Tires Nitto SN2 Winter: reviews, description, specifications, manufacturer

Winter tires for passenger cars can be characterized by several parameters at once. This is stability in various weather conditions, and the ability to overcome loose snow deposits, and behavior when the temperature drops or rises overboard. Their combination allows you to make a choice in favor of a particular model. Today's review is dedicated to the Nitto SN2 Winter model. The reviews that will be analyzed at the end of the article will help you make a final decision on whether to buy for your car. However, for starters, it would be nice to get acquainted with the detailed specifications provided by the manufacturer. This adds to the overall picture of his honesty in advertising to potential buyers.

Briefly about the manufacturer and model

The rubber in question is produced by a community of companies. The manufacturer is actually Nitto Tire America, and if you haven't heard of it, you might be surprised to know that it is actually the “daughter” of the famous Toyo Tire. From this it already follows that from tires you can count on high Japanese quality and count on dynamism, because the Japanese are famous for the production of rubber models designed for high speeds at any time of the year.

However, this pedigree results in a higher cost, which we'll talk about a little later. The buyer, when buying Japanese-made rubber in a tire store, expects the highest quality, and the manufacturer tries to achieve this by regularly testing improved models. In addition, the production process is strictly controlled, and every Nitto Winter SN2 tire that rolls off the production line is automatically checked for compliance with the standards. These tests include a balance check, so you don't have to hang a lot of extra weight when you put the tire on the rim.

Given the fact that tires in this price range are often fitted to premium vehicles, quality control is an important part of the manufacturing process. It ensures driving reliability and safety, and you can be safer in your car.

Features of the tread pattern

When developing the tread pattern for the Nitto SN2 Winter rubber model, a number of modern technologies were used to calculate its effectiveness. The use of computer simulation of various situations that may arise on the road in a real situation made it possible to make the necessary adjustments even when creating a virtual model. In this way, unnecessary production costs could be avoided and the cost of the final product reduced.

The center of the tire is a solid rib designed to maintain directional stability when driving in a straight line. It has a zigzag groove that increases the efficiency of this part of the tread. There is also a serrated pattern on the outside, which improves the grip of the side parts with the track. When cornering, the load is distributed more evenly, so that the level of grip on the track remains acceptable, and the tire does not slip.

On both sides of the central rib there are two strips of large tread blocks. They are separated from each other by deep slats that cut them at an angle to the direction of travel. These slots are designed to improve rowing performance as they form additional cutting edges. Each has a serrated pattern for better traction no matter the weather. At the same time, the cracks are not too large, which allows not to violate the overall strength of the structure, which was confirmed during winter tests of Nitto SN2 in various conditions.

The side tread blocks look even more massive than the inner ones. This is due to the fact that they are responsible for the life of the tire and ensure its strength and resistance to damage. This is especially true in winter, as it is much easier to pierce or pierce it than in summer. This is due to the large number of dangers that can be hidden under the snow. In addition, even the sharp edges of crushed ice furrows can cause serious damage. To avoid such problems, the manufacturer decided to strengthen the side parts of the tread. As a result, the tire is able to withstand fairly strong physical impacts without damage.

However, the strength of the Nitto SN2 Winter tread blocks is not the main concern. The wide slots located between them provide the best rowing performance when driving on loose snow. These properties can also manifest themselves during the thaw, when a large amount of so-called snow slurry appears on the road. Especially dangerous in such conditions is the appearance of deep puddles, since when driving at high speed, the likelihood of aquaplaning is high. To prevent this from happening, a drainage system is provided.

Slats system

Winter is always full of rain. That's why a good winter tire must be able to deal with the negative impact on the road surface. It can be ice, freshly fallen snow, water, and sometimes both. To effectively address these issues, Nitto SN2 Winter has developed a sipe system that can effectively remove moisture from the track contact area.

Two longitudinal grooves run along the central ledge. They collect all the water or loose snow from the inner working part of the tire, so that they subsequently carry it along perpendicular sipes to the outer part of the surface. The louvers are barely wide enough to effectively drain water, but they do not close due to contact with adjacent protective blocks. Such a negative effect could occur if their width was too small or, conversely, too large.

However, such a number of lamellas is needed not only for the effective removal of precipitation. As the manufacturer notes in the Nitto SN2 Winter description, they also play a few additional roles. Thanks to more additional cutting edges, the sipes provide stability and protect the car from skidding. This effect is especially pronounced when driving on the water surface, for example, through deep puddles, creating high-quality protection against aquaplaning. The cutting edges are equally effective when braking. They create additional conditions necessary for a quick and high-quality stop of the vehicle.

Rubber compound properties

The manufacturer made sure that the tires could serve for a long time and at the same time did not lose their properties in severe frosts. To this end, a group of chemists developed a specific formula for the rubber compound used to create these tires. Among its properties, one can single out the ability to maintain rigidity when the temperature rises over the edge above zero, which allows you to safely drive a car during a thaw, without fear that it “floats” along the highway.

For low temperatures, there are other key points. Rubber does not “double” and retains elasticity even with a sharp drop in temperature. As many reviews of the Nitto SN2 Winter say, this feature maintains handling and stability, and allows the tire to absorb small bumps without using suspension, and there are plenty of them on the roads, from chunks of ice to used gravel to fight ice.

Non-Standard Components

This model is produced by the manufacturer only in the form of Velcro, which means no pins. However, in icy conditions, special measures are required to maintain reliable grip on the track. For this, it was decided to add crushed walnut shells to the composition. The small fraction allows the Nitto SN2 Winter to grip the ground more securely, as the individual crystals are sharp-edged and become a miniature version of the studs. This approach has been used by several manufacturers over the past few years and has already proved successful. So even when you are driving on ice or bare ice, you don't have to worry about the car being bad. But at the same time, recklessness is not worth it, because the laws of physics are the same for everyone and at some point the rubber can break in a skid.

Wide size grid

High-quality tires would be of little use if the manufacturer could not install them on a large number of vehicles of various configurations. There is nothing to blame for this on the Japanese – a sufficient number of overall configurations are available for this model. Thus, the dimensions of Nitto SN2 Winter relative to the inner diameter can vary from 14 to 18 inches, which indicates its intended purpose: cars (sedans) and light SUVs. No SUVs or buses, because this tire is not designed for them either in size or in maximum load.

In addition to the diameter, the buyer in the tire shop can choose the desired profile height, as well as the width of the working area. It is worth paying attention to the speed characteristics, because even for the same dimensions there can be several options for the maximum allowable speed. If tires are chosen for high-speed driving, it is better to take models with an index of T and higher.

No spikes

This model was originally designed to be used in a non-studded version. Therefore, there is no need to look for options with factory studs. But this is more of an advantage than a disadvantage. According to the designers and developers, this approach has reduced the noise level and fuel consumption.

And with this rubber, you don't even need to stick a sticker with the letter “Sh” on the rear window. The only negative manifestation of the absence of metal elements can be called insufficiently safe behavior on clean ice. Partly, as already mentioned, it is stabilized by a crumb of nutshell. However, you should be careful while driving and follow the rules of the road so as not to get into an accident.

The positive aspects of the model according to driver reviews

it's time to find out what ordinary drivers think about this model, and not the professionals who conducted the tests. The fact is that such an opinion will be closer to an ordinary motorist who plans to use rubber in the real conditions of the Russian winter. Among the main positives found in the Nitto SN2 Winter reviews are the following:

• Low noise level. A well-thought-out tread pattern and the absence of studs have minimized the level of unpleasant sounds and vibrations, which in general allows you to drive a car with great comfort.

• Good value. The price of this rubber can be called very democratic, despite the fact that production is controlled by a Japanese company.

• High strength sidewalls. The sidewalls are more prone to damage in winter than in summer, and the additional reinforcement in the form of a rope and the use of a special rubber compound have benefited the tires by extending their life.

• Moderate softness. Rubber retains elasticity even in severe frosts, which allows you not to lose dynamic properties and effectively cope with small bumps on the roads.

• Good rowing performance of the Nitto SN2 Winter. Deep tread with a large number of cutting edges makes it easier to overcome snowy trails. The same can be said about driving in mud or water.

• Safe directional stability. When driving at high speed, this indicator allows you not to skid, the car follows a strict course and does not try to grab onto the side of the road. This feature also allows the rider to feel more comfortable in a rut, as the side guard provides a safe exit from the rut for maneuvers, as well as a safe return.

• Pleasant and predictable handling. Rubber obedient and follows the wheel well. At the same time, safe feedback is felt, which allows the driver to feel and control the movement of the car well.

As you can see, the model turned out to be quite successful, and drivers in general speak very warmly about it. However, in the list of reviews about the Nitto SN2 Winter, you can see a few minuses that are also worth paying attention to.

Negative aspects of the model in reviews

As the main drawback, pilots note not entirely safe behavior on ice. Tires may slip at first, so care must be taken. The same thing can happen when trying to make a sharp turn on a very slippery surface. The second disadvantage is that at sufficiently high temperatures, the softness of the rubber begins to play against it. As a result, it begins to “float” and controllability deteriorates. However, given that the main goal is the cold season, it will be possible to cope with this problem only during a very strong and prolonged thaw.

Conclusion

The model in question is ideal for those who often move in urban mode and like a measured pedal stroke. It is able to provide an adequate level of comfort and has all the hallmarks of a quality product created with Japanese meticulous approach to problem solving. Nitto SN2 Winter also has flaws in the reviews, but they are easy to fix, given these characteristics during operation.