Winter Driving
How to budget for winter tire costs
Auto expenses don’t end with a monthly payment to the bank
Matthew Guy
Published Feb 02, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 6 minute read
One of the most well-travelled articles on this website over the last 12 months was an examination into long-term running costs of select vehicles. Specifically, PHEVs versus EVs (with the scattered gasser thrown into the mix). In it, we looked at major expenses which vary between those powertrain types, using manufacturer estimates and real-world findings.
Winter tires are a fixed expense for your vehicle
An expense which doesn’t (or shouldn’t) change no matter if gasoline or electricity is powering your vehicle? Gear which helps ensure the safety of one’s passengers. Up here in the Great White North, that consideration is generally a dedicated set of winter tires. Some tend to consider swiping their debit card on a set of tires as equal to purchasing bags of topsoil or a replacement hot water heater — necessary, not overly exciting, and more than a bit alien. After all, to the untrained eye, all these items look the same.
How much do winter tires cost?
To help our readers plan for the expense of winter tires, we’ve selected a variety of popular sizes ranging from little 14-inch hoops on an economy car all the way up to 22-inch honkers on a luxury pickup truck. Two sets of numbers are shown for each, representing an entry-level tire (sometimes from an unknown brand) and major-label rubber with a great reputation — in this instance, that means the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 which is arguably one of the best winter tires on sale today. Packed with technology on both the molecular and mechanical level (rubber compound and tread design), the Nokian tire is also packed with value. The numbers are in Canadian dollars and include installation and balancing.
