Winter tires recommendation

Do not know where you live @lordnikon, but if you live in a big freezing rain/ice place, you might wish to consider the Nokian’s with studded tires. Their studded tires have 200 studs (instead of the usual 100), and underneath each stud is a cushion which is soft when needed, firms up when it gets cold — so best possible ice traction, yet comparatively little pavement damage.

I do not know whether they have studded ones in 16” sizes, but this catalog of theirs will answer that question.

https://dc602r66yb2n9.cloudfront.ne...ers/pricelists/NT_US_Product_guide_Winter.pdf


I have 18” winter wheels (the original OEM’s I had powder coated “Ultra Black Chrome”), and I am putting studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 8’s on them.

That is also the tire size that TireRack recommends for a Mazda 3 with 16” wheels. And here is a really good tire they and I also recommend; I bought these Michelin X-Ice Xi3 tires in a different size for my 2017 WRX’s winter wheels and am very happy with them.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tire...del=Mazda3+5-Door&autoModClar=i+Grand+Touring

Thanks to @Midnightsky228, I just learned of the latest generation Nokian Hakkapeliitta’s, the 9’s. They debut, among 7 other enhancements, two different stud shapes, the outmost bead ones for cornering stability, with different center bead studs for braking and acceleration.

I am now getting a bid from Discount Tire for the studded Nokian Hakkapeliitta 9’s.

Here’s the only not-in-Finnish-language video review of the 9’s I have found so far.

https://youtu.be/DIl6Wu__HLY