As the sage advice goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. And whilst no sane person would brave the winter months in their summer shoes, we somehow expect our cars to.
Toyo representatives point to Scandinavian’s example of preparedness. With many countries enforcing fitment of winter tyres in appropriate months, the Scandinavian accident figures, or rather lack of them, speak for themselves. We’ve all seen cars beached by the roadside or sliding helplessly along a poorly cleared road – often with inevitable and expensive results. Whilst a decent set of winter tyres may tax the pocket a little, it’s small beer compared to a lost day’s work, your insurance excess – and resulting premium hike – or worse! Many fatal accidents occurring in winter could have been wholly avoidable had the vehicle in question had the right tyres fitted. Putting a price on safety really is the worst kind of false economy.
According to the Japanese manufacturer, Toyo’s solution is tailor made for the UK market. Unlike Scandinavians, who can bank on months of snow with correspondingly chunky tread designs, UK cold and wet winters require a more versatile tyre. Toyo winter tyres have to deal with snow occasionally whilst performing on cold tarmac, wet and dry throughout the winter.
“With a diverse range that covers everything from the smallest hatchback to large 4x4s, you don’t need the snow to appreciate the extra grip, control and reassurance that Toyo’s computer-optimised winter tyres bring. Slush, ice, mud and even the average December downpour will soon prove the worth of these tyres, particularly if you live in a remote area,” company representatives told T&A.
Product Options
The Snowprox range consists of products in a number of fitments – each with its own qualities and features:
The Snowprox S952 is designed to tackle the British winter and is said to be at home in cold weather as well as ice and snow. The successor to the widely respected S950, it uses a unique silica compound offers exceptional for improved wet handling and shorter stopping distances. In addition Toyo says the tyres comes with the added appeal of superb wear life. “Even without the snow, Snowprox will outperform most normal tyres in the winter months,” says Toyo. The 952 is available from 15-18 inches for cars including many high performance versions with large or aftermarket wheels. Smaller cars and wheels sizes are also catered for with the Snowprox S941 and S930 ranges.
Open Country W/T
If the perfect vehicle for winter is the SUV or 4×4, then Toyo recommends these all-wheel drive vehicles use the Open Country W/T. It’s an all-rounder that is said to balance handling, come rain or shine, with an ability to work well at any temperature or grip level. After all, 4WD means nothing without traction!
Observe G1S Plus
When the elements throw everything they can at you, tyre choice becomes critical. Enter the Observe G1S plus. “Not so much a tyre, as an Inuit!” said Toyo’s spokesperson. The G1S features a unique ‘saw edge’ block pattern and stable block design to provide real surety of grip in the most severe conditions, whilst it’s wide slits allow it to expel surface water. In addition, this tyre has the option to fit studs truly allowing the tyre to ‘bite’ into snow or packed ice.
