Hi folks. I recently purchased a "Pre-Owned Certified" 05 Accord Hybrid and I'm curious as to your thoughts on winter driving with it because of the additional weight in the rear, etc? Also, at first glance the Michelin MXV4s that came with it don't look like they'll be all that impressive as a winter tire performer.

Do any of you folks use dedicated winter tires? Do you think they're necessary? And if so, do you have any recommendations?

By the way, so far I love it. And thanks to this forum I found out it didn't come with a spare tire and I was able to get the dealer to agree to order the wheel kit and temporary tire at N/C. Thanks.

 

I've been considering getting a separate set of tires for winter too. Any advice from folks in regards to driving in the snow?
I have also been wondering if the low ground clearance that some of these cars have is a problem. Has anyone had problems getting stuck in the snow?

Good luck and congrats on your purchase. I recently purchased a pre-owned certified HCH, and am hoping for a good experience as well.

 

I have driven in Colorado winter for 18 years and never had winter tires. I always use good all season tires and they work just fine for me. My HAH has been through one winter and a few bad snowstorms. OEM tires are not great and I plan to replace them with a different tire once they are worn out (or if I start to hate their handling before that). The only time ground clearance was an issue for me was the time when there was 3 feet of snow on the road and most high clearance 4-wheel drive vehicles were getting stuck as well

 

I have a 2006 HAH with the original tires. There is plenty of snow and frequent icy conditions here in Casper, WY. In the only winter experienced with the vehicle, last winter, there were never any problems with traction issues beyond the obvious stuff in winter driving. The stability/traction control system seemed to work well. The tires seem ok. Impossible to know for sure as the tires were the only set used and the traction system is available all the time.

Ground clearance is the only issue. Three feet is out and I think that even 12 inches on the roadway will cause problems (it did for me getting high-centered in a drift once). But this is not a HAH specific issue as virtually everything like a normal sedan will be (very) effectively stopped. Under deep snow conditions, may I suggest making the maximum fuel economy decision - take the day off.

 

For people who do switch to winter tires, how do the winter tires perform on dry roads? Here in Colorado, we get big snowstorms but lot of sunshine too. So most of the time, roads are dry.

 

I have second set of wheels mounted on steel rims.
It is Goodyear Ultra Grip GW3. They perform outstanding on packed snow and wet roads.
The only disadvantage is their compound designed for below freezing usage. They wear out fast at summer temperatures. Fuel economy will suffer as well.
Here is the rating of this tire.

 

We got Nokian WRG2 "All Weather" tires, on separate steel rims, last winter, after two previous winters making do with the OEM Bridgestone Insignia SE200. The Nokians are sort half way between an all season and a dedicated snow tire. They have the mountain/snowflake symbol. They turned out to being a very good choice for our west coast weather. We got some deep snow dumps in December and January, and then back to pretty cold with lots of rain. We had a snow tire drought due to Quebec legislation, but it worked out for the best. The Nokians are decent in snow, but still deliver ok mileage, and run pretty quiet.

Ground clearance is still an issue, though. Our Civic Hybrid is pretty bad. If you encounter deep snow on a side street, you're hooped no matter what tires you have ;(

 

When I got my '05 HAH I immediately got studs on separate rims because nearly every winter here has some scary driving. When the roads are clear, I can tell I'm losing about 3 mpg because of the studs. So I assume the rest of the winter mpg loss is due to the road conditions and cold air.

I have only been stuck once, and that was when clearance, not traction, was the problem.

The anti-lock brakes and traction control work really well, tho this is the first car I've had with those features, so I cannot offer comparisons.

Still love my HAH.

 

I also bought a preowned 05 HAH. The first thing I bought was a new set of the Michelein MXV4s. When last winter came here in IL I was a little nervous of how they would act on snow and ice but I never had any problems with them.

What I really wondered was how that IMA battery would handle the cold. Because on really cold mornings I noticed that it wouldn't kick in till I got going for a while not like it would do in the warmer weather. I bought mine a year ago and now I have 120k on mine since I do a lot of highway driving. I hate this thing for city driving my mileage really drops when Im not on the highway.

 

I live in CT myself and I would not go to the expense of snow tires. However, if you are so inclined, I would suggest either the Bridgestone Blizzaks or the Michellin XICE or Alpines.

That said, if you put as set of snos on your car that originally came with V rated tires, you are going to notice a VERY big handling difference (less) with the snow tires. If you want to keep the handling characteristics, you can get these snows in higher speed ratings for a price!!! Usually they are not kept in stock lke the plain jane Q speed rated snows so you have to order them so plan early. Tom