Potenza RE92's as original were not great. Dealer supplied 205-55-16 Winterforce snows on steelies gave great traction on snow or ice but "floated" on deep snow. Feels like BAD hydroplane. These tires were also too large dia. and rubbed the bodywork so they replaced them with 195-60-15. The narrower tire is MUCH better in deep snow but next time I will go even narrower, maybe 185 or even 175. Otherwise the sportback RA is really good in snow. The car breaks loose very predictably and is easily put into oversteer or understeer as desired with the throttle. I have found that I do not have to use the handbrake nearly as much with it as with my other FWD cars. This is a well engineered suspension.
Clark

 

Holy Crap thats alot of snow. do you guys get stuck alot with the RA? I got stuck in the snow once. Hey ilovecb 23 your lucky the guy only kicked you out cause where i went the guy called the cops on me and i got a $75 ticket and got my car impounded for a day

 

Now THAT'S something I've never heard a FWD car do
Then again, this car is based off the EVO.

 

I have not gotten stuck. Deepest snow so far this year has been about 12", which I could get through no problem. My car even backed out though a 1.5' birm of snow that the plow left for me later that day. Jerk. I had to dig out my exhaust before I could even start my car.

 

Just to touch on you getting enkei's... this may be off topic... but our stock rims are Enkei's... They just don't have a label or name printed on outside of rim...
I had a flat & when changing noticed the Enkie & figure 8 logo are on the opposite side...

Didn't know if anyone knew that & I was pretty surprised...

Sorry if that's off-topic!!!

 

How did you NOT get stuck in that? Or were you going anyway and just kinda went with it on that road? Because I can't see someone actually getting going from a stop in that snow.

 

After I took that pic, I had to back up a car length or two to get going again. The road I was on is about 3 miles long. I was on the last little bit of it, before it met up with a road that had been plowed. I had to stop and see how deep it actually was on the car.

 

the ra handels wonderfully in the snow had 8 to 10 inches here in milwaukee and i was on the roads b4 the plows so I thought it was gonna be a horrible ride home but the ra found its groove and it was smoothe sailing for 20 miles .....with a lil snow drifting here and there around the coners lol

 

Umm.. Was that in Light snow or 4+ inches?Cause I was out at a friends last weekend and got caught in 4 inches of snow and it wasnt very fun.My car HATED it and I almost wrecked 2 times and ran 4 lights and 2 stop signs.. IMO the potenzas suck as a snow tire.IF it snows here or ices.. forget about going ANYWHERE cause it ain happening in that car.Dont get me wrong.. maybe its just MY Raliart.. but here in PA I have heard it from a few others that they[RA] dont like snow(or atleast the tires dont).I learned to drive in snow in a RWD camaro with Drag radials on it so surely driving the RA in snow couldnt be that hard.. Or that was my thought until I did and it didnt want to move or stop.I had to stay in second gear even from a stop otherwise I would just sit in that spot spinning tires.AS for warming up.. I couldnt agree more.. It warms up fairly quickly and in light snow or a dusting its fine.. get to 4 inches or more and your not gonna go anywhere.I am gettin the Pirelli PZero Nero M+S (mud and snow) tires soon so hopefully that will solve my issue.Sorry to say it but the Camaro with Drag radials handled way better in the snow than this thing.Sure I couldnt go fast,But when its snowing who wants to?I rather stay slow and get where I am going safely without damage to my car or me.. Thats just me though.

 

ok.. well sems alot of you have had a good experience.. Dont get me wrong.. once you figure out the niche its a good car in the winter.. just starting out with the Potenza's ( my dealership loves summer tires)was horrible for me.But after a while it got better I suppose.. I just had to stay in 2nd the whole time until I hit a plowed road then I was ok.POtenzas stick really nice BTW.. Just not in the snow.Sorry for the double post..

 

Starting in 2nd from a stop is part of driving a stick in snow. As for the nearly wrecking your car, maybe the Potenzas just suck that much in snow compared to the RS-As, which suck in everything else.

 

lol.. Maybe your right.In the Camaro tho I started from first no problems.. and it was stick with a racing clutch and drag radials.. The Potenzas do suck in snow.. not too bad in Rain.. tho mine have like 10k on them now.But very sticky when its dry.. very very sticky.YEah this FWD in the snow thing is a bit different than RWD with Drag radials.. but I thought it was supposed to be easier especially when you have all season tires ( or supposed all season tires).. Oh well..I learned otherwise in the RA.Last I checked Potenzas arent a winter tire at all.. yes they make some,but these potenzas are definately summer tires.

 

I've got the Goodyear Eagle RS-As on mine, but I heard the Pirelli PZero Nero M+S are great tires even in snow, anyone know about this? And yes, I am in that Chicago Style Winter... It's FREEZING!

 

I find in this kind of snow I get, all season tires - no matter the brand, just don't cut it!

 

I think even a Subaru Impreza might have trouble in that :P