Hi all, It's that time of year again. Winter is coming. My tires are horrible and need to be replaced. I do not have any where to store a spare set of tires so I"m looking for a good set of all weather tires that handle well in snow. I've searched the forum and have read a bunch of posts on the topic but still am not clear on what I'd like to get. I've read some good revews on: Nokian WRG3. and the Hakapalita GoodyearAssurance TripleTred Would anyone like to way in on the topic? Thanks! Susan
The WRG3 are a good compromise. If you want to cut corners, consider also the Nordman WR. I strongly suspect they come out of the same factory, and are in fact WRG2. I've had the latter, and one thing: they put moderate dent in mpg. The Kal Tire blurb for the WRG3 mention lower rolling resistance, so that's likely your best pick. Our daughter used the Nordman WR on her Pilot, was happy with them I think. She really doesn't pay much attention to mpg, I mean: it's a Pilot, lol. (local Kal Tire ad, lower mainland BC, Canada)
I'll second the WRG3. Although I didn't have it on a Prius, we put these on a Honda Accord so that we wouldn't have to do the winter tire changeover. Tire performed well in winter and it was nice to not to have to change over twice a year.
After we moved to Maine, it took us another 8 years to learn the hard lessons that 'all weather' tires simply do not approximate studded snow tires when driving on ice. I do not know where you are located, do you drive on ice much? In Winter once our rivers and lakes freeze over we do a lot driving on ice.
OP asks for "all-weather" tire recommendation, and you counter with dedicated snow tires, with studs?
Did I mention that we spent 8 years cycling through different brands of tires trying to find an 'all-weather' tire that would perform here in Maine? I thought I said that part.
Maine is much "wetter" (icier) than Mich. Usually don't need ice tires in dryer areas, though they are nice to have for those rare freezing rain episodes. I use the Nokian WRG3 all year round on Pearl S in Edmonton Alta. I see no mileage penalty. A friend put on the Hakka's (the ones without studs) and sees no excessive wear in summer, contrary to common wisdom. He does a lot of highway driving too. The Hakka's are better in snow and on ice than the WRG3, and I'm tempted to go that route next time, though I normally use my FJ Cruiser when the roads get really bad. But the WRG3's work just fine. The only problem I see with the Hakka's is you may think you are "superman/woman/girl" using them. You still have to be careful.
Surprisingly, a Prius is phenomenal in snow due to the weight of the battery in the back. I've never had a problem in snow and I'm in Michigan too. I'll be putting Michelins on next (either Premier A/S or Defenders or Energy Savers). Just waiting to see if a good discount pops up.
Why would weight in the back make a difference? It's a FWD. Is there some dynamic I'm not aware of? I think it's good in the snow because the torque is very controllable, the traction control and VSC help, and it's low (higher cog causes more weight transfer in turns, unloading the inside wheel a bit and dropping traction therefrom - but that's just a guess). I know Pearl and Pearl S feel "more planted" in icy conditions than the FJ Cruiser. The 2000 lb difference in weight might have some effect too. The down side is hitting clumps of snow and ice under the car and the ease of being lifted off the ground by deep snow. Oh, and compared to the FJ, getting stuck parked in deep snow. But we all know how to "rock out" and we all carry shovels, right?
