Winter Tire Review: Cooper Discoverer M+S Sport for SUVs

Cooper Discoverer M+S Sport. Click image to enlarge

Starting from a standstill on a snowy surface was also markedly improved; I know this because the traction control system is now rarely invoked when moving away, as opposed to my experience previously. Likewise when braking, the anti-lock system is activated less, indicating that the tires are doing a good job maintaining grip in slippery conditions.

This is, of course, what you want. And while winter tires are demonstrably more effective than all-seasons (or should I say three-seasons?), it is when stopping that you are likely to experience the greatest improvement. The Rubber Association of Canada points out that winter tires can provided 50 percent more traction than all-season tires, and my experience is that you will stop up one to two car lengths before vehicles equipped with all-season tires.

The same improvement was evident on ice as on snow, although no tire is able to prevent a loss of traction if your speed is excessive. Nonetheless, with prudent driving on icy surfaces, your vehicle will maintain its stability and the driver his or her control when equipped with a dedicated winter tire like the Cooper Discoverer M+S Sport.

My opportunities to experience the Discoverer M+S Sport tires on bare surfaces were initially limited by the road conditions – it’s mostly been slush, ice and snow. But eventually the roads have cleared and I’ve been able to drive on clear highways. My sense is that they are not quieter than other winter tires; and may in fact be louder than some. My Frisby Tires contact suggested this might be the case due to the rigidity of the Discoverer M+S Sport’s sidewalls and its specification as a “handling” tire.

You shouldn’t be surprised, however, if you don’t experience the type of smooth, quiet ride associated with all-season “touring” style tires. Winter tires are typically louder on dry surfaces; their specialized tread patterns and rubber compounds geared more to traction than quietness (and your vehicle likely has more sound insulation than my boxy Honda

Element, with its acoustic properties emulating that of a speaker enclosure…).

Overall, I felt as if my Cooper Discoverer M+S Sport-equipped front-wheel drive utility vehicle could handle anything this winter could throw at it, and indeed at one point I was able to successfully climb a steep, ice-covered hill that left others stranded at the side of the road.

Big sigh of relief!

The Discoverer M+S Sport is available in T, H and V speed ratings to cover 16 to 19-inch rim diameters. Pricing ranges from between $150-$250 per tire, depending on size and source. The M+S Sport is ideally suited for CUVs, SUVs and performance geared SUVs, according to Cooper Tires.