I donno. My buddy's manual Neon on Ecsta MXs is better than this one girl's Solara on all-seasons on the snow. Granted he's also a much better driver. But I'm a bit surprised as to how well that Neon does in the snow.
Different story when braking down though I guess..
But DOT rated US spec all seasons suck hard too. Drove on Nankang NS2s half a winter, dead scary every morning. Of course they probably suck extra hard, and you're pretty ****ed on black ice whatever tires you're on. But I don't even like studless tires, I swear a good set of studded tires is the only way you're really protected through a winter. I don't give a **** if your city plows pretty well, all the idiots on summer tires, all seasons or winter tires without studs are polishing the roads so they're bloody dangerous to drive on after the city has plowed the streets. Also, even though you may leave your car in the drive if it's snowing, what about when it starts snowing when you're driving?
I don't really care if you drive your pride and joy into a tree.. But the fact that you're a potential threat to the people out on the streets is enough to make me mad. I'd rather have okay drivers on studs and really grippy studless than people thinking they're so great at driving they only need summer tires on the road.
I drove my beater on bald rear tires through last December, not that dangerous since the car was rwd, I could control wheel spin and I had grip up front, but when I one day took a glance at them and realized how bald they actually were, I changed them up. Drifted like hell with the new studded tires but at least I wouldn't kill someone you love.
It maybe sounds like I never do anything wrong, I'm not the most careful driver out there but I've experienced enough real winters to take them seriously. We had two weeks of 20C degrees minus here, and there's still a bunch of snow and ice left from this winter..
A bit longer reply than I intended, but don't cheap out or think it's not that big of a deal when it comes to winters unless you live in California..