To resurrect this thread, County, which tires did you end up choosing?
I wished I had read this before purchasing my set of XI3s this past winter, and have a couple thoughts below:
- Michelin X-Ice XI3 225/55/17 - KMs driven: 6000 km PSI: - 34/32 front/rear
Pros:
- Dry and wet handling, noise and fuel economy is similar to the OEM Geolandars on my '12 XT, which is good for a non-performance oriented winter tire
- Relatively quiet and sidewalls actually squirm slightly less than the Geolandars under cornering
- Decent performance in packed snow
- Adequate performance in icy conditions with the aid of ABS during braking, but did not test to the limits here
- No noticeable treadwear so far
Cons:
- Its performance in slushy/mixed conditions is very underwhelming and not mentioned in reviews (i.e. TireRack, Consumer Reports, etc.)
- I would agree that the narrow spacing between the edges does not give an opportunity to clear the slush from the tire, resulting in slushplanning
- Does not instill confidence during highway driving in slushy conditions, and down right scary during lane changes and highway on/off-ramps due to slushplanning on top of the slushy ruts
Prior to purchasing it, I thought that the decent dry/wet winter performance of the XI3 for the majority of my driving would offset its lesser capabilities during severe winter conditions, which would have served me well in a moderate climate. However, I did not realize that with a moderate climate, slush would have such a negative affect on my confidence driving in those conditions. Prior to this purchase, I was driving the original X-Ices on my Impreza, which were terrible on dry and wet, but with larger edge spacing cleared slush and deep snow without issues. For my next set of winter tires, I would willingly sacrifice a little dry/wet traction for a true dedicated winter tire with better slush performance, such as the Nokian R2 or its successor.
Nevertheless, to try to optimize the XI3's peformance, I want to ask: Would increasing or decreasing my tire pressure within the recommend ranges have any marginal affect on its slush performance on highways, and if so, which pressures would you suggest?
I wished I had read this before purchasing my set of XI3s this past winter, and have a couple thoughts below:
- Michelin X-Ice XI3 225/55/17 - KMs driven: 6000 km PSI: - 34/32 front/rear
Pros:
- Dry and wet handling, noise and fuel economy is similar to the OEM Geolandars on my '12 XT, which is good for a non-performance oriented winter tire
- Relatively quiet and sidewalls actually squirm slightly less than the Geolandars under cornering
- Decent performance in packed snow
- Adequate performance in icy conditions with the aid of ABS during braking, but did not test to the limits here
- No noticeable treadwear so far
Cons:
- Its performance in slushy/mixed conditions is very underwhelming and not mentioned in reviews (i.e. TireRack, Consumer Reports, etc.)
- I would agree that the narrow spacing between the edges does not give an opportunity to clear the slush from the tire, resulting in slushplanning
- Does not instill confidence during highway driving in slushy conditions, and down right scary during lane changes and highway on/off-ramps due to slushplanning on top of the slushy ruts
Prior to purchasing it, I thought that the decent dry/wet winter performance of the XI3 for the majority of my driving would offset its lesser capabilities during severe winter conditions, which would have served me well in a moderate climate. However, I did not realize that with a moderate climate, slush would have such a negative affect on my confidence driving in those conditions. Prior to this purchase, I was driving the original X-Ices on my Impreza, which were terrible on dry and wet, but with larger edge spacing cleared slush and deep snow without issues. For my next set of winter tires, I would willingly sacrifice a little dry/wet traction for a true dedicated winter tire with better slush performance, such as the Nokian R2 or its successor.
Nevertheless, to try to optimize the XI3's peformance, I want to ask: Would increasing or decreasing my tire pressure within the recommend ranges have any marginal affect on its slush performance on highways, and if so, which pressures would you suggest?
