So, I wound up picking up a set of 4 Nokian WRG2 tires, these are the second generation of the WR tires, which were reviewed here:
http://www.canadiandriver.com/articles/hl/nokian.htm

These tires are listed both in the summer and the winter tire categories on Nokian's website, and can either be considered a winter tire that can be used year round, or an all-season tire that will actually work in snow and ice. Either way, it's a unique product - most all seasons are awful in snow and ice, and most winter tires melt on hot pavement. Not these, which have a 50,000 mile warranty - other winter-rated tires have no treadlife warranty.

I've had them for about a month and have had the chance to run them in snow, rain and on the dry. If you want an aggressive summer tire, you won't like these, but if you live in a northern climate, and want a tire that will work well all year round - and that means all 4 seasons, these are a real solution.

Improvements over the WR include:
[ul][*]an asymmetric tread pattern, with outsidestructures for hard cornering and inside structures for poor traction conditions[*]an improved rubber compound for greater temperature lattitude with good performance[*]3-D interlocking siping for better stability at speed while retaining traction under poor conditions[*]links holding together treadblocks for better stability at speed[/ul]
See the presentation at http://nokian.materials.fi/main.vers...;mat=433&a= for details on the design

 

With all those tiny slits, they look grippy. I'll keep them in mind for next time. Thanks

 

Sound like nice tires, but screw that there isn't a dealership of any kind that sells these around my place for 30+ miles. Not worth it IMO.

 

Yes, and the WRG2s are better than the WRs. Although you can beat these with 2 sets of tires specialized for winter and summer, I researched the crap out of these (starting with consumer reports, but reading every useful tire test and consumer review I could find, including some in foreign languages - yes, I can be fanatical about purchases *lol*)... and I do believe that for a northern climate, these are the best *all around* tires that are made. Driving them so far in heavy falling snow, torrential rains, and on the dry, I have not been dissappointed.

 

I haven't tried the WRG2's I had a set of the WR's on my s70 and they were pretty decent I drove in snow and ice with them without much fuss. Only hassle I had was they wouldn't balance. no matter how many times they were balanced they would shake between 58 and 61mph. After they wore out ( about 60K) I went to Kelly Navigator Gold all season for summer and Nokian Happelitta Q for winter. I got lazy this winter and still have the Kellys on, They are surprisingly good in the snow and ice, Best non-nokian all season tire I have used on a Volvo.