[det]

My 2014 Cruze was new last winter, and I immediately noticed that the stock tires I had were the worst I'd experienced in the snow. I had considered winter tires before, living in Michigan, but that was the final straw. I got a set of Michelin X-Ice, and couldn't have been happier. With our mild winter so far, I haven't bothered to switch them out, but I will get around to it.

While I was happy with the Michelins, I had no point of comparisons other than to say they're worlds better than all seasons. I found the car and driver article linked below pretty interesting. I think it's worth a read for anyone who is considering a set of winter rubber or might be on the fence. They seemed to like my choice, but the bottom line was that even the "wrong" winter tire was an improvement over even high-end all seasons.

Who else drives on Winters?

Winter-Tire Test: Six Top Brands Tested, Compared – Feature – Car and Driver

 

[jmlo96]

Last winter I ran 4 of the Blizzak WS80's on my Cruze. I came from a 4WD Cherokee, and the Cruze would go places the Jeep would get stuck in 4WD. I even drove 10 miles to work on roads covered in black ice. Kid you not, I was the only person still on the road. I even passed a Hummer that was on its side, and a block away a salt truck flipped over. I would never go back to all seasons in the winter. One thing I do have to say is, you really have to watch how much you spin them and the air pressure you run in them. I wore the front 2 out in one winter from both of those lol.

 

[money_man]

You can have mine if I can't get up my hill again in the next storm. Xi3's will never touch another one of my vehicles

 

[det]

You can have mine if I can't get up my hill again in the next storm. Xi3's will never touch another one of my vehicles

Interesting! Were you able to get up that hill in similar conditions with all-seasons? Some other winter tire?

C&D didn't test this sort of scenario, I wonder if one of the competitors would have stood out from the pack in that test.

 

[money_man]

Not sure tbh, moved here 6 months after I bought the cruze and never tried this hill with any other tire. What I do know is every other car on my hill has no problem including 2 vw jettas and a focus hatch and a vw golf. Makes me so angry.

 

[boraz]

nokian studded tires on my cruze and cherokees

 

[GlennGlenn]

Interesting! Were you able to get up that hill in similar conditions with all-seasons? Some other winter tire?

C&D didn't test this sort of scenario, I wonder if one of the competitors would have stood out from the pack in that test.

Good point, starting HILL Test would be pretty invaluable test.

I've run Nokian Hakkas for years on the Lexus and they are indeed great tires. Since they are made from Orange Oil, I would go into the garage and there would be a smell of oranges in there. Wifey swears they are the best tires she's ever used.

 

[money_man]

I really love cooper weathermaster st/2 tires. Had them on my cobalt and it was like a tank. The old style uniroyal tiger paw snow tires were amazing too.

 

[Tomko]

Nokian hakkapeliitta R2. Third winter now. Never had any cause for concern. Expensive:yes. Hard to find:yes. But so is the right woman. I wouldn't buy anything else for winter.

 

[Vetterin]

Learned that snow tires are the only way to go while stationed in the UP during the 70's. Better safe than sorry! Have had the Altimax Artics on the Cruze for the past 4 years.

 

[OldWhiteChevy]

This is an interesting thread, as I hunker down in preparation for a blast of Western New York winter. My 2012 LT with the OEM Firestone FR710s is the scariest front drive car I've ever driven in the winter, and I'm debating whether to replace the stock tires with something that really lives up to the term "all season" or go for a winter tire. Trouble is, it seems like such a pain in the butt to have to haul 4 tires on rims somewhere to have them changed each fall and spring (and no, I can't do it myself). And then there's the expense of having to buy 4 decent looking rims. Either that or pay to have the tires mounted and dismounted.

 

[MP81]

Second season on our Xi3s - absolutely fantastic tire. Has pulled the car through snow higher than the ground clearance of the vehicle.

 

[money_man]

Second season on our Xi3s - absolutely fantastic tire. Has pulled the car through snow higher than the ground clearance of the vehicle.

We shall see my friend! I've lowered my tire pressure and have come up with a new tactic to get up my hill. There's a storm coming Wednesday I may be able to try out.

 

[Patman]

There have been several threads on this topic Here is one.http://www.cruzetalk.com/forum/12-wheels-tires-brakes-suspension/3072-tire-plans.html To find others do a search on Winter or snows and you will find quite a bit or check out the tire and suspension section.

 

[NickD]

Thought for the first time in my life, finally purchased a new car, the Cruze with first rate tires on it, for years, was 2 ply tires with 4 ply ratings whatever in the hail this means. Were Continentals, listed in tirerack.com, and with a 70K thread wear warranty. More BS, these tires had to replaced after just 38K miles of careful driving.

Then the darn things were slipping and sliding all over the place, I did talk to my good dealer about that thread wear warranty, said I would be in a battle the rest of my life, even the service manager couldn't do a darn thing with his own crappy OE equipped tires. Only way I could get up my driveway was to take a flying start, then spinning like crazy for the last few feet.

After doing some homework, 3K miles ago got Goodyear Comfortred tires, what a difference, just in the last couple of weeks, got an icy rain, and could creep up my driveway without slipping, and hopefully they will honor their thread wear warranty.

We had Dunlops on our old Cavalier, they lasted 90K miles, but my wife was blaming the Cruze for slipping and sliding, when it was the crappy tires Chevy put on them

Wonder the next time I purchase a new vehicle, if I can buy it without tires. Still putting crap on these, always did, and still are.

 

[NickD]

This subject woke me up, just went out an added air to my tires, in the last day, our temperature dropped from 39*F to -9 below, and so did my tire pressures. Where's El Nino? Winds are coming directly from Siberia, can't be the North Pole, polar bears are sunbathing up there.

 

[Vetterin]

After witnessing the difference between A/S and winter tires, when I purchase my next vehicle which will be an SUV, unless I get a Subaru I will not even consider AWD. I will apply the savings I will get with FWD over AWD and just purchase another good set of winter tires with wheels.

 

[det]

This is an interesting thread, as I hunker down in preparation for a blast of Western New York winter. My 2012 LT with the OEM Firestone FR710s is the scariest front drive car I've ever driven in the winter, and I'm debating whether to replace the stock tires with something that really lives up to the term "all season" or go for a winter tire. Trouble is, it seems like such a pain in the butt to have to haul 4 tires on rims somewhere to have them changed each fall and spring (and no, I can't do it myself). And then there's the expense of having to buy 4 decent looking rims. Either that or pay to have the tires mounted and dismounted.

The place where I purchased my tires/rims swaps them each season for me. They'll also store them for a charge, but since I have a garage that's not necessary. If you can handle the storage, I believe winters are the way to go. It saves miles on your all seasons, so you're not really buying twice as many tires. There's just no way an all season can compete on performance/safety in snow/ice. If you don't get much snow, the convenience might be more important, but if you can swing it I would get the winters.

 

[Patman]

I replaced my ECO tires @36000 miles in Oct 2014. I was afraid of a brutal winter with those tires on. I ended up replacing with Triple Treds at first and after @ 1000 miles I couldn't stand the way my Eco responded to the TTs so I went back to the Assurances. Now looking at @62000 miles on the car and I am not sure about this winter with them on since I easily do water burn outs with all the rain we have had in the last few weeks. Honestly I will be in Vietnam in @ a month and I hope the brutality of a snowy winter in Cinti. holds off until I am gone. For that and my son who is a new driver will "have" mom's car since she is going to VN before us. This morning the wife asked me to check her tires for winter driving bc she is afraid of slip sliding in bad weather in her 2005 Malibu Classic. FYI she has Firestone 710s on her car not sure of how much mileage on 710s at most @20000 miles.

 

[BowtieGuy]

This morning the wife asked me to check her tires for winter driving bc she is afraid of slip sliding in bad weather in her 2005 Malibu Classic. FYI she has Firestone 710s on her car not sure of how much mileage on 710s at most @20000 miles.

My parents have a 2005 Malibu Classic as well. Theirs is the 2.2L 4 cylinder. 185k miles and the car just keeps going with minimal maintenance.