Factory tires performance in snow?

[highland58]

I’m not saying that’s they’re cheaper or even that you should go with that tire. Just pointing out that that tire is available in that size.

Ok thank you for that.

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[eltonlin]

Interesting but those are $43 more per tire than Discount tire 235 /55 R19 105H XL BSW and $32 more than Costco for the 235 /55 R19 105H XL BSW.

Would 235s work on the stock rims?

 

[highland58]

Would 235s work on the stock rims?

Discount Tire says they will.

 

[Jimrpa]

Ok, so we have conflicting reports. Some say the factory tires are not very good in snow and others say they’re just fine. I guess I can hope for climate change? ?

 

[eltonlin]

Discount Tire says they will.

Thanks! Found this site to compare tire sizes. Interesting info:

https://tiresize.com/calculator/

 

[highland58]

Ok, so we have conflicting reports. Some say the factory tires are not very good in snow and others say they’re just fine. I guess I can hope for climate change? ?

Well the current snow is likely caused from climate change pushing the polar vortex off the arctic into your area. No need to hope for it, it will happen anyway.
Also there is a big difference between fresh snow and old snow that has compacted into ice. Fresh powder snow is very little challenge to drive through. Once it turns to ice the story changes.

 

[Jimrpa]

Well the current snow is likely caused from climate change pushing the polar vortex off the arctic into your area. No need to hope for it, it will happen anyway.
Also there is a big difference between fresh snow and old snow that has compacted into ice. Fresh powder snow is very little challenge to drive through. Once it turns to ice the story changes.

Sorry - that was meant as a poor attempt at a joke. I meant climate change as in southeastern Pennsylvania changing from a temperate climate to either a Saharan-type climate or a coastal south Florida type climate (with ocean levels rising to flood New Jersey to the Delaware river ? ) I didn’t mean climate change as in “Buffalo, New York on a balmy spring day” ?

 

[buffasnow]

Sorry - that was meant as a poor attempt at a joke. I meant climate change as in southeastern Pennsylvania changing from a temperate climate to either a Saharan-type climate or a coastal south Florida type climate (with ocean levels rising to flood New Jersey to the Delaware river ? ) I didn’t mean climate change as in “Buffalo, New York on a balmy spring day” ?

Ouch. ?

 

[generaltso]

Discount Tire says they will.

Did you tell them that the wheels are only 7” wide? This is an unusual width for a 19” wheel, and the MME probably isn’t in their computer yet, so they likely wouldn’t know that. This chart suggests that 225 is the widest tire you can put on the 7” wheels.

 

[Tsand4]

I have been driving mine for about 10 days and we just had some good snow staring Thursday and still snowing. If you have traction control on there is absolutely NO issue in the snow; fresh powder or packed and ice. I have even tried to get some slide and glide for fun and it is tough to do. Very minimal slip on starts if any. On a side note, 1PD in Engage is very effective at stopping on very packed/ice roads.
UPDATE: The photo is an example of the road conditions.
I was just out again and had a perfect parking lot to have some high schooler type fun. I turned off traction control to see what fun could be had. Definitely more slip on start up and could easily throw back end into some tight donuts with acceleration but just as easily pulled it out for straightening up. Man this car is FUN!

 

[MattG]

Ok, so we have conflicting reports. Some say the factory tires are not very good in snow and others say they’re just fine. I guess I can hope for climate change? ?

Living in Colorado, I see this all the time....people talking about how all season tires are fine. Sure, in a good car you’ll be able to get around “fine”. But I’ve never seen or heard of any all season tires that offer the grip that good winter tires will in the snow. Winter tires will outbrake and out corner all season tires any day in the snow or ice. I have no doubt the tires that come with the Mach-E are fine in the snow...and that the car will be so much safer and more capable once equipped with proper winter tires.

 

[highland58]

Did you tell them that the wheels are only 7” wide? This is an unusual width for a 19” wheel, and the MME probably isn’t in their computer yet, so they likely wouldn’t know that. This chart suggests that 225 is the widest tire you can put on the 7” wheels.

Oh, I was not aware they were 7", that is good info. I may have to go with the load range 99 crossclimates that are the same size. I will probably wait until September and get a few miles on the stock tires first.

 

[stroszek]

Living in Colorado, I see this all the time....people talking about how all season tires are fine. Sure, in a good car you’ll be able to get around “fine”. But I’ve never seen or heard of any all season tires that offer the grip that good winter tires will in the snow. Winter tires will outbrake and out corner all season tires any day in the snow or ice. I have no doubt the tires that come with the Mach-E are fine in the snow...and that the car will be so much safer and more capable once equipped with proper winter tires.

That's right. I have a set of Michelin A/S on my current car and they're adequate, with AWD, for getting around in a well plowed metro area without getting stuck. Still have take adverse conditions very carefully unlike when I had Nokian Hakkas snow felt almost as sticky as dry asphalt.

 

[generaltso]

Oh, I was not aware they were 7", that is good info. I may have to go with the load range 99 crossclimates that are the same size. I will probably wait until September and get a few miles on the stock tires first.

I‘m planning to get 8” wheels for winter, but will likely stay with 225 tires. I’m a big fan of the Nokian Hakkapalita R3, but it’s a dedicated winter tire.

 

[xspartachris]

Living in Colorado, I see this all the time....people talking about how all season tires are fine. Sure, in a good car you’ll be able to get around “fine”. But I’ve never seen or heard of any all season tires that offer the grip that good winter tires will in the snow. Winter tires will outbrake and out corner all season tires any day in the snow or ice. I have no doubt the tires that come with the Mach-E are fine in the snow...and that the car will be so much safer and more capable once equipped with proper winter tires.

Exactly, this was on I-70 near Loveland pass during the snow on Friday night. I wasn’t in the car but what my wife said is that the tires were losing traction way more than the Blizzaks she normally drives. Which is not at all surprising, that’s comparing an efficiency-oriented all-season to a benchmark winter tire.

As a drivetrain it is very capable and thus can do better on those tires in the snow / ice than other vehicles might with the same tires. But in the end tires matter far far more than drivetrain and the OEM tires are optimizing for driving range instead of winter performance (very shallow tread, likely a compound on the harder-side of all-season compounds).

For those that don’t want to store a second set of wheels but want greatly improved winter performance it’ll be about waiting for a proper size of something like the Michelin CrossClimates or Nokian WR G4. (Or for 18” wheel size Mach-Es I think you can already get the CrossClimate).

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