Given my propensity for gentle driving, with occasional bursts of speed but never approaching the limits, I utilise winter tires throughout the entire year on all my vehicles. In contrast to online myths, they do not deteriorate substantially faster during the summer. The wife's golf vehicle is equipped with Vredestein Wintrac tires, the Ford Ranger features Cooper Weathermaster tires, and the Touareg is fitted with Dunlop WinterSport tires. I previously purchased Cooper Discoverer Winter tires, but they are now difficult to locate and costly (formerly mid-range). During my ownership of two XC60s and two XC90s over the past 15 years, I achieved 40,000 to 45,000 miles from a single set of winter tires used year-round with one rotation (non R-Design models with 18" wheels).
All-season tires have significantly advanced in recent years and may be somewhat intermediate between summer and winter tires in snowy conditions; however, this still implies that there are several locations from which one cannot return home without dedicated winter tires.
Unless you have personally operated an AWD vehicle equipped with comprehensive winter tires in profound fresh snow, you cannot fully comprehend their transformative impact. The stopping distance on ice is approximately half that of all-season tires and a quarter that of summer tires.
Numerous videos of examinations are available on YouTube.