Of course, cars in the SUV segment are subject to much more intense mechanical loads than conventional passenger cars. Especially if you regularly have to drive on snowy and icy roads. But even specialized specialists cannot give you a clear answer to the question: which is better? The fact is that the best adhesion to the coating is determined not only by the presence of “thorns”, their number and placement along the rim, but also by others. The composition of the rubber compound and its resistance to temperature changes also play a key role. After all, if the tire hardens in the cold, it will lose its tenacity properties and will be useless when maneuvering. Among other things, the tread pattern and special moisture-purifying grooves are of particular importance, which, in fact, provide informative steering, minimizing the deviation of the chassis from the trajectory. Therefore, even if you have to drive strictly through snowdrifts, crust and ice crust, it is not a fact that spikes will always help.
As you know, “thorns” make the tire heavier, and with aggressive “pedaling” they can easily bury the wheels in the snow, landing the car on its belly. But what can I say - in the absence of experience, they will not save you even in a skid, sending a hefty car into. We are no longer talking about the increased noise level that almost all studded tires suffer from. No, of course, this does not mean that Velcro takes a clearly advantageous position, but in some cases it may be more effective.
Moreover, tire technology does not stand still with each new model. To remember what rubber was like 7-10 years ago, and what it is now, if you compare it with products that have left the market - these are completely different products. To put it simply: heaven and earth. Of course, the developers systematically carry out comprehensive tests, laboratory studies and other checks. As a result, today we get tires that can not only significantly reduce braking distances or pull a car out of snow captivity, but also significantly. By the way, Japanese engineers boasted of one of these new products when they launched specially designed winter tires for crossovers and SUVs. We are talking about a studless model, the main feature of which is the special composition of the rubber mixture. Using Multi-Cell Compound technology, the Japanese have created rubber with a hydrophilic coating with absorbent properties and microscopic pores that effectively absorb moisture from the contact patch (be it snow, ice chips or a film of water). Not least important, of course, are microgrooves that facilitate rapid water drainage.
The directional tread pattern and three-dimensional sipes deserve special attention, which together provide the most rigid grip on the surface and, as practice has shown, more than . Taking into account the fact that off-road vehicles experience serious dynamic loads and changes during their service, specialists designed the shoulder blocks of the tire so that, evenly distributing pressure and weight, they maintain an ideal gap between the sipes. Simply put, they contributed to the most effective removal of snow and ice slush. And additional ones guarantee the smallest cavities in the lamellas and a large number of jumpers. Overall, the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 friction tires, which have demonstrated excellent driving performance in multiple consumer tests, are
SUVs are one of the most popular cars, largely due to the mythical increased safety of driving them in winter conditions. New owners of jeeps naively believe that they are equipped with all-season tires, which can be driven in both winter and summer. However, the similarity of the tread pattern of SUVs with all-purpose tires is misleading and often becomes the cause of accidents on the roads in the winter season.
Winter tires are even more necessary for an SUV than for a regular sedan. This is true even when we are talking about the 4x4 wheel arrangement. There is a misconception that all-wheel drive SUVs are safer and more adaptable to winter conditions than front- or rear-wheel drive ones. However, in reality this is a big misconception. All-wheel drive cars only accelerate faster, but their braking distance is the same as that of conventional single-wheel drive models. Therefore, the increased safety of jeeps in winter is a myth, and nothing more. And such cars need to be worn with special care. Reviews about studded tires from different manufacturers allow you to navigate the sea of rubber for SUVs and other types of cars. For jeeps, it is best to choose tires with an aggressive deep tread pattern and pronounced studs that improve traction. Reviews about car batteries help you choose them taking into account the specific operating conditions, and with tires everything is exactly the same: reviews of tires for SUVs posted by different car owners allow you to make the right choice for a specific region with its unique climatic conditions.
Owners of SUVs need to be especially careful in winter and change their driving style from summer to winter. Driving speed in winter should be at least 20% lower than in summer. You also need to maintain a greater distance between the jeep and the cars in front so that there is enough space for maneuver or emergency braking. Most SUVs are characterized by high ground clearance, which in winter does not play into the hands of drivers. The fact is that cars with high ground clearance cannot boast of stability on the road, and this increases the risk of getting into a traffic accident. SUVs have one common problem - windage and poor aerodynamics. In difficult road and weather conditions, this may well cause an accident, since an unstable car with poor aerodynamics on a slippery road is a source of danger not only for the driver and passengers of the vehicle, but also for other road users.
The ideal elements for an SUV are sections of the road with loose, unplowed snow, but in city conditions you usually have to deal with a different situation, namely, rolled snow and ice. And in such conditions, SUV drivers need to be doubly attentive and careful than owners of regular sedans. And it is very important to choose good winter tires, since the comfort and safety of driving a jeep in winter depends on this. It is generally accepted that since SUVs are quite heavy vehicles, this plays into the hands of traction. Yes, indeed, the force of gravity makes itself felt. However, there is also the other side of the coin, namely increased inertia. All other things being equal, a massive SUV will coast on an icy road one and a half times longer and further than a less heavy sedan. That’s why you can’t do without studded, high-quality winter tires with deep tread and increased anti-slip properties. They provide the necessary comfort, a sense of security and good control of the jeep on slippery roads.
- The cold season requires all cars, including SUVs, to be equipped with winter tires
- Continental recommendsfor changing shoes for the winter: studded tiresIceContact 2 SUVand VelcroContiVikingContact 6 SUV
During the seasonal tire change period, Continental dealerships often encounter questions from SUV drivers about how necessary it is to refit their vehicles for the winter.
Does it matter what drive your car has? Do crossovers and 4x4 SUVs, for example, need to change their shoes?
– It should be understood that all drive wheels have a positive effect only on acceleration and controllability; in braking there are no differences from a single-wheel drive. According to the laws of physics, all other things being equal, a four-wheel drive vehicle brakes worse, since due to the transmission and reinforced structure, its weight is noticeably higher than its one-wheel drive counterpart. Winter roads require all vehicles, even SUVs, to be equipped with winter tires. It is at this time of year that you can fully enjoy the advantages of a 4X4 vehicle - after all, it has an increased level of cross-country ability in heavy, freshly fallen snow. Make sure you buy high-quality winter tires on time, because your safety directly depends on it.
Are there any differences in crossover winter tires compared to other tires?
— Typically, SUV tires have the SUV designation on the sidewall. In addition, this tire has an increased load index, which allows it to cope with a significant weight of an all-wheel drive vehicle. These indicators are achieved by certain design features, namely an additional layer of cord, as well as some changes in the composition of the rubber mixture. In tires for SUVs, the tread pattern is undoubtedly adapted to a specific size, which allows you to maximize the character of the car. High-quality winter tires for SUVs contribute to an increased level of cross-country ability in deep snow, better maneuverability and controllability on snowy or wet roads, and stability during emergency braking and cornering also increases.
From the Continental tire range, we recommend the IceContact 2 SUV studded tires and the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV velcro tires. The studded model uses an innovative new method of studding. The stud is coated with a special adhesive compound, which, upon repeated vulcanization, is sintered with rubber, after which the force to remove the stud is 5 times greater than that of its analogues. These tires have high grip qualities and are simply designed for active driving on icy and snowy roads. I would also like to note that, despite the studs, the tire is very quiet and meets all European standards.
For those who prefer versatility and drive mainly on well-maintained winter roads, the ContiVikingContact 6 SUV is perfect. Thanks to the most efficient components and three-section tread, the tire provides improved performance on snow, ice and dry roads.
What are the features of changing tires on four-wheel drive vehicles?
— All tires must be the same model and from the same manufacturer, otherwise skidding may occur. When changing shoes, in addition to balancing and re-aligning, we recommend immediately doing a wheel alignment.
If you are just choosing tires, then pay attention to where in most cases you drive and on what road: city or countryside, clean asphalt or ice.
By the way, Continental provides an extended warranty on tires, a kind of free CASCO, so that if they are damaged, the company will replace or repair them free of charge.
Before deciding on the choice of tires and the place where tire fitting services will be provided, we recommend that you carefully evaluate all aspects, including the quality of the tires, additional promotions, the availability of an extended warranty, and others.
Winter tires can have different tread patterns. In Russia, what can be called winter off-road tires are more popular. These are tires with a large tread pattern. Often, the pattern of such tires is herringbone, but not necessarily. A car with such wheels will grip the snow tightly. Therefore, you will not get stuck in the parking lot and will successfully overcome the road that you did not have time or did not want to clear from snow. If your tires have studs, then you won't be afraid of ice. Soft rubber and numerous sipes improve grip on any surface.
The disadvantage of such tires is their behavior on clean asphalt. A large tread is sure to make noise. The spikes also add their own noise. Moreover, both domestic tires and famous brands make noise. Expensive and hyped Nokia tires are considered noisy. But as soon as snow falls, the noise subsides, but excellent traction remains. It is believed that steel studs impair braking on asphalt. Of course, they make it worse, but the grip on ice will be even worse. November is not the best month to buy tires: the demand is huge, and there is no choice in stores. If you want to save money, you should buy winter tires in September, October or March, April.
Off-road tires designed for driving on mud. These are tires with a large pattern. The large tread allows these tires to grip soft ground and mud well. At the same time, the tires themselves clean themselves of dirt. Off-road tires can also be used on paved roads in warm weather. But it is worth recognizing that such tires will not provide additional grip on hard surfaces, and they will definitely make noise.
Is it possible to drive on snow in winter on off-road tires? Of course you can! A large tread will cling well to loose or compacted snow. The cross-country ability of such tires, on forest or country roads, will be even better than that of winter tires.
But everything changes if you go out on ice. Off-road tires are still summer tires. Their rubber will harden in winter. There are also no small soft lamellas on these wheels. SUV tires are no better suited for driving on ice than summer city tires.
However, many SUV owners are convinced that they do not need special winter tires. What's the matter? This opinion is based on experience. Even in winter, driving around the city is mostly on hard asphalt. And any tires are suitable for this coating. When city roads are covered with snow, of course, off-road tires will have an advantage. Such treacherous types of road surfaces as ice and snow on ice remain. It’s worth admitting honestly, no spikes provide a guarantee on such a coating. Off-road tires will slide on such a surface. But we don’t need tires by themselves; the tires included with the car are important. And all-wheel drive gives the car stability even when braking. It turns out that a car with all-wheel drive and off-road tires is unlikely to be inferior in handling to a front-wheel drive car with winter studded tires.
So should you change your off-road tires to winter ones? If your safety is important to you, and you drive mainly around the city, then yes, you should. But if you drive in winter on summer off-road tires, in a car with all-wheel drive and ABS, then you will be safer than the driver of a front- or rear-wheel drive car on summer city wheels.
Good luck on the roads!
