The front axle has winter tires and the rear has summer rubber. What could go wrong with this vehicle?
You can drive safely with a set of high-quality all-season tires. They will get you through the winter areas that receive moderate amounts of snow. They won’t be as effective as four winter tires. Do not put winter tires on the front of your vehicle. This video by Tyre Review explains why this is such a bad idea.
A vehicle with only one winter tire on its axle will create a grip imbalance between its two ends. While this is not a problem for straight-forward driving, it can cause serious issues when cornering. The car can spin at low speeds and the driver is not able to stop it from spinning again.
Although this issue looks fun, it could be dangerous for drivers on the roads. Other drivers might also be affected by the adverse conditions and may not be able react quickly enough to avoid your sliding vehicle.
While winter tires can be expensive, they offer a significant traction advantage when it is icy. A set of winter tires will generally last several seasons so you won’t need to replace them every year.
Tire Reviews did a snowy-weather test to prove winter tires’ capabilities. They compared a front-wheel drive vehicle with them against a similar all-wheel-drive model that was running on summer tires. The snow tires won the test by being able brake, accelerate and corner better despite having only two wheels.