XC70 Tyres

[JVaughan]

XC70 owners, what are the standard tyres as fitted to the XC70's like for offroad / bad weather ?

Ive driven 4x4's with 50:50 AT's and 80:20 MT's in all sorts of conditions, so I appreciate the difference a good grippy chunky tyre has when the going gets slippery, and conversely, the noise transmitted from the treads when driving on roads / motorways.

What is the general consensus on the "Best" tyres for the XC70 that will be taking to the mud / snow as well as motorways / rutted "B" Roads ?

[S10GTA]

I've only just got mine, but it is fitted with Goodyear Ultragrip 8, which seem to get excellent reviews.

[the_lone_wolf]

My XC70 is a workhorse, does a couple of thousand motorway miles each month but also needs to haul kit around building sites and cross country, so it's a bit

The stock Pirelli Scorpion ATRs are about the best balance of longevity with on/off road grip for high mileages, they've recently stopped producing them though, and have been replaced with the "Scorpion Verde All Season"

Both are similar, both M+S marked, the Verde is very slightly more road oriented IMO, both will handle off-road in the dry and will both not handle mud particularly well (for an off-road tyre, compared to road tyres they're much better)

If I didn't do thousands of miles on the motorway each month I'd probably fit A/T tyres - Currently considering switching to Yokohama Geolander tyres despite the mileage to improve the off-road grip in winter wetness

[JVaughan]

Would be interested to know how the Geolanders stack up if you do go for them. I live on the Hampshire / Wiltshire boarder so have a potential mix of flooded / muddy / rutted roads as well as the M3/M4 & A303.

[the_lone_wolf]

Unless you take it off the road in mud I wouldn't bother going for ATs - If I did so, honestly it would also be for my own vanity to make it look a bit more beasty!!

This is my car on some silty mud on a site I'm working on, I should have got out and checked the ground but I'd driven up the same track the week previous in the dry without the slightest hint of an issue, my mistake!! Apologies for the Radio 4 commentary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FmceWGf5_Qg

The stock tyres were OK, if a little nerve wracking, I left some decent ruts behind but the car made it fine, with some reasonably liberal application of power. The rear tyres were replaced a few days later as they were at the end of their life.

I also live in Wiltshire and know the type of roads you're describing - You'll be surprised just how capable the stock tyres are, certainly any situation on a rutted/gravelly/muddy but surfaced road you'll do absolutely fine on Scorpions

I've not fitted full on ATs to the XC yet but have spent some time driving a friend's Disco which has BF Goodridge A/Ts fitted, off-road they're stonking, but the road handling is farcical as I'm sure you know, and the fuel economy suffers too much for my high mileage - if my work situation should change I'd be tempted to give them a go for vanity's sake

[JVaughan]

Thanks for that, I go shooting & the wife does a lot of work in the wilds of Wiltshire. Our other car is a 2014 Quashqui but its a 2x4 so when the weather gets bad, she will be taking the Volvo. My main reason for asking the question is the terrain is very similar to what you have just driven over, maybe a little more grassy, and probably wet. Other places im likely to go are military roads / tracks (but im not expecting it to deal with green lanes!)

Im looking at one like this ..
http://www.elmtreecars.com/used-car-volvo-xc70-est...

...

Edited by JVaughan on Thursday 30th October 16:08