175/65R15 are close, but 195/55R15 are on the money...use the OEM size if you're using 15-inchers. Once I ware out my Hakkapeliitta RSi's, I'm going to 205/50R16's.

 

I have 175/65R14 Michelin X-ice XI2 and they're amazing! Trust me with the snow storms we had lately, my Fit would be in a ditch right now if it was'nt for these... I had the first gen of X-ice before and drove 300 km in very bad weather without a single problem... i've seen a lots of accidents that day!

FYI a smaller contact patch is actually a good thing, because you get more pounds per square inch on the road & ice!

 

I don't think so...that is why I'm going to the larger, wider tires...it just doesn't make good engineering sense to me. It goes counter to everything I know about engineering. I'll be able to confirm my theory next year when I replace my winter wheels. I've already got a spare set of 16-inchers just for that. I ordered X-Ice Xi2's for my Scion tC...I will install them this weekend. Too bad Xi2's don't come in 205/50R16 for my Fit.

 

Wider tires have more chances of griping to a dry patch, but on an large ice patch it does'nt matter, what you want is the most weight on least surface, that's one of the reasons for studded tires... and if you get bigger tires, the sipes won't operate properly...

 

OEM size is not necessarily the best application for use, racing or snow travel, though very rarely the same.
The 195/55x15's are wider and will require more effort to 'plow' thru the snow meaning its easier to get stuck. Worst, the tread contact area is larger, which means less pressure for traction. And last but not least, the 175/65x15's are slightly larger than the 195/55x15's, 23.95 vs 23.44" and thus the larger 175/65x15's roll over oncoming snow easier than the 195/55x15's because the 'ramp' angle is smaller. Its the same as easier to climb a shallow angle ramp compared to a steep one.
These all matter. Not surprising the 175's are better rain tires as well.
As for the difference in diameter mattering on mph on the speedo. the difference is 2.2 % or 61.3 mph when the odo reads 60 mph. And that also means you go only go 9,780 miles by your odo when you actually went 10,000 miles so to your benefit especially when you might be doing a bit of tire spinning in the snow. And even then thge 175/65x15's haveless of a tendency to lose traction and spin. Not that they won';t but that its harder to do. They tend to grab and propel your Fit.

 

There's a significant difference in price... almost $30 per tire!

 

You get what you pay for...

 

OEM size is not necessarily the best application for use, racing or snow travel, though very rarely the same.
OK...lots of word, but nothing said.
The 195/55x15's are wider and will require more effort to 'plow' thru the snow meaning its easier to get stuck.
Wider tires always take more power to turn, because you have better traction!
Worst, the tread contact area is larger, which means less pressure for traction.
Better…not worse! Just think about what you just said…
And last but not least, the 175/65x15's are slightly larger than the 195/55x15's, 23.95 vs 23.44" and thus the larger 175/65x15's roll over oncoming snow easier than the 195/55x15's because the 'ramp' angle is smaller. Its the same as easier to climb a shallow angle ramp compared to a steep one.
You would have to go to Monster Truck size tires to see or feel a difference in ‘ramping’.
These all matter. Not surprising the 175's are better rain tires as well.
Not true…check your data…the tread pattern has the biggest effect here!
As for the difference in diameter mattering on mph on the speedo. the difference is 2.2 % or 61.3 mph when the odo reads 60 mph. And that also means you go only go 9,780 miles by your odo when you actually went 10,000 miles so to your benefit especially when you might be doing a bit of tire spinning in the snow.
I agree…
And even then thge 175/65x15's haveless of a tendency to lose traction and spin.
I do not agree…the only thing that will make a difference here are studs…
Not that they won';t but that its harder to do. They tend to grab and propel your Fit.
Only if you’ve got studs…but not the topic here.

 

You could've told us you don't fully grasp what you are talking about in non-bold, black text without being rude right off the bat.

mahout is correct. Smaller contact area, same force= more pressure. The same reasons Bonneville racers use skinny tall tires on the salt applies to snow and daily drivers.

But by all means go slap some 245s on and have at. By the way, studs won't do you any good if you plane over the snow with a wide tire... Why do you think studs and tire chains work in the first place?

Had you not been so condescending this could've been polite intelligent discourse on the principals involved.

Just curious, what engineering "sense" do you possess?

 

I didn’t realize that using bold lettering was considered to be rude…is this a new etiquette? I just wanted to distinguish the two parties involved. The original was black lettering and not bolded and the other red lettering and bold. I was not sure the color was going to be accepted, so I made it bold too…

I didn’t mean to be rude…that was not my intent…nor condescending. Please accept my apologies for using bold.

 

Don't be obtuse:

 

I always get suckered into these winter tire threads…I hate that outdated tire technology, and therefore no longer applicable to today’s tire construction, is continued to be propagated. All I will say is that I have 195/55R15 Nokian Hakkapeliitta RSi tires on the stock Sport wheels of my ’07 Fit. This will be my 4th season with these tires…I have all kinds of stories of how well they have worked for me and how I have embarrassed stuck 4X4 trucks and SUVs with “all season” tires, but I won’t bore you with all that. Next season I will have to replace them and I have already purchased 16X6½J wheels for 205/50R16 winter tires. Yes, larger and wider…This is what I’m going to do…you can do what you think is right for you. I think I will improve the handling and performance on snow, ice, sleet, etc…since I don’t have any credibility here, you probably won’t be interested in my comparison and if my theory is correct…

Guess what? You loose out. Don’t come back here and read what I have to say. Continue to spread potentially miss-information. I might be right…but then again, I could be wrong.

It takes an idiot like me to question “common knowledge” and do something against the grain…

Just remember this…if you copy what everybody else is doing, at best, you will only be as good as everybody else…if you do something different, you will either be out front or in back. Next winter we will all know where I will be.

See you then…

 

If that makes you feel better..

Clearly I copy what everyone else does

You are going of opinion, we are going off fact.

All the technology in the world will do you no good if the tire floats so far above the road that the sipes and other features can't do their jobs.

The Nokian RSI's are fantastic tires though, that I will agree on.

 

LOL... it's obvious you don't have problems with your Hakka's, they're one of the best tires out there!
As for bigger tires, you will probably have less problems in snow, (just picture your car "swimming" in the snow) as for ice, trust me, you want the smallest contact patch!

Trust me i've been through horrible snow storms i know what i'm talking about! but if yo go with X-ice, once again your tires should compensate for the bad size pick... but again, the sipes won't work well...

 

yes, I get a narrower tire that will give better traction and keeps my wheels away from the salt. Sounds like a win-win.

 

In addition, I am making this decision based on experience. The best car I have ever driven in the snow was a 1996 Dodge Neon with 13" steel rims and all weather tires. It handled much better in the snow than my 2001 Neon with 14" wheels and tires.
That being said, my Fit has handled the snow we've had so far pretty well. While it will never be quite as good as my wife's Subaru Outback, with a good set of snow tires, I don't think I will have any problems.

I'm going to throw this question out to everyone... if I decided to stick with the stock wheels, what would you recommend for an all-weather tire that will perform relatively well in the snow (I stress the word relatively... I know that all-weather tires are never going to be as good as snow tires)?

 

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S
Plan B...Dunlop Signature

 

 

Let an engineer point out to you that the smaller the patch for a given weight the higher the pressure. Higher pressure yields more grip in 'soft' surfaces.

And yes you can overdo it.
As for selection of snow tires consult TireRacks testing. test results always beats opinions.
good luck

 

I'm beginning to think I should just save on winter tires and drive my wife's car when the snow is bad... she's home with my son during the day. That way I can afford to upgrade my tires and wheels this summer!