hmmm..first winter snow and not too happy..

[Hal72]

Is your tire brand new? My X5 drives very well, but I do have studded tires. and it can not compare to the Escalade I drove before.

Are you driving on much snow or slush/water/snow. Some all-season tires are better in slush than winter tires. at least with braking.

[TowX]

My X5 is pretty good in the snow, when I run my Hankook IceBear snow tires. But my old Audi allroad with Dunlop M3 snows was far better. And my wife's Ford Explorer with it's Michelin Cross Terrain tires (year round tires) is also better.

I think part of the problem is the size of the X5 tires. I dropped from the OE 19" staggered wheels to a dedicated set of 18x9 TSW wheels with stock size 255/55-18 snows. They're too wide for some of the snow and can't get down to the pavement for best grip. My Audis always had narrower snows- my A6 ran 235/45-17, my allroad used 225/55-17 tires, and wife's Explorer is 245/65-17. All narrower than the 255's on the 18" wheels.

But the X5 is only slightly less capable than the Audis in traction in the deep snow. Reality is that here in the upper midwest we get a few big dumps a season, but a lot of lighter snowfalls, 6" or less. In this type of snow, the X5 with IceBears is fine. And while the IceBears may not be quite as good as a narrower tire in the deep stuff, they're great on dry and wet winter roads which is probably 75% of what most of us have during the winter season.

If it's any consolation, last winter in the Northwoods of WI when we had a huge snowstorm, I got out of our cabin's driveway and my BIL's Acura MDX was hopelessly stuck. Family next door couldn't get their X3 with all season tires to move at all. But their Escalade got out easily.

[motordavid]

Odd that the OP has experienced so-so results...
when I ran in winter, on very very steep, snow and ice covered mtn roads, I had excellent confidence inspiring experiences.
Our '01 is pre-XDrive, but I did run style 57 17 inchers w/the dedicated snows. The X climbed, descended and ran down
the road like a Dall sheep. GL, mD

[c4racer]

the type of AWD system matters. Subaru and Audi both use a mechanically locked 50/50 torsen style of diff. That is the best arrangement for the snow. A traditional 4x4 truck will have a similar locked center diff. Not as good is a FWD or RWD platform that electronically pulls in the other axle wheels when it senses slip - such as Haldex.

From what I understand, BMW is somewhere in the middle. There is some minimum split between front and rear - 30/70 or something along those lines, so that means it is a mechanical diff at that split that can then electronically add more to the front wheels as it senses slip. So this arrangement is not as good as 50/50 mechanical diff like Subaru or Quattro or truck based 4x4 SUV. But it's better than an MDX or Volvo.

I still think tires make a bigger difference than the drive type, but even given equal tires the X5 will not be quite as good as Quattro fundamentally.

FWIW - I have owned several of each of these types and driven in the snow. When I was 16 I drove a '63 Impala with studded tires and sand bags in the trunk up skiing every weekend all winter long. I never once got stuck in that. knowing how to drive in the snow is also rather key to the process.

[mywidebody02]

[papasmurf]

You're moving down to tiny tires, of course it won't handle well in the dry. In the snow it handles great. Remember, the truck has a much better power/weight ratio than the other vehicles you have driven in the snow, so of course it's going to spin the tires and be more tail-happy.

[c4racer]

Originally Posted by papasmurf

You're moving down to tiny tires, of course it won't handle well in the dry. In the snow it handles great. Remember, the truck has a much better power/weight ratio than the other vehicles you have driven in the snow, so of course it's going to spin the tires and be more tail-happy.

very true, plus the AT trans is tuned rather aggressively in the 4.6is. I was comparing most recently to a similar power to weight performance car - the V8 Audi S4 - actually same HP but 600lbs or so less weight. Quattro and manual trans. Similar sized tires - 235/40/18 on the Audi and 255-50-19 on the X5. Both performance snows from Pirelli. And the Audi is far more planted due to the quattro system. But the X5 is perfectly adequate and better than most in the snow.

[4MoJoe]

I have 18" Blizzak's. I had been driving on my all seasons and then we got bombed with 8" in one day and my X sucked on the snow. Threw on the snows and what a difference. Great traction and braking. I drive a twisty road to the skill hill for 45 mins and never feel like I have an issue with the snow and ice when I have my snow tires on.

I did own a 2004 Passat 1.8T 4Motion and that car was QUITE good in the snow even with the all seasons.

[rayxi]

I'm on Hakkapeliitta's and the X5 handles Xtremely well in the snow and ice. I'm not familiar with the Dunlops but that could be part of the issue.

[SlowRider]

Braking on ice and snow is all about the tires and vehicle weight. Theoretically, an X5 braking on snow/ice would be like any other vehicle of the same weight on the same tires.

But what would I know, I haven't even driven mine in the snow yet. Just put on the new winter shoes yesterday - Pirelli Ice & Snow on 17s. My sister had these on her Range Rover and said they worked great in the snow, plus it sounds like a lot of people on this forum had positive experiences with the tire.

I'm pretty excited to test the X in snow (just purchased 2 months ago) and find the limits of what it can do. I've driven a few different vehicles in snow:
Lifted Dodge Ram 4X4 on off-road style M+S rated tires
Jeep Cherokee 4X4 on M+S tires
Volvo XC90 (AWD) on all-season tires
Toyota Celica (FWD) on street tires, with and without chains
Yes, I drove a Celica in the snow on low-profile street tires without chains. It was an emergency situation and I do not recommend anybody do this!

I'll see shortly how my X5 measures up and report back.