The Bridgestone Blizzak WS70, Michelin X-Ice Xi2 and Continental ExtremeWinterContact tires are three of the top contenders in the
Studless Ice and Snow category. The old approach to winter was that tires with aggressive tread patterns and studs were the best way to handle winter driving. It's been our experience that the advanced Studless Ice and Snow traction technologies have surpassed the studded tire. Watch "
Testing Winter Weather Specialists - Studless Ice and Snow Tires" to see how tires in this performance category deliver excellent traction in winter's worst conditions. The following three tires offer slush, snow and ice traction that easily surpasses even the best all-season tires:
Take a look at what some customers are saying about their experience with the Blizzak WS70, X-Ice Xi2 and ExtremeWinterContact:
"This snow tire never disappointed during last winter's record snow fall (98 inches) here in eastern Massachusetts. As long as I had ground clearance they went through every drift and snow bank they were challenged with. My driveway has an upward-sloping incline which frequently ices over, and these tires always made the climb without slipping or losing grip." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2010 Volvo XC70 3.2 AWD (Bridgestone Blizzak WS70)
"For years I considered the G35 as a car requiring two lanes to safely drive in the snow. I purchased the X-Ice Xi2 with the expectation that I could at least endure driving in snow. Honestly, I was greatly surprised at how easy to drive in the snow this car has become and feel like now I could thread a needle with it. A greater surprise is how great the car performs on wet pavement. Definitely these tires transformed the car from barely livable in the winter with all season tires to a point where I do not care much about the type of winter weather I will encounter." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 Infiniti G35 Sedan (Michelin X-Ice Xi2)
" I just purchased these [Continental winter tires] and had them installed Saturday. Sunday night the first freezing rain and snowfall hit. By Monday morning we had a few inches of slush and snow sitting on a layer of ice. I tried to get these tires to slide in a corner and couldn't. I tried slamming on the brakes to engage ABS, and instead the car just stopped. It was like driving with my summer tires on sticky pavement. There were accidents all around me, but I had zero issues." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2007 BMW 335i (Continental ExtremeWinterContact)
And when it comes time to make your tire buy online,
shop by vehicle to find the perfect winter / snow tire for your vehicle.
The weather is getting cooler and many are thinking about removing their performance tires for
winter / snow tires. However, what condition are your old snow tires in? Can you eke out one more season? Should you?
Keep in mind that the more tread depth the tires have, the more effective they will be in loose snow and slush. Checking your tread depth may seem pretty obvious (here's
how), but there is more to this than taking a quick look at the tread. In order for winter tires to perform well in snow, they need adequate tread depth so they are "biting" into the snow instead of "nibbling" at it. Most winter / snow tires start at 10/32nds of an inch to 12/32nds of an inch. 6/32nds of an inch is the minimum tread depth that Tire Rack recommends for winter driving.
Check out "
What Honest Abe Doesn't Tell You About Minimum Tread Depths" for more information about tread depths for winter and all other seasons, too.
If you find that your old snow tires have less than 6/32nds of an inch of tread depth, they are ready to be replaced. There are many great winter / snow tires available, but a good starting point would be to check out Bridgestone's Blizzak line. If you're looking for Bridgestone tire reviews on some of the top Blizzak tires, read "
Blizzak Winter / Snow Tires."
You can find the right auto tires online, when you
shop by vehicle.
If you have a 2006-2011 BMW 3 Series, odds are you're considering run-flat winter / snow tires in 225/45R17. For the upcoming winter season, there are only two options left in stock: the
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25 RFT and
Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero Serie II RFT.
How Do They Compare? The Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero Serie II RFT would be a noticeable step down in terms of snow and ice traction but would provide better dry grip and steering response compared to the Blizzak LM-25 RFT. In other words, a set of Blizzak LM-25 RFTs would offer your vehicle better winter traction than a set of these Pirelli car tires, but not quite as much dry grip and handling.
While both options are quality tires, if you live in a light snow area and prefer a tire with better dry grip and faster steering response, but are willing to give up some snow and ice traction to get it, then you should purchase the Sottozero Serie II RFT. However, if you see more mixed conditions, or simply want a safer tire for better traction on ice and snow-covered roads, then I'd suggest the Blizzak LM-25 RFT.
Decision is Made, What's Next? Buy tires online through Tire Rack, of course. Or, as always, contact one of our sales specialists for pricing and availability. Need an installer? Learn more about our Recommended Installer program by checking out my blog titled, "
How Does Our Recommended Installer Program Work."
Better yet, select a combination of winter / snow tires and rims (wheels) to create a
Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package so you can do the installation yourself.
High performance tires for the summer driving season provide drivers of sports coupes and sedans with responsive handling and crisp steering response in wet and dry conditions.
With
Firestone,
Michelin and
Bridgestone tires making up the top five tires in our
Ultra High Performance Summer category survey results, there are great options from different manufacturers to consider. Consumers review tires based on their wet/dry traction and comfort levels for an unbiased opinion on tires that suit your driving style.
After you’ve reviewed and compared our survey results,
shop by vehicle to complete your online tire purchase.
Note: Low profile tires in the Ultra High Performance Summer category are not intended to be driven in snow or on ice, thus winter/snow ratings are not tallied in this category’s survey results.
Tire Rack carries a full line of
Bridgestone passenger and light truck tires including the Potenza, Turanza and Dueler series. Also see our full selection of
Bridgestone Blizzak winter / snow tires. Below are a few options from the Bridgestone collection:
Potenza RE-11
Summer tire developed for sports cars,
sports coupes and performance sedans. | 
Turanza Serenity
All-season tire developed for the drivers of sporty coupes and luxury performance sedans. |
Dueler H/L Alenza
All-season light truck tire developed for drivers of premium crossovers and sport utility vehicles. | 
Blizzak WS70
Winter tire developed for coupes, sedans, minivans and crossover vehicles. |
Shop by vehicle to see which tire works best for your vehicle.
The
Michelin HydroEdge has worked well on my Impala. I have had them for two years now and have put 50,000 miles on my car in that time. I use the Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 winter tires seasonally, so the Michelin HydroEdge has seen about 14,500 miles and they still look very good.
My daily driving has changed as I have moved. Previously, most of my driving was on the interstate; now it's about half interstate and half country roads/city driving. I am still happy with the overall performance of the
Passenger All-Season Michelin HydroEdge. They handle well for the car's capabilities and offer a smooth ride. At times they make a little noise but nothing that is beyond acceptable to me. They are not good in the snow, which is why I have the Blizzaks for winter use. This tire has a 90,000 mile warranty and exceptional hydroplanning resistance.
Don't just take my word for it. Check out some of the other
consumer reviews online.
S
ince I purchased my HydroEdge tires, Michelin updated the tire with their Green X Technology, which basically allows the tire to roll easier, moving the HydroEdge with Green X Technology into the low rolling resistance tire category.
That's right kids, it's time once again to drive expensive BMWs on an ice rink!!
Tire Rack has been putting winter tires through the ringer for the last couple of years by equipping our test vehicles with some popular choices and testing their mettle on glare ice. This year we tested the
Continental ExtremeWinterContact, the
Dunlop Graspic DS-3, the
Michelin X-Ice Xi2, and the new kid on the block, the
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70.
Now, driving on glare ice does present some problems. If you're like me and just a little clumsy, one false move and WHAM! It's a visit to Ouchtown! But the slickness of the ice is where we really get a feel for the tires' performance in situations where the weather is less than desirable.
The Blizzak tire has been the industry standard for years, providing top n
otch snow and ice traction compared to its competitors. This year is no different with the
WS70, but the gap seems to have been narrowed a bit. Continental has stepped up their game with the
ExtremeWinterContact. It handled very well as we made the turns. The
X-Ice Xi2 also did very well, and the top three were very close. The
Graspic DS-3 lagged a little behind and was the only tire to take out some cones on the turn. Acceleration and braking were all pretty close with these four tires.
Complete results will be online soon.
Ultimately, you can't go wrong with any of these winter tires. The snow and ice traction from a winter tire is
roughly double what it is with an all-season. When winter safety is a concern,
Tire Rack for great deals on
studless ice and snow tires!
Today I tested the
Bridestone Blizzak WS70, the
Continental ExtremeWinterContact, the
Dunlop Graspic DS-3 and the
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 Studless Ice and Snow tires.
The test took place on an indoor ice rink and let me tell you that it's always a fun learning experience to be able to test these tires back-to-back on glare ice.
All four tires were good in acceleration and braking with the Continental and Michelin tires at the top of the scale followed by the Bridgestones and Dunlops. In the area of handling and cornering on ice, I found the Continental to be first and the Michelin second with Bridgestone close to the Michelin and the Dunlop in fourth place.
Please be advised that even the lowest ranked studless snow tire is twice as effective on ice compared to any all-season tire.
Watch for complete snow tire test results
online.
Yesterday I had the opportunity to test four different Studless Ice and Snow winter tires. Comparisons were conducted on an indoor hockey rink here in South Bend, Indiana and included acceleration and braking tests along with a cornering demonstration.
We drove on the
Continental ExtremeWinterContact,
Dunlop Graspic DS-3,
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 and the
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70. As in years past the
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 provided the most control for acceleration and braking and was head and shoulders above the others in the cornering demonstration.
These are not your father's snow tires! All the results will be online soon!
Check this page frequently.
This week I tested snow tires on our 6.6 mile road course. I know this sounds strange -- it was 85
degrees and sunny -- but it gives us a good chance to see how these tires handle in warm, dry conditions (because the roads aren't always full of snow throughout the winter season).
I tested the
Bridgestone Blizzak WS70,
Continental ExtremeWinterContact,
Dunlop Graspic DS-3 and the
Michelin X-Ice Xi2, Studless Ice and Snow tires.
All four tires had a very good ride and were also very quiet. The best handling of the four were the Michelins and the Dunlops. The Continentals and the Bridgestones were a bit squirrelly under these conditions.
Later this summer we will test these tires on an indoor ice rink. Watch for complete test results
online.
Are you looking for an Ultra High Performance Summer tire that will give you longer tread life? Look no further than the
Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport. This tire is designed to provide excellent performance and longer tread wear. The benefits of the RE760 include excellent dry and wet traction along with a smooth, comfortable ride that will give you plenty of smiles and additional miles.
You can read reviews
online.
I recently had a conversation with a driver who wanted to replace two tires.
My first response was, "Sure, what tire do you have on the car now?" He replied, "That doesn’t matter."
I assure you it does matter.
When only replacing two tires on your car, you should install the same model tire. This will result in the most predictable handling. Keep in mind that when your car was being designed, you certainly wouldn’t hear the engineers say, “Hey Franz, what kind of tires should we put on the rear?” And the other engineer reply, “Oh, that doesn’t matter, use whatever you can find, Hans.”
One of the biggest decisions that you might make is whether to use summer or all-season tires.
A summer tire, like the
Bridgestone RE760 Sport, will perform better in dry road cornering and braking than an all-season tire. Summer tires also perform well in the rain; wet traction isn’t an exclusive all-season characteristic. Because it rains in summer, summer tires are made to be quite capable in the wet.
Conversely, if you require some snow traction in the winter and are not planning on using dedicated snow tires, an all-season tire like the
Bridgestone G019 Grid will provide longer life and get you through the white stuff.
Never, under any circumstances, mix summer and all-season tires on the same car. This can cause instability and inaccurate handling. If you require just two tires, please write down all the information from your tire sidewalls before giving us a call or selecting your tires online. We won’t steer you wrong.
Tire Rack was able to complete tire testing on low rolling resistant tires. Unfortunately, we were not able to use our usual BMW E92 328i test cars because of tire sizing, Instead, we made a switch to the Toyota Prius, which enabled me to get about 28 mpg better than my personal vehicle! Check out the overall average fuel economy data from our Real World Road Ride. The Original Equipment Toyota tires were the Goodyear Integrity, so we used it as the baseline fuel economy tire.
Don't worry if you don't have a hybrid car; these tires may still work for you. Select your vehicle and search for low rolling resistant tires (LLR). You can buy these tires online and have them shipped to one of our independent
Recommended Installer of your choice.
Read all the results:
When Lean and Green goes Round and Black
A common question we are getting lately is, "where are my
Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires?"
Due to the unexpectedly high demand of this tire, and the demands on production, Continental is running just a little behind. How behind? A few months for some sizes.
Several sizes are listed as back ordered: "
Items shown with an inventory status of "Back Order" are on order from the manufacturer and an approximate in-stock date has not yet been determined. If you select an item with "Back Order" status, we will contact you when more information is available (no more than once per month). Our on-line order tracking feature will include updates to the estimated in-stock date."Continental is working diligently to improve supply. Because increasing production means creating new molds and re-configuring manufacturing facilities the time to make the changes are lengthy. 24 sizes are in limited supply. We are receiving partial shipments on most sizes but customers have placed orders for more than for which we have definite availability dates. We will receive tires for all orders placed but for some customers we do not have specific dates. Continental expects to have adequate supply with in the next couple of months.
If you have placed an order you can find the status on our
Tirerack.com or by
contacting us over the phone or by email. We will also contact you when there is a change regarding the availability of tires for you order.
The great news is that because of Continental's efforts we have 62 sizes of the
ExtremeContact DWS tires in stock now!
If we are out of your size and you are able to wait, then they are definitely worth the wait, they are a
great tire. But, if you need something in the near future, a back ordered tire may not be the one for you.
Rather than wait, why not consider other
options? Other tires to consider that I've tested and do well, if not a little better than the
Continental ExtremeContact DWS in my opinion are the
Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position or the
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus. Both offer better dry handling but suffer a little bit in the cold weather handling department.
Now I do realize that the tires above demand a little more of a premium price tag, but are well worth it in my opinion. Others to consider that fair very well and keep the price down are the
Dunlop SP Sport Signature, the
Goodyear Eagle GT or the
Yokohama AVID ENVigor.
It's better to be safe and have tires with
adequate tread depth than to wait months and drive on unsafe tires. There are other tires out there.
Why buy tires at Tire Rack? Tire Rack started in 1979 and has continued to grow. Many customers look to Tire Rack to get the knowledge to make an informed decision on their purchase. We also stock many of the leading brands like BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Dick Cepek, Dunlop, Firestone, Fuzion, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Hoosier Kumho, Michelin, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Uniroyal and Yokohama. We stock the hard-to-find speciality performance tires, too.
We know how the tires perform and we test them at our test facilty. We put the tire
test results online for you to review. We offer fast shipping to a local installer near you. Installation is also made easy. Find a Recommend Installer near you
here.
Regardless if you're shopping for
Continental Brand Car tires or for your Lincoln Continental, more tires show tread patterns of unique shapes. One of the most frequently asked questions is "I mounted my asymmetric tread car tires purchased online and it looks like two of the tires are running backwards. Did I get two of the wrong tires?"
The answer is "no," you did not get the wrong tires! The critical part of the tires in question is the outboard side being mounted out. Typically the outboard is going to have bigger tread blocks to stand up to the stresses of cornering better than the smaller tread blocks on the inside of the tread. Between the shoulder tread blocks some tread patterns seem to be running backwards, the significance of this appearance is overshadowed by the necessity to mount the outboard shoulder on the outside of the wheel.
So if you have the appearance of two of the tires running backward when looking at the tread but have the outside sidewall mounted out the tire is mounted correctly.
Below are examples of asymmetrical tread patterns:
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 
Continental ExtremeContact DWS
Sounds obvious, but when it comes down to it, conducting a tire comparison isn't always the easiest thing to do. It involves a lot of research, as you want to compile detailed information about each of the tires you are interested in. But that's where
Tire Rack comes into play—we do all of that research for you.
Whether you need to compare
Bridgestone tires or compare performance tires within other brands, spending a little time with our
Tire Survey Results will produce all of the information you need to successfully shop for tires. We study our consumer feedback to chart all of the tires in our inventory, which lets you look at things like hydroplaning resistance and noise comfort. And we even label the best sellers according to their performance in our sales logs. Beyond that, we
publish every test we conduct which gives you our unique perspective on how certain tires hold up against others.
All of this information, along with a library full of
Tire Reviews, puts all of the information you need to conduct a tire comparison right in front of you.
And in the end, that's how we make it really easy for you to
buy auto tires online.
2007 Lexus RX400h
2008 Kia Spectra Sedan
