I am looking to buy winter tires for my 2007 XJR. I am trying to decide between a performance winter tire or a studless tire. In CT, our winters the last few years have been a snow dump in Feb and March and not much before or after. I will not be driving the car in heavy snow but potentially will be in light snow, plowed roads and ice. I want a tire that will also have good grip in wet. The Blizzak's (WS80) seem to not be good in wet or dry and great in ice and snow. The Sottozero 3 appears to be a good performer in dry, wet and light snow but not so good in ice. I currently have 19 but I am going to downsize to 18 with dedicated rims.

I am looking at tirerack with a package as they seem to be the cheapest. There are other tires that I could get but not with the package. It then becomes very expensive if I want dedicated rims.

Any insight which tire would be the best?

 

In Europe, Nokian winter tyres have very good reputation. I have a set of Nokian WR A3 (now superceded by A4) 235/50 R18 on a dedicated set of 18" Jag rims that I swap with my 20" Callisto rims in winter. Very happy of it.

 

I also have the same Nokians, I have been using them for 7 years now, they are fitted on a set of 18" Luxury rims . I can certainly recommend them.

 

I run blizzaks on the wife's STR (have for years). Used to have the sottozeros, didn't really like them. But up here in the frozen north, we have a much longer winter season with snow and ice from November to March usually, so I went with the best snow/ice tires, which if you ask me are the blizzaks. Now I just put new winters on the SV8, I decided to give arctic trekkers a try! Never heard of them, but there were a Winnipeg rated tire and have really good tread design (remind me of blizzaks actually). I got them cause they were cheap, and so am I! I have heard good things about nokians too though, but no experiance.

 

The only reason I am considering the Sotto's is because our winters in CT have been mild except for a month or two of heavy snow. It seems like it never stops snowing in Feb and March. I have looked at the Nokians and I was considering them. It becomes very expensive with dedicated rims with the Nokians. The Sotto's and the Blizzaks are much cheaper with a package from Tire Rack.

I have always had very heavy vehicles. This is my first light car with huge power. I want to make sure I have grip in the winter. I might have to revisit the Nokians and keep the 19's or get Blizzaks. I just won't change them out until it becomes necessary. We're still in the 50's here.

 

I know it's not on your list but I have been extremely pleased with Michelin X Ice 3's on a dedicated set of wheels for the XJ8. I have heard great things about the Nokians, but IIRC, are a bit more expensive than the X Ice. I have ran with a few other brands of snow tires here in Idaho (especially when I lived up north more), and the X Ices have been far superior...so much so I have used them on the last couple of vehicles. They have more ice grip than any tire I have used, minus studded tires. Just something else to look at.

 

I put Cooper AT3's on my XJ (My Jeep Cherokee XJ). Last year I couldn't stand seeing my beautiful Jag in the snow and salt so I bought an old Jeep for the winter. It didn't cost too much more than a new set of snow tires and wheels for the Jag. And it gets to stay warm in the garage all winter with a battery tender attached to it.