I approach this in much the same vein as
snajper69 - the '09's factory Geos aren't terrible for those who are well-seasoned in winter driving and are willing to be *really* conservative, but they do leave
quite a bit to be desired.
The A/T variant, though, is supposed to be markedly better, by all reports (although it is likely that they will still pale in comparison to proper winter tires).
The thing that you'll need to play around with in your head,
alokin, is that with a single "all-season" solution, while the more winter-oriented all-season tires can do remarkably well in wintry precip., the problem remains in that much of snow and slush traction is simply dependent on tread-depth, and a tire that you'll run year-round will see significant treadwear.
But as for the need for a winter tire?
I am afraid that, like many Americans, I am rather ignorant of the climates of other areas of the world. :redface: What are your winters like? how much freezing precipitation do you see? how are the roads (i.e. chemical treatments, plowing, etc., and how timely such clearing takes place)?
Those factors are the primary determinants of practicality.
But to start you off with at least some answers:
Typically, a "wider" tire will do better in the warmer seasons, allowing your vehicle to put down more rubber. You should counterbalance this with considerations for carcass weight (which can drastically affect performance) as well as practicality (ease of finding a particular size, expense, etc.).
In the winter, conversely, a "thinner" tire will be better, as it will help the vehicle's weight become more focused (think about the analogy between a snowshoe, which allows you to walk above the snow, versus walking on tiptoes through the snow - you'll want the smaller footprint on your car, to help it cut-through and dig-down to the pavement, rather than floating on top of the snow, as a wider tire would), and will "cut through" winter precipitation better.
Typically, you'll need at least a 20-mm difference in the tire's listed width (i.e. comparing between a 225-width to a 205-width) before you can really feel a real-world difference, street-driven.
So, how do you play around with tire sizing, in going from a wider to a thinner tire, while still keeping in-mind the necessary sizing to insure that your speedometer isn't off by too, too much?
Easy:
Tire size calculator
Here in the States, we call playing with such sizing "Plus/Minus-Sizing." TireRack's website does a great job at explaining this:
Tire Tech Information - The Plus Concept
Hope this helps - and perhaps you can tell us a bit more about what your winters are like, and what kind of usage you're expecting/needing from your vehicle, during such months, so that we can all better tailor our advice. :smile:
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BTW: I use an active LIDAR jammer that's invented by one of your countrymen!
