I'm a new owner of a slightly used 2008 HHR. Do these cars have traction problems in snow? I recently went to visit a friend who lives in the mountains of the North east. Snow began and an hour later there was a little over an inch on the road. When I got off the mountain and out of the snow my wife said that was scary. I just said you should have been driving. I haven't read good reviews on the Firestone Afinity tires but could that be the problem or is the car just bad in snow? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

Most here will say that it's definately the tires, and should go w/ a good set of aftermarket rims and snow tires. But that's something that I really don't have to worry about in Miami.

 

Ive had only one problem in the snow and that was because I was going to fast. Im running the stock tires on my 08. Just be smart and slow down and you should be fine.

 

I don't go into that kind of weather, but I did talk to some in the Niagara Falls areas who said they basically drive their "other" car as much as they can in bad traction weather. But the snow tire cure is probably just as good.

 

If you have the strock Firestones or Michelin Pilots these are not the best tires in the world in wet or snow. They are average OE tires at beat.

Contrary to many you do not have to have dedicated winter tires They are not but they are not a must if you have basic winter driving skills and don't live where they never plow roads.

A good quality all season tire will improve your traction as most but not all good all season tires are very good performing tires in winter anymore.

I am running Goodyear Triple Tread this winter and so far even with 12 snow storms coming off Lake Eire I have yet to have a dramatic moment. Even on the one day we has serious black ice I watch other crashing all around but the HHR went along like a tank.

My wife has driven these same Goodyears on her GTP for the last 3 winters with no issues. Note too the city rarely plows our street so if you can make it up our street you can get anywhere.

If you can wait up grade to a better all season tire and you should be fine.

The only reason I went with a second set of wheels is the 18" facotry wheels are $750 each and with my work discounts I put 4 tires on for less then replacing one wheel if it got curbed.

I am more worried about ground clearance on the SS front bumper than I am worried about winter traction.

The Firestones on the HHR are cheap OE tires and are far from the best performing tire available from Firestone let alone on the market. Tires are not all equal.

 

We have a wide range of weather in our area but January and February anything can happen. We've had as little as 5 to 10 inches in a winter and as much as 150 inches. I have no problem driving in it. I drove a 2 and 1/2 ton truck most of my 30 years on the road but this little thing freaked me out. It just seemed to spin more than pull. I think new tires are in the near future. I usually run a cooper tire but don't get a lot of wear out of them but the price is much better. Goodyear wanted to sell me a set for $170 each. I told the lady I never paid that much for tires on my pick up. Cooper has a tire in the $103 each range. That sounds pretty good.

 

I have pretty good skills in snow but this was different. I've driven in 10 or 12 inches. I'm afraid this thing will set when it gets deeper than 3 or 4.

 

Been driving for 38 years mostly with 4 wheel drive. I bought an 08 panel 2.2 auto. The first year the Firestone's wernt bad. But with 24,000 on them I got stuck in my driveway with 3" snow. Went on line and got 15" Michelin X-ICE II and it made a complete believer in me to have winter tires wont drive in winter without them again. Now I have to get them for the wifes car. If you are on ice and get on the brakes you can feel the tires grab. I live out on unpaved road so it does not get plowed right away and drive 26 miles to work so I figure it was Money well spent.

 

I haven't had a small car since my 1986 reliant. My memory was great about front wheel drive and a 4 cylinder. This car isn't anything like I remembered. Maybe I'm just spoiled. But the tire idea sounds great. After reading the reviews on the Firestones I pretty much made up my mind to get a little more radical tread.

 

I agree with hyperv6. the stock tires aren't very good in the snow. I now have goodyear triple treads much better tracktion in snow