I want a nice quiet highway tire that will give good mileage, good fuel economy and work well as an all season. Dedicated snow tires are amazing when you’re in real winter driving conditions but a PITA all the rest of the time. They wear quick, are loud and generally aren’t worth it unless you’re like a First Responder or something like that where you’re really obligated to be out driving in the worst weather.

 

Maybe a cooper at3 4s or at3 XLT, both great tires

 

I second that. The Cooper ATPII is also good in the snow and has the advantage of being lighter.

 

I would avoid the bf goodrich line for wet traction. Cooper discoverer at3 4s silica based for wet/snow traction, quiet. cooper road n trail, i think it replacing the atp. falken wildpeaks, if you never get off road the falken rubitreks would be better in that line. i used to always use yokohama geolanders and our subaru came with geolander HT and was great in snow. Nokian outpost or Hakkapeliitta

 

Modern studless winter tires are a huge improvement in NVH. I had Nokian Hakka R3s as a winter set on my last truck and the noise difference between those and Michelin LTX M/S tires was negligible. Right now I have Blizzak DM-V2s on and they're not quote Nokian level, but definitely not loud. I don't understand how people put up with studs unless they live somewhere like Canada or Alaska, though - I can hear them coming a half mile away.

I drive 22k/year (probably around 8-9k of that with winter tires on) and can get 3-4 years out of a set of winter tires.

If I needed a one tire solution, these would be it. Ran the Grabber AT2s years ago and they were awesome.

I'm one of the few that didn't like the AT3 4S. Winter traction in the first season was very good for an A/T, but by the second season they were downright scary. I'm talking 10-15 mph crawling around corners and still sliding toward the edge of the road.

 

Of course, it all depends on where you live--and how often you are willing to stay home (or drive very slowly). When I lived in Alaska I learned that winter (at least 6 months) requires real winter tires, and either a second set of wheels, or joining the crowds that have tires swapped on and off wheels every fall and spring. Winter in Colorado is shorter, except at high altitudes, but confidence in getting there and back on snowy icy roads is WAY better with real winter tires.

Anything that is all season, and even all-terrain tires with the snowflake stamp, are compromises.