Autoblog did a test of all-season tires on an all-wheel drive car, the Subaru Legacy. They found that even with the all-wheel drive system, the all-seasons tires did not perform well in the snow at all. This result is made worse because many drivers with AWD feel safe to drive at speeds equal to dry conditions. One needs to note that all-wheel drive does nothing to help braking, and does little to help turning in low-grip conditions. This should be noticed by SUV drivers – who I find to the be worst offenders when it comes to not choosing winter tires.
I’m still a huge fan of most all-wheel drive systems, just pair them with good winter tires should the weather dictate their use.
Tags: alpine, blizzak, tires, winter
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Actually… AWD can help in stopping.. I have saved myself a couple of times by slamming my Yukon Denali (with X-Ice) into reverse to prevent low speed rear enders. Four snows spinning in reverse with a crazy heavy vehicle with 400 hp stops 100 times faster than any anti-locking system. I know its very bad for the tranny but hitting a car with a large SUV is even more costly.
PS: thought you were not blogging till the new year?
Merry XMAS!!!
Jameel