BKBK

First post after lurking for the last 6 months. I drive a 2012 RDX SH-AWD and it's time to replace the tires. I live in Chicago and most of my driving happens in the city with the occasional highway trip to the suburbs and Wisconsin. I'm looking for a good set of all season tires that can stand up to the winters around here, but won't totally feel like I'm driving an Oldsmobile sedan around town (though I don't really need "performance tires".

I've read a lot about the Conti ExtremeContact DWS tires on this forum and was expecting that I'd go with those after a few days of research. I called a highly reviewed local tire place in my area and he actually recommended the cheaper Toyo Celsius CUV Tires because they do better in the winter than the Continentals (would save me around $20 per tire). He encouraged me to do my own research and that he'd happily install either on my RDX, but that was just his recommendation.

Can anyone speak to the Toyos on an RDX? Any other tires I should consider based on the above? Thanks for any help you can provide!

mrgold35

I've been exclusively using Conti DWS 06 on my 06 TSX (totaled 11/19), 08 RDX, and 11 MDX for years. Works perfectly for me with mostly dry southwestern weather with occasional wet or snowy driving in the mountains or in town. I don't think the Conti DWS 06 would be the best choice for a dedicated winter tire substitute with temps lasting weeks/months near/below freezing with icy conditions. We get around 10 inches or less of rain/snow the entire year in NM. Conti DWS 06 work great for me with hwy speeds of 75-85 mph, long hwy runs of 4-12 hours, and unpredictable weather. The Conti DWS 06 would be more of a 3 season tire in Chicago compared to being used all year with our very short winter season in New Mexico.

Another issue I have with my 08 RDX is I can only get around 35,000 miles avg from the Conti DWS 06 compared to the full +50,000 miles I usually get with my TSX or MDX? Not sure other have the same issue with Conti DWS 06 with their RDXs?

BKBK

Thanks for the thorough response! That's great feedback and makes me think the Toyos might be the move.

Would love to hear if anyone has any experience with year round tires on an RDX in a snowy/cold environment (in an urban area would be an added bonus!).

BobandCec

I've only had the OE Michelin's before my current set of Continental DWS's. I live in Northeast Ohio with the lake effect snow and regularly travel into western NY for skiing. I've been really happy with the DWS and they easily outperformed the Michelin's. With close to 50k on them I've backed off a bit on using the RDX this past winter, taking a 4WD truck with All Terrain tires for our ski trips. Prior years the DWS's on the RDX were as good as my truck on A/T's. Even with the 50k around town it's been fine, and probably most trips to the ski resort would have also been fine. I'll run these tires through the summer and replace, probably with DWS's, before next winter. I'm open to hearing about what others might think of the Toyos and why your tire guy thinks they're better.

Edit: I only spoke to the winter handling of the DWS's .... I'm REALLY happy with summer handling as well. Good grip, handling and they're quiet.

Tomtwtwtw

For what it's worth, there is no all-season tire that will do *that* well in a Chicago winter. The tread will start to harden once you get under 40 degrees, and your handling/traction will start to get progressively worse as it gets colder. Some may get through snow better than others, but all of them are going to handle worse than a dedicated winter tire, no matter the surface.

feralcomprehension

I've deployed several sets of Nokian WRG3 SUVs to good effect; one set on an AWD Honda Element, one set on a FWD VW Tiguan, and one set on a second gen AWD RDX. They're not the sharpest handling tire, or the quietest, but they wear well and work better than any all-season in the snow and slush.

Funny story- I live and work in the Detroit zone, and when my girl needed new tires for her Element and couldn't be convinced to run separate summers and snows (what I run) I sold her on the WRG3s. She started running those in (IIRC) the fall of 2016. By the fall of 2018 I'd convinced her it was time for a new car and in December we found a nice '15 CPO AWD RDX. It took (I kid you not) one week on the still-good-condition stock rubber before she told me in a tone that brooked no argument, "I want a set of the tires we put on the Element as soon as possible."

February of the following year she recounted this story to me:

"I was driving downtown with Cheryl and she asked, "What's that sound?""

"That's the sound of my tires displacing slush. That is the sound of safety."

ljcolomacks

Currently, I would recommend Michelin CrossClimate SUV tires. I am running them on my RDX right now and they have been perfect.
They are classified as an all-weather tire vs all-season. So a bit better performance then all-season.
I live in Colorado and was looking for similar aspects in a tire. They have been exceptional so far on snow rain and dry roads.
The Extreme Contact are good tires as well.
https://www.michelinman.com/tires/cr...imate-suv.html
https://www.youtube.com/results?sear...y=CrossClimate