The “TEST” is valid only if you intend to drive at the limits of traction…The DRIVERS controlled the outcome of the “test” more than the tires did…So if you are into Gymkhana driving on a frozen lake, yes, you should invest in 4 studded, Finnish, $200 a pop winter tires…
Nowadays a large portion of people still buy cars like my 98 Camry, that handle terribly in the winter. Sense what the car is doing? Fuggedaboutit… top rated all-seasons are marginal at best, even in very light snow, and you had better drive VERY cautiously. Fortunately, I just work from home on the few days it gets bad.
Strangely enough, my old 97 Taurus, while in no means a fantastic handling vehicle, gave you a very good sense of what it was doing in the snow… and the weight of the cast iron block V6 over the drive wheels certainly didn’t hurt, either.