Sno problem: Ford will hook your Focus RS up with winter wheels and tires
$2,000 is on the costly side, but not having to visit a tire shop every season is a sweet benefit.
Winter tires are not an absolute necessity, but they provide ample peace of mind and performance when the going gets snowy. Alongside typical aftermarket offerings, automakers have taken to hawking winter tire packages, and Ford's following suit with its all-wheel-drive, 350-horsepower Focus RS hatchback.
For $2,000, RS owners can pick up a set of 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 winter tires. The set comes with center caps and tire pressure sensors, and everything is balanced ahead of time, so all you need to do is pull out the lug wrench and swap one set for another. You can even fit chains to 'em, if local laws permit.
Sure, there are cheaper options. You could buy a set of tires and head down to your local tire outlet to swap sets twice a year, but that gets costly over time -- and that doesn't even factor in additional costs like TPMS seals, the time spent sitting in waiting rooms and (heaven forbid) a replacement wheel after the tire jockeys nick one during the swap.
Considering the Focus RS comes standard with summer tires, you'll need to do something before winter hits, and having an extra set of wheels and tires is not a bad way to stay prepared.
