All-Wheel Drive is Great, but Don’t Skip the Winter Tires
Do You Still Need Winter Tires If You Have AWD?
Most automakers have made their all-wheel drive systems more widely available across more platforms than ever before. In fact, all-wheel drive is becoming so common that we’re hearing more people ask, ‘Do you still need winter tires if you have all-wheel drive?’ In short, yes, you do. All-wheel drive is a great tool for less-than-ideal road conditions, but it isn’t the only option available to drivers. Follow along with the Davis Chevrolet Service Department while we take a look at some critical information.
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What Does AWD Actually Do?
Many drivers assume that all-wheel drive is a cure-all for winter roads, but AWD’s job is far more specific. When you accelerate, all-wheel drive sends power to all four wheels, helping the vehicle find the best possible grip. If one wheel slips, the system can shift power to others, allowing you to get moving without spinning out.
This is incredibly useful when pulling away from a stop on a snowy street or climbing a slick hill. But AWD’s strength ends there. It doesn’t increase the amount of traction your tires can generate, it simply manages the traction you already have. And if your tires are stiff, cold, and unable to grip the road, AWD has very little to work with.
AWD and Winter Tires: An Unbeatable Combination
Winter tires step in where all-wheel drive falls short. Unlike all-season tires, winter tires are made with a rubber compound designed to stay flexible in freezing temperatures. That flexibility keeps more of the tread pressed firmly against the road, improving the tire’s ability to bite into snow and ice.
The tread itself also works differently. Winter tires use deeper channels, aggressive edges, and thousands of tiny sipes, microscopic slits that grip ice in ways all-season tires simply can’t. These features improve the two most important parts of winter driving: stopping power and cornering control. AWD can help you move forward, but it cannot make your tires softer, grippier, or more effective in cold weather. Only winter tires can do that.
Winter Tires Help You Stop
Stopping distance depends entirely on tire traction, and in cold weather all-season tires harden and lose their ability to grip. That means an AWD vehicle on all-season tires can take much longer to stop than even a front-wheel drive car equipped with proper winter tires. Cornering works the same way, all-wheel drive doesn’t stop a slide or help a vehicle steer around an icy bend.
Put simply, AWD gives you the confidence to get moving, but winter tires give you the control to slow down, turn, and avoid hazards. Without both working together, you’re only getting half the winter safety equation.
If you have additional questions about the virtues of winter tires and all-wheel drive, make an appointment with the Davis Chevrolet Service Department today.