Tire sizing for winter

[NRG]

Hi,

I have a 2010 Genesis Sedan Technology Pkg. so it has tires size of 235/50/18. I am thinking about getting winter tires and i am torn between two sizes of tires for winter. I know that thinner winter rims are recommended but with thinner rims, handling is given up. Which size would you guys recommended for WINTER TIRES.

215/55/17

or

225/55/17

I live in Edmonton, Alberta Canada so the winters here are deadly.

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Rey]

I have also heard that thinner width winter tires work better than fat width winter tires, but I doubt the differential you are considering will make a measurable difference in your winter traction, etc. That's just my opinion, but do seek advice from tire experts like TireRack.
In my opinion the money so spent would be better invested in buying new winter tires every year as opposed to driving winter tires down to the wear bars.

 

[wallymn]

I ended up with 225/55 which keeps the speedo correct... The narrow tire helps... dedicated winter tread (blizzak for me). is what really makes the difference... I couldn't drive my car in 1/8th in of snow with the summer tires on,, now I can plow thru 6 inches without any issues..

more than 6 inches and the front end becomes a plow...

 

[NRG]

225/55/17 makes a difference of 1.2% to the speedo where as if it get the 215/55/17 only makes a difference of 0.3% to the speedo.

 

[Midnightsun]

Stock 17" is 225/55/17. I got the Continental Extreme winter Contact in that size. Don't know how well they work as it has yet to snow here.

 

[TEF]

If one reads his/her manual, the Hyundai lists the 225/60-17 tire as one of the three sizes acceptable for a 3.8 sedan. Moreover, Tirerack, often recommends a narrower sized snow tire for a given vehicle, despite the fact that it's usually cheaper. Either on their website or magazine, they explain that a narrower snow tire is prefered as it cuts through deeper snow rather than riding up upon it.

 

[Midnightsun]

If one reads his/her manual, the Hyundai lists the 225/60-17 tire as one of the three sizes acceptable for a 3.8 sedan. Moreover, Tirerack, often recommends a narrower sized snow tire for a given vehicle, despite the fact that it's usually cheaper. Either on their website or magazine, they explain that a narrower snow tire is prefered as it cuts through deeper snow rather than riding up upon it.

I agree however my Genny V8 came stock with 18" wheels and going down to 17" is fine. 16" is what is on my wifes Nissan cube and would definately look rather small on the rather large Genny. If you go to tire rack they will recommend the 225/55/17 for winters

 

[Stoofpilot]

Move to North Carolina and you wont have to have two sets of tires!!

 

[TEF]

To Midnightsun, Tirerack might recommend 215/55-17 snows, but Hydundai's manual indicates 215/60-17. The latter is better for two reasons: it is a larger diameter (only 3mm smaller than OEM 18" tire and wheel combo vice 25 mm for 55 profile), so there's virtually no speedo error. Secondly, the 60 profile is usually cheaper than a 55 in a given size. In my earlier posting I mistyped the size as 225/60-17, but Hyundai recommends 215/60-17.