Winter Tires

Winter tires use a softer rubber compound that stays flexible below 7 °C (45 °F), the point at which all-season compounds begin to harden and lose grip. Deeper tread with dense siping bites into snow and channels away slush.

Fit them as a full set of four once temperatures are consistently near or below 7 °C, and swap back in spring — winter compounds wear quickly in summer heat.

Look for the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol, which certifies performance in a standardised severe-snow test. An M+S marking alone is a lesser, self-declared rating.

At ExtraBrake they range from $39.93 to $1108.99 per tire, or $159.72 to $4435.96 for a set of four, across 11 brands.

Fitting a matched set of four keeps grip balanced at both axles, which matters most in low-grip conditions. If you replace only two, they should go on the rear axle to reduce the risk of oversteer, regardless of which wheels drive the car.