We used to use SAT's or Town & County on the rears , & bags of sand in the rear.

and we know narrow tyres work on Front Wheel drives as well.

I drive lots on snow in AWD's and part time All Wheel Drives, and have all sorts of tyres.

235's on the rear of a Suzuki JImny does just as well as 185's, usually just left in rear wheel drive because there are lots of kinds of snow, groomed or fresh and roads that have Ice or Ice & Snow,

or even worse, Ice & Melt water.

Horses for Courses and all that jazz.

Edited 30 September, 20169 yr by Offski

The way Continental think these days. Wider tyre - more stipes - more grip. They advocate the same size as the summer tyre. They think the extra grip from more surface area on a good winter tyre may make up for the reduction in ground pressure.

 

http://www.continental-tires.com/car/technology/wide-tires

 

If you are knee deep in snow or on wet ice and have to use chains then you need a thinner tyre for clearance. Personally I don't want the handling of the car reduced for 6 months of the year by fitting really narrow tyres.

 

As above, as ever, horses for courses and all it proves is to get the best out of it you need to carefully pick the tyre (and the car) for the conditions you expect most.