The problem in that article is that they fail to mention the weather (specifically temperature) conditions during the dry tests conducted in California. If they really wanted an apples to apples comparison with their snow tests conducted in Minnesota, they should have stayed in MN and ran the tests on dry pavement there with the same air temperature. That is common sense.

Of course snow tires aren't going to do as well once you get to 50 degrees or so, that's not what they are designed for.

I'd say the end of the article summed it up best:

"In this particular test, at least, all-season tires live up to the old figure of speech our old dad used to trot out on occasion: 'jack of all trades, master of none' "

In freezing temps, you simply cannot beat dedicated snow/winter performance tires whether the surface is wet or dry.

 

^^^^All good points, I agree, they should have just stayed in Minnesota. Why did they change locations...this debate is about snow and cold weather driving conditions.

 

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...ice_xi2_page_5

I disagree. Here's an article where they test a G37 in 23 degree or lower temps with high performance all season, touring all seasons, snow, and snow/ice tires. In the dry and in 23 degree temps, the high performance all seasons stopped from 60 in 129'. The snows stopped in 141' and the snow/ice in 158'. As the temps warm up, the performance of the all seasons only improves and the snow and snow/ice tires get worse.

 

I suppose it is user preference. For me, I'd rather have the option of moving when things get snowy, rather than having all season tires.

Snows in the winter, summer when its hot for me

 

I like to move in the snow too, that's why I run all seasons in the winter and have the AutoSocks in the trunk. I can put the AutoSocks on the rears in about 1 minute and I'll have snow tire traction without all the snow tire compromises in the dry. AutoSocks have been approved by the Colorado and Utah DOTs for use as chain replacements on semis. That was enough to sell me on them. I recently tried them going up a 3"+ deep powder covered steep hill and my G made it up without a hint of wheel spin. We got a blizzard last week with 12" to 16" of snow on the ground. The snow was plowed from the major roads within 10 hours of falling and neighborhoods within 24 hours.

Even with best snow tires, my G wouldn't have made it anywhere in snow that deep and I doubt my 07 Outback with 9" of ground clearance would have faired any better, but who really wants or needs to be driving in conditions like that other than police, emergency personnel, and doctors. The roads were cleared so quickly that it really had no impact on me and is something that happens once every 5 to 10 years in the central Midwest.

I'm surprised you think snow tires are needed for STL which only sees 20" of snow on average a year.

 

The OP was complaining about not being able to get around in the snow. Solution? Proper tires. If AS tires are working out for you, then great - they obviously aren't for the OP. For me, I'll run snow tires all winter long. No braking issues here.

When temps hit mid 40's or higher, I'm back to my summer tires. Again, better than AS tires IMHO.

I'm surprised that people don't run snow tires in areas that receive snow since they make a world of difference. A couple of years ago I put snow tires on my sisters 350z, replacing her all seasons. It turned the car from a hockey puck sliding all over the place to a car that could actually move. Staying inside nice and warm is a nice idea, but people have to get out and do things when it is snowing. You don't have to live in the Rockies to realize the benefits.

Difference of opinion.

btw, I should mention that when I say "snow tires" I'm referring to winter performance tires...perhaps that helps to clarify my point

 

+1 I tried All seasons and summers on my G and it blew with both of them in an MN winter. I couldn't even think about going out and driving.

Now I can go anywhere and have 0 problems. I don't even hesitate anymore. Car just plows through.

I don't see where the braking and all that sucks on dry pavement either. Car drives the exact same as my Coopers and stops and goes as if I was on regular tires. I don't get that argument at all... the car drives just fine and performs just fine.

 

I understand that. If I lived somewhere that saw snow on the road at least 2 days a week during winter, I'd definitely have snow tires. But here in KC, I can count the number of days on one hand that there is snow on roads during the year. They'll be some heavily packed snow covering 30% of the road on side streets and neighborhoods which might last a few days longer, but if you can't drive a car in that, then you probably shouldn't be driving in the first place.

I really don't understand why someone would attempt to drive on roads covered in deep snow unless they REALLY needed to be somewhere at that moment and couldn't wait for a plow to go through in a few hours. Those types of jobs that require someone to be out in those conditions are far and few between.

I'll let it go now

 

I am one of those people that goes out when they probably shouldn't be out. I just LOVE driving on roads with 6+"s of snow on them and nobody is out. If it isn't too bad, I take the G and test out my snow tires, but if its a really bad storm (like last December) I'll take out my dads 08 Silverado, put it in 4wd and explore the backroads that are really deep I just love being out at night on snowy roads.