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Four-wheel drive will get your Toyota Tacoma started on snow and in ice, but it won't help you turn or stop. Although every Tacoma comes with decent all-season or off-road capable tires depending on trim, none of them are as good on snow and ice as dedicated winter tires.
Our pick, based on ratings and reviews done by Tire Rack, along with our own testing of various tires for the Tacoma in snow, is the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2. As one Tacoma 4X4 owner of these tires put it in a Tire Rack review, "I live in the mountains and bought these tires solely for snow and icy conditions where I live. They have far exceeded my expectations, providing superior traction in winter conditions. No hesitation highly recommending these tires for severe winter conditions." Here's how they stack up to the stock rubber:
Tacoma TRD Pro - Best Winter Tire Comparison
The TRD Pro comes with Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure tires in size P265/70R16. The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 tire is rated by Tire Rack at 9.4 in snow and ice. By contrast, the stock Wranglers earn a 7.9 rating.
Tacoma Limited - Best Winter Tire Comparison
The Tacoma Limited comes with the Michelin LTX M/S in 265/60/18. This tire has good all-around scores, but only manages an 8.3 rating in Tire Rack's testing in winter conditions.
Other Tacoma Trims - Best Winter Tire Comparison
Other Tacoma trims, like the SR and SR5, have the Firestone Destination LE2 tire mounted. We were surprised by Tire Rack's 7.4 rating for these tires in snow. We tested them on a Jeep and found them to be excellent in winter conditions. Still, by comparison to the 9.4 the Blizzaks earn, the Firestones are not as good in the winter.
As a reminder, although one does have to buy the winter tires, they give your 3-season tires a break. So, in a sense, winter tires are free to own other than mounting and balancing.
Related story: Here’s How Winter Tires Work And Help You Stay Safe In Ice, Slush and Snow
Author Note: Torque News received no direct or indirect payments for the opinions in this story.
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