I’ve written about this before, but it bears repeating. People frequently complain to me about how their car handles in the snow. Sometimes they ask which car they should buy instead.

Well, the problem usually isn’t the car. It’s the tires. Some tires handle much better than others in the snow. And winter tires handle best of all. I’ve been using a set on my Mazda for the past few years, and wonder how I got by without them.

One qualification: winter tires are only at their best for a couple of seasons. Those on my Mazda, now in their fourth season, don’t have nearly the traction they had when new. Also realize that winter tires don’t last as long as the average conventional tire, because they’re made from very soft rubber. Especially if you continue to use them once temps get back over 50 Farenheit.

To see which winter tires are available for your vehicle, check over at The Tire Rack. You’ll find their widget in the sidebar of our Vehicle Specifications pages.