A few months back I wrote about wheel and tire sizes, specifically sizing for a winter setup. I sourced a set of '05 Accord EX V6 (16") wheels for use as my winter wheels and verified they fit the TSX without issue. I then replaced the "H" emblem center cap with the appropriate "A" to stay consistent with Acura's badging and just recently mounted a brand new set of Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 winter tires sized at 205/60-16. I haven't gotten to drive in any snow yet so I will wait to write a full review. But as for dry pavement driving, these tires perform about as expected. In comparison to my 225/45-17 ultra high performance all-season tires, the Blizzaks are very "sloppy" and slow to respond. This is due to the combination of soft "spongy" winter compound and increased sidewall length. I was VERY impressed with their low noise characteristic. On the freeway at 80+MPH, the road noise was comparable to my all-season tires, which are very quiet. At a stoplight, I decided to try a hard launch. VSA was noticeably active throughout first gear and at the top of second. This wasn't terribly surprising considering these were not formulated for high torque and temperature scenarios.
In heavy rain, I felt no hydroplaning or understeer. However, in an emergency stop scenario, ABS was activated. This is likely due to the fact that winter tread patterns are designed for snow and ice traction and not water expulsion. This experience left me praising my all-season's since ABS has NEVER kicked in with them.
