Honda Insight Snow Tires

Maintenance/Repairs
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1

I would like to put snow tires on my Honda Insight but do not know if I will need 2 or 4 tires (?). Also, I want to put the same size tires on as the current ones (especially if I only purchase 2 tires) – are 165/65R14 tires hard to find/expensive?

2

Tire Rack lists only 2 tires in the 165/65R14 size, fortunately one is a snow tire.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/TireSearchResults.jsp?width=165%2F&ratio=65&diameter=14&x=57&y=5

Tire Rack recommends 4 matching snow tires. I don’t do enough driving in the snow to make a recommendation one way or the other.

http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=123

Ed B.

3

You need FOUR (4) winter tires for safety, and they should be the same size as the tires you have now. Shop around, someone will be able to get the correct size.

Consumer Reports magazine recently did a comparison test of winter tires. You might find the article informative.

4

Use 4. 2 on front = sliding rear tires, spins; 2 on rear = no traction to driven/steering wheels, stuck or slide off road in a turn.

5

You need 4 as 2 are hazardous.

Are you using alternate rims, I did not even think they made any cars with 14" rims as that is a really odd size.

6

November 09, pages 48-49

7

Thank you all for your replies! I’ll definitely get 4 tires.

8

There are lots of cars with 14" wheels. Not many new ones, perhaps, but plenty of older ones.

9

Tire makers produce what they sell most of. I have a feeling cheapo(less expensive) tires have more 14" sizes than premium brands

10

1010tires also lists a couple.
http://www.1010tires.com/tiresearch.asp?submit=yes

This must be an old style Insight. I always thought they were really cool. They were what a hybrid SHOULD look like!

11

also, it wouldn’t hurt to have them on their own set of rims, to make changing them out even easier. With this, you might also find more tire selections if you went to, say, 15" rims instead.

12

I was surprised Tirerack didn’t have any +1 option. Odd…

13

hmm.
upon checking out info for a 2000 Insight(not sure the OP’s year, but that was the one I looked up), it does indeed not list anything for optional rim sizes

14

I use Bridgestone Potenza MZ03 on steel rims they work well.