5 Best Winter Tires, Tested and Reviewed

In the Good Housekeeping Institute, we're constantly testing all things cars and tires. Our team of mechanical engineers, scientists and analysts test products for top-notch performance capabilities and how they stand up to everyday life on the road. We test winter tires on various terrains to access traction and reliability. This round-up of winter tires is based on a combination of data review, industry expertise and hands-on testing.

✔️ Your winter driving conditions: It is important to consider the typical winter road conditions of your area including your most common trips (i.e. normal metro commute, mountain driving, etc.), any potential trouble spots (i.e., steep inclines, sharp turns, etc.) and the average winter weather conditions (i.e., cold wet highways, deep snow, etc.). Typically, tire companies sell different tires for different situations, so it’s good to have an idea of what conditions you are going to expect.

✔️ Tire sizes and rim sizes: Tire sizes can be hard to understand if you don't know what you're looking for. Basically, the series of letters and numbers in tire size refers to the type of tire and diameter (or height) of the tire. The rim size refers to how thick the tire is, or how much space is between the rims of the tire.

✔️ Appropriate size for your car: You'll need to confirm the winter tires are available in the proper sizing for your vehicle, which you can find on the sidewall of your existing tire or in your owner's manual.

✔️ Studless vs. studded tires: As the name implies, studded tires have metal studs in them, which are designed to help with traction and handling. However, they are in general much more noisy, expensive, and require more frequent changing than their studless counterparts. And as stated above, some states ban the use of studded tires, which is why we didn't include any in this list.

✔️ Buying snow tires with the rims: Do not risk mounting and dismounting tires on your current wheels. Doing this is sure to cause accelerated wear and tear on your tires, as well as damage the newer technology associated with your tires, like your tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS).

✔️ Best time of year to buy winter tires: By mid-October most tire dealers are ready for the rush for winter tires, and that is usually when you can get a great deal. Some companies even offer rebates on their tires right around this time of year, which is an added bonus when shopping.

It depends on where you live. If you live in an area that rarely dips below 42 degrees and hardly sees ice or snow, then you'll likely be fine with all-season tires year round. However, if your area experiences a fair amount of wet, icy or snowy weather, you'd be wise to invest in winter tires. Just be aware that the temperature outside doesn't have to be below the freezing point for roads and bridges to get icy.

There is a huge difference between all-season tires and winter tires. While all-season tires are great at handling a wide range of weather conditions, they do not excel in any one condition, especially during harsh winter driving.

There are major differences that you can see, and some that you can’t. If you look at winter tires and all-season tires side by side, you will first notice more jagged or “biting” edges within the winter tire's tread. These are called sipes and they work in two ways: Increasing surface area which increases traction and allowing snow to stick to the tires.

They're especially important for winter tires in areas where you need increased traction for safety. Though it seems counterintuitive, this snow-to-snow contact creates a better adhesion than rubber-to-snow contact, which in turn creates better traction. Additionally, winter tires are made from a different material compound which will maintain the tires' flexibility in cold weather conditions.

The terms All-, Front-, and Rear-Wheel Drive refers to which tires on the car receive power from the engine. For Front- and Rear-Wheel, all power is directed to either the front or back two wheels, while All-Wheel Drive has power directed to all four wheels.

✔️ All-Wheel Drive (AWD): You might not think you need snow tires if you have an AWD vehicle, but if conditions warrant, you might. “This is why, when you drive down the highway during a major snow event, the first cars you usually see in a ditch are these all-wheel drive vehicles,” says Robert Saul, senior project manager for Bridgestone. Even with all the new fancy technology made to better help cars drive in extreme conditions, it all comes down to the four contact points that the tires make with the road, which are roughly the size of a sheet of standard copy paper (8.5" x 11"). While AWD can make it easier to get through snow, it's not going to do a lick of good unless your tires have the traction to keep up with it.

✔️ Front- and Rear-Wheel Drive (FWD and RWD): The biggest thing with FWS and RWD is that all of the tires need to be the same. While it might seem like a good idea to put only two snow tires on the wheels that move the car, in reality it will throw off the car's balanced grip and control, as each set of tires will respond differently to the driving conditions. To obtain optimal balanced grip, handling and overall performance, it is recommended that you always drive with similar tires on all four wheels, no matter the weather conditions.

✔️"If it doesn't snow where I live, I don't need winter tires."

Probably yes, you do actually. The lack of snow should not be a deciding factor when deciding if you need winter tires (sounds weird, but hear us out!). If the temperature where you live drops below 42° F, congrats, you're eligible for winter tires. Wintery road conditions go beyond just snow and can include black ice and freezing weather that can harden tires and inevitably reduce traction. Bridges often freeze before roads too, so just because the roads aren't icy, doesn't mean the bridges will be free of it as well.

✔️ "Having winter tires means I can drive normally, even if conditions are harsh."

It absolutely does not mean that. Just because your car is equipped with winter tires does not mean the vehicle will be able to handle curves, sharp turns, inclines or declines with the same agility that it is able to at the usual speed. You still want to be cautious when driving in winter weather conditions. It's recommended that you make breaking and turning two mutually exclusive events to avoid losing control of the vehicle. Try to either brake first to slow down before you reach the turn. If you absolutely have to turn quickly, turn first and only brake once your front and back tires are in alignment again.

✔️ "Deflating my tires slightly to increase surface area can help my tires grip the road."

This is not a good idea. Under-inflating your tires to try and increase traction will not work and may ultimately damage your tires. In general, it is never recommended to drive on any other tire pressure than the one that is stated on the tire placard attached to your vehicle's door edge.

The Good Housekeeping Institute evaluates autos and auto-related products throughout the year, test driving dozens of vehicles of varied sizes and brands, with many brands of tires reviewed in the process. The lead tester for this category, Rachel Rothman, is a mechanical engineer who has test-driven over 200 vehicles in the last five years.