Do I need snow tires? Driving south this week in 4CT

[MoniqueDenver]

I am picking up my Taycan 4 Cross Turismo tomorrow in NJ and driving it back to Colorado over the next week. I purposely took the southern route to avoid bad weather and my friend from Kentucky called to say that it just snowed 7 inches there yesterday and it's a bit icy. She's a bit rural.

The car has Continental ProContact All Season Tires and 21" rims. I am sure that I'll be fine driving without snow tires on the highways, but I'm concerned about my friend who lives on a farm.

What's it like to drive cautiously in snow without snow tires? i'm deciding if I should get them and then ship the All Season tires back. I just don't want to go through that extra expense/hassle if I don't have to.

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[MoniqueDenver]

Ok that helps. I guess I'm mostly concerned with getting up my friend:s steep driveway. She lives on a farm in Kentucky.

 

[O2TheL]

Coincidently I live in Kentucky...on a farm...with a steep driveway - what are the changes of that!
Not as good as the Defender, but I've driven it all this week with no issues.

Have a couple of other rear wheel drive cars with summer/sport tires - no dice.

 

[MoniqueDenver]

Coincidently I live in Kentucky...on a farm...with a steep driveway - what are the changes of that!
Not as good as the Defender, but I've driven it all this week with no issues.

Have a couple of other rear wheel drive cars with summer/sport tires - no dice.

LOL Well there you are....

Do you have snow tires? or all weather? I'm figuring that I can get away with all weather and if I can't, then well, I'll abort and stay in a hotel.

 

[kmcdonal]

I am in Colorado too. I have driven in snow with the all seasons a few times but wouldn't take it up to the mountains in the winter without the snows.

 

[SergeyIndy]

I am next to Kentucky and often travel to North Carolina in the winter when it is snow and ice with very similar conditions as we have now, so this is what I would do.

#1. Yes, All Season Continentals 21-inch is what I have as well and they are fine on the highway and light ice and snow slush.
#2. However, I would never venture into any local road in a Taycan where the snow has not been cleared, and most neighborhood roads are that way, as it is possible to hit something with a flat belly as 3mm is enough to have a disaster. My advice would be not to venture into a local road with deep snow and steep driveway for that matter and leave it somewhere where it is safe (hotel) and let someone else take you to the house (friend or uber) on the farm.
#3. My Sales Advisor delivered a RWD into Lexington area yesterday and the big challenge that he had was inability to access EA chargers in the parking lots as they were all piled up with snow. The good news was that the 2025 RWD Taycan was a range champ and was able to cover well over 225 miles starting with 80% SoC here in Indy and making it to Lexington without charging with 44 miles left on the dial, but the SA drove in Range mode and only 64F temp inside.

 

[Flying ace]

The AWD system in the Taycan works well. Start this video at 7:52.

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[WasserGKuehlt]

I picked up my 4CT on all seasons in Denver, and drove it home to WA through several passes and a couple of snowstorms. It was a bit dicey one early morning just North of Salt Lake because of ice, but otherwise the car was surefooted through all kinds of snow.

I drive regularly to the WA mountains in the winter - still on all seasons until they wear out. Deep snow is not usually an occurrence here - it’s either slush, or ice (white or black). The car is so heavy that a good/newish AS tire offers ample traction. We had a particularly icy spell last winter when I had a moment or two.

That’s, again, on plowed (or about-to-be) roads; as SergeyIndy suggested, I’d probably stay off random roads. Ski area parking lots are fine - I put the car in Gravel mode (and the suspension on Lift), and can navigate the gnarliest of the parking lots holes/bumps. Fwiw, I always carry with me a traction board, shovel and a towing strap with a hook.

Good luck.

 

[Flying ace]

Good conversation about All Seasons vs Snows tires.

I agree, all seasons are sufficient, especially for tires with deep tread. It's too bad DWS 06 are not available in our OE sizes unless you get creative with a thinner tire in the rear.

I happened across a cheap set of Taycan Turbo aero wheels and decided to install snow tires for my winter ski trips into the mountains.

While I have the luxury of choosing when to drive up the mountains, I'm accounting for situations when it's snowing with unplowed roads while I'm still on the road. Happened to me last year, the snow came down hard as I was finishing up a skiing day, and I barely made it down the mountain ( beat the worst part of it by an hour) in my X5.

I'm just more comfortable with snow tires instead of all seasons, plus the cost difference was minimum for 20s, given I have the luxury of a 2nd set of wheels

 

[Tighlines]

Hi Monique,

I am in Ft Collins and have been driving on the Continental all seasons for 2 years and they have performed well in some nasty conditions. I also have a cabin in the mountains that has a steep driveway and the car has no issues with that as well. On New Years Eve I was driving back to Ft Collins from an Avalanche game and a couple snow/ice squalls had just moved through. Cars were all over the place, wrecks everywhere, most cars couldn't even move. I sailed right through, no issues and these tires are even showing some wear. I'd say it's more of the capabilities of the car than the tires on it.
Take the road trip with confidence.

 

[f1eng]

https://www.tyrereviews.com/Tyre-Tests/Best-All-Season-Tyres-2024-2025.htm


These are European spec all-seasons but it is clear that the difference between the all seasons and winter (not snow) tyres is not that big.
It is the summer tyres which are completely useless in snow...

 

[KLHubb]

I have been tempted be all-season tires for the Taycan, and have Michelin Cross Climate II's on my Cayenne, which I love. Instead, here in Upstate NY, I use winter tires between Thanksgiving and April. I have sets of 20" wheels for each season, so it's easy to make the exchange.
I use the GPS lift system for my driveway, which automatically lifts the car as I approach my driveway.

 

[NL_]

All-seasons work fine in the snow. The AWD system of Porsche is next level. Never struggled for traction on a recent 1000km trip including quite a bit of snow. Saw other cars with winter tires frequently struggle for grip, no issues with the CT. (edit, got the all season goodyears fitted with NF0 code)

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