With the specter of winter weather starting to roll its way across the nation, gearheads living in certain parts of our country have been turning their attention to eking traction from roads which can resemble the surface of a local hockey rink. But with a wealth of choices – including a relatively new ‘all-weather’ segment – what to choose?
Smart shoppers know robust hoops for this time of year are properly called winter tires, not snow tires, thanks to advancements in rubber compounds over the last few years. Tire companies sink untold square acres of research (and money) into the secret brew developed to create a compound which will remain grippy when ambient temperatures drop to what can be only described as a thermometer’s nether regions. These days, good winter tires will offer better tractive properties at temps below 45 degrees Fahrenheit when compared to workaday all-season tires which tend to be the standard on many vehicles.
But true winter tires do have some limitations and drawbacks, not the least of which is the propensity for their rubber tread to wear extremely quickly in warmer weather. Given the wild swings which can occur in meteorological conditions these days, it isn’t unusual to drive to work in early morning frost with the heat blasting but commute home with the A/C switched on after a midday spike in temperature. No one wants to buy tires more often than necessary. It can also be a trial (for any number of reasons, ranging from economics to scheduling to simple storage space) for some drivers to perform a seasonal tire swap.
Enter all-weather tires like the Nitto Motivo 365. That trio of numerals in its name is one’s first clue that its manufacturer feels this is a good choice for year-round duty. Engineers at Nitto have infused the rubber compound with high levels of silica, enabling the tire to be more adaptive to temperature changes when compared to traditional winters or all-seasons, intended to remain pliable in colder temperatures yet responsive (and durable) in warmer conditions. How? According to the company, its polymers are formulated for adherence in tough driving but a particular dispersion of these compounds are said to extend the tread life.
Alert readers will have noted the unique tread pattern here, with an inside tread featuring horizontal grooves to evacuate snow and slush and other winter gloom to ensure the tire (and its traction enhancing sipes) maintain contact with the road. Remember, it’s only those four fist-sized patches of rubber which are actually touching tarmac – all the advanced driving aids and traction systems are nigh useless if yer tires aren’t in contact with the pavement. As for the outer edge tread on these tires, it is designed for workaday conditions more likely to be encountered during the bulk of a year in which Jack Frost is not visiting.
In practice, it works. We mounted a set of these tires to a decade-old Lincoln SUV equipped with all-wheel drive and tried them across six months of varying weather conditions on the east coast, including road trips across scorching summer pavement and a December blast of snow. Through the former, the Motivo 365s proved to be quiet companions, aided by an asymmetrical tread pattern which doesn’t funnel noise through its shoulder blocks and out to the driver’s ear. This is notably different from some dedicated winter tires which roar on dry pavement like Chewbacca on a bad fur day.
When the white stuff did arrive, it did so quick and heavy, catching numerous people in our town off guard (as if winter doesn’t show up at about the same time every year) and clogging the shops with requests for an on-demand changeover from all-season tires. Meanwhile, these all-weather Nitto Motivo 365s merrily plowed through just over a half-foot of misery without complaint. Both lateral grip and straight-line performances were impressive, inspiring confidence and permitting the Lincoln’s driver to attend his weekly men’s group. Compared to equal conditions last year on the old all-seasons, it was slightly easier to accelerate but much easier to brake – which is what really matters in the winter.
About the only weather in which this set of tires were not sampled was deep water, so we have no feedback for you about performance in those conditions. We also didn’t see any fuel economy improvement over the major brand all-seasons which were replaced by these Nittos – but nor did we experience an increase in consumption. Given the extra winter traction, that’s a net win.
These tires are stamped with the so-called Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) icon, a symbol which must be earned through an independent measured test for traction in the white stuff, achieving at least 110 percent the traction of an all-season reference tire over medium pack snow. Arguments have been percolating under the surface lately about the proliferation of tires which aren’t traditionally considered winters, such as all-weather tires and some knobby off-road options, being able to clear the hurdle required to earn the 3PMSF designation.
Your author, a professed tire nerd and general snob about such matters, feels that if a tire can meet 3PMSF requirements, it should be permitted to bear the stamp. It’s not the tire company’s fault that rubber compounds and tread patterns have advanced to the point where non-traditional winter tires can make the grade; it’s up to the industry to create a more challenging test, making us wonder if there a four-peak mountain snowflake icon in our future. To date, all tire manufacturers to whom we have spoken offered only a sage nod of acknowledgement about such an observation. A Finland-based brand called Nokian has been early adopters of a new ice grip marking, earned by independent tests showing a tire performs at least 18 percent better in braking performance on ice than a standard reference tire, but that’s the extent of any new winter tire markings – for now.
But that’s looking into the future. For now, all-weather tires like the Nitto Motivo 365 are likely to be a good choice for many drivers around the Mason-Dixon line latitude who need to deal with the occasional blast of Old Man Winter but are not buried in snow half the year.
[Images: Nitto]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
Source: The Truth About Cars
