Acura TSX
(225/50 R17 V) on
a combination of roads
for 11,000
average miles
When experts say that an "all-season" tire really means a "no-season" tire, they must have had the Yokohama S4 in mind. In addition to poor wet and dry traction, it's been confirmed that they have no grip in snow, either, for starting, stopping or turning.
Three inches of heavy (-5C) virgin and tire-packed snow was a real challenge. Okay, once moving on a level road I could easily snake my way along, but not with confidence. Fortunately there were only two gentle hills in my test, and I never had the chance to get up to the 50kph speed limit on them, because I got to the next stop sign first!
I tried driving with the traction/stability control on and off and it made no difference [In really deep snow, with my snow tires, I sometimes have to switch the traction control "OFF" to get/keep going.] I never got going faster than 55kph, on purpose. From that speed I was not able to slow down enough, in a full-ABS [unintended]panic-braking move, to make a slow, 90-degree left turn, and [on purpose] ran onto a neighbour's driveway at about 10kph and drove with two tires across his snow-covered lawn. This car just did not want to brake and turn at the same time. And yes, I know that if I've dialed in too much steering lock I need to unwind the wheel if I'm looking to reduce the understeer. I think the only thing I didn't try was left-foot braking.