Tires Nokia or KENDA

I'm currently running Nokian eTyer02's A/S <700/AA Rating> on the stock 17''s. With regard to our marvelous New England weather (CT) in the winter- It's either going to be (Bridgestone)Blizzacks, (Nokian) Hakkapeliittas, or (Gislaved) NordFrosts. All on my stock wheels. I used to be a huge Goodyear and Continental Fan. Things changed. Getting older with two in college I sharpen my pencils often to get the absolute best while keeping as much $ in my pocket.

I have them on my 250l and they work great, they get the job done off road while still providing a lot of grip on road. The tire compound is quite soft which helps on road.

Everybody has their favorites based on dynamic values i.e., cost, grab & release, noise, and/or life of tire. I just completed a modified Cannonball Run with my daughter on her Spring Break from college. Near the end of our 2,300 mile run we arrived one night in Niagara Falls with 34 degrees and slick rain. When we left the following day we cruised south to NYC via Wyoming County NY which was 78 degrees and sunny. We made it to NYC a day later in pouring rain. My Nokian enTyers were superb! Quiet, all weather dominance, and (Subjectively) a slow wear rate. The OEM Continentals had a firmer sidewall and turned in great fuel mileage but the Nokians earned my loyalty with how quiet they are.

Interesting, still doesent change the fact that Nokian makes insane winter-tires, studded or not. Their lifespan is not as good as other brands, but when they're new, damn do they stick well.

All I know is the Hakkapeliitta R2s on my Volvo grip harder than the Michelin all seasons that were on it when I bought the thing in ALL conditions, even in the dry. They're significantly less responsive, but I mean they're winter tires, with those massive gaps between the tread blocks they're gonna feel a bit squidgy. IDGAF what the CEOs are doing, it's still a damn good tire. I got through every bit of snow I attempted that wasn't higher than my actual ground clearance, they're fucking great.

I own a pair of Nokian zLine summer performance tires. Bought them brand new last year, did around 15000~20000km with them and the tread is almost half gone.

They grip magnificently though.

My first two sets were the OEM Conti's and PureContact. They were both great in fuel mileage and (Dry) grab & release specs. I just put on a set of Nokian eTyers 8,000 miles ago . The three areas where (IMHO) the Nokians out perform the Contis is in: quietness, rain & snow. The Contis were better on dry pavement but were noisier.

I have never felt like the studless Nokians were terrible in the dry - I've had all-season tires I felt were worse - and the one key component that magazine tests can never capture is how traction holds up over time. I have 2 seasons on the Michelin's but not a ton of miles so I haven't seen how they do when worn yet, but in my experience that is the Nokian's trump card - that you get great snow and ice traction for the entire life of the tire, nearly down to the wear bars.

The most eye-opening trait of this Hakkapeliitta R2 is the way it steers on the snow and recovers from understeer. As steering angle increases, the R2 continues to turn the car where the other tires give up. Get into the push, dial it back a few degrees, and the grip returns. It feels more like a summer tire in the wet than a winter tire in the snow.

My Scout came from the factory Kenda tires. I am wholly not impressed with them, after 9,000 km they are just starting to scrub in for turning grip. I am also under the understanding that these factory tires are only good for 10,000km, so I will be changing none the less.

The addition of any moisture to the rear wheel, including from dew or fog reduces grip friction into the realm of nonexistence making for a disconcerting riding experience.