This isn't a question, but instead a recommendation (no, make that a rave) about my snow tires. I bought my Toyota Matrix last December and immediately put 4 Nokia Hakkapellita-2 snow tires on it (on separate rims).

They were good last winter, but this winter (with me being more familiar with the car) - WOW!

Our road has been completely snow-covered for 3 days now. There is ice all over the place, and I have a 45 degree angle at each end of my road.

The car hasn't slid or gotten stuck once yet with these tires on it. It ground a little going uphill on that sharp angle at the bottom of the road but I still picked up so much speed I was doing 30 mph near the top.

I took it out in a parking lot and tried to intentionally lose it. I can't - it sticks to the snow like glue. Amazing.

I've been running Hakka snows since 1992 and will never use anything else. It's very rare that I ever rave about a product but these tires are an exception.

So if you live in the winter-misery belt like I do, go out and get some Hakka-2s. They aren't cheap but dang are they worth it.

LQ/Tweak

After our first winter here in southern VT without snow tires -- dealing with chains and slipping and sliding -- we got some Blizzaks and were thrilled with them for the last six winters.

We just switched to the Hakkas this season. They don't subjectively feel as good to me on ice as the Blizzaks, but I can't compare objectively because we are now in a lighter vehicle. I do know I will never drive in the winter again without snow tires!

a0

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Here [rural Missouri], we are much colder than Vermont. That isn't the problem. We get warm-ups for a few days and freezing rain; although we did get a thunderstorm, one time, at 10 F. What a mess. It was much easier when we lived near Yellowstone. It just got cold and stayed that way. We just switch to the AWD car when it gets that bad. On black ice nothing helps. I remember driving from Pocatella to Idaho Falls when the road looked perfectly clear. It took 3 h. The only clue was all of the the semi's in the ditch. That was in a sports car with radials. Some tires are better in snow but they usually aren't that good on dry pavement. Make your choice.

Best Wishes,,,,,,,

Z

Z, I agree - ice sucks and there's not much you can do about it. My trick is to keep one set of wheels in the crunchy stuff by the edge of the road. There's a lot more traction there.

A0, I've never tried the Blizzaks, but I had some other snows before the Hakkas on the older car (began with a C - Cooper or Continental?) and I was all over the place with them.

I think that even all-seasons are probably better on ice than most snows are because there's more rubber on the road but if it's icing out I just don't drive .

I think the Matrix is better in the snow than my old Acura was, too - less power, better balanced, and a little bit heavier. The Acura was quick (too quick), very light, and nose heavy. Both are/were just front-wheel, not four wheel, drive.

If you're using Hakkapellita tires, you're using the best winter tires out there. They regularly win Scandinavian compeitions for winter tires. I remember Hakka 10's on my Saab. I do miss the old aggressive tread Gislaved Frost, but only for hard crusty refrozen snow and for mud.

Blizzaks have a great reputation on packed snow and ice. I've heard it said the compound changes as the tire wears down, and a half worn out Blizzak is not the same tire. Don't know, as I've never used them.

Soft sticky hydrophilic compounds do harden with age.

Modern snow tires have lots of tread edges. That's what you need on packed snow and ice. And they have some great winter rubber compounds.

Huge aggressive tread is for mud tires. And for it to be truly good in mud, it will look like a tractor tire and you won't like it at all on the highway.

I've been looking for an excuse to try a set of Green Diamond tires.

http://www.high-tec-retreading.com/diamond.html

They are an Icelandic invention, made under license here. I wish they weren't available only as "remould" tires. But if the retreader is picky about casings, there should be few problems. Legislation against studs just keeps on. Even here, where they are still legal, the legal ones are too small to be effective. And they're a pain when it's not icy. The Green Diamond looks like a better answer.

I seem to recall when studs were uncommon, we all drove front engine rear drive American cars, and we put ordinary snow tires on the back -- no magic sticky compounds. We just drove gently, and we got along fine. Naturally, I'm all for better equipment, but I'm in favor of better drivers, as well.