There's also the WR G4 SUV, as the directional G3 SUV gets phased out
Best performing all weather tire for snow
- Thread starter NEOHIO
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I am currently running the Toyo Celsius CUV and WRG4. Main thing I notice is the WRG4’s seem a bit harder tread compound compared to the Celsius but that could be perception. The celsius have 10K miles and still look like new, the Wrg4s just got out on so we will see how those wear.
Either one is a definite upgrade than all seasons. Good compromise for those of us who do not want a dedicated winter tire.
One thing I don’t like about the wrg4 tire pattern is is inverted depending on the side of the vehicle it is on. I’m sure it does not affect performance but the looks are not right. So I guess I will do the cross rotation when it is time.
Either one is a definite upgrade than all seasons. Good compromise for those of us who do not want a dedicated winter tire.
One thing I don’t like about the wrg4 tire pattern is is inverted depending on the side of the vehicle it is on. I’m sure it does not affect performance but the looks are not right. So I guess I will do the cross rotation when it is time.
Here's TIRERACK road / track test that includes Goodyear WeatherReady , Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring , Firestone Weathergrip and Yokohama Avid Ascent GT . https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=243 . Videos of each tire : https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/videoDisplay.jsp?ttid=243 .
If Costco has $150 off Michelin, get the Michelins. Remember winter only lasts 4-5 months; your tires need to perform well the rest of the year too.
Personally I got through 2 winters in Syracuse with Toyota Camry and Pirelli 4 seasons plus.
Personally I got through 2 winters in Syracuse with Toyota Camry and Pirelli 4 seasons plus.
Do you happen to know who produces the Rotiiva? I had a set on the ‘00 Expedition I owned, great tires imo, but I did not know Nokian did not produce them. I agree the WR series was better on icier roads over the Rotiiva, yet they are designed for different purposes. Do you know if it was the same with the Vatiiva A/T? As much as I like the Rotiiva’s, they do not compare to the original Vatiiva.
I noticed that a couple of weeks back when I was researching tires. How do you like the G4’s so far? I noticed in the photo you attached that it appears the tire is mounted incorrectly. I believe the ”swoosh” is supposed to be mounted towards the outside so it channels the water away from center, not to center. You may want to see if the sidewall is marked “inner” & “outer”, or has a rotation arrow. It appears they are to be directionally mounted like the G3’s were. Or did you have a tire rotation in which they rotated your tires in the typical manner (crossing) instead of keeping the tires on the same side, just changing locations (Fr to Rr, vice versa)? I may be wrong.
Might be a bit of a stretch, but over the last 5+ yrs I've found the Continental Extreme Contact DWS06 to be really good in anything I drive in. Of course not much snow in NC, but I've driven on snow, quite a bit of ice (in the Boone, NC area in December with plenty of snow/ice), heavy rain, etc. without any issues whatsoever. Surely not a dedicated winter tire, but does give great performance year round and typical tread life so far is around 45K, which I'm certainly OK with for the performance/price.
I just had those installed on my 2017 accord sport up here in MA. Hope I have the same results as you
Don't worry about the $ difference, if you have an accident this difference won't matter!
Go with whichever is best for your climate, if you have ice perhaps the Michelin may be better and if you hav snow I think the Nokia will be better.
Search for a test that gives you actual distance in braking and roadholding in turns. I've always loved Michelin, but when it comes to snow do I trust more the French or the Finns?!
I live at sea level and there is a large mountain range in my back yard. Going from wet/dry to snowy/icy and back even several times a day is normal. Here are the things I have learned.
1. A decent/cheap set of all season tires combined with a cheap set of studded winter tires will beat the year-round performance of any single tire. Period.
2. If you wish to use a single tire year-round, a more winter-leaning tire is going to be much worse in warm rain and hot dry pavement than a more balanced all-season with a set of 4 chains.
3. The General Altimax RT43 often tops the results in Tirerack tests of all-seasons in snow and ice. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=215
4. Buy the skinniest tire allowed for your vehicle!!!!! This is a HUGE aspect of making an all-season better in the snow and ice. Wider tires are usually only helpful for deep snow when ground clearance is running out. Otherwise skinny tires will almost always grip better than wider tires of the same brand and model. This is especially critical for front wheel drive and AWD with a front bias since you can't add weight to the front of the vehicle.
5. Purchase a nice set of tire chains (4 of them and not cables) and a nice set of chain tensioners. The tensioners are critical for making the chains work better at higher speeds.
6. If not using dedicated snow tires, I prefer to buy the best all-around tire that doesn't suck in warm/dry or warm/rainy and then carry a high-grade set of chains and an air pressure gauge along with air pump. Air down the tires in snow or ice then toss on the chains when airing down isn't enough.
7. All-season tires are often good enough for the first winter, but once that tread wears down all year and into the next winter, they are going to be far inferior depending on the miles driven. Most all-season tires will last way beyond their ability to handle snow at all.
1. A decent/cheap set of all season tires combined with a cheap set of studded winter tires will beat the year-round performance of any single tire. Period.
2. If you wish to use a single tire year-round, a more winter-leaning tire is going to be much worse in warm rain and hot dry pavement than a more balanced all-season with a set of 4 chains.
3. The General Altimax RT43 often tops the results in Tirerack tests of all-seasons in snow and ice. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=215
4. Buy the skinniest tire allowed for your vehicle!!!!! This is a HUGE aspect of making an all-season better in the snow and ice. Wider tires are usually only helpful for deep snow when ground clearance is running out. Otherwise skinny tires will almost always grip better than wider tires of the same brand and model. This is especially critical for front wheel drive and AWD with a front bias since you can't add weight to the front of the vehicle.
5. Purchase a nice set of tire chains (4 of them and not cables) and a nice set of chain tensioners. The tensioners are critical for making the chains work better at higher speeds.
6. If not using dedicated snow tires, I prefer to buy the best all-around tire that doesn't suck in warm/dry or warm/rainy and then carry a high-grade set of chains and an air pressure gauge along with air pump. Air down the tires in snow or ice then toss on the chains when airing down isn't enough.
7. All-season tires are often good enough for the first winter, but once that tread wears down all year and into the next winter, they are going to be far inferior depending on the miles driven. Most all-season tires will last way beyond their ability to handle snow at all.
Continental DWS06 gets my vote
I am glad you brought up the Vatiiva, I actually think that was the tire I had not the Rotiiva. I apologise as my memory didn't realize that until you mentioned it. The Vatiiva was made by Cooper and was the exact same tire as a certain Cooper brand tire and was just rebranded as a Nokian product. It was a good tire but just did not come close to the same winter weather performance that I had experienced with the original Nokian WR tire.
I understand what you're saying but the WRG4 is different. The "swooshes" do go on the inside.I noticed that a couple of weeks back when I was researching tires. How do you like the G4’s so far? I noticed in the photo you attached that it appears the tire is mounted incorrectly. I believe the ”swoosh” is supposed to be mounted towards the outside so it channels the water away from center, not to center. You may want to see if the sidewall is marked “inner” & “outer”, or has a rotation arrow. It appears they are to be directionally mounted like the G3’s were. Or did you have a tire rotation in which they rotated your tires in the typical manner (crossing) instead of keeping the tires on the same side, just changing locations (Fr to Rr, vice versa)? I may be wrong.
I think you maybe disappointed in Michelin actual vs. stated mileage and they don't stand up to sun very well. I find them to be the smoothest and best handing tires, however
They are mounted correctly. You want the more solid tread blocks towards the outside, for handling, as they are an asymmetric tire.I noticed that a couple of weeks back when I was researching tires. How do you like the G4’s so far? I noticed in the photo you attached that it appears the tire is mounted incorrectly. I believe the ”swoosh” is supposed to be mounted towards the outside so it channels the water away from center, not to center. You may want to see if the sidewall is marked “inner” & “outer”, or has a rotation arrow. It appears they are to be directionally mounted like the G3’s were. Or did you have a tire rotation in which they rotated your tires in the typical manner (crossing) instead of keeping the tires on the same side, just changing locations (Fr to Rr, vice versa)? I may be wrong.
They work fine in the winter ice and snow. Steering is a little lighter than my 3-season tires. And no issues in the pouring rain.
I hate to disagree but the Vatiiva was made by Nokian in Finland as it was molded into the tires sidewall. I never checked on my Rotiiva‘s when I still owned my Expedition. I believe you are confusing Mastercraft with Nokian as Mastercrafts are made by Cooper. As for the WR series, they were better in the snow/ice than the Rotiiva’s, yet as I previously pointed out, they were designed with two separate purposes in mind. The WR series was a road fairing tire whilst the Rotiiva was meant to tackle both paved & non-paved.
Articles from 2010, around the time when I had Nokian Vatiiva tires on my former Jeep:
https://www.moderntiredealer.com/articles/8619-cooper-made-nokian-tires-fall-under-recall
https://www.rubbernews.com/article/20100324/NEWS/303249995/nokian-recalls-460-cooper-made-tires
From 2008:
https://www.moderntiredealer.com/articles/2604-nokian-lt-tires-made-by-cooper-are-under-recall
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I do mostly highway and my RT43's go about 40k, then they are at 4/32's and it's time to replace. Wet traction is starting to be reduced. Better than the Michelin's I had before, after 30k they'd be more worn than that! [I *did* have a set of LTX's that had lots of tread after 40k but they cracked, so no Michelin's here for me.] I did lots of highway but even still it seems like my highways chewed them up anyhow.
Perhaps other corners of the country have straighter highways?
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