Just popping in to say that studded tires are popular in some circles but that only makes a difference in ice which is a very occasional condition even in “subarctic” conditions 1000km south of the arctic circle. But they do make an absolute mess of the road and are banned in Japan because of the cancer causing dust they produce.

Nokian makes good winter tires. But so does Michelin, continental, etc. If you’re driving where temperatures are consistently below 8°c for a period of time, snow tires are beneficial.

You know how car nuts talk about handling and braking and suspension and all that stuff? When the limits of grip are suddenly reduced dramatically by snow, it makes a big difference suddenly. It also makes a difference driving in it all the time. Somewhere between overconfident and comfortable.