Winter Tires: Business Up Front or Party in the Back?

Suppose you have a front-wheel-drive vehicle and you’re looking to fit a set of winter tires. Also, let’s assume that two of those tires have much more tread depth than the other two. On which end of the car do you install the better rubber?

According to the CBC, a woman in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada (that’s my town!) ran into just this problem, complete with conflicting advice from two repair shops: One said putting the fresher rubber up front is safer as the vehicle is front-wheel drive, while the other said giving the rear more grip is the best course of action to reduce the chance of a spin out.

Which one is correct?

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  • Kenneth Ironic story here...My father's first Hyundai/Kia car was an 86 Hyundai Excel, we drove it from Oklahoma to California and back the first year he had owned it; it was so under powered that every hill on the interstate (and every other road) was done in second gear, he put 300,000 miles on it before he sold it. It wasn't fast, it wasn't fancy but it got the job done and never left him on the side of the road.He owns a 2020 Kia Soul now...My first Hyundai which I recently bought is a 2014 Hyundai Equus Signature which I picked up in Phoenix and drove back to Oklahoma, it is everything that the Excel isn't and so much more.
  • Analoggrotto Another step in towards total adoption of Tesla vehicles for the ENTIRE american public by 2025. Anyone who refuses to admit that TESLA is the best will be deported from our galaxy, our future and our universe.
  • Dukeisduke This makes me think of the gimmicky ads for some retail electricity providers here in Texas, specifically TXU Electric and Reliant - "free nights", "free weekends", etc.
  • BEPLA Just say no to driving around in circles for hours turning left the entire way and calling it a "sport"
  • BEPLA I can make a guess why this car is in the junkyard:A severe lack of maintenance, causing catastrophic system failure - most likely the engine locked up from a lack of oil changes.