Winter in Minnesota during the winter, the roads can get really slippery from winter weather. Much of Minnesota is rural and the driving can be a bit challenging if there is winter precipitation like snow, sleet, or ice on the road. One of the best ways to combat winter driving is by purchasing Winter Tires for your car, SUV, or truck.
Winter tires have come a long way and can add improved traction on the roads when the weather is bad. Manufacturers are using new materials and molding the tread patterns on tires to allow maximum traction. Some of these improvements allow cars to go through snow and ice that without losing too much traction.
Winter Tire Materials
Winter tire materials are designed to handle better in lower temps. Most winter tires are set up to handle in temperatures below 45 degrees. In Minnesota most people usually put on their Winter Tires after Thanksgiving since the average temperature is below 45 degrees by then. Minnesotans then will put thier “summer” tires back on around later March, however you never know, as Prince sang “Sometimes it snows in April!”
Tread
Winter tire treads are designed to handle snow and ice much better than all season tires. Many winter tires will have grooves within each tread that help with traction on snow. The treads are deaper and every year they are deisgned to be a handle weather a lot more.
Swapping Tires
Many tire dealers and car dealerships sell winter tires that come with an on and off package of sorts. They cost of swapping the tires each fall or spring may be less expensive or at no cost depending on the tire shot or mechanic you go to. Some people will buy additional rims for thier winter tires, however that can be an addition $500. It is much more affordable in many situations to just have the tires swapped each fall and spring and then stored. While this may seem expensive to have 2 sets of tires, in the long run you will be putting less miles on each set each season so both sets will last longer, really not costing that much more.
Cars and Mileage
Many people like to buy Winter tires for a car because they can continue to get higher miles per gallon vs buying an AWD SUV or a truck. In many situations front wheel drive cars with Winter Tires handle nearly as good as an SUV or Truck. The challenge is in deep snow and hills, however 4 inches for a car with Winter tires is much better than having all season tires. If you are a commuter and enjoy your vehicle that gets higher mileage than other vehicles, yet does not have the best traction in winter consider getting a set of Winter Tires.
Hill Country
If you live in a hilly area, maybe near Duluth, or over east of Rochester in the driftless area, you might want to consider Winter tires. One of the scariest things is driving up or down hills and losing traction. Winter tires can really help by gripping the road and keeping you from sliding and gaining momentum down a hill. My driveway is on a hill and I will say that winter tires have helped me get up the hill many, many times over the year with only front wheel drive!
Here are a few great Winter Tire options for 2024/2025
Bridgestone Blizzak Winter Tires
These have been some of the best winter tires to buy over the years. Bridgestone has been commanding the market for Winter tires for years and the Blizzak just keeps getting better and better each year. There is an entire line of tires in the Blizzak line for all types of vehicles from low profile to truck tires. Blizzak tires also ride and wear very very well.
Blizzak Tires | Winter, Snow & Ice Driving | Bridgestone
- Ultimate Traction
- Command Snowy Streets
- Maximum Grip
- Responsive Handling
- Conquor the cold!
Michelin X-Ice Snow Winter Tires
Shop Michelin X-Ice SNOW Tire for Extreme Weather | Michelin USA (michelinman.com)
Michelin really has some great new technology with materials and tread pattern packed into the X-Ice. This is possibly the top winter tire for the 2024-25 season, however it is also more expensive around $150/tire.
Quoted from michelin.com
A winter tire designed for maximum mobility and safety–not just when it’s new, but for seasons to come.
- Ultimate Snow & Ice Confidence
- Excellent Winter Traction
- Long Lasting Winter Tread
- Quiet & Comfortable Ride
- Great Fuel Efficiency
- EV Ready Winter Confidence
- Supported by the Michelin Promise Plan of a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, roadside assistance, and a 40,000-mileage warranty. Click here for details.
Continental VikingContact 7 Winter Tires
I have always been a fan on Continental Tires and have owned a set of Continental Winter tires. These tires are usually a bit more affordable than the Blizzak or Michelins. It looks like the new VikingCOntact 7 tires have a flexible tread that changes in colder temps.
Continental VikingContact 7 Tires | The Premier Winter Tire
From Continental:
The VikingContact 7 is a premium winter tire for passenger cars, crossovers, SUVs and light trucks. This winter tire features PolarPlus Technology, which provides flexible tread in cold temperatures, better grip in winter conditions and shorter stopping distances on snow and ice-covered roads. It also carries the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol for severe winter conditions.
- Superb grip
- Powerful traction and braking
- Confident steering response
