According to a relatively new Utah law passed in 2019, either snow tires or traction devices are required for all vehicles that drive in Utah’s canyon lands and on certain stretches of highway.

Although it’s now law to have winter tires fitted to your car, the important fact remains that these tires make driving much safer during those icy months of the year.

Good grip is essential when there’s ice and snow on the roads. Apart from helping to make sure that you don’t get stuck, and that your car can stop and steer effectively, winter tires offer superior traction that is 20 – 50% more effective than that of all season tires.

So when should you fit your winter tires? As a rule of thumb, you should fit them to be ready for winter conditions that typically last from October or November up to March or April. 

This all depends on the weather patterns predicted for the year. If October might already see a lot of snow and ice, you’ll need to consider fitting your winter tires sooner. 

Although the winter conditions this year will be warmer than normal, it’s been predicted that there will be higher than usual snowfall in the far north and far south. 

You may be able to get away with fitting your winter tires in early November, but keep an eye on latest weather predictions.

Knowing that winter tires are a must this winter, you may be wondering which ones to purchase? After all, your snow tires should last you 4 – 6 seasons, so these tires are a fairly major investment.

What to Consider When Buying Winter Tires

Winter tires are designed with special grooves, channels, and edges that allow them to dig into ice and snow. They’re also designed to divert any water, salt, and sand away from the tire’s contact patch, which is the part of the tire that makes contact with the road.

Here are some points to consider when buying a new set of winter tires for your vehicle:

1. Tread compound and design

Winter tires can improve braking performance by up to 20%. In snowy conditions, a good winter tire will help you stop quicker and more safely than an all-season tire would. This is all due to the special compounds used to manufacture these tires and the specific design of the tread. Deep, wide, jagged tread offers better traction on winter roads, whereas shallower grooves offer comfort and control. Look for winter tires that feature a tread that has been designed for where you mostly intend to drive, whether that be off-road or on normal roads. 

2. Three peak mountain snowflake symbol

The 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol is a winter tire certification awarded to tires that meet specific performance standards in snowy conditions. This certification is recognized internationally and indicates that a tire is suitable for use in severe snow and ice. Look for the three mountain peaks symbol which will be stamped into the sidewall of the tire (highlighted in green above). 

3. Road conditions

When selecting a winter tire for your car, it’s a good idea to think about where you’ll likely be driving the most. Will you mainly be driving off-road, or will your commute mostly be restricted to city streets? Some brands of winter tires perform better off-road, while others are more suited to smooth road surfaces.

Our Burt Brothers Top Winter Tires for 2024

Let’s take a look at our Burt Brothers top picks for winter tires in 2024. We based our findings on extensive research, historical data, and our own industry experience.

✅ Best Snow Tire Overall: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

✅ Best Snow Tire Runner Up: Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2

✅ Best Budget Snow Tire: Cooper Evolution Winter

✅ Best Studded Tire:  Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

✅ Best Snow Tire for Light Trucks/SUVs: Toyo Open Country A/T III

✅ Best Snow Tire for Crossovers: Firestone Winterforce 2 UV

✅ Best Snow Tire for Passenger Cars and Small Crossovers: Continental Viking Contact 7

The Best Snow Tire Overall – Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

The Blizzak WS90 is the latest winter tire released by the well-known Japanese brand Bridgestone. This tire features high-quality materials and exceptionally advanced technology, which are our reasons for choosing this product as our top pick this year. 

With outstanding traction on dry and wet ground, this tire offers remarkable comfort. In addition, the Blizzak WS90 has an advanced tread pattern, which provides extremely responsive steering, control and handling.

With an extended warranty period of 4 – 5 years, Blizzak WS90 offers excellent tire protection, which makes its slightly higher price-point—when compared to other winter tires—well worth the extra investment.

Best Snow Tire Runner Up: Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2

Michelin Latitude X-Ice is made with silica-silane filler, or FleX-Ice™ as it’s been branded by the company. This rubber works well in very cold temperatures, which is what gives this winter tire an added advantage in wet or frosty settings.

This winter tire is perfect for dry road settings because of the cross Z Sipes used. The 3-D zigzag self-locking sipes give your vehicle enough grip on dry surfaces. They lock the tread just enough to allow your car to move with ease.

The Michelin Latitude X-Ice is Green X certified. This means that it offers a low rolling resistance which results in better fuel efficiency. Among other features, the certification criteria of these tires indicate a longer tread life and an environmentally friendly manufacturing process.

Best Budget Snow Tire: Cooper Evolution Winter

The Cooper Evolution Winter tire is a solid, reliable winter tire designed for wet, snowy conditions. We found that it delivered outstanding performance in deep snow. 

There’s plenty of siping on every tread block to grab the snow and this tire features plenty of available holes to fit studs.

The Cooper Evolution Winter tire is available in a wide variety of sizes. In fact, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find the best fit for your vehicle thanks to 67 different fitment options that range from a 14 to 20 inches rim width, and a tiny 175 to a robust 265 tyre width. 

Best Studded Tire: Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10

Despite featuring a lower stud count than some of its rival models, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 delivers an excellent grip in wet, icy, and snowy conditions.

The tread pattern of the Hakkapeliitta 10 is unique and has been designed to effectively remove water and slush between the tire and the road. This results in confident grip, even on slippery surfaces.

The Double Stud Technology that this model of tire uses, includes center and side studs. The center studs improve acceleration and braking grip, while the studs on the shoulder areas maximize grip during turning and lane changes.

Best Snow Tire for Light Trucks/SUVs: Toyo Open Country A/T III

Toyo is well-known for its all-terrain and mud-terrain tires, and off-road enthusiasts often choose this brand thanks to its excellent traction.

Toyo uses a highly advanced tread compound for the production of the Toyo Open Country A/T III. This compound helps  improve the braking and handling of your vehicle on wet surfaces with the extra grip and traction that it provides.

With an open block tread design, this tire is excellent at clawing through mud, dirt, and snow. Toyo’s Nano Balance technology, which is blended into the rubber compound, has been proven to help improve fuel efficiency on the road.

Best Snow Tire for Crossovers: Firestone Winterforce 2 UV

The Winterforce 2 UV from Firestone is a winter tire that you can fit studs to, which makes it an affordable and flexible option. 

The compound used to make this tire has been specifically designed to remain pliable even in freezing temperatures. With the Winterforce 2 UV, you can look forward to a tire that offers superior traction in situations where other tires may struggle.

The directional tread pattern features deep grooves and open shoulder slots, as well as wide lateral notches. 

This design ensures that these tires offer the best grip possible. What’s more, the high sipe density tread pattern provides additional traction for snow and ice, as well as exceptional resistance to hydroplaning.

Best Snow Tire for Passenger Cars and Small Crossovers: Continental Viking Contact 7

The Viking Contact 7 from German manufacturer Continental is a winter tire designed for superb grip on all wintry surfaces. 

This tire works remarkably well across a variety of driving conditions, including dry, wet, slush, snow, and ice. We could not fault its performance in any of these scenarios.

Continental’s in-house technology, namely ‘Nordic Compound’, relies on canola oil to provide extraordinary flexibility in cold temperatures—this allows for maximum grip. This technology also features active grip silica to increase performance in very wet conditions.

Although this tire can be fairly noisy on a rough surface, they’re quiet and comfortable on your average road.

Winter Tires – Your Best Investment in Safety and Comfort

While some drivers may feel that all-season tires will do the trick in icy, snowy winter conditions, the truth is that they simply cannot offer you the right level of safety compared to winter tires.

All-season tires can be used during moderately cold winter weather; however, when the temperatures drop below freezing, you’ll need a set of winter tires fitted to your car to keep you safe on the roads. State regulations might even require it.

Whether you’re on a tight budget, or looking for winter tires for a specific purpose, our team at Burt Brothers is here to help you make the right choice.

Reach out to us today and book your appointment at a Burt Brothers store near you!