In my experience here in Wisconsin as well as having lived and driven in Washington and Colorado, I find that narrower tires work better in the snow. They don't suffer from "floating" (can you hydroplane on snow?) on the loose snow and slush and digs into the hard-pack or pavement. Unless you're running studs forget traction on ice. You may have very limited grip starting out, but tire width doesn't matter on ice. It's ice, nobody has braking traction unless there's studs on the tire. In Wisco studs are illegal as are tire chains. So I run Blizzaks on our A3 and our 4Runner. Both hook up well unless there's ice.

I guess I have to ask this... how much narrower or wider are we talking? Inches? A centimeter or at most two? I thought so. Really, can you tell the difference when road conditions are really bad? Really?

 

Winter downsizing usually only decreases width by 10-15mm. But that's enough to make a noticable difference in handling...snow or no snow. And if you're pushing it through corners on a packed snow surface, a "225" will break traction under lateral load before a "235" will. Then again, that same "225" will rip through the deep stuff a bit easier.

 

Maybe I missed something. Was the intent of the OP to have faster splits on rally stages or was he trying to get to work/store/soccer games safely?

From my perspective and experience I'm trying to have traction so I can be to work on time, safely. Or I'm trying to get my daughter to cello lessons/recitals without drama. Or my wife is trying to get to the store for groceries...

 

Well, you don't need to participate in a rally to take advantage of improved traction...especially on snow. And as many of us often forget our vehicle's limitations in snow, the extra grip can mean the difference between getting to the grocery store safely or spinning out(@ a mear 30mph) into a ditch. Upgrading to a set of dedicated Winter tires is never a bad idea if your driving conditions warrant it...its just a matter of deciding if downsizing is right for you.