Can An All Wheel Drive SUV On Summer Tires Beat A Front Wheel Drive SUV With Winter Tires?

It’s no secret that the right tires go a long way. The average car shopper will spend thousands of dollars to buy a car with AWD but scoffs at the idea of buying winter tires. So who’s right? Can AWD overcome the wrong tires?

Well in the above test from Tyre Reviews, the answer is clear, winter tires kick AWD’s ass. Sure an AWD SUV sounds safe, but if you’re running all-seasons or summer tires, you’re going to have a bad time when the snow starts to fall.

In every single test, the car fitted with winter tires wins. Is anyone actually surprised? AWD may be able to send power to all four tires but if those tires have no grip it’s useless. Winter tires have specific compounds and tread patterns to grip even on ice. Much like a track tire can handle extreme heat and focuses on grip, a winter tire can handle the cold and dig into the snow.

A fancy AWD system with differentials and a host of electronics is far cooler than a tire. However, tires are the most important part of your car. Tires are crucial investments since they’re the only part of your car that is supposed to touch the ground.