while at 5 to 7 mph faster my car is running straight and true. And in acceleration from a dead stop I frequently beat them once I hit 2nd gear. TIRES MATTER MORE THAN 4WD!
Great effort in showing the difference in acceleration and breaking using different tire compounds.
If I may add, the difference in vehicle handling is night and day when using a dedicated snow tires.
Living In MN, Snow tires just make sense. Sucks that I'm 50 yo b4 I realized this.
You should try the Nokian snow tires from 🇫🇮 they know one or two things about driving in snow
Hakkapeliitta’s rule! I like them a tad better than Blizzaks..
...especially if you get your hands on studded Nokian Hakkapeliittas!
@@atteairaksinen I got studded hakkapeliitta On my car right now. Love them.
They are awesome, I came from France to Finland (just north of Rovaniemi) with my Sprinter last february. I put 4 Nokian WRC 3 non studed before taking of, they performed absolutely perfect on snow. On ice spots well they did good but in Sweden i had to be very carefull in the turns. I actually hit a guard rail at the end of a turn, I didn't though that the road was this slippery and I came to fast. Not a big deal, I slightly bent a lower body panel and I work at a good body shop... Plus it gave me an excuse to finally do a entire paint job with raptor paint.
Learned something new
Nice job, the importance of winter tires in the snow belts can't be overstated. It would be nice to see a head to head of the top rated Snow tires.
I have always run snow tires on my vehicles. I drive an AWD SUV and the “ all season” factory tires were terrible in winter. I live in New England and every time we get a winter storm, the local evening tv news always has photos of AWD SUV’s off the road lying on their side or upside down. The majority of these SUV’s come equipped with just “all season” tires and people drive them way too fast because they think their AWD vehicle is invincible.
Good job guys, and fortunate you were able to use the most popular vehicle in sales to perform the tests.
The Ford F150 is the best selling vehicle in the U.S.
Yawn. There’s always that one guy and you’re it.
I’m sure OP meant passenger vehicle (non truck). The F150 is the best selling vehicle only in the USA. The best selling vehicle of all time is the Corolla so you’re not entirely correct there either.
@@runningawayvagabond5876 , Yawn. Nope, You're that guy. LOL.
Great video ... winter tires are all about SAFETY in winter !!! While winter tires are recommended and encouraged for all Canadian drivers, there are only two provinces where winter tires mandatory by law - Quebec and British Columbia.
I live in a part of Canada (Ontario) that is too backwards to mandate winter tires but my insurance company discounts me around $20 for using them.
I didn’t know about B.C.Anyways,four cars in households and every single one is riding on Nokian Hakka 3 during the Winter.We don’t need a law to tell us what’ s good and safe for us.
The law on BC highways that is posted on altitude highways shows both the snowflake and M&S. I run Nokian WR series all weather tires but I am not a skier so tend to time my trips for good weather. I have been caught on sheer ice with them and they are very stable at speed. I make a habbit of not tailgating however.
I’m not sure Winter Tires are mandatory in BC however if you are to travel on the Coquillhala Highway in winter ❄️- then Winter Tires are mandatory. In MB I run All Weather tires
@@freerider604 I used to run on Nokian WR G3 and I loved them.They don’t last very long but they really hold very good.
I run Blizzaks on my Fiesta ST in the winter. Even at the wear bars they perform incredibly.
Interesting.
It’s disappointing the authors of this video haven’t tested the two best winter tires like Continental and Michelin.
Agree. It’s quite a shame because Michelin has the X-Ice snow and that’s supposed to be super good.
I've used fwd cars almost my entire life in the NW cascades -- I also worked at a ski resort. I want awd and more ground clearance for trails/summer, but, when it comes to a few inches of snow/ice on a road, I've never had an issue as long as I had snow tires.
In PNW and a lot of other places with mountain pass restrictions, having AWD is more convenience wrt legal requirements than an actual need, if equipped with proper snow rated tires.
No doubt, I live in NE Ohio and get along just fine with fwd and a dedicated winter wheel set. No one else here seems to do this, and just run bald all seasons.
However, if you live some place like Buffalo or Colorado Rockies, having AWD would certainly be standard for me. With the sedans, at a certain point the ground clearance becomes the issue. However I find myself passing ram trucks and Subarus all winter long in my accord with Goodyear winter commands.
I had an awd 3 series with toyo g3 ice tires a few winters back, thing was no joke, great winter car with no ground clearance 😂
I have a FWD vehicle but never really go to cascades during the winter except a couple days. Would you recommend I get chains or invest in new tires?
@@Kushpatel9047 If you have summer tires, it may be worth investing in a good set of all weather regardless. Else you can get by with chains (or any legal equivalent) + existing all season tires. The key is knowing the limits of your equipment in the specific conditions and adjusting accordingly.
@@Kushpatel9047 Tires without a doubt.
i would enjoy more tire reviews from you guys. It's so important, a dedicated show for it makes a lot of sense IMO
Excellent video and very helpful! I appreciate the amount of work that went into it!
My German relatives run either snow tires, or summer tires. None of this ‘all-season’ nonsense, which do nothing well. Thx again!
I am currently using the Blizzak DM-V2 and have been for four and a half years. This is my 5th winter seasons now on the same set and it still performs. I will definately recommend theses tires. I used to think all season were great until I had all weather tires. Having winter tires boosts your confidence to another level when driving in the winter. Definately a life saver. By the way, our winter lasts almost 6 months out of the year.
Great, how many miles do you think?
I have the Nokian snow tires and they are amazing!
Great video demonstrating the difference in tire types in snow.
In the past I'd always used highly rated all weather tires. I live in central Indiana, and winters we either get a lot of snow or very little snow. Not much in between. In previous cars I'd owned (Probe GT, Celica GTS- both front wheel drive) all weather had always been good enough in snow, and just needed to be extra cautious on ice. A few years ago I bought a Scion FRS (rear wheel drive) and bought some highly rated all weather tires for it (General Altimax RT43). After a night where we got about a foot of snow, the drive to work that morning was terrifying. The highways had been plowed, but still had probably 1-3" of packed down snow on them. I was sliding all over the place when giving the car any gas. Just had to stay in the right lane with my hazards on going like 25-35mph and made sure to give myself LOTS of room for stopping. Going around any kind of bend I had to slow down even more or the car was wanting to go sideways.
Bought some dedicated winter tires that same day and got them installed a couple days after that (General Altimax Arctic 12). It was a night and day difference in both handling and stopping distance. No more having the rear end fish tailing with the slightest amount of acceleration, and stopping distance easily cut in half or more. Now my main problem is clearance since the car sits pretty low to the ground. It is a bit of a pain having to store an extra set of tires and change them out each year, but it really makes a huge difference in safety so it's definitely worth the extra trouble/money in my opinion.
As a side note, if you have winter tires you really need to swap them out once temps are consistently around 50F or higher. The rubber compound makes them very soft at warmer temps, and they lose a lot of traction on wet pavement when warm.
Thank you. This is what I wanted to know. I have always used snow tires, but my mechanic introduced all weather as an alternative to save on semi-annual switch and storage, but I think I am going to stick to winter. Safety First!
Never get "tired" of these videos.
I bought a set of Toyo Celsius all-weather tires a couple of years ago and they're amazing in the snow. I'll never buy another set of all-season tires again.
Ya having a great set of tires that work all year is the best.
I got a set of genera Grabber A/T X for my Volvo wagon, and they preform awesome in the snow and huge rain with lot of standing water. It’s awesome. However high speed handling and cornering in the dry on pavement is a little washed out.. not dangerous but it feels less responsive when driving it like a sports car vs all seasons or summer tires…
Yeah. Ok.
I have toyo gsi 5 observe winter tires, they are the best winter tire i have ever used!
How’s the road noise compared to all season touring tires?
Same! I thought I was happy with my Cooper CS5 Grand Touring tires... until I got my Toyo Celsius tires! Honestly an improvement in every regard for me personally!
Those differences in stopping distance sure reinforce paying for a decent set of snow tires. One fender bender will have cost you more than a set of snows!
The cost is even less considering there is not as much wear and tear on your spring/summers.
Not even mentioning the potential medical costs for possible accident victims...
I would be in favor of having insurrance discounts for people who use wintertires on their vehicles.
@@jfv65 I was thinking this the whole time while watching this.
True! But it's hard to convince people as they are cheap. "Thrifty" 😁
They sell 100' tapes for measuring on Amazon, all day every day.
Did you really need specific measurements? I mean, c’mon. You just needed to post a humorless yet snarky comment.
😂 Laughed out loud when I read your comment
I mean, it would have been nice for him to give actual measurements. He went from "feet" to "paces" all while counting his individual steps heel to toe, which is neither a foot nor a pace. Aside from that, at least he marked it with cones so we could still have the visual reference.
Not today Amazon is closed for weather lol.
Percentages more meaningful than feet as no particular standard conditions were used, but they forgot to bring the calculator.
Bridgestone Blizzak hands down the best winter tire. Have used Blizzaks here in Colorado on 3 different suv’s over 25 years. Nothing else comes close. Great video, thanks for doing the tests!
My wife and I live in Montana WAY off the beaten path, and have a couple 12 degree hills to climb to get to our house, and the Blizzaks work great! My wife’s RAV4 and my 4x4 Tacoma climb up the hills with ease. If you drive much in snow, I highly recommend a high quality winter tire!
even without snow a good set of winter tires is very beneficial, ice performance is also huge on w+s compared to all seasons.
@@Daniel-dj7fh No its not, winter tires are not much better than all terrain on my Taco in ice - both are terrible. You need studs.
@@tomk3732 We don't get alot of snow over here in central Germany, but winter tires (w+s) have 90% of the time always been more than enough
@@Daniel-dj7fh In Canada (Alberta) we do get somewhat moderate amounts of snow but lots of ice & winter lasts 6 months. Actually most people have all season tires. Most trucks including mine have AT tires not winter tires.
My parents have Porsche Cayenne and it has all seasons - heck we were shocked when it actually started in -30C. Usually Porsche is known for always breaking down compared to Toyota - but Porsche is 10x as much fun to drive vs. Toyota - it breaks down like 100x more.
I was pretty much expecting those results. The all seasons tires performance impressed me, better than I thought. In my neck of the wood winter tires are mandatory. It's a bit of a hassle swapping the tires 2 times a year but it's worth when you live in snow country.
Nice test. You combined quantifiable results with the video showing it happen and making the results more real to people. We only get a couple blasts of snow per year so I have all-weather tires plus AWD on both our cars and it makes a huge difference. But on glare ice, nothing beats good snow tires.
Team TFL, Thanks for this practical test . If you can afford a car, you can afford a second set of winter tires.
I run snow tires on steel wheels. They cost a little more than than my insurance deductible, and last for several seasons. Hopefully they will help me avoid using my deductible and they do save some miles on the all seasons that so run the rest of the year. The only thing that stops me now is deep snow that my Civic can’t tackle and some sense to know when to stay home. I prefer them to my 4x4 pickup with hard all season tires.
@@alanhassall I got 11-12 winters out of my first set of Michelin X-Ice. The X-Ice 3s I own now come with a 40,000 mile tread wear rating so they should be even better. For the record, they are mounted on cheap steel wheels. Those rims have been sprayed with Krown rustproofing every year so they remain rust free in their 16th winter.
@@rightlanehog3151 doesn't the rubber becomes harder after 5/6 years? Just curious, I've never kept a tire for so long
@@Rankidu I suppose it would require some precise technical equipment to measure whether the rubbers gets harder over time. What I can say is that my new Michelin winter tires are nearly as quiet as the Defenders that I use the rest of the year. That is amazing.
@@rightlanehog3151 well, I got four out of my Blizzaks in Iowa. The roads are usually clear thanks to lots of salt use so I’m pretty sure they burn up here. If the roads were snow covered, they would last longer. If they lasted even less time, they would still be worth the price. I ran them all of last summer because they wouldn’t have had the tread for another winter.
Great test. I would also point out that even though the difference is most pronounced in snow and ice conditions, even on dry roads when it gets below freezing the winter tires softer compound is very grippy while all seasons get harder like wearing hard-soled dress shoes. I'll never go back to all seasons in the winter months.
So true. Summer tyres will turn to ice hockey pucks already at 3C/37F.
Tons of effort to make this happen. I know it's a 3 year old video, but just props in general for the amount of work/effort/tire swapping to make this happen.
A very good demonstration of tire testing. Just about everyone in Canada have 2 sets of tires (winter & all-season). All weather tires will be at its best when new in winter sure, but use it all summer then you'll see a big difference in them in the second winter, not so good. Still can't beat having 2 sets of tires, a dedicated winter and dedicated 3-season/summer. Tires last longer too cause you're using them half the time. Use winter tires when temperatures are around 7°C/44°F and below. Just because some states have no laws for it doesn't mean you don't need it. Protect your family, your investment and others...Use winter tires. Just my 2 cents.
scary thing is, winter tire adoption in canada (not including quebec because its law there) is still about 50%. Im trying to convince my friend his all weather tires with the 3 peak is still not good enough.
@@majorphysics3669 3 peak all weather tires may be ok for 1st winter, maybe the 2nd if they are not used in the rest of the seasons which is likely not the case. Keep at your friend about winter tires, hopefully they will realize. And what you said is true about 50% of people, it depends on the region they live I suppose. If the roads are dry pave, the other 50% will be out and about, sometimes gets caught in bad weather, that's when it's best to just have winter tires. But I guess some folks don't have a place to store their tires. But my area in Newfoundland, winter tires are a must have. We have a wetter climate than say Alberta. Here the snow is wet, slushy and packs easily to make ice. Also gets slimey when the plow trucks put down sand and salt mix. Be safe this winter.
@@johnkerfont8066 all tire shops offer tire storage and its not that expensive. Its not an excuse
@@majorphysics3669
I'm GETTING winter tires tomorrow
(IN Bend oregon), I'M new to the tire storage thing , my first real winter in the snow, SO FED UP WITH RAIN👎
be happy with the snow
Screw the rain
Well done guys! When I lived in CO I had dedicated winter tires (with studs) for ski season. That was way back in the 80s and I drove 280Z. I now live in Northern IL and realize you can't test every brand. Based on your results the Firestone won for me!
Great visual representation of the differences. What you call snow tire is probably the closest to what we call nordic winter tires, and everyone puts on those where I'm from. It's a combination between studded and no studded winter tires. But man are they a big difference, and the best of the best this year was the Continental VikingContact 7. I got them on my Model S and wow are they impressive. Had a trip over the mountains this winter and could easily drive at speed limit on iced up roads with snow on top of the ice. Quite impressive tires. The problem in my country is some people tend to leave the winter tires on the entire year, and that is almost just as bad as wrong tires in the snow. Really soft compound in the summer time, and the braking distance is horrible. A good test for you to try out when it get's really toasty outside. Proper street racing tires (Toyo Proxes R888 or Michellin Pilot Sport Cup2) and all the way to snow tires. I think the difference should be just as big as this test.
Been running winters for over a decade. Now I worry about others hitting me when I need to emergency stop.
Awesome demonstration guys. On my channel I try and do in-depth demonstration’s so I appreciate when others do the same. I only watched this because I knew what results you would get and just wanted to see it. I drove an Astro van minivan with around three-quarter ton of construction tools and supplies on it in the winter in the area of Aspen & Snowmass and up on the mountains. With my blizzaks, that thing was unstoppable, and when hitting The brakes it stopped amazingly well. Now I am in Grand Junction and don’t really need them but if I ever did, I would absolutely buy Blizzaks again. This test proves why everyone that deals with a lot of snow needs good winter rated snow tires.
I will refer people to your video as it’s a good educational one.
Would be cool/interesting to see how the Firestones compete against Michelin's CrossClimate2 (another
3PMSF all-weather tire)
I was hoping that was going to be the "all weather" tire in this test. I'm due for new tires and trying to decide between the Ecopia and the CrossClimate2. Basically is the loss in range (nissan leaf) worth the trade off for better winter traction.
Glad to see the Ecopia is good by all-season standards.
Nokian wrg4 .... read up on it.... heard very good all weather
@@garrettstevens2232 go to tire rack and check out tires. Ecopia is bad in winter in there ratings.
They both perform similarly on snow and ice. Weathergrips feel like winter tires on dry roads with relatively heavy steering feel/understeer. Cross Climate 2s have a lighter/oversteer feel on dry roads.
Excellent real world testing ! I’ve been running snow tires for 15 years and I can say they are night and day over an all season . I’ve had Nohian & Michelin . The all weather are a great alternative for those that want one set of tires . I live in Ontario Canada . 🇨🇦 -11C today 🥶
I live in Saskatchewan do you recommend all season tires
Did you stop in the same tracks for each test? If so, would this not result in a significant difference in stopping distance?
Thanks!
Did the first pass clean the road for a better acceleration and braking performance, or did you drive in different sections?
Great video Tommy! Just swapped the wildpeaks off my 4Runner (which work great in the snow) for some proper winter tires. Huge improvement!
Tommy, thanks to you and your colleague for braving the extreme weather to provide us this content!
Such a great video and a great visual comparison!!
I live in Canada (Vancouver, BC) and in this part of the country, snow isn't really a thing. We only have snow cover about 5-7 days a year on average as the South Coast of British Columbia has the mildest weather in all of Canada. While the rest of the country is seeing a brutal snowy winter, we are here smoking weed on our patios and watching cherry blossoms bloom in February.
In British Columbia, snow tires are mandatory in most areas, but NOT in the Lower Mainland (Vancouver area) or Southern Vancouver Island because as I mentioned, winters are typically mild here. Whenever snow hits however, There is traffic CHAOS as I see dozens of people skid out, crash, and get stuck as most people in this city do NOT have snow tires. If only people could understand the difference a snow tire actually makes!!
I drive a small little car as a student on a budget (Toyota Echo). I can get around just fine in the snow with my Bridgestone winter tires! In the end, nothing is worth more than your health and safety!
Tbh, some vancouver drivers just underestimate the weather and lack of skill to drive in the rain/snow. A lot of people just assume that their stock SUV is capable of anything.
Fun fact if you look it up BC does not require REAL snow tires only the M+S logo which is on most all seasons.
The triple peak snow flake is the only real way to quickly judge a tire. Do not be fooled by M+S (mud and snow)!
No they are not mandatory - you only need M+S tires i.e. all season tires to drive in BC. What is illegal is use of summer tires.
I drove around in my subie with winter laughing on my way to the mountains.
I have a front wheel drive and studded winter tires, and live in the Okanagan. Right now, these are the way to go, but dry, they are loud and sluggish... worth it!
Nice job. I live in upstate NY. With less snow in winter than last century, I am looking to put an all-weather on my all-wheel drive. Don't want to deal with two different tire sets.
I think thats a perfect choice
I'd be interested in a test of wet and dry roads too, at temperatures just above freezing.
Where I live (mid-Michigan), the roads are usually plowed within a day. So usually, the roads are cleared, but there's a few days where I have to drive to work in the snow. Moreover, it is often freezing temperature in the morning but just above freezing temperature in the afternoon. So I'll drive to work on ice but drive home through water puddles.
I went with an all-weather tire (Michelin CrossClimate 2) because I wanted something that could handle not only snow and ice, but also wet and dry. Winter tires do best on snow and ice but worse on dry and wet. An all-weather tire seemed like the best compromise.
With the CrossClimate 2, I found I was able to drive just under the speed limit on a 55 mph snow-covered country road just fine. I comfortably stopped before every stop sign. Just to be safe, I drove a few mph below the speed limit, but I felt like I could have probably have driven 55 mph if I had wanted to try.
The one problem I had was when I made a 90 degree left turn from a plowed road onto the snow-covered country road. I thought I was going slow enough, but my car still began to fishtail and over-steer the moment it hit the snow. So I learned my lesson. Go REALLY slow when making 90 degree turns, especially when transitioning from pavement to snow. Once my car was entirely on the snow, I was able to get a feel for my snow handling. But I think that transitioning from pavement to snow hit me with a surprise, and my car began to fishtail before I had gotten a feel for the snow.
Huge thank you for making this video. I run Blizzaks on my cars for this exact reason.
I find it hilarious that you are doing this test after what I've been through this winter. I have a Toyota 4Runner and for certain circumstances didn't put my Blizzaks on this year. Of course, we have been getting more snow then normal, go figure.
I have a well rated Michelin tire on it now and trust me it makes a HUGGGGGEEE difference between the 2. I was on a hill and spun out and had to go through a red light. I was so pissed off. That would never have happened if I had the winter tires on.
If anyone out there thinks this test is BS, send them my way, because I know first hand what I saw in the video is true.
You can turn a front wheel drive car into a 4 wheel drive with good winter tires. Blizzaks are good and so are the Hankook Ipikes.
And are the Pirelli scorpions and...LOL
Glad to hear you didn't wreck
@@n-da-bunka2650 Thanks 👍😃
I don’t know what to say, I always knew that all season tires are for places where they have mild winter temperatures and it barely ever snows.
For any place that snows everybody knows it’s winter tires mandatory.
I've lived in Minnesota most of my life, neither I nor my parents have ever had winter tires, and I know very few people who use them. Yes they are better but they are also more hassle than most people are willing to put up with. All season tires haven't ever really been a problem for me, but I do like the new all-weathers a lot better.
@@plmn93 I'm north of the border in Manitoba. Once you get winter tires you can never go back. My parents always used to run All-seasons in the winter, but now they have winter tires. If you have to stop unexpectedly you'd be glad you have winter tires.
Here in Kansas you don’t need snow tires. We only get about 3-6 snows a winter here but and it’s usually cleared off the roads within 24-48 hours. I don’t really think snow tires are worth it here when there’s usually only snow on the roads for less than a week total in winter. You can get by with all seasons for those handful of snowy days we have.
i live in central new york and we average anywhere from 100-200" of snow per year. it's rare to see someone running winter tires. most think AWD is good enough yet don't realize awd/4wd does nothing to slow you down. the best part of running 4 winter tires on your vehicle is being able to go around all of the idiots stuck in the snow.
@@97I30T Yeah, most of the East coast is plowed within hours, unless you live way out. And a lot of people either don't have a place to store extra sets of tires, or can't even afford extra sets. Tommy saying they must be mandatory comes from privilege, as do most socialist ideas.
I use studded tires even though they are illegal here in Minnesota. I rather be safe than sorry, I’ll take a ticket instead of an accident. I don’t recommend doing this but it’s what I do.
One of the best and most helpful youtube videos I have ever seen, I live in a cold country and I know that the most important thing about car driving during the snowy winter is the stopping procedure, and in this video that has been given the main focus.
Thanks for this great video! I'm curious how you think the Michelin Cross-climates you tested a few months ago would have stacked up in this test?
Trash compared to an actual snow tire, in the snow.
I'd like to see a test where they check the overall control, roadholding of the tires, as well as how they behave in the ice, dry, wet and in slushy conditions. Some cheap tires are tweaked for snow acceleration and stopping, but handle really bad, which might land you in the ditch.
just.. any snow tire with dubs? you americans need help
Tyre Reviews UA-cam
I agree. Ice and slushy snow are by far the worst road conditions in the winter. How a tire handles these are the true test in my opinion. It would more accurately demonstrate the ability to remain in control in treacherous conditions. That's just as important as stopping distance in regards to safety. That being said, this test in the video was well done and demonstrates the differences.
@@JC-vy1bo nothing can handle ice. No tires but chains.
@@vergillsparda5920 Hakkapeliitta 10
As a Canadian, I can really appreciate the effort you put into this. Surprised that the battery device did the work in those temperatures. When it comes to ice storms, stopping really is the crux of the matter.
I have the same RAV-4 and just replaced the stock tires with CrossClimate2 from Costco. Tires are expensive at $800 installed but worth it here in the rainy PNW. We just had a big ice storm with two days worth of slick ice on the roads. I don't think anything less than studs feels really secure on the frozen ice.
or, just don't drive when it's like that
I've driven on a frozen lake on Blizzak WS90s. Obviously pure ice. Blizzaks aren't bad at all on ice, you just have to plan ahead when making turns or stopping a bit.
Interesting test. I’d be interested in seeing you run the same test in the summer, to see if the all weather tires have any down sides vs all seasons in warmer weather. Where I live, outside of DC, almost no one uses snow tires in the winter. I typically only see people with RWD cars using snow tires, unless they have another vehicle to drive in winter. We simply don’t get that much snow, and most people know to slow down and brake gently if they must drive, or stay home until the snow melts, which is usually only a day or two. However I could see switching to an all weather tires if there were no or very little disadvantages to warm weather driving.
snow tires get incredibly soft in the summer and you can even get a blow out if temperatures get high enough. can confirm!
Great comparison. So may times I've heard you need all wheel drive or 4x4 but rarely people mentioned dedicated snow tires in comparison. I had front wheel drive cars here in PA with snow tires and had no problem tackling inclines or turns and stops in snowy conditions.
Nicely done! We have a set of the Firestone all weather weathergrip on our Outback. I found they work really well. For my Impreza I have a set of dedicated snow tires. This way I can run summer rubber in the summer and snow tires in the winter. Best of Both Worlds but I do have a place to store my tires and I swapped them out myself. It's amazing how many people think just because they have all-wheel drive they don't need better tires in the winter
First couple of years on my '11 Forester, after deciding my stock tires were useless in snow, I ran Yokohama ATs. Great in snow, and surprisingly good all around. But after 2 years of continuous use, they weren't so good in snow. I got a set of General Altimax Arctics, and driving them in snow isn't even interesting. I also got some Nitto Motivos for warm weather. They actually do better in snow than you'd think--sometimes I leave them on for the first snow of the season, because "interesting" is fun.
Great video. I'll be sharing with my daughter. I live in Canada, and it's surprising how many people are unaware of the huge difference, even up here. Only wished your video had a cornering component as well. Once the steering wheel is turned on snow and ice is when the real hell "breaks loose".
RAV4 looks good with black steelies.
True
Thanks for the good review. I live in Ottawa (Canada) and we definitely need the winter tires here.
I live in Canada and all weather tires are perfect. I ditched my dedicated winter tires for them and can't tell the difference.
@@pizzasaurolophus you are full of shit. dedicated winter tire will always beat all season in snow and freezing temp. I did find some all seasons could manage Southern Ontario winters when new, second winter usually deteriorated traction.
When I lived in Alaska Winter tires were a must, it’s amazing the difference. Thanks for this video great job
You guys should test the Michelin Cross Climate 2 tires. Supposedly their performance is very close to winter tires but they’re all-seasons.
From the UK we occasionally get snow but I still run winters from October to April, I love my family to take any chances. Great video thanks👍
6:48 the firestone is on backward...
We use a Firestone snow tire on the front wheels, with studs, on a FWD Buick. Snow or ice is no problem, but they have to come off in April here in Ohio.
8:00 yes they are backwards from another angle...
@@SystemError62 Is the tire on backward or is the video image flipped 180?
Michelin Crossclimate 2’s next please!
I second that
@@chrisdallas3194 I have some ordered from Costco for a 2021 Forester, hoping I made the right choice. They’ve got to be better than the oem tires I bet regardless.
@@mayorofsexytown6958 i have a Subary Outback H6 05, i got Michellin crosclimate + on for 2 years now still looking for snow. So far Dry and wet they are excellent and they have proven durable for a tri peak rated tire in summer temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius. (104+) Fahrenheit.
@@chrisdallas3194 Great to hear!!
I bought 4 Crossclimate 2 All Weather tires for my car about a 6 weeks ago. They are MUCH better in the snow and rain than the Michelin All Season tires that came with the car.
I appreciate your hard, cold work guys!
Great video. I have never heard of all weather tires. A pretty good option based on the results. This test proves how important using snow tires are. I work with someone who keeps all seasons on (even in the winter). Why chance traction loss if all seasons give a sub-par result?
With proper winter tyres plus proper summer tyres you would have the best chance avoiding accidents. Just dont forget to change in due time.
Thank you so much!! Just moved to snowy Idaho and new to Winter driving. This video helped me to find the right tires for my Rav~ Awesome!
I have a couple of questions about the testing though. How much of an influence does using the same road over and over have on the results? Doesn't the surface snow level and compactness of the snow change because of the previous runs? It would have been nice to see the original tires that came on the vehicle tested again at the end to help verify the results.
I think it actually gets icier and has less traction but I could be wrong
Any compacting of the snow is just going to make the surface more slick, so the all seasons had the advantage over the other two in the test.
You should have tested the Michelin Cross Climate 2. Best rated all weather tire in Europe and now US.
Great video.
The purpose with the winter tires is first to being a softer rubber to maximize friction to the snow. Secondly is the tiny lamella to increase the area between tire and the surface and therefore increase friction ie better control and increase stopping power.
A cheap winter tire brand often mix the rubber with plastic it might be good in the beginning but will be slippery after a short while. Unfortunately a top brand like Nokia and their hakkapelitta has lent them to this and is or at least has been poor winter tires despite the price.
Don’t know if you are allowed to run studded winter tires if so I view that as the best combo.
Wintertires could be slippery and dangerous on road and warm temperature. The soft rubber will create a car with dangerously poor stability in breaking and during evasion action.
Winter tires saves life - stay safe.
Again thx for great video.
or... use dubs like any country that gets frequent snow? dipshit
Your wrong about the soft compound being dangerous in warm weather. Summer tires like the indy500 or Toyota r888 are made of super soft compounds which increases dry weather grip. The downside is that tires with softer compounds wear down 2-3 times as fast as regular touring tires or even performance all seasons.
@@jasonthomas4895 Being “soft” or “hard” is not a one dimensional metric. Winter tires in hot summer weather do tend to (a) increase stopping distance, and (b) induce excessive body roll; on top of wearing out very quickly.
@@toukoaozaki you are correct to a degree. The biggest difference is tread pattern and tread depth. Now it could be that the winter tire is too soft for summer and basically breaks down, which causes less stopping distance than a dedicated summer tire.
Going back 60 years to when I was at school studying physics, we experimented with friction. The surface area in contact makes no fifference to the amount of friction! With tyres, it must be the edges on the tread pattern that incease the grip - hence the extra grooved surfaces
In January 2021 we did the same kind of test on emergency vehicle (ambulance) on an icy track. We and up with 15-30% longer braking distance with high-end 4 season tires VS mid-range winter tires.
I think it would an interesting comparison between a very capable 4x4 vehicle with stock/all-season tires vs a non-capable car with snow or all-weather tires.
I do that test every single year in my chevy cobalt. I have never once spun out or got stuck all while driving past countless 4x4s stuck in the ditch or spun out in the median. you could put snow tires on a bicycle and do better that stock tires on a 4x4, tires are the only thing that matters when driving in snow.
If you look for the "Tyre Review" channel here on UA-cam, those guys have done a bunch of comparisons like that.
I used to Exclusively Dr., Audi Quattro's when I lived in Montana, and we actually did a similar test to this. Even with all the differentials locked, the 4000 Quattro was worse in everything we did with all season tires on than the Front Wheel Drive Audi 4000 with snow tires, with the exception of acceleration. I said for years, I would rather take what is considered a poor winter car like a mustang or Camaro with snow tires on it, than an all wheel drive vehicle with all seasons. Stopping and cornering, and the control that they bring, are far more important than acceleration in day to day driving.
A 4x4 would only maybe have faster starting. This is mostly a stopping test.
@@sminthian Was going to say the same thing. 4WD or AWD might help you avoid getting stuck in snow and accelerate better, but it won't do anything to prevent skidding or impact stopping distance.
Very well explained and helpful video. fantastic illustration, helped me decide to buy snow tires for our SUV this year, 5 stars.
My go to winter tire has always been Blizzaks until last winter when all the local tire shops were out of stock for my size. The tire shop I used recommended the Arctic Claw WXI and they actually outperformed the Blizzak by a substantial margin. The Arctic Claw is my new go to winter tire.
Nokian hakkapellita R3
Happy clawing around the Arctic.😀
Thanks for the recommendation. I almost bought these for my Subaru but I found my favorite Sumitomo Ice Edge tires on Amazon. Tread pattern looks very similar.
@@jonathanburnette3373 Nokians have a ceramic grit in the rubber.
@@MikeYurbasovich Studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 SUVs for me.
Great video, as usual, Tommy. Make sure your partner uses the star pattern when tightening lugs.
Those Blizzaks! Just put 4 of these on my wife's 2019 Honda insight, putting 4 more on our civic next week... amazing snow tires! Had them on my '07 civic a few years ago, the difference in stopping distance and control is amazing!
Have the Firestone Weathergrippers on my car for 18 months. Great tire. Good wet traction and excellent snow traction. They are a bit noisier and less fuel efficient than stock but well worth the extra traction.
I've been very happy with my winter tires, we get nice and cold in the pacific northwest and you notice even on wet pavment summer and all seasons starting to get hard and not as grippy. They also seem to be less prone to hydroplaning, for the same reasons they are good in snow. My winter tires almost throw water out to the side, changing how they interact with standing water noticably. It isnt always possible to avoid standing water in the area, and half an inch of water creats a serious hazard if you have normal tires that ride over the top. Obviously avoidance is your best bet, but avoiding water in the pacific northwest is avoiding going outside at all, not reasonable.
I’m on the Olympic peninsula and the studded tires from les Schwab are mint in the wet and rain let alone snow and ice. Laufenn I Fit Ice
9:42 Great outdoor tire tests where the rubbers meet the snowy and icy road! I noticed you didn't use hub rings on the steel wheels?
10:25 The iconic snow/winter tire ever built is the Finish Nokian Hakkapeliitta, the one who invented the 1st snow/winter tire in 1934.
I agree. Though I find it odd that Hakkas never seem to be at the top of the ratings in tire tests. I’ve had more than one set and can’t say enough good things about them.
Having different sets of tires for the different seasons would be wise.
People who drive on the same tires all year long are the same jerks that use the same skis all the time.
@@theBear89451 This is the weirdest insult I've ever heard.
@@theBear89451 All weather tires seem a smart alternative for year around use for folks who live where snow and ice only occur occasionally. Much better than all season, but won't take the beating that dedicated snowies would on roads that are mostly clear and dry.
@@alansach8437 You have to keep in mind that a set of 4 of these Blizzaks for me is $720, while a set of those weathergrips is $500. I've had cheaper Hancook winter tires here in Canada and switched to weather grips on our car and can't tell the difference. I also don't need to worry about changing them out, or remembering when they were last balanced or rotated from the previous year.
Some A/S tires are actually quite good in snow (usually not the OE spec), but yes the modern all weather tires are often much better. Also, did you factor tire pressure? An increase of several thousand feet altitude will increase the pressure inside the tire as outside pressure decreases.
Thank you for creating all of these videos- I just moved from Florida to Minnesota and needed guidance on what type of care/tires I need. I feel more confident car shopping now because of you two!!
9:08 In Germany we have to have tires with this Alpine logo to be allowed to drive on Ice, snow or snowy mud...
Insane, in usa its up to you, we call it freedom and personal responsibility
@@mblake0420 Sounds great when someone decides to use summer tires mid winter, crashing in a family car and killing the occupants. Would love to have that freedom aswell.
@@mblake0420 There are snow tire requirements in many states and provinces.
@@Bertus31 Tis your freedom to imagine the worst case scenario and pretend it will happen every single time summer/all season tires are being used. Your freedom to lay guilt trips have no limits. Thanks!
@@mblake0420 its also up to you but if you dont have them the insurance doesnt pay and when u kill someone it gets quickly to homicide charges.
The freedom is uo to you
Awesome test. I’d love to see how the Michelin CrossClimate variants do in a test like this.
Yes. I would love to see that also like to see how the Michelin CrossClimate tires perform in the snow.
Rhodey, I've have the Crossclimate 2 and put a half year of driving on them in Edmonton, Canada. I've owned a lot of winter tires, and I can affirm that they drive like a dedicated winter tire on both snow and ice. I also have another vehicle with the X-Ice XI2 Latitude, and the delta between them is so small, I'd be really upset if I had the Crossclimate 2 and bought a separate set of winter tires thinking I was getting better winter traction. The X-Ice is a tire generation old, so maybe the Michelin X-Ice Snow and its ilk might perform better. And if ice is a problem, I'd still go with studs.
@@Daniel_Ho_Status_101 how did the CC2 do in the most recent polar vortex with -30C where there was ice on the roads everywhere during the Xmas week before NYE? I was in Calgary and not sure I would have survived without a dedicated winter. Would be great if you said the CC2 performed admirably.
@@vegita319 The CC2 are superb on ice, better than the Hankook W419, W401, Michelin Primacy Alpin PA3, and Pilot Alpin PA2 (I've owned all these older model winter tires). The X-Ice Latitude XI2 might be a little better, but it's a small difference. I fear road ice more than deep snow, and this cold spell had a lot of both. I understand that the CC2 have a winter compound but a summer tread pattern, but it seems to work as well as other all-weather tires with all-season compounds and winter tread patterns.
It would be great if you could repeat these tests in the spring with the 2 all-seasons and the all-weathers in the same Rav4 on both wet and dry road surface. Get to work, Tommy! 😀
Yes in semi-permanent snowy conditions a dedicated snow tire will be best, but all weather tires are made to stay on the car all year round, saving you money on storage charges and changing charges, most people don't live on mountains so these tires are aimed at these folk, whereas 95% of folk are looking for a tire that performs well in a wide band of conditions, certainly better on the odd occasion when we get snow, but also when it's cold and rainy conditions, something that dedicated summer tires don't perform so well in.
So it's a case of 'Horses For Courses' for most city folk living in regions where winters can be snowy on the odd occasion, then a tire such as the Michelin CrossClimate 2 will do the job perfectly while saving you money.
Totally agree
I just got perelli weatheractive for explorer st 21in, looking fwd to their performance. So far they are showing good noise control and comfort with good dry braking performance
Very good test! Thanks for all the work and frozen fingers! :)
"Driving carefully" in snow at 30 mph or so, stopping 50 FEET shorter could avoid a lot of accidents! Hopefully the car behind you has good tires, too! ;)