A 4x4 on summer tyres versus a front-wheel-drive car on winter tyres in the snow: which one will win?

Many components work to enhance the safety of today’s vehicles, something made possible by the latest technological advances. Among these, we should highlight the numerous driver-assistance systems that most models feature and, at the same time, make special mention of the various all-wheel-drive systems. However, there is one element that has been there from the very beginning and has evolved significantly: the tyres. They keep us connected to the asphalt, so their good condition and quality are essential, something we must keep in mind even more in adverse conditions.

Today we bring you a video designed to show that an all-wheel-drive system is not everything, and that special attention must always be paid to the tyres we use. To do so, the guys at Tyre Reviews took two units of the BMW X1 all the way to Finland to demonstrate the differences there can be between a front-wheel-drive vehicle with the right tyres compared with an all-wheel-drive one fitted with tyres specifically for summer.

The German SUV lets its owners configure it with front-wheel drive or, failing that, with the all-wheel-drive system called xDrive. The unit that sends all of its engine’s power to the front axle runs on winter tyres Goodyear UltraGrip Performance in size 225/50 R17; the BMW X1 equipped with four-wheel drive runs on Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 summer tyres in the same sizes as the other vehicle.

However, the guys at Tyre Reviews wanted to go further and test both sets of tyres in more extreme conditions. To accomplish this, they carried out a series of acceleration, braking and emergency lane-change tests, seeking to reproduce as faithfully as possible certain conditions that could provoke such reactions when driving on terrain as unpredictable as snow.

In the first test, we can see both vehicles accelerate up to 50 km/h and perform an emergency stop. Right from the start, we can see the BMW X1 fitted with summer tyres losing traction, while its rival offers a clean, uninterrupted getaway. Once it comes time to brake, we can see a considerable gap between the two vehicles, and this is far more favourable for the BMW X1 on winter tyres.

https://youtu.be/atayHQYqA3g

Climbing snow-covered slopes on summer tyres doesn’t seem the wisest choice either, since the lack of grip from the wheels prevents the xDrive system from working normally. The same result appears in the lane-change manoeuvre, proving disastrous for the vehicle on summer tyres. In this way, it becomes clear how important, and necessary, it is to fit the right tyres for each situation, something that also applies to other terrains where snow is not present.

Technical specifications of this car

CrossoverBMW X18 versions · from 46,850 €