Recommend a 17” snow tire for my RAV4?

[Elkins45]

I just bought a spare set of wheels for my RAV4 with the intention of buying a dedicated set of snow tires. I’m looking for true snow tires, not necessarily all-weather tires. Are there any reasonably priced ones that are readily available?

 

[skyactiv]

Take on for the team, buy the Continental Vikingcontact 8's and give feedback on them.

 

[rstsco]

Take on for the team, buy the Continental Vikingcontact 8's and give feedback on them.

I just had a set of VC8s put on the Pilot for our trip to Wisconsin later this week. We'll be there over Thanksgiving, so may have stories to tell when I get home (or while there).

As soon as we get home, the OEM tires and wheels will be going back on. Currently 85F in Austin, so a bit warm to keep them on during the "winter" considering we'll be traveling to Wisconsin a max of three times for the threat of ice and snow along our route has subsided... until next Thanksgiving.

I stacked the OEMs inside the house to make sure I don't talk myself out of swapping back as soon as we get home. Also represented is "How to tell someone you have a German Shepherd Dog without telling them out loud".

 

[slacktide_bitog]

How much snow do you deal with in Kentucky? Perhaps those performance winter tires might suit your needs best. Is your tire size 225/65-17?

Here are some good choices offered in your tire size:
Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Hankook icept Evo3
Kumho WS71
Pirelli Winter Cinturato

If you want something cheaper:
Linglong Sport Master Winter
GT Radial Winter Pro2 Sport
GT Radial Champiro Winterpro HP
Nexen Winguard Sport 2
Petlas Explero Winter W671

 

[NOTEVIL81]

Up here in the san bernardino mountains. The most common tire you see on all-wheel drives and most Subaru's. Wild peak is the most common. Many of the roads cannot be cleared with snow plows so you have to drive on the packed snow till loaders clear them.

 

[Elkins45]

How much snow do you deal with in Kentucky? Perhaps those performance winter tires might suit your needs best. Is your tire size 225/65-17?

Here are some good choices offered in your tire size:
Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Hankook icept Evo3
Kumho WS71
Pirelli Winter Cinturato

If you want something cheaper:
Linglong Sport Master Winter
GT Radial Winter Pro2 Sport
GT Radial Champiro Winterpro HP
Nexen Winguard Sport 2
Petlas Explero Winter W671

Yes, 225/65-17 is stock but I thought the conventional wisdom was that narrower snow tires perform better so as long as they’re 17” and fit under the fenders I’m OK with them.

We don’t get tons of snow but when we do my very rural area is very far down on the list to be cleared and the main reason I bought an AWD is having something to drive in winter with out risking my much harder to replace 4x4 truck. My thinking is that one set of new snow tires will probably last the life of the vehicle.

 

[edyvw]

Up here in the san bernardino mountains. The most common tire you see on all-wheel drives and most Subaru's. Wild peak is the most common. Many of the roads cannot be cleared with snow plows so you have to drive on the packed snow till loaders clear them.

They move forward. They don’t stop nearly as good as all weather or especially snow tires.

 

[Rand]

Up here in the san bernardino mountains. The most common tire you see on all-wheel drives and most Subaru's. Wild peak is the most common. Many of the roads cannot be cleared with snow plows so you have to drive on the packed snow till loaders clear them.

Number 1 reason why subarus are vehicle most often spotted in ditch.
AWD gets you moving.. does not help with braking or steering.

 

[NOTEVIL81]

They move forward. They don’t stop nearly as good as all weather or especially snow tires.

How are the at3w not snow tires compared to all season? they are rated 3peak mountain snowflake. Am I confused as everyone else on the mountain. Is it because the snow here is dry?

 

[NOTEVIL81]

We don't have any ditches . it would be impossible for the car to be in a ditch. This is not ohio.

 

[Astro_Guy]

I just bought a spare set of wheels for my RAV4 with the intention of buying a dedicated set of snow tires. I’m looking for true snow tires, not necessarily all-weather tires. Are there any reasonably priced ones that are readily available?

Today they are called winter tires and there is a reason for that. Some are more suited for deep snow like a traditional snow tire and some are optimized for ice. The latter have silicon based tread compounds that are very flexible in the cold but very squishy when warm. Personally I've always loved Bridgestone Blizzaks but they can be a little scary to drive in warmer temperatures.

Perhaps you should define your use case and restate the original question.

 

[NOTEVIL81]

Number 1 reason why subarus are vehicle most often spotted in ditch.
AWD gets you moving.. does not help with braking or steering.

So it is the tires?

 

[The_Jeff]

Walmart has Cooper Discoverer True North Winters for $88 right now, give them a try.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Yes, 225/65-17 is stock but I thought the conventional wisdom was that narrower snow tires perform better so as long as they’re 17” and fit under the fenders I’m OK with them.

We don’t get tons of snow but when we do my very rural area is very far down on the list to be cleared and the main reason I bought an AWD is having something to drive in winter with out risking my much harder to replace 4x4 truck. My thinking is that one set of new snow tires will probably last the life of the vehicle.

Usually when downsizing, you also downsize the wheels. In your case, that would be 16" rims and the tire size would be 215/70-16.

Tires still age out after 6 years or so, and Toyotas last a long time.

 

[TijY_]

How are the at3w not snow tires compared to all season? they are rated 3peak mountain snowflake. Am I confused as everyone else on the mountain. Is it because the snow here is dry?

AT tyres that have 3PMS have that but not much more. Latest AT tyre test tyrereveiews did below, the Mickey Thomson Baja Boss got top score in the snow



All-weather or real winters are big step up.

https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrze...eifen-test/#kein-at-reifen-ist-empfehlenswert

Note: Pirelli SF3 is a all-weather tyre, called all-season over here. Pirelli weatheractive would be close.

 

[Rand]

We don't have any ditches . it would be impossible for the car to be in a ditch. This is not ohio.

Yes, you clearly got the idea though.

How are the at3w not snow tires compared to all season? they are rated 3peak mountain snowflake. Am I confused as everyone else on the mountain. Is it because the snow here is dry?

They are an all terrain that passed mountain snowflake which is 10% more traction than an all season reference tire.
very low bar.

 

[edyvw]

How are the at3w not snow tires compared to all season? they are rated 3peak mountain snowflake. Am I confused as everyone else on the mountain. Is it because the snow here is dry?

You are confused.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Number 1 reason why subarus are vehicle most often spotted in ditch.
AWD gets you moving.. does not help with braking or steering.

I was never really impressed with my Subaru on the road driving in the snow. I took the set of snow tires off of my Forester, put them on my Grand Marquis and it's immensely more stable in the snow than the Subaru was. I think it's the extra weight more than anything.

But I'm all about snow tires in the snow ...

 

[NOTEVIL81]

You are confused.

Everyone must be confused. Thank you for your effort to educate me. They seem very popular and work well in the snow here in lake arrowhead. Maybe not in Colorado or Ohio snow.

 

[edyvw]

Everyone must be confused. Thank you for your effort to educate me. They seem very popular and work well in the snow here in lake arrowhead. Maybe not in Colorado or Ohio snow.

I think if you went only through this thread you would get an idea let alone numerous threads here.
They are actually very popular here too. All terrain tires to try to get through winter. That is why when I see Subaru, JEEP or pick up truck behind I immediately downshift and run away.