Honda Odyssey Snow Traction & Handling
Hi. I'm looking for any experience you might have with the odyssey in the snow.
I'm vehicle shopping and was set on a 02 (or so)Odyssey til we got dumped on with snow late December. My station wagon (volvo 940) was snowbound while my husband's isuzu trooper with big old tires and ground clearance was able to get out of our 100 ft driveway in RWD. I am curious how the Odyssey handles with good snow tires in, say, 6 in to a foot of snow. We live at about 6600ft in central New Mexico and while we did get 2 feet dumped on us in a short time this winter, I think the usual is more like 4-8 inches per snowfall. Do you think an Odyssey with good snow tires (not metal studded, just rubber) would handle that OK? At most it would be a 1/2 mile of that kind of snow til we hit the paved rd, which gets plowed regularly. I need a 3rd row for an upcoming 4th child and I think the van would be the best way to go cost and performance wise, but don't want to get stuck.
I'm vehicle shopping and was set on a 02 (or so)Odyssey til we got dumped on with snow late December. My station wagon (volvo 940) was snowbound while my husband's isuzu trooper with big old tires and ground clearance was able to get out of our 100 ft driveway in RWD. I am curious how the Odyssey handles with good snow tires in, say, 6 in to a foot of snow. We live at about 6600ft in central New Mexico and while we did get 2 feet dumped on us in a short time this winter, I think the usual is more like 4-8 inches per snowfall. Do you think an Odyssey with good snow tires (not metal studded, just rubber) would handle that OK? At most it would be a 1/2 mile of that kind of snow til we hit the paved rd, which gets plowed regularly. I need a 3rd row for an upcoming 4th child and I think the van would be the best way to go cost and performance wise, but don't want to get stuck.
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Comments
It seems to me that something like a Suburban would be more appropriate for your situation.
I think snows are always a good idea, they have better traction in slippery icy conditions, not just snow. I don't have snows on the Oddyssey (yet), but I've always bought Hakkapalitas (for a Saab 900 and Accord) and I've driven (carefully) past Suburbans that have slid off the road, in fairly deep stuff (over 1ft). These are high-performance Finnish snow tires that have very deep, aggressive treads.
I'm figuring the snow in Mexico (just kidding) is that soft, powdery stuff the western ski resorts is famous for, so with the Pilot clearance at 8" should get you home at least.
Anything any deeper, or hardpacked, and it's time to get the snowmobile or cross country skis out, I say. Or get your husband to buy a snowplow for the Trooper;)
I had the Honda dealer recommend Bridgestone Blizzaks and an independent tire dealer recommend Pirelli Scorpions
Has anyone tried either of these winter tires on their new Odyssey and have a review?
thanks, I want to purchase them this week...It's getting snowy up here!
i did some looking for you. tirerack customers liked:Dunlop SP Winter Sport,Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2, Pirelli Winter Carving (my favorite - a worthless opinion since i have never driven snow tires).
Blizzaks did not do well - relatively speaking.(according to customer reviews).none is cheap.
take a look see. get your prices from sam's club (if you have that up there) and price match locally. i once saved $100/tire doing that.
I am familiar with the Blizzaks (although not on the Odyssey) and they do well. I call it my "BMW" test. If you can drive a BMW (not the 'x' of course) in _any_ kind of snow, without ending up in a ditch, then they do the job.
Some say the Blizzaks wear out fast, however, that's probably true of all snows given their composition. The "hakki's" I mentioned should be taken off as soon as it gets warm, for example.
Not sure if they have Nokian tires for Odyssey, but check the site for a dealer:
Here's a review from CanadianDriver
(might be a good resource) - different tire, but should give an idea about the respect for this company. They test these tires on ice tracks in Finland.
Oh, the correct spelling is actually "Hakkapeliitta", pardon the misspelling..
TPMS is just a way to increase dealer service profit. BEWARE, you cannot change snow tires on your own.I used to buy Honda , but NEVER again.Also they will not sell cars to Canadians in the USA and charge $10,000us more for the same car in Canada( eg.Honda CRV)
Here's a good thread at Honda SUV with more info(Honda SUV list, but same issues):
There is definitely an issue with the PAX (run flat) however.
As to the price, isn't everything more expensive in Canada? I recall reading articles about Canadians making shopping trips to the US for cheaper goods. Except your generic drugs of course, where the reverse is true.
BTW, I have driven that same trip in the snow several times in a 4WD Suburban (without snow tires), and I prefer the Odyssey because of its lower center of gravity and better handling.
I have the snow tires mounted on OEM rims (can be purchased online). The TPMS light stays on, but I just ignore it. I will decide later whether to install TPMS sensors in the snow tire wheels.
AWD is not the cure all to winter. It's helpful but I've found FWD with a good set of snows is just as capable.
Why Electronic Driver's Aids and Four-Wheel Drive Systems Aren't Enough
Four Winter Tires....The Only Way to Go
If you're not old enough to remember the RWD cars of the 70's, you don't realize what an advance FWD vehicles truly are.
AWD suck gas. They are nice however if you're offroad driving or in the mountains.
Also, as far as I know the only thing I am giving up is knowing whether or not my tire pressure is too low, right? I saw some discussion about vehicle stability control, but I can't see the relationship.
Thanks, Scott
I just bought a set of chains if I run into problems. $25 on Amazon.com and I'm sure will be put to good use at some point.
Now I'm looking to either replace the Ody with an SUV or try a set of winter tires.
The other problem with the Ody (and most cars) is clearance. Unless you get nice fluffy snow, the Ody gets hung up in snow that gets packed underneath, making the traction worse.
Other than snow/ice traction, we love the Ody, but I'm starting to wish we would have took a little more time to consider the AWD Sienna. Or maybe that would just give me 4 spinning tires...
Thanks again all, Shar
Yearly changeover - I do it myself - takes about 90 minutes - although you can take your car to a Sears or any local place and ask for a snow tire changeover. Can't imagine it would cost $150. I haven't done the spring switch to put the originals back on yet, but I am told the TPMS will just re-engage and there is nothing else I need to do.
Oh - when you go to tirerack.com, or give them a call, they will have all the technical specs for your make/model to put the right tires and wheels on it. I've used tirerack twice with two oddyseys - they are great.
Good luck
I live in Minnesota and would trade this thing in in a heartbeat if I wouldn't lose money on it. Can't get up even a minor grade hill in the snow and tires spin on flat surfaces. Not safe with the amount of sliding in the snow. I honestly can't believe that Honda sells a family car that is so unsafe.
Note: the older models seem to drive better in the snow. Maybe they will fix it soon? I have made several complaints and Honda is in denial over the poor snow performance.
The recommended Winter Tire is BS Blizzark WS-60 (Studless Ice & Snow) 235/65-16 $105/ea. The survey has 9.3/10.0 re "Would Buy Again"
Hope this can help.
If you have PAX tires you can de-pax 4 + 1 spare tire for info below...
http://www.collegehillshonda.com/artman2/publish/Odyssey_41/Podcast_Episode_131_- -_Honda_Odyssey_DePAX_Kit.shtml
I have a quarter-mile long driveway that has multiple 15% grade hills and sharp curves and I drive it with confidence with the Blizzaks. I agree it would be unsafe to do with the stock all-seasons, so I swap over to the Blizzaks in early winter and leave them on until major threat of snow passes for the year - located in Connecticut.
I have been very satisfied with Nokian tires. These are very serious tires, with aggressive treads. They even make an excellent studded bike tire.
They do have tires for the Odyssey. I have the Hakkapeliitta "Sport Utility" (SUV) model. It seems from a quick check of their web site they have many dealers in MN (at least in MPLS as would be expected), so check around a little. I bought mine here in Wisconsin, at an American Tire Center I believe, but they are readily available at many shops, perhaps not the big internet-only ones.
I have a very short and steep driveway so that is my test, if I can get up that driveway without shoveling, and the Odyssey, clad with the Nokian, do just fine, no slipping unless icy.
In general, I've been pleased the way the Ody handles in the snow, but this is with the snows of course. I did buy steel rims, but not the TPMS, that would be significantly more expensive. I don't recall, but I believe (and this was at the dealer) they tried to install them, but gave up, suggested I go without the TPMS. My feeling is "4 snows > TPMS", so no problem.
Good luck on finding the Nokians, they are definitely worth considering.
http://www.nokiantires.com
I will be very grateful for any input ! Thank you !
I don't have any personal experience with the Pilot (I assume that's what you are referring to when you say "the SUV"), however I would expect that it would be very good in snow. I have a lot of experience with the CRV, and with good tires, the AWD system (which kicks in when needed and is off otherwise) is very effective. I have been able to move up steep, slippery hills, weaving my way around other stranded cars.
Example
Bridgestone Blizzak WS60 (Studless Ice & Snow)
Aaverage rating.8.3
Size: 235/65R16
Sidewall Style: Blackwall
Serv. Desc: 103R
Load Index 103 = 1929lbs (875kg) per tire
Minivan ground clearance is not as good as the SUVs, though you don't need to climb in and out of the cabin.
Speed Rating "R" = 106mph (170kph)
Price: $105.00 (each)
We just recently moved from the southeast US and our 05 Ody only has front wheel drive. We now live in Idaho and already have snow. Will putting snow tires on all four wheels make a big difference since we only have front wheel drive? Also, do snow tires even help much with ice, or should I use chains on icy days? Thanks!
Ice is tough no matter what. Chains are better than snows. Some snows for sure have some effectiveness on ice, such as Blizzaks (the only ones that I have personal experience with.) They are engineered to have small slits, or sipes, on the tread to increase traction. However, ice by definition is not going to offer much traction. In some areas of the country people use studded tires where there are small metal spikes protruding from the treads to grip in ice. I believe they are not legal in some jurisdictions as they tear up the road surface.
http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/index.jsp
"Big Mistake"
I live in Massachusetts.
These tires are so very bad in the snow. My old Dodge Caravan never gave me any trouble and now I buy a much more expensive car and I have problems I never had!!
Right now there are six inches of snow in the street. I cannot go out today. period.
I tried already..it just slides. When I had my Caravan, I would not have given it another thought..just drive slowly and crunch along.
To me all the fancy extras really arent worth the monthly bill; I just need the basics, dependability to drive being tops on that list Honda!!!
There may be all season tires that are better in snow than the original equipment tires that Honda chose-- perhaps you could use the same make and brand that were on your Caravan. But I know for sure that if I were driving around in six inches of snow, I would a) have dedicated snow tires and b) drive a different vehicle than a minivan.
When I finally sold the Dodge I was already sold on driving a minivan so I bought a 2009 Odyssey Touring without the PAX tires. I couldn't get the Michelins in the correct size so I invested in a set of Pirelli Scorpion Snow and Ice tires. I've since driven in blizzards, ice and deep snow over Colorado's toughest passes with not a single problem. I even drove an unplowed quarter mile driveway with a good 19 inches of snow.
I still own a 2003 Toyota 4 Runner but now use it more in the summer for jeep trails which is something the minivan will never do. I'll keep the minivan for snow. Even my brother, who drives a Tahoe, prefers the minivan to his SUV in the snow.
Do not buy this vehicle if you drive in th snow!!!
We suffered several winters in Michigan trying several all season tire brands with our 03. We have a steep driveway and exit to our our neghborhood. The front tires would spin in the lightest snow. The TCS system coming on does not help matters.
This year I broke down and put on 4 blizzak snow tires. It made a huge difference. We have driven up both grades in 6-8 inches of snow with no problems. I wish I would have figured this out earlier! I have always driven SUVs and did not understand the benefits of snow tires.
I put them on this past weekend, and we got to drive them on snow and ice only a few days later. My wife, who usually doesn't think much about these things, thanked me last night! Given the snow over ice conditions, she fully expected to fail getting up our steep driveway. Instead, she did it with ease.
An additional expense ($780 delivered)? Yes, and one that hurts right now. But it is potentially cheap compared to the possibilities of winter driving.
I have since driven this van on several ski trips and haven't yet had a single problem.
After reading through pages of expert and customer reviews from Canada and Scandinavia I chose the Pirellis.
They are not the quietest tires I've ever driven on but have been worth every penny in the snow. The Pirellis were engineered for high performance SUVs like the Porsche Cayenne and have a high load rating and I'm told great performance at high speeds. The roads in Colorado are notoriously bad so I haven't exactly put the high speed claims to the test yet.
I haven't had any serious problems with the tires spinning beyond what one would expect; starting from a stop on an incline perhaps but then again, four wheel drive vehicles have the same limitations.
As I mentioned, I have a Toyota 4-Runner that I could drive if I needed to but as of yet I haven't needed to.
I'm sold on dedicated snow tires and will never drive all-season tires in winter as long as I live in Colorado. All-season tires are mediocre during all seasons.
I live in Colorado. When we have powder (light snow that doesn't bind) or you drive in the mountains (which are usually blowed more quickly and more throughly than regular side streets around town), you can get by. But when the snow becomes wetter and compacts (usually late winter/early spring snows), clearance becomes an issue ... especially in side streets that don't get plowed for days of at all. In those cases, higher ground clearance is a huge help, especially if you have to stop from time to time.