Hi All - I have a 2020 Defender P400 HSE with the 20" OEM Goodyear Wrangler All Terrain Adventure tires (255/60R20) and have found these tires to be horrendous in the snow (even light snow) slipping quite regularly. When looking at and purchasing the Defender I had been hoping to have an all terrain tire that truly could be year round handling some off roading in the summer and doing well in New England winters/snow. I've managed having a summer and winter tire set for others cars and really hadn't been planning on that hassle when purchasing the Defender.

Would be very grateful for any suggestions from others on a tire to consider?

Thanks so much!!

 

Sorry to hear that the all season marketing machine has yet again not lived up to the promise. Your choice is to find an all-season or all-terrain with the 3 peak snow rating, or get a second set of wheels on its full snow tires. Full snow tires are the best, and it doesn’t really cost much more since you end up replacing your summer tires less often. But additional wheels do cost. The iguide lists some snow tires for each wheel size. If you want a winter rated all-season, there are just a few out there. Nokian WR is good, but like all compromise tires won’t be as good at anything as the specialist tires. If you drive in snow often, I’d go for extra wheels and real snow tires. It’s much cheaper than an ambulance and body shop after you wrap the Defender around a tree. People seem to think the amazing terrain control and lockers will keep them out of trouble in snow, but there’s no difference between the Defender and any other truck once you hit the brakes. Spend the money and be safe.

 

I'd explore the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrec -- this tire is 3 peak mountain rated, which means it will perform better than the All Terrain Adventure tires (which are just M+S)... but likely not as well as a dedicated winter tire (there are several that fit your size). Unfortunately, no options really at all yet for those us with 19" setups. You'll probably want to do a lot of research so that you're happy with the purchase. I also was hoping to skip seasonal swaps in favor of 3PMSF tire but will rethink all of that next fall when more options should be available.

 

Exact reason I kept my LR4 that is currently wearing Nokian winter tires. Getting traction in these vehicles is seldom a problem. The issue is braking and turning all this weight on a slippery surface. There is just no substitute for good winter tires. As noted above, I already reached out to Nokian and they are planning to offer Hakka winter tires in Defender sizes this fall. I also grabbed a set of 20" Defender takeoff wheels on eBay. Keep a watch on eBay for a decent deal on Defender takeoff wheels.

 

Out of curiosity, why do you prefer a second wheel set if you’re sticking with the same size? Is it just the ease of swap vs having the shop remount?

 

I'm not a fan of having a shop swap summer and winter tires on the same set of wheels as they tend to scratch-up the wheels over time. Plus with 2 sets of wheels it's just easier to do the tire swap myself in my garage. And I put the lug nuts on with a torque wrench so I know can get the lug nuts off in the event of a flat tire.

On our LR4's I run 20" in summer but 19" in winter. Narrower tires are better in deep snow and 19" tires have taller sidewalls which are better at preventing pothole damage to the wheels. Plus Michelin only makes the Defender LTX tire in 20". It's the most durable tire for an LR4. I imagine tires may last a little longer on the lighter Defender, maybe 35K miles.

I ordered my Defender with 20" wheels and picked up a matching set of 20" wheels for winter. All Defender tire sizes have taller sidewalls than the LR4 tire sizes. And 19" can be an odd tire size with limited choices. There will eventually be more tire options available in 20" for the Defender. In fact, I think Tire Rack has two 20" winter tire options for the Defender but none for the 19" tire size.

 

Make sure to look at the winter tire section in the iguide. It now includes a recommended size for Nokians on 20’s, and lists the Continental Winter contact for the 19’s. If you go that route, definitely get extra wheels. Bad for tires and rims to mount and remove over and over, and cost would add up over time. Duratracs are pretty off road biased, so possible choice if you don’t mind a compromise on road performance, but snow tires are still the best.

 

I just ordered the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3 Suv in size 285/45/22.

 

I just built up a new snow-winter tire package for my 2021, mounted and balanced. 5 wheels, Land Rover OEM Alloy Wheel - 20" 6 Spoke, Style 6011 With Gloss Black Finish, Part Number LR129110 ($1,227.00 each), 255/60R-20 Pirelli Scorpion Winter LR Land Rover XL ($350 each), 433MHZ Tire Pressure Sensor ($25 each), tires professionally mounted and balanced. Am selling these now if anyone is interested as no don't plan on using this vehicle in snowy weather. Available for pickup in upper midwest USA or shipping can be arranged. PM me if interested!

 

hi, shoot me an email at firedc5@gmail.com with how much you are looking for and where you are located.