Excellent performance on ice. Deep tread suited to snow. Quiet. The best handling on cleared roads in a Q-rated snow tire. Expensive in Canada, Bridgestone sells it for less to US retailers.

APA Alert: US Price Advantage | See APA Comparison Chart | Shop US Online

Optimized for snow and ice. Versatile, but offers a bit less grip on ice than the Toyo Open Country G-02 Plus. Smooth ride on cleared roads. Durable. Well priced. Convenient instant $50 rebate when you buy four tires.

Despite the modest Q speed rating, this tire offers superior performance on cleared roads. It performs better on ice than in slush and deep snow. Shallow tread. Quiet riding. High quality construction. Expensive. Mail-in $50 rebate when four tires are purchased. Tricky mileage warranty requires the tires to be virtual banana peels before you can collect. Possibly because of the prevalence of all-wheel-drive in this segment, the APA has not recorded negative reports from users (see passenger car review of this tire).

APA Alert: US Price Advantage | See APA Comparison Chart | Shop US Online

Very good overall choice, particularly for heavy SUVs and for use under severe conditions. Deep tread pattern. Superior overall performance, but it offers slightly less traction on ice than the other top choices in this segment. Very durable. Discontinued but some inventory may still be available. Mail-in rebate of $50 to $100 when four tires are purchased.

A very good overall choice. Along with the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 and the Yokohama Ice Guard IG20, one of the best performers on ice thanks to its soft tread compound. Compliant ride. Mail-in $40 to $120 rebate when four tires are purchased

Big improvement over the old Winter Slalom (not designated KSI), of which there may be a few around. Well-priced, this tire sold out quickly in autumn 2010.

Larger size of the passenger car tire that carries the same name. Continental’s SUV and crossover tire with the best traction; competent on cleared roads, but less responsive than some of the Continental tires below. A very good and lower-priced alternative to the Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2. Like other tires with asymmetrical tread patterns, some inside wear may occur on four-wheel drive vehicles.

Deep, grippy tread optimized for snow and ice. Fairly noisy. Versatile, but less grip on ice than the other tires in the group of tires rated Very Good. Durable. Convenient instant $50 rebate when you buy four tires.

This is a passenger car tire available in SUV sizes. Very good in deep snow with predictable overall performance at a competitive price. Similar tread pattern to the old Gislaved NordFrost. Suitable for studs.

Aggressive tread pattern optimized for deep snow. An older model whose primary advantage is availability with studs for commercial truck applications. High quality construction. $40 mail-in rebate with purchase of four tires.

H-rated performance SUV and crossover tire. Optimized for dry pavement handling, with square siping and closed shoulders that favour stability over traction in slush. For most purchasers, the cheaper T-rated Continental ExtremeWinterContact is a better choice. $40 mail-in rebate with purchase of four tires.

Performance SUV tire optimized for handling on cleared roads; quiet and comfortable riding. Some sizes have a higher H speed rating. $40 mail-in rebate with purchase of four tires.

Asymmetric tread pattern. Unexceptional traction in deep snow; all-wheel-drive will keep you moving. Optimized for dry-pavement use, with predictable handling. Older design. Fairly expensive. Available in limited sizes. Mail-in rebate when you buy four tires.

SUV version of the Firestone Winterforce. Optimized for deep snow. Unexceptional on pavement. This tire used to be well-priced; the General Altimax Arctic, also a superior deep-snow performer, is somewhat more responsive and offers better value for the money. Suitable for dealer-installed studs.

APA Alert: US Price Advantage | See APA Comparison Chart | Shop US Online

Asymmetric tread design. Optimized for dry-pavement handling. Offered in only three sizes for SUVs.

Traditional snow tire not optimized for ice. Fairly noisy. Offered in large sizes.

Asymmetric tread pattern. Optimized for handling on cleared roads. The similarly priced Hankook directional tires are better choices. Quoted price is for a 255/55R18 size tire. $40 mail-in rebate.

Identical to the Kumho KC 15.  

Economy tire made with an old-style two-piece clamshell mould. Good in deep snow, undistinguished in other respects.

All-terrain tires that meet the standard for traction in deep snow on account of the aggressive tread. Mediocre on ice and cleared roads. Fairly low prices. Cooper makes Dean.

All-terrain truck tire that qualifies for the winter tire standard on account of its deep, aggressive tread. Mediocre on ice and on cleared roads. Long wearing. Goodyear has better, more current tire designs.

Traditional winter tire. Old technology. Tread designed to bite in snow but mediocre in other respects. Noisy. Limited size availability for SUVs, this tire is likely in its last year on the market. Quoted price is for a 235/70R16 size tire. Suitable for studs.

Modern tread pattern. Very low price. Rated low because APA has no track record on the Chinese manufacturer (or other similar private label import brands like Nankang, Sunny and Maxxis). Manufacturing uniformity of the small number of tires examined was uneven. By far the cheapest tire available in this group, especially in large sizes.