Yaris Hybrid winter tyres.

[Mike J.]

I have just had fitted 4 Goodyear Ultragrip 9 tyres. Immediate first impressions are lighter steering and quietness. No downsides so far.

[007matt]

Good to hear. I shall be looking to get all season tyres. 

[Mick F]

I've been driving and owning cars since 1970, but never ever fitted winter tyres.

Mick.

[stantheman1]

Try living 'up North'!  🙂

[Mick F]

I'm from Wigan originally.  Joined the RN, and married a Lancashire lass in 1973.  We moved up to east of Scotland and were there for six years.  Moved down to Plymouth, and then back to west of Scotland for three years.  Many times through those periods, we drove back to the Wigan area.

In most of that time, through all those years, I've driven almost the whole of the country in all sorts of weathers in a variety of different cars.

It wasn't until I joined the Fiat Forum when we bought a Fiat500 in 2014 (since sold) that I'd even heard about winter tyres.

Mick.

[Catlover]

Same as Mick F, been driving since 1965, all sorts of cars, and never felt the need to touch winter tyres. And that’s living around Manchester and Warrington was most of those years. Of course, it “our own choice “ what we do and how we spend our money, and am sure there must be times when gripper tyres are advant, but do we really get very bad winters in the UK, say more the 4 or 5 days really bad.

[Paulus17]

How does the Yaris Hybrid perform in the snowy conditions with normal tyres anyone know.

When we bought the Yaris I asked about winter tyres and was told that the Yaris is fine in the snowy conditions so long as you switch the traction control off??

[hubrad]

Growing up on the eastern flanks of the Pennines, my cousin in Cheshire always bemoaned the mildness of winters west of the hills and loved coming to visit us with our snowdrifts!

Winter tyres might just make enough difference in some regions and some conditions, and if so they're fully justified. Where I live now, in a frost pocket just north of Bradford, we usually get whole weeks without seeing particularly positive digits, so i don't mind having them; IIRC below 7 degrees they're reckoned to give better grip.

Speaking of Cheshire and Warrington, I'm playing a gig backing a top notch guitarist/songwriter at Appleton Thorn Village Hall on Saturday if anyone's around. Come and say hello!

[Mike J.]

3 hours ago, Paulus17 said:

When we bought the Yaris I asked about winter tyres and was told that the Yaris is fine in the snowy conditions so long as you switch the traction control off??

What traction control switch? None on my car - perhaps they meant Eco mode as it blunts the accelerator actions?

Regarding the tyres - I have an extra set of 15 inch Toyota Yaris alloys and so can quickly swap around (summer on 16" and winter on 15s).

[Graham47]

[Mick F]

Frequently get our slip indicator light flashing.  We live on a steep narrow - and often muddy - lane.

Never disabled the TRC system, though I know where the switch is.  I've selected ECO once or twice to see what happens, and I've tried out the EV button too.  Can't remember what the fourth button is for! -:)

Mick

[Mick F]

50 minutes ago, Mick F said:

Can't remember what the fourth button is for! -:)

No wonder I can't remember ............ it's blank.

[Mike J.]

No traction control switch on my 2013 version of hybrid. There are 2 (spare) slots that would be used for the heated seats. 

There is one spare slot in the central part of the dash for …….???

[stantheman1]

It's quite hilly where we live and not all the roads get to see the gritter so snow tyres are a must for us in the winter months.

[Madasafish]

Try Michelin  Cross Season tyres. I'm running them on our Jazz.. quiet,comfortable and lots of snow grip. Leave on all year.

[Kingsway]

I know this is an old thread - but I happened to buy winter tyres last year. I got the bargain of a lifetime, as I paid £50 on eBay for four steel rims for my Yaris (I wanted a full size spare) for £50.

I couldnt beleive my luck when I found they were fitted with 4 two-year old winter tyres that had only been used for one season!

I don't notice much difference generally - but in snow, and slippery conditions, the difference is quite dramatic!!  I could drive normally up a hill, where other cars were stuck and just spiining their wheels...

I live in the south, so would I pay full-whack for a set of new rims and tyres?? Maybe not - but am very glad to have them when they are needed.

 

 

 

[Mike J.]

Toyota show what tyre and wheel sizes can be used on you car. Just put in your vin and choose winter. It seems that although my Yaris came with 16 inch alloys, for winter I can go down to 14" (175/70 - soft riding!!): 

https://www.toyota-tech.eu/euro5search/index?PUBTYPE=TYRE#

[Silver Yaris]

Not a Hybrid but a Mk1 T-Sport running Mk2 alloys with full blown winter tyres - Continental Winter Contact TS 860's.

I commute to Sheffield 3 days a week via the Snake Pass and believe you and me, that road gets battered with snow & ice to the extent that it ends up being closed for 2-3 days at a time at many points over the winter.

Last winter I crossed the pass safely many times when other cars were turning around or sliding all over the road due to the sheer amount of grip that these tyres provide - like the brown stuff to a blanket 😉

I put my winter tyres on last weekend after the 1st dump of snow over the Snake pass last week & they will probably stay on until the end of March as they did last year. 

Had I not lived so close to the Peaks where there is always a lot of snow every winter then I probably wouldn't have bothered with winter tyres. 

[CPN]

Totally agree with your phrase "like the brown stuff to a blanket"😉 . I have the same tyres on my Yaris Hybrid and wouldn't be without the grip they provide on icy and slushy roads. Having lived in Northern Germany in the past, I don't like being prevented from going anywhere just because of a bit of snow and/or ice. Standard tyres are complete rubbish once you show them a hint of ice and snow; especially economy versions with low rolling friction figures. They are lethal on ice... I have always owned a winter set of tyres for every new car I have had. Wouldn't be without them.

[Steve Whits]

19 hours ago, Silver Yaris said:

I put my winter tyres on last weekend after the 1st dump of snow over the Snake pass last week & they will probably stay on until the end of March as they did last year. 

Had I not lived so close to the Peaks where there is always a lot of snow every winter then I probably wouldn't have bothered with winter tyres. 

I live at 650 feet just off the A57 on the Snake and have used Michelin Cross Climates which offer the best of both worlds and negate the need to change wheels or tyres due to the seasons

[Silver Yaris]

8 hours ago, Steve Whits said:

I live at 650 feet just off the A57 on the Snake and have used Michelin Cross Climates which offer the best of both worlds and negate the need to change wheels or tyres due to the seasons

I read about these & they have had great reviews but at the time my normal / summer tyres had about 5mm on them all round so it made no sense to buy these as I would have never used what I had.

The Continental Winter Contact TS 860's won Autocar's winter tyre test last year and deservedly so as they are fantastic in the snow, ice, wet & cold weather and I should hopefully get a few more winter's out of them with only having them on the car for 4 months or so per year.

[007matt]

Definitely the right thing to do for some of you guys living in regions where it gets frequent snow and ice in winter, the right tyres are paramount for safety in those conditions.  When I finished the current summer tyres on my car, 6mm of the Dunlop left, will look to get Continental all season and bigger diameter at 195 60 15. 

[Madasafish]

9 hours ago, 007matt said:

Definitely the right thing to do for some of you guys living in regions where it gets frequent snow and ice in winter, the right tyres are paramount for safety in those conditions.  When I finished the current summer tyres on my car, 6mm of the Dunlop left, will look to get continental all season and bigger diameter at 195 60 15. 

Wider tyres are not good for loose snow-- higher rolling resistance

[007matt]

True but I want an all year round better traction/grip/stability cornering than the current skinny 175 profile. I find cornering pretty poor especially the hybrid is heavier at the front end. 

[stantheman1]

On 11/26/2018 at 3:04 PM, Silver Yaris said:

Not a Hybrid but a Mk1 T-Sport running Mk2 alloys with full blown winter tyres - Continental Winter Contact TS 860's.

I commute to Sheffield 3 days a week via the Snake Pass and believe you and me, that road gets battered with snow & ice to the extent that it ends up being closed for 2-3 days at a time at many points over the winter.

Last winter I crossed the pass safely many times when other cars were turning around or sliding all over the road due to the sheer amount of grip that these tyres provide - like the brown stuff to a blanket 😉

I put my winter tyres on last weekend after the 1st dump of snow over the Snake pass last week & they will probably stay on until the end of March as they did last year. 

Had I not lived so close to the Peaks where there is always a lot of snow every winter then I probably wouldn't have bothered with winter tyres. 

I see you're running your winters on mk2 ph2 alloys if I'm not mistaken and I also notice you're into detailing as your tpot looks mint!

I've been a bit more creative with the wife's mk2 yaris, I've got the winters on steelies, I'll post a pic or two when it stops raining and see what you think it's probably not to everyones liking but I love it! But like I said I've been a little creative and not seen anything remotely similar on any car.around here.