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Best Snow Tires

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In this review:
  1. Cheap Tires
  2. Tire Tread Wear, Tire Traction
  3. Tire Speed Rating, Studded Snow Tires
  4. Tire Reviews, Best All-Season Tires
  1. Best Snow Tires
  2. Tire Deals
  3. Discount Cheap Tires Features Comparison Table
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Tires Performance (continued)

Best Snow Tires: Winter Weather Traction.

Michelin X-Ice Xi2 tires, the best snow tires among our picks, get high marks in expert testing by Tire Rack for road handling and wet braking.
Drivers from Connecticut to Alberta, Canada, also note the tire's ability to stop on ice in user reviews at Tire Rack. However, a Subaru driver cautions that they don't do as well when there's loose snow on top of the ice. A driver who posted a review at Epinions agrees that this tire offers excellent traction on ice. Users commenting on Epinions also praise the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 for its snow handling. One driver is impressed with how the X-Ice corners in the snow. Several users at 1010tires.com say the X-Ice delivers great traction in packed snow, but a couple point out that the tire does not perform as well in loose snow.

The General Altimax Arctic also receives praise for its performance on snow and ice from experts and users at Tire Rack, where a Honda Accord driver reports being happy with how this tire behaves on icy, wet roads. It emerged as the best snow tires in a Tire Rack test of studdable winter tires. Testers warn that using studs sacrifices a little braking traction in dry and wet conditions for better traction on ice. Users at 1010tires.com are also impressed with the tire's traction on snow and ice. A Ford Mustang driver credits the General Altimax Arctic for getting the car through a snowdrift without getting stuck.

Users at Epinions praise the performance of the Dunlop Graspic DS-3 in the snow. One user is especially impressed with the tire's strong grip. The Hankook Icebear W300, however, seems dangerous to some users at 1010tires.com. One reports a rollover after the car hit a patch of ice.

Noise and Comfort.

The all-season General Altimax RTs receive high praise for providing a quiet, soft, comfortable ride in reviews at Tire Rack, Treadepot.com, and 1010tires.com. Likewise, the noise level of the Falken SN211 impresses drivers posting best tires reviews at online retailer Vulcan Tire Sales. One user at AudioKarma.org reports that the Falken SN211 isn't noisy even at 75 mph.

Review continues below

The Goodyear Wrangler ST garners praise for comfort and noise level but nothing else in a user review at Tire Rack. The tires started squealing on turns and at stop signs at about 5,000 miles, the driver says. By 15,000 miles, they behaved as if they were almost bald, prompting the driver to use four-wheel drive to accelerate from a full stop and keep from fishtailing in wet weather. Other drivers posting reviews on Tire Rack also qualify compliments on noise and comfort with warnings about the tires' life span and traction.

The best snow tires on our list, the Michelin X-Ice Xi2 tires, win praise from a driver at Epinions for their quiet ride. The General Altimax Arctic, also among the best snow tires we found, is the quietest winter tire one driver has ever owned, according to a review at Tire Rack. However, a few other drivers warn in reviews at Tire Rack that these winter tires are noisier than the original tires that came with their cars, especially with studs in them.

Comfort and noise level are bright spots in otherwise negative reviews of the Hankook Icebear W300 at 1010tires.com. One user who praises the tire for its smooth, quiet ride on dry pavement has wound up stranded in deep, wet snow, where previous winter tires had no trouble.

by Kara Reinhardt (Google+ Profile)

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Filed in: Autos, Cars, SUVs, Tires, Trucks, Winter

Best Cheap Tires

General Altimax RT

 Read why »
Where to buy

Michelin X-Ice Xi2

 Read why »
Where to buy

Good Cheap Tires

Falken SN211

 Read why »
Where to buy

General Altimax Arctic

 Read why »
Where to buy
 
 
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Don't Bother Cheap Tires

Goodyear Wrangler ST

Many consumers pan the all-season Goodyear Wrangler ST, describing it as risky or flat-out unsafe. Users especially warn against driving in the rain with these tires. The Wrangler ST has a UTQG rating of 340-B-B (340-A-B on some sizes). It is commonly sold as original equipment on light trucks and SUVs. Read more »

Hankook Icebear W300

While some drivers are impressed with the performance of the Hankook Icebear W300, many others are disappointed and some consider the tire dangerous. This studless winter tire is designed for high-performance cars, with a speed capacity of 130 mph. Read more »

 
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