Hey

I have a Civic Tourer Sr 1.6 D and it is truly awful in the snow as experiences winter just passed. The car was on summer tyres and I am considering couple options below. The Tourer apart form the winter/snow is great for our needs and is a higher spec one and is great for us.

First option a set of winter tyre’s for the Tourer. (anyone had got a tourer and has the same issues in snow?)

Second looking at 16/17 plate Honda CRV SR 1.6 D or Mazda CX5 Spoprt 2.2 D?

I do know someone with the Mazda and runs it on summer tyres and had no issues last winter, CRV I’ve heard mixed reviews. Obviously both would perform best on winter tyres, but if I end up getting SUV and having to put winter tyres on this then maybe the tourer would be ok with winter tyres.

Thanks

Winter tyres make a MASSIVE difference to handling in the snow/ice. Unless you actually need to be offroad I would upgrade your existing car!

My brother lived in Norway for 5 years and always had 2wd cars and winter tyres from October through to March and he thought they made a massive difference so he swears by them. he wasn’t just pooling around town either, often big drives to ski resorts cross country. Of course 4wd is always better so 4wd with winter tyres the ultimate combo, but all 4wd systems are not created equal and you can get away with 2wd unless you’re looking to have that go anywhere off road capability. Its cheaper to get a set of winter tyres than a new car so I’d suggest that.

Don’t really do any off roading and we bought the tourer for it’s practically, and massive boot size. I don’t need a new car and actually like this one.

It is seriously bad in the snow tho, undrivable id say. I have a little Toyota aygo which for obvious reasons had no issues and powered us through last winter as the tourer sat in shame.

Ive had no issue before with a Toyota Auris and VW golf both FWD but the tourer I was absolutely shocked at, not sure if it’s the size of it and sits on a normal civic chassis or just generally rubbish in snow.

All comments and advice welcome and of course if you have a tourer and have same issue or use winter tyres would be great to hear from you. Even if it’s another tourer and not a civic

cheers

Yeah a set of winter tyres is definitely the cheapest option and also spare wheels makes it easier.

i guess my worry is that the initial outlay would be around £1k for wheels and winter tyres and then to find out the civic tourer is still bad, tbh I’ve not had such a bad car to drive in the snow.

Just get steel wheels or used alloys. Also consider smaller wheels if you can fit them and then you could have comfier and bigger tyres – they will probably be cheaper.

If you intend to keep the car for a while  then the winter tyre/steelies option would be my choice rather than getting a vehicle you may not find is as practical for the majority of the year. Going on Mytyres I had a decent set of steel wheels and Bridgestone winter tyres for £580 for my Superb estate , they lasted four winters and I sold them with 5mm of tread for £250. Bearing in mind I wasn’t wearing the summer tyres when they were on, the cost per year was well worth it.

The other thing it is not just in snow that they are better, if the temperature is below 7 Celsius than the compounds work better as well, particularly if wet.

Some of your current problems could be just driving style, especially with a diesel as it is much easier to drive a petrol car on snow with normal summer tyres. But it could also be that the current summer tyres are just especially bad in snow/cold weather.

My money would be on winter tyres. I can say 100% that a normal car on winter tyres will be better than an SUV on summer tyres. An SUV on winters will be better as it will have more clearance and stop you bottoming out and losing grip and an SUV with 4wd and winter tyres will obviously be even better at putting the power down. A 4wd SUV on summer tyres will be better at getting moving as it is only putting half the power through each wheel but  stopping will be no different to any other car on summer tyres.

I expect moving to an SUV will not only cost you £ but the running costs will be higher and the load space less. I’d either switch to Michelin Cross Climates all year round or pick up a set of steel wheels or cheap alloys and get some winter tyres. Don’t get too obsessed with buying the best snow rated winters, for Britain you want something more aimed at icy slush and cold wet performance. The old Nokian WR-G2 was brilliant for the UK and outperformed more snow orientated tyres in cold wet and cold dry conditions.

Buy something from a decent brand and check out the Autoexpress tyre reviews. Also check your handbook for recommended winter tyre sizes. I suspect on your civic it will just be a case of going like for like but some larger cars (eg big german saloons) have a smaller wheel size with a slightly narrower and higher profile tyre for winter instead of their wide low profile summer tyres.

Need to look into the steel option more and the used alloys. I also don’t want to make the car look rubbish for 4/5 months.

The next car will be some forum of SUV but was hoping to keep the civic for another 2 year, as it’s only 2.5 years old now.

or maybe I just do the jump now as trade in is actually pretty decent will have lost £5.5k in 2 years, it was an ex demo car so bought it 6 months old pre registered

I’m pretty confident the Mazda will do the job on summer tyres as my friend had no issues.

ah the decisions

Buy a set of steel wheels and winter tyres and the only problem you have left is where to store the wheels you’re not using. Buy a separate car for winter and you have to contend with insurance, tax, MOT and unknown reliability in addition to the initial cost of purchase.

There’s a reason winter tyres are mandatory in countries that get regular snow, and it is not a government conspiracy or lobbying by tyre manufacturers.

another thing to remember is that winter tyres still dont make you infallible and still wont grip on ice. In my experience they hang on a little bit better and it’s easier to get the grip back but only a studded tyre is going to grip in ice so take it easy with your new found confidence in the winter.

If you are in the UK then just put a set of Michelin CrossClimates on existing car and keep them on all year round. Perfectly acceptable performance.

I’ve had winter tyres on my wife’s car and Crossclimates on mine. The winter tyres were a bit better in snow but the Crossclimates were fine. I’ll be going for Crossclimates on both from now on.

I bought some  genuine Skoda Wheel covers for my steel wheels, I would say from a few feet away only car nerds would notice that they were not alloys.

I had to go the alloys route for my current car as steel wheels were not available in the correct size, a very decent refurbished set of genuine VW  wheels and Conti winter tyres did come to about the 1K mark but as above, I intend to keep the car for a while so cost will be spread over a while and the GTi alloys will be worth something at the end.

Cross climates are an alternative but for me I had a set of nearly new summer tyres on the car so it wasn’t an option I wanted to pursue

Storing the wheels/tyres is not an issue, plenty room in my garage for these.

This is my first diesel car, the rest have all been FWD petrols, but never had an issue before even in the bad winter of 2010. The fact that it is diesel could be an issue as mentioned in an earlier post, however I tried lots of things in the tourer to get it going and failed, it wont even get up my driveway and its on a slight upright position but nothing major.

I am more than happy to keep the tourer as its nice and meets our families needs, but will need to research more into winter tyres on the tourers performance. Either than or I’m driving the little aygo in the snow again, my wife wont be happy she is car less!!

Will have a google on tyres and cheaper alloys/steels but first I need to find some other tourer drivers.

Im in the Uk, but in Edinburgh and stay on the outskirts and on higher ground where we do get snow fall and getting out of the street can proved a challenge at times.

I’ve also recently put 3 new summers on this so would be wasting these, but guess I need to weigh up the cost of wheels and winter tyres compare to all seasons and the loss of my current tyres

I wanted to switch to cross climates but they don’t do them in my size. I can only get full on winters or full on summers. damn you 265x35x18 and 245x40x18 tyres!

Fit Michelin CrossClimate or Goodyear Vector 4Season tyres. The 4Seasons seem to get good reviews, and the price is reasonable as well. The only caveat is that their performance will be compromised in really hot weather like we’re having at the moment, but putting them on later in the year, and through normal summer conditions you’ll likely see a real benefit to having them fitted. My Octavia will need new fronts in the next couple of months, so I’m getting a pair of Vectors fitted, they’re going to cost around £70-80 or so, which I think’s reasonable.

Are these “fashionable” low profile tyres and wheels? If so, that’s your problem right there. I lived in Balerno for years and just ended up using winters all year round (even more so now I’m in Aviemore). The Diesel vs Petrol thing is a red herring and I can’t see why that particular car would be any worse than any others (LP wheels excepted). If you really are concerned about winter performance then get a car with thinner, smaller wheels. The SUV of itself won’t help much either, unless you are similarly going to fit winter tyres.

Im in the Uk, but in Edinburgh and stay on the outskirts and on higher ground where we do get snow fall and getting out of the street can proved a challenge at times.

I work and travel all over Scotland and the crossclimates got me everywhere I needed to get to on a rear wheel drive bmw 3 series tourer last winter and on a berlingo prior to that.

Tyre size is 225/45/17 and the tyres were the ones that came with the car michelin’s not sure on the exact details. I have recently put on a mid priced pirelli as they were offered a good deal at the time.

Not really looking to down size the car, i.e get a car with thinner smaller wheel, plus we have an aygo as a 2nd run around which was truly great in the snow.

If winter tyres is the answer Im happy with that, but I am just not sure as my experience with the tourer was awful.

Great to hear tyres helped your RWD BMW as that’s a massive step, seen a fair few RWD having major issues last winter

Apparantly the Honda Civic has been the best selling car in Canada for the best part of 20 years. Whether this is the same model/version we get here you’d need to look up but if it is then they must be at least ok in winter. Maybe look at what tyres come on theirs compared to here?

I have a 7m rwd van that used to get stuck on flat damp grass and just spun it’s rear wheels. I didn’t take it out in the snow

<span style=”font-size: 0.8rem;”> Stuck on winter compound tires and it transformed it into a surefooted in the snow vehicle. </span>

Alternatively buy an SUV and find it’s still shite in the snow (which itiwill be if its on summer tires) n have to buy winters anyway

Winter tyres / all season tyres.

A 4wd will help you get going but won’t stop or go round corners any better than a 2wd on summer tyres.

My Avensis was battering through half metre deep snow drifts on cross climates 5 months ago.

I’ve watched a few vids of civics in the snow, in the states and Canada and all were doing fairly well especially with the winter tyres.

no tourers tho, I had a civic years ago R reg and that was fine in the snow with summers.

i do think it’s a tourer issue rather than the normal civic. There are fairy new last 2/3 years so tracking down owners is a little difficult.

my only defense with the SUV is that my friend had is Mazda running out and about on winters during the winter (beast from the east) with no issues and he stays further out where the snow is worse than I get.

More than happy to give the winter tyres a bash. If I kept the tourer for another 2 years  so 2 more winters would you recommend getting another set of alloys or steels or just get someone to swap the tyres over onto existing alloys and back again in summer?  I am guessing £20 a change so 2 winters would be £320

Just read an article saying that the tourer civic will no longer be in production any longer, wonder if it is better to jump ship with this now

Use whatever tyres you have at the moment.  If next winter like the last few (not the last one) you’ll be fine.  When they wear out change to crossclimates or vector4S.  If next winter starts to look bad pop down to Costco in Straiton and get some crossclimates put on then.

A 4wd will help you get going but won’t stop or go round corners any better than a 2wd on summer tyres.

Never forget this. Crashes are generally not caused by failure to get going.

We have a Freelander on Nokian Weatherproof and a Alhambra that runs proper winter tyres. Had no issues with either this last winter and didn’t even need to get the snowsocks out.

Get winter tyres, nuff said. Or if you are really worried about cost (obviously not, as you are considering buying an SUV) buy all season tyres that you can run all year. Personally I run winters in the winter on my original alloys. I’ve had separate alloys but its just an extra expense.

I am concerned by cost, the only reason was that my next car will be an SUV, so it was to find out if winter tyres will do the job for now which it appears they will.

I menationed SUV as I thought it might be better to get do the change of cars now rather in 2 years if the winter tyres would not help.

So you just change the tyres over every summer and winter to the existing alloys? I think this would suit me better for a couple years I intend to keep the tourer.

Winter tyres make a pisstaking difference. My street in Edinburgh absolutely collapsed this year with just about nothing getting up it, so I drove over to the completely closed street next over and just effortlessly drove up it, passing a thoroughly stuck landy- I didn’t even get to feel smug because I did nothing.

It helps if you have the sort of car that people buy winters for- I have a mondeo, which takes wheels off most fords but also jags and volvos, so there’s millions of sets of alloys and steels with good quality, barely used tyres on, on ebay, where people have sold a car on. I got my first set of snowproxes for £100 on fugly volvo alloys.

Triggered!

An SUV with out winter tyres is NOT going to be better than a FWD car with winter tyres!

I have strong opinions on his issue, but no responsible human being with control of a car in any environment beyond the equator* should be without winter tyres. Ideally, an extra set of steel wheels with winters permanently mounted should be in everyone’s garage or shed.

Honestly, on planet Earth, I don’t think there is a people with a stupider approach to vehicle tyres than the British.

Ive no doubt that an SUV in summer tyres would be better than a FWD in winter tyres, the winter tyres will be best.

My issue is that I’ve not had any issues before in any of the cars I have previously owned on summers, until now with the tourer. My view was that my next car would be a SUV therefore changing to a CRV now would be better in summer tyres than my current car in summers.

I am happy to give winter tyres a go prob going to be approx £400 to test this, plus swapping back in summer £80 and if its still rubbish then I guess I look to swap next winter to an SUV

I live in the Borders with a commute to Edinburgh and the all season Vredsteins have been brilliant, even the snow socks didn’t have to be fitted this year (with a recent diesel Ford Fiesta).

My dad recently bought a new Kia 4×4, and in comparison he had a nightmare this winter with summer tyres fitted – countless dodgy spins & slides.

My vote goes for you to try different tyres. Slap on some all seasons as it’s less faff imo.

I live in Calgary and so see all combinations of setup. Not all summer tires are created equal and neither are winters so it might be that your current summers are just poor and not the cars fault per se. 4wd helps you to start but doesn’t help to stop.  I like Michelin X-ice but think they are a Canadian model?

If you’re running very low profile it can be cheaper and easier to size down and get a thicker tire. It also means you can run a bit lower pressure and get better grip.

4wd doesn’t help you stop.

So although some people can move forward and maybe round a corner with summer tyres (sure they’re summer and not all weather?) It is no substitute for winter tyres regardless of 4 or 2wd.

Basically get winter tyres whatever you’re doing.

Part of it of course is “summer tyres”- our default choice should be something practical and allroundey. Summery tyres work best when it’s warm and dry and you don’t really care if you have 4% more grips, allroundy tyres work better when it’s wet and crappy and you’re more likely to want it, winter tyres more so.

I am tempted by the all season tyres as this does save the hassle of swapping. However I have recently put 3 new summers on the car about 3 months ago, one was replaced not that long before with a puncture. So they would be wasted.

A new set of alloys doesn’t sit well with me for a couple years. However the cost to swap back and forth would be about £320, so couple hundred more and you can get alloys and then sell them.

Most of what I’d like to say is already posted above, we’ve a Civic hatch that runs all season tyres all year and it does fine. We had all seasons on a Ford Fusion (fiesta) and when you are scrambling it up an unmade track covered with compacted icy snow, and are able to pull into a gateway to avoid two proper 4x4s slide past using the hedge to keep them on the track, you can see how important tyres are.

I can’t see why the Tourer would be much worse than the hatch, it might have different suspension on the back…*whisper*…it’s probably more down to driving style!

Also, the SUVs you listed are probably the crappy hair-arsed attempt, where the torque limiter on the weedy lightweight rear differential is so low that the rear wheels cannot move the car by themselves (there are YouTube clips demonstrating this on the CR-V)

“Part of it of course is “summer tyres”- our default choice should be something practical and allroundey. Summery tyres work best when it’s warm and dry and you don’t really care if you have 4% more grips, allroundy tyres work better when it’s wet and crappy and you’re more likely to want it, winter tyres more so.”

Nothing to do with moisture. Summer tyres have perfectly adequate tread for roads. It’s all about temperature. Summer tyres work better in summer temperatures wether its wet or dry. In the UK most of us live over 90% of the time in temperatures that are suited best to Summer tyres. I stick with summer tyres all year round and for the handful of days where the temps are genuinely below 6 degrees I just drive a bit more carefully…but to be honest I’ve never really found a significant performance drop. Mostly our winter days might start off at sub 6 degrees, but a few hours into the day temps have crept up to higher temperatures…we very rarely get sustained periods of several days or weeks at sub 6 degree temperatures, and never months of sustained temps that low. Obviously probably different the further north you go, but here in the temperate East Midlands, our winters tend to be wet and mild so well within the summer tyre temp zone.

This is the first time I have had to even consider winter tyres, like I said before never had any issue before with any FWD hatchback on summer tyres, I even drove from Edinburgh to south east in a harsh winter in 2012 I think it was with no issues in a golf, but then again a golf is a true machine!

This was the first ever time a car has failed me in the winter.

The hill up to my street can be a true challenge with snow on the ground, but ever car I’ve owned has got up there apart from the tourer, complete fail.

Maybe it was just the wrong type of snow.