So in December/January I am moving across the country from NY to Montana. When I arrive in Montana I will certainly be switching out to snow tires as it seems to snow everyday there until April.

I am planning on switching out the Bridgestone Turanzas prior to this trip which will probably be around 2,500 miles. I'm not happy with these tires so far and they seem to have horrible long term reviews.

I am not replacing the wheels, just the tires so I had two questions that I was hoping to get some help with as I have never switched stock size and I have always owned Continental All-seasons.

1. If I plan on staying with the 185/55/16 tire size, it seems that there are limited options on tire rack for all seasons. With that said, the Michelin Premier A/S seem to be extremely well reviewed but are expensive. How do the Yokohoma Avid/Ascend tires compare? Thoughts on either of these?

2. Would a 190/50/16 tire fit the stock wheels?

Thanks for your help Freaks! This forum has been a wonderful resource for me and my new Fit.

 

You should check the comparison ratings and reviews from tire rack first. Hope we can learn something from your experience in winter tire selection.

 

I will certainly update this thread during and after my road trip. I have checked the tire rack comparisons but one person says one thing and another says another and none of them drive a Fit. I was hoping to get some first hand experiences from current and previous Fit owners if I could.

 

It all depends on where you are going in Montana and how well they plow the roads.

Average Annual Snowfall Totals in Montana - Current Results

You cannot run in much over 5" of accumulated snow due to the ground clearance on a Fit so spending a lot on snow trees is questionable. If you already have all-season tires you might be OK. We got over 120" of snow last year and my daughter ran her Fit on Yokohama Avid Ascends every day to work last year except one when the police shut down the roads.

It all depends on how much snow you get at one time, how wet the snow is, and how well the roads are plowed.

 

Thank you for your reply. Someone else said the same thing about snow tires to me. I am moving to Bozeman and I think the average snowfall is approx. 85" per year. My father-in-law has lived there forever and drives an 88 Oldsmobile with tires that probably came with the car and he has never had a problem. Apparently they plow very well in Bozeman.

So that is a +1 for the Avid Ascends and I will keep that in mind. I have read terrible things about the Bridgestones in snow but it's all hearsay.

Edit: Just looked at that link for average snowfall in Montana. Geez, who lives in Cooke city?

 

The majority of driving in urban areas is on plowed or packed snow. If you're driving in non-urban areas you need a higher-clearance vehicle but folks drive ordinary cars in town and on the highways.

That said, I'm very glad I moved to the southwest!

 

190/50R16 tires would fit and work, but it's theoretical because that's not an available tire size. 195/50R16 would be a reasonable choice. There may be a slight difference in outer diameter leading to slight speedometer and odometer errors; there are a variety of tire size calculators online that can tell you the exact details, but it's pretty close.

 

As a former tire salesperson, I would advise against the lower branded tires such a Yokohama and everything you mentioned after. Stick with Firestone, Bridgestone, Michelin, imo. Goodyear and Continental are very hit or miss from my experience.

Turanza's are the outdated model, and for a reason. The new version 'with Serenity Plus' is an 80K A/S tire that only has amazing reviews. I cannot speak to those specific Michelin's you mentioned.

As far as snow tires go, Montana would be the target market for sure lol

My rec is whatever Bridgestone Blizzak fits, get that. Firestone Auto Care's also do free changeovers for 3 seasons and bag the All-Season tires for you. Just my .02

 

The under-carriage of the 2015 Fit is what determines my traction.

I now have exceeded 41,100 miles thus far. Last week here in NE Ohio, we received over 12" of snow in a 3-day period. Before calling for a plow, I was curious how this model Fit (2015 EX auto) would handle.

I backed out of the garage and got about 20' when I lost traction. Got out and immediately noticed marks on the snow from the under-carriage. Had no problem pulling forward into the garage.

I have always good traction from my previous Fits and never been stuck, but this 2015 model has much less clearance it seems.

 

regarding snows on the fit, i have 185/65-15 general altimax on my 15' currently. i have put 7k on them so far, and i am very happy with them. i put a new pair on the front of my commuter every season.

i have gone through dozens of sets of tires on my vehicles in recent years, and the general snows have proven excellent and inexpensive. i have blizzaks on one of my trucks, and they are excellent. the generals have a softer sidewall, and seem to wear a bit quicker, but work just as well.

 

Unlike my old VWs which slide over snowdrifts like a toboggan, a Fit will leave major bits of undercarriage plastic behind if I try the same stunt. Sometimes Old School works better than the latest tech!

 

"The VW Beetle: What the Snowplow driver drives to get to work!"

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