Is it worth buying winter tires?
Unless you live in a lowland area where you never see snow and ice, the answer is yes. Even if you’re traveling to higher altitudes only during the holidays or skiing only a few times a year, it’s a good idea to have four winter tires mounted on a set of wheels and stored away so you can swap them out without much expense or hassle. .
Do you need all four tires to be a winter tire?
Of course. Having snow tires only on the front or rear means rougher handling in all conditions, resulting in unpredictable skidding and reduced stopping power in snow and ice.
Can winter tires be used all year round?
Oh, they can—but you’d be wasting a very valuable (and expensive) resource. You don’t need deeper tread or biting edges when riding in warm weather, and the softer tire compounds will wear them out more quickly when used in warm temperatures. Furthermore, the performance of winter tires on dry or wet pavement in warm temperatures is also not as good as in season or summer tires.
Are all-season tires good for snow?
All-season tires have become very popular; indeed, most of today’s cars roll right off the assembly line already equipped with them. They offer decent traction in light to moderate snow and the occasional winter storm.
However, approx Car and Driver office, we call them “unseasonable tires”, because while they perform decently in a wide range of conditions, they don’t excel at anything. Summer tires will always outperform all season on dry or wet pavement in warm temperatures, and winter tires invariably outperform all season in deep snow or solid ice. Here’s the thing: We don’t drive all season in the snowy Michigan winters.
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