Going with performance winter PA4, which are basically a step colder than all-seasons. I've made do with Conti DWS in the past, and here in MD, DE, and Pottstown PA areas where I mostly inhabit there really isn't that much snow. I very rarely need to go out in said snow, either. I don't need crazy performance in the slushy wet stuff, just basic competence and the PA4 will be at least as good as the DWS for that. Maybe it's different for people driving up ski slopes or whatever, I don't know.

 

If you just want to get by and save money, like Promit said, a decent All season thats purpose-rated for snow specifically isnt a terrible thing. But if you're going to do any spirited driving in conditions below 40, it might be worth the extra $2-300 a set or whatever it may be to spring for performance winters. After all, tires are arguably the most important handling/safety aspect on any car; they're the last place you want to pinch pennies, IMO.

 

Driving hard and tight corners in snow/slush on any tire will end in disaster...P4s will make the crash more news worthy...But I'm old what do I know...Just be safe OP

 

I went with X-Ice's because I had plenty of snowy commutes, live on a dirt road that turns to ice/snow mid-winter, and because they were cheaper.

 

What are the reasons the people talking you out of those stating?

I live in Upstate New York and I just went with Alpin PA4. They are what come with the car if you get the winter package in Canada. You sacrifice more handling with studless. PA4s drive great, can handle snow and slush without drama, ice to some degree. They are not as good as studless in deep snow and ice, but being in Northern PA I anticipate you rarely if ever get deep snow, and I doubt you get ice for prolonged periods of time. PA4s are however rated higher in straight cold, wet, or slushy weather - which imo makes them a superior choice for the tri-state area including PA where slush seems to be the definition of winter.

 

Unless you are commonly driving on unplowed roads go with a Performance Winter.

Studies Snow/ice are certainly better than Performance Winter tires when the snow hits. But they give up steering response, feedback, grip on dry pavement, and longevity over Performance Winters.

A Performance Winter tire is almost a High Performance All Season that uses a winter compound. So it provides much better grip in colder temps, but is not as specialized as a Studless snow/ice tire.


I have had both the Conti ExtremeWinterContact, and the Michelin Pilot Alpin 4's.

For my commute in ****cago IL the PA4's are the clear winner. I still had WAY more grip than the rest of the idiots driving around on their all season tires when the snow hit the fan. And on the days the roads were dry and salted, the PA4's let me hoon around to my hearts content.

 

PA4s all the way. This car is fun with performance winters. They are way better when the roads are clear/light dusting and only give up a little deep snow performance. Since the RS doesn't have a lot of ground clearance anyway, the front spoiler is your limiting factor in deep snow. @ryboto puts up a good argument, if you drive uncleared roads regularly. Ford picked the PA4s for the Winter Wheel and Tire Package because they (or another performance winter tire) complement the cars abilities. Drift Mode + PA4s = :joyous:

 

Thanks for all the advice. I guess people don't realize that performance winter tires are actually decent just not as good studless.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

To reiterate, they are only not as good in deep snow and ice. They are actually superior to studless according to TireRack's reviews in wet and slush. It's all in the specialization.

Around here I see people riding on Studded Winters all the damn time with the idea that the more "winter" the tire is, the better it must be during the winter months. They would certainly be correct if we lived in Alaska! However 95% of the time they're driving on pavement, maybe wet or slushy pavement, but those studded tires have lower grip on pavement, and they are ruining the studs too.

 

+1 for the AP4s based on a brief drive around the neighborhood tonight. Most responsive snow I've owned (maybe a dozen in 20+ years here in Upstate NY)

 

What I use to gather and organize tire data during research.
-
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet...m/spreadsheets/d/19K97J4QHfxJWcJGJwF1Hm7TBAjuvUmkDQ2qE79HgYw4/edit?usp=drivesdk

° Yellow fields for tire make/model means I updated the pricing and the tirerack ratings recently for 2017/18 winter season.
° Burgundy fields means the tire is no longer available on tirerack but was last year.
° I've only pulled from tirerack so far this season.
° Also attaching Excel file copy.

Hope this helps.

 

That being said and after you take a look at the spreadsheet I'd recommend getting studless ice & snow tires. You're not gaining all that extra "performance" with the performance winter snow tires if you're buying a higher rated studless ice & snow one.

And the difference between the load and speed rating is one you shouldnt be nearing or testing in the winter months. So you barely lose performance and gain a big extra safety net and reassurence for anything the wind ter months bring at ya.

At this point of my research I would recommend the MICHELIN X-ICE XI3 tires.

 

MICHELIN X-ICE XI3 are very good studless tires but they are not so good in dry and wet.
If you need ice traction and good snow performance go with them.
If you want to preserve some sportiness for dry roads do not buy them.

Performance winters are better in dry, wet and wet snow (slush) - usually.

Krzys

 

I concur with the bulk of the replies: the PA4s are really and truly excellent for all around winter duty. They’re better than performance all seasons in moderate and light snow, ice, and slushy wet, and better even in the latter conditions than studless ice and snows. On top of which, they have an excellent ride, are fairly quiet, and they have good steering response relative to most any winter tire available. The only thing a studless ice and snow would exceed them for is the kind of deep snow that the RS’s clearance is going to make a moot point anyway. Why suffer all their other trade-offs for conditions you’re not likely to try and use the rs in regardless?

 

I absolutely love the PA4 on the RS. I have used studdable (without studs) winters on one vehicle in the past, and they're much too squirmy feeling for me on everything but deep snow. For the most part, I've used performance winter tires on every car I've driven in the last decade. I've used a few different Blizzak, Pirelli, Dunlop and Continental models. The Dunlop Wintersport 3D was my favorite until I used the PA4. I drive 99% paved roads, occasional deep snow, with some ice. Montana doesn't use salt on the roads, so if it's cold enough to freeze (and it usually is) there's ice, not slush. I have gone through quite deep snow in the RS (packed both grill inlets with snow) on my unplowed street coming home after work, and the car didn't even hesitate to go where I pointed it. In the same conditions, my husband got stuck in his FoST trying to back into our driveway on Dunlop Wintersport 3Ds (there's a slight dip at the bottom).