A scary experience on ice will freak people out. Don't sweat it.

Something I just noticed in your original post was that you have the SE model. That's the sports model and it (usually) comes with 17" wheels and P215/45-17 tires that are sportier (read: better in the dry, not so good in the snow). The GLS model came with 15" wheels and 195/65-15 tires better suited for the snow.

I'm guessing the tires on your Touring SE are the 17" Kumho Solus KH16 which do suck in the snow. However, not all Kumho tires are bad. I've actualy been very pleased with the Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum tires.

I believe the other available tire was the Hankook Optimo H426 which is also bad in the snow.

 

Hi-

You hit the nail on the head. It's a 2012 SE with the 17 inch wheels, and the P215/45-17 Kumhos on it. If I'd done my 'how's this thing work in the snow' research before buying, I'd likely to either have insisted on different tires, from the beginning, or just bought something else - all wheel drive. Every part of me wants to just trade it in now and get an all wheel drive vehicle - preferably an Element, if not, a CR-V - rather than try the tires. But, financially, I feel like I have to give a change of tires a chance, then, if that doesn't work, go get a Honda AWD vehicle. The two things that really concerned me in the snowstorm driving the other night were - 1) the squirreliness of the car on the road, in the snow, and 2) the car's extreme difficulty in negotiating the hill up to my house in the snowy conditions. I'm hoping the tire change will help with both.

 

Front wheel drive with 4 winter tires is better than all-wheel drive with all-season tires.

Obviously, having both is best but of the 2, winter tires is the better option.

 

The Touring I just traded in handled two Ontario Canada winters no problem with the Michelin Xi2 no problems.

I also used the Continental Extremecontact DWS for the rest of the year, and I used them in snow a couple of times. They were far better than the Kuhmo's that came on the car. Actually, the Kumho's were terrible in the rain too.

Nothing will beat winter tires, but the Continentals you bought were excellent for spring, summer, and fall in Canada, and handled the little bit of snow they saw no problem too. Great tires, and I assure you that you will notice a difference in both wet and snowy roads.

 

Do I have to get rims which fit Hyundai only or are they std, i.e. fit most imports. Have 15 inch tires on my 2011 Touring.

 

You need to check the size because there are a few different bolt pattern sizes. Go to a place like TireRack.com and they will provide the correct size rims with the tires.