We left Red Wing MN 0800 local on Saturday after thanksgiving. Yup driving right into the teeth of the storm. We were looking at a very long trip back to our home just south of Indianapolis.
The snow was an ever-present challenge for 14 hours. Down the Mississippi coast, to I-90 all the way to Chicago, catching I-80 over to I-65, then to US-30 at Merrillville. Drop Daughter off at College in Warsaw, take unplowed county roads down to catch US-24 over to US-30 to Indianapolis and then home.
Tires: Michelin Defender MS2 (265/70r18 on oem 18s). Stock suspension and driveline. Center diff (edit) unlocked all the way.
The Defenders I bought expecting them to underperform in snow and wet because a hard-compound tires like these (judging by tread life advertised) can't possibly grip in bad weather, right? WRONG.
Snow up to the skidplates on side streets and parking lots was an absolute non-issue at all.
I had to pass very slow traffic in the unplowed fast lane MANY time. More than I could count, because mostly only a single lane was plowed, and often it was plowed hours before any real accumulation. So even the plowed lanes typically had a couple inches in them.
Coming from a more traditional part time 4wd experience reference, the AWD of the GX was an eye-opener. I didn't realize such capability could exist.
But it does and I was so thankful to have it as we got home 15 and one half hours later, a survivor and not a casualty (unlike MANY who were driving in those conditions; I personally witness (and narrowly avoided) two major accidents/spinouts right in front of me.)
A great AWD system means you don't need the tires to do as much work. But when you have good tires *and* and great AWD system, it's another world of capability.
I love my old 2011 warhorse.
The snow was an ever-present challenge for 14 hours. Down the Mississippi coast, to I-90 all the way to Chicago, catching I-80 over to I-65, then to US-30 at Merrillville. Drop Daughter off at College in Warsaw, take unplowed county roads down to catch US-24 over to US-30 to Indianapolis and then home.
Tires: Michelin Defender MS2 (265/70r18 on oem 18s). Stock suspension and driveline. Center diff (edit) unlocked all the way.
The Defenders I bought expecting them to underperform in snow and wet because a hard-compound tires like these (judging by tread life advertised) can't possibly grip in bad weather, right? WRONG.
Snow up to the skidplates on side streets and parking lots was an absolute non-issue at all.
I had to pass very slow traffic in the unplowed fast lane MANY time. More than I could count, because mostly only a single lane was plowed, and often it was plowed hours before any real accumulation. So even the plowed lanes typically had a couple inches in them.
Coming from a more traditional part time 4wd experience reference, the AWD of the GX was an eye-opener. I didn't realize such capability could exist.
But it does and I was so thankful to have it as we got home 15 and one half hours later, a survivor and not a casualty (unlike MANY who were driving in those conditions; I personally witness (and narrowly avoided) two major accidents/spinouts right in front of me.)
A great AWD system means you don't need the tires to do as much work. But when you have good tires *and* and great AWD system, it's another world of capability.
I love my old 2011 warhorse.
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The full-time 4WD in the GX is among the best on the planet. Good tires is only part of the equation. I've learned this living in North Idaho. Every winter I push my GX little more to find where it's breaking point is in the cold stuff and so far have been impressed. I see people struggling with their Wranglers and Subarus going up and down some of our steep inclines (of COURSE Subarus) where I just drive right on by like it's nothing. I've driven on snow packed trails with very little trouble, I love it. 
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