Snow Tire Reviews

Initial Review, 2,000 Miles on Tires
February 12, 2013

Only a few miles thusfar but so far very satified- much quieter than OE Bridgestones.
No bad wether issues yet, has been through 2 snow storms so far with no traction issues.

Initial Review, 3,000 Miles on Tires
April 23, 2013

very quiet very smooth, would like it a little stiffer. Too soon to tell how well it will wear. I did get stuck in a parking lot with deep snow but I guess that should be expected, eventually got out.

Initial Review, 27,000 Miles on Tires
March 22, 2013

tires performed well for the low price when new and up to 25000 mi. with 27k on them i'm seeing my traction control light come on when pushing the car a little bit on AWD car. wet traction has gone to poor when cornering or accelerating. snow traction has gone to below average. had a little snow/ice mixture and car failed to make a careful turn, had no braking and mowed down a stop sign on the opposite corner at 15-20 mph. had to replace tires.

Initial Review, 55,000 Miles on Tires
April 26, 2013

These tires are VERY, VERY good! I could not find a single bad thing to say about them for the first 40,000 miles. That has changed somewhat in the last 15,000 miles. They are getting louder and louder by the mile and I think I still have another 15,000 to go. They still stick to dry pavement like glue and handle very well, but wet and snow traction have fallen off quite a bit, as expected. I will most likely buy them again, we will see how loud they get before they are done, but they do everything better than any other tire I have ever owned.

Initial Review, 35,000 Miles on Tires
March 14, 2013

These tires replaced the OEM Bridgestones at 50K. They alternate with snow tires in winter (as we live in the UP of Michigan) so have no real experience with significant snow driving. They performed well the first couple of years, but last year (the 3rd on) the noise level increased significantly. They may make it through one more summer driving season, but will have to be replaced then. I will probably consider other brands when looking next time, although the performance per dollar was probably above average and the tread looks quite attractive/agressive.

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
April 23, 2013

These tires replaced a set of half-worn Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3 tires (I picked up a puncture in one of the PA3s and couldn't find a replacement, hence the half-worn). Compared to the PA3s, the Xi3s have similar wet weather grip and noticeably lower (but still acceptable for this type of tire) dry grip. Unfortunately, I can't comment on snow or ice performance because I never had a chance to try the Xi3s in the snow. The biggest difference was in dry weather feel - feedback was significantly muted with the Xi3s and there is also significant 'tread squirm' with the Xi3s. If I had to give each a subjective score relative to a summer tire (using a Goodyear Asymmetric as the reference summer tire), I would give the PA3s an 8 and the Xi3s a 4 - there really is a huge difference between the two. Ride comfort and noise levels are quite good with the Xi3s - a little better than the PA3s.

Initial Review, 5,000 Miles on Tires
April 07, 2013

I have always prefered a Michelin tire, and have had great service from them over the years. The prices are high, and I have wondered if part of that is paying for the name? A few years ago, we purchased a new truck with General tires on it, and the tires performed flawlessly. In fact those 11 year-old Generals were are currently on a farm trailer, and show no signs of dry rot, or other problems. After much thought, I decided to give these Generals a try. These tires are very quiet and smooth. They have great resistance to hydroplaning, which is a feature that I like a lot. The tires are not great in the snow, but than a V-8 powered RWD car is not so great in the snow either. I have a designated AWD winter vehicle, so winter traction does not matter to me. We live in the mountains with lots of winding roads, and tires get punished around here. I have the car set up with a stiff aftermarket suspension, so it rides harsh and corners like a sports car. The car no longer handles like a traditional Crown Victoria. Infact this car has seen an AutoCross track more then once... The OE tires where very soft and the car had a tendency to oversteer with them on it. These tires take the curves very well. So far they have passed the test. I plan to purchase three more sets, one for my wife's Crown Vic, and two sets for our two vintage Pontiac Trans AM show cars. For the price, nothing else compares. General seems to have hit the mark!

Initial Review, 400 Miles on Tires
March 18, 2013

Since I've only had them for a few hundred miles, my evaluation is limited in scope. So far I like them. No problem in snow so far, however, they are new.

Initial Review, 7,000 Miles on Tires
April 30, 2013

Great tires in ice,snow and slush. I got a speeding ticket for going too fast in an ice storm.My car felt rock solid with these tires. The trooper didnt care about my tires.

Initial Review, 3,500 Miles on Tires
April 28, 2013

Simply put, best tires I have every had on an SUV (Over 1.25 Million miles of driving). Some Highlights:
Extraordinarily quiet
Exceptional wet weather traction
In 5-6 in of snow, nearly as good as any snow tire I have driven with...ie wont be buying any snow tires.

In summary, the only tire I will have on an SUV going forward!

Initial Review, 10,000 Miles on Tires
April 06, 2013

These converted our AWD Montego to a winter half track. Studded these tires on their own wheels and they actually out performed the Blizzaks on our other car, for a lot less cost. They have the usual studded winter tire squirm and noise, but not as bad as others were before. But after getting a 3 foot blizzard and many other snow storms, these have proven themselves. And on ice? You can't beat studded tires in my opinion. Took Tire Rack's advice and went down an inch in wheel and tire size, but the taller sidewall gives us the same effective ground clearance, which is valuable in deeper snow. And that taller sidewall is more forgiving on Maine's frost heaved, potholed roads.

Our new Michelin hydro all seasons were downright dangerous in snow the previous winter, so glad we got them off for winter!

Initial Review, 25,000 Miles on Tires
April 26, 2013

Overall, a pretty solid tire. I put about 25,000 miles on this set, regularly rotated, and they did me proud. I live in Ohio, so snow is an inevitability, but it's not frequent enough to need dedicated winter tires in my opinion. So a good set of winter-capable all-seasons is a must, and I think these meet that requirement. Rain traction is also excellent, even if you hit a huge patch of water, these tires would shed it near instantly. Cornering is a bit mushy, the sidewalls aren't very stiff, but I never noticed terribly due to how nimble my Mazda 3 was.

Overall I would recommend this tire to anybody who has an average driving style, but if you're aggressive, you will hate the mushiness through the corners.

Initial Review, 35,000 Miles on Tires
March 24, 2013

have a 2000 F150 7700(same as light duty F250) It's lifted 11" with cut out fenders and sees it's fair share of off-roading. We have hot dry desert climate in summer w/ cold icey n snowy winters here. I travel 264 miles each way every other week to go home from work. Over there its a mountain pass usually snow covered 4-5 months and heavy rains at home. I truely get the best/worst of all driving. These tires aren't pretty but siped they are great! 35,000 miles and still holding strong for probably a third year and totaling 60-75K miles. Now if they would just make larger tires!! hint hint ;)

Initial Review, 700 Miles on Tires
April 29, 2013

I am so happy with my Pirelli Scorpion Verde's that I can't wait to buy another pair. I had Michelin Energy's on my X5 and yes they are a good all around touring tire, however the price is just outragious. Plus, Pirelli's Scorpion Verde's to me are a far more superior tire from the ride, the handling and the way the tire is built. For example, as soon as they arrived at my home, which was delivered by UPS within a day, I could see the quality of the tire and design that stood out from the Michelin tire. Nevertheless, I recently went on a business trip to Delaware and Philly and let me tell you the noise level was low and the comfort and ride was excellent. I've never seen such deep tread grooves on a tire. This tire can handle Rain, Snow and anything in my opinion. I saved over $150 dollars a tire, Verde $201 and Michelin $350. In closing, I have always wanted to have Pirelli's on my car and now I do and I absolutely love them and recommend them to all. You don't have to spend the big bucks on Michelin, really. Let me reiterate that the Pirelli Scorpion Verde is an ideal tire for a SUV that travels via city and highway and ultimatley gives you that confidence of driving in style and luxury. I will be placing my next order for the other pair by the end of the week. Travel Safe!

Initial Review, 2,500 Miles on Tires
April 23, 2013

as somone who drives in the snow a lot, i can not say that these tires work well in the winter. they are good in dry and wet conditions, but when it gets cold the tires have to warm up before they grip, so the first few turns in the morning are like riding on plastic. do yourself a favor, and get separate summer and winter tires if it snows at least a foot a year in your area.

Initial Review, 15,000 Miles on Tires
April 11, 2013

These tires replaced the OE Dunlop run-flats that were on the '08 TT Roadster when we bought it. What a difference, the ride is much less harsh, traction is much better, and spirited driving is fun again. The control at highway speeds in heavy rain is exceptional due to the directional tread pattern. Due to the fact that I change to my other wheel/snow tires for the winter I can not comment on driving on snow and ice. Tread ware is very good after 15,000+ miles. When I bought these tires I had them sent to KO Tire in Elk Grove Village, IL for installation. They did an exceptional job and were very friendly and informative when I asked questions. These were both a winning experience.
Thanks Tire Rack & KO Tire !!