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What are the best winter tires for a 2021 Subaru WRX? When we were asked to test the all-new Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra tire, we jumped at the chance. We have a 2002 Subaru WRX and live in Evergreen, Colorado, where the snow is measured in feet, not inches. The snow and dirt roads allowed us to test the new tire in severe conditions.
This journalist was given the tires as a promotion and did not purchase the Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra tires. Goodyear says, “a premium studless tire that offers optimal grip for drivers looking to maximize traction and elevates starting and stopping power in winter driving conditions.” We have the perfect winter environment to test the new Goodyear tires.
We live at 8300 feet elevation in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. This week we had the perfect opportunity to test out the new tires. We had 6-inches of fresh snow to drive the WRX. We swapped out the worn all-season tires on the sports car. Earlier this season, we noticed the tires lost grip in the snow, which is not unusual for the standard rated tires.
The Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra is M+S (mud and snow) rated. According to Goodyear, the tire has hydrodynamic grooves that “maximize water, slush, and snow evacuation without compromising ride comfort.”
We had the tires put on at the Goodyear store in Evergreen, Colorado, and were treated well by store manager Joe Gatto and his team. They had me in and out in about an hour. The service also included a free alignment check.
With a fresh snowfall to test the tires, we notice two things. We had to hit the brakes to avoid another car coming around too fast on a blind curve. The tires gripped the road, and we did not slide even with a hard stop. We also swerved to the side of the road and never lost control.
We also have a few hairpins that get slick when going downhill. The tires went around the tight corners with no slippage in the snow. In contrast, we did slide around a sharp corner and almost hit a guard rail before we swapped out the old all-season tires.
On dry pavement, the tires mounted on the Subaru WRX were smooth and offered a quiet ride at highway speeds, unlike some snow tires. On dry gravel roads, the tires provided good grip. The Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra is perfectly suitable for our unpaved gravel roads, and we felt confident in the snow and ice. It’s a good choice for a new 2021 Subaru WRX or STI.
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Denis Flierl has invested over 30 years in the automotive industry in a consulting role working with every major car brand. He is an accredited member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press. Check out Subaru Report where he covers all of the Japanese automaker's models. More stories can be found on the Torque News Subaru page. Follow Denis on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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