Very true, and goes to the crux of winter tire selection (and preference over all-seasons).
I face the same trade-offs in NY/NJ area - 85+% of the time "performance winter" or "all-seasons" will suffice, and even do better. The other 15% throughout the winter I am dealing with layers of snow and/or ice (re-frozen snow), that require maximum traction out of "studless Ice & Snow" tires to stay on the road. Either that, or I might need to just stay home.
A snow storm is easy to forecast, observe, and deal with.
Black ice (moisture melts during the day, re-freezes at night), on the other hand, is impossible to predict and avoid.
Thus, I've learned to err on the side of forgoing some dry cold pavement performance in favor of that extra margin in ice and snow traction that I get from Blizzak WS's and X-Ice.
Agreed.
Extreme snow tires are softer, and provide mushier steering feel.
My preference is driven (no pun intended) by desire to never worry about winter traction, ever, not even during the 15% of marginal icy and snow covered road conditions.
Once can definitely compromise a bit, and gain better handling and steering feedback on dry sub-zero asphalt.
Just not me.
Tesla keeps selling its 18", 19" and 20" winter tire packages with Sottozero tires, by all indications, the original crappy ones:
Model 3 19" Sport Wheel and Winter Tire Package
Thus, I'm going to source mine from either TireRack.com or tsportline.com
YMMV,
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