Just bought a new 09 fit sport and am having a very hard time finding studded tires for this car. I really don't want to buy new rims and sensors and all that and am looking for 16" tires that will fit. Anybody know what size tires I can guarantee will fit on this car??? I'm not having any luck w/ Honda or any of the local tire shops and am probably going to have to order online...

 

what you could do is get the tires you have on now studded... and than after the snow go get new tires from honda.

 

i'm running a set of nokian hakkapelliitta r in 195/55/16 -- they're just one size wider, so in theory i believe your speedometer will read just a tad slow compared to actual. had no problems whatsoever fitting them over oem sport wheels using existing tpms sensors.

from a standstill and around a corner it can't (for obvious reasons) match the traction i had w/ my a4 avant running dunlop wintersport 3d, but breaking on ice and snow is actually better. in fact i've been so amazed i had to purposely slam on the brakes to make sure abs actually works.

nokian makes the hakkapelliitta 5 in that same size if you truly need studs.

got mine from tiresbyweb...ordered on monday and they were delivered by ups thursday -- free shipping and no tax.

 

Going narrower is no big deal. Mine are a size narrower because I couldn't find the Hakkepelliitta 5s in the oe size. You may want to check Johnson's down here in Anc, they usually have what you need or can order it for you. Make sure you check with the guys on on 33rd & Denali or Benson & Northern Lights, the hacks on Dimond broke my TPMS and tried to charge me for the repair. Continental Honda even discourages customers from going to the Dimond one because of how many sensors they break. The other two are fine tho.

 

I ended up going to Johnson's out here in the Valley and got the Hakka 5's in 195/55/16. Way more money than I wanted to spend but I really feel this car needs studs for up here in Alaska (I'm coming from an '02 Outback to give perspective). I got to say though that I find it really irritating that Honda (in Alaska at least) would sell this car and not have any tires for it, not even a replacement for the one's that came on the car.

 

That is dumb. When I bought mine, I had the studs installed by Honda before I picked it up and had the cost added to the financing.

 

Here is an interesting review and test of 4 sets of winter tires, 3 studless and 1 studded. Interestingly, the studded tire came in last in ice traction. Worth a read. Of course, YMMV.

Technological or Traditional Traction For Ice and Packed Snow?

Tires tested were:
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60
Dunlop Graspic DS-2
Michelin X-Ice
Firestone Winterforce with Studs

From the article:

FWIW.

 

I had a hard time finding any place that had a tire (any tire) that would maybe fit on this car. Most places told me they weren't ordering any new tires for winter until next Aug-Sept. The Honda service department was no help. I didn't really feel I had time to ship tires to up here, as driving conditions yesterday on the stock tires was downright treacherous. I'm actually pretty satisfied so far with the Nokians.

 

Thinner is always better for winter time, more pressure in smaller area. Thats why Semi trucks usually have no problem in the snow.