10 Things to Know About the Cooper Evolution Winter Tire

The sense of peril associated with driving through inclement winter weather is one that every northern U.S. driver is familiar with. It’s not just paranoia. The winter driving hazard is indeed very, very real. Over half a million U.S. car crashes per year can be attributed to icy and slick winter roads, as well as over 100,000 injuries and 1,800 deaths.

And while winter drivers sometimes become resigned to that winter driving unease and the seemingly unavoidable hazards of winter travel, dramatically improved safety really can be achieved with a proactive approach.

Since traction deficiency is the cause, the widespread use of specialized winter tires would undoubtedly have a massively positive impact on these statistics. (See our Top ten reasons you need winter tires for more info.)

Cooper has been engineering and manufacturing tires in the USA since 1914, and the Evolution Winter includes all of its latest winter traction technologies.

Here are 10 things to know about the Cooper Evolution Winter:

1. The Evolution Winter is a dedicated winter tire

This means the tire was designed from the outset with one goal in mind: Maximum traction and driving safety in every variety of sub-freezing winter road conditions.

The advantages of a focused tire engineering approach are significant. Because winter tires like the Evolution Winter do not also have to take into account warm/summer weather road conditions, every element of the tire – from the mixture of the tread’s rubber compound to the tread design itself – is designed to excel during winter driving.

(See All-Season Tires vs. Winter Tires for to dig deeper into the differences between tires that are designed for all seasons and purposes, and tires designed for winter.)

The real-world advantages of dedicated winter tires have been demonstrated many times over, and all around the world in independent testing. The difference in braking power on slick winter roads, for example, can be many car lengths as compared to conventional all season tires.

In a world full of tall tale marketing tactics and empty product promises, winter tires are the real deal.

2. The Evolution Winter fits a wide variety of vehicles

Some winter tires are specific to a particular vehicle type, e.g., trucks or only passenger cars. The Evolution Winter is a fit for the majority of daily driver, family vehicles – cars, minivans, SUVs, and CUVs. And it’s reflected by the wide variety of sizes available. Sixty-seven sizes in tire diameters from 14" to 20".

3. A high priority on quietness and comfort

Some older generation winter tires aren’t particularly quiet on a day-to-day basis. They provide fine winter traction, but there are compromises during routine use.

The Evolution Winter puts a high priority on quietness and comfort and doesn’t penalize the driver while delivering that renowned wintertime traction. It’s likely the Evolution Winter won’t be perceptibly louder than your vehicle’s original equipment (OE) tires.

4. Integrates Cooper’s latest, cutting-edge winter tire technology

Over 100 years of engineering and manufacturing tires pay off in a diverse repertoire of seriously effective tire technology.

Highlights of the Evolution Winter include:

• A sawtooth circumferential center rib

Most tires integrate a single piece, central rib to the tire tread. No tread element of the Winter Evolution is without winter utility – its uniquely staggered sawtooth center rib is specifically designed to “saw” through snow and wintry precipitation while rolling. This helps keep the Evolution Winter in touch with the road surface, which is the name of the traction game.

• Angled siping

Sipes are an ever-present tread element of winter tires due to their immense and proven effectiveness in all varieties of wintry precipitation.

The Winter Evolution includes “multi-angle sipe positioning,” and siping on every tread block.


A closer look at the tire
• “Snowphobic” elements

The very best winter tires actually use the winter elements to their advantage. The Evolution Winter’s “Snow Groove Technology” works to trap snow in the tire tread, which creates snow-on-snow traction. Snow sticks in the tire tread and bonds with the snow-covered road, so when you hit the brakes or turn to make a corner, you’re using snow’s cohesive properties to your advantage. If you’ve ever formed a snowball, that’s the idea!

• Stud pin holes for optional stud installation

The Evolution Winter provides drivers the option of installing studs for maximum traction on icy and slick winter roads. Studs are not a requirement, but the option is there if users want to fully exploit the Winter Evolution’s tech.

(Stud laws vary by state – verify legality in your home state before installation and use.)

5. Meets Severe Snow Service traction credentials

3-Peak Mountain Snowflake designation

The Evolution Winter achieves the highest criteria for North American winter tire traction. The “three-peak mountain snowflake” on the tire sidewall symbolizes verified snow traction.

The Evolution Winter’s winter performance goes far beyond just optimized snow traction, but the achievement of this traction criteria objectively separates the Evolution Winter from any Mud + Snow (M+S) rated all season tires.

6. Deep starting tread depth

With 12/32" of starting tread depth it’s a boon to both deep snow traction and tire life. Expect the Evolution Winter to deliver many winter seasons of service.

(Winter tires must be used through winter only, and rotated seasonally with all season or summer tires for maximum treadlife and effectiveness. When temperatures drop consistently below approximately 40-degrees and/or winter precipitation is occurring, winter tires should be mounted.)

7. Backed by a 45-day road test warranty

Put the Evolution Winter to the test fitted to your vehicle during the winter season. If you don’t experience standout winter traction, Cooper will allow for a free exchange within 45 days of purchase and installation. That’s an unlikely outcome to be sure, but speaks to Cooper’s confidence in its product performance.

(Winter tire experience is typically all that is needed for drivers to be convinced of the value. Once winter tire advantages are experienced, it’s highly unlikely that drivers will settle for less!)

8. Made in the USA and affordable

Cooper doesn’t make world-class winter tire technology out of reach or unaffordable.

No matter your vehicle’s tire size and spec, the Evolution Winter comes in at a very reasonable initial cost. And if that cost is (rightly) considered over the life of the tires, and the many seasons of use, well, let’s be honest, it’s probably less than your monthly coffee bill. (Hey, how else are you supposed to keep warm?)

Depending on miles accrued during the winter season, even 5-6 winters of use is possible.

9. Symmetrical tread design allows for tire rotation

Tire rotations are fundamental to maximizing tire life. Before mounting for every winter season, the Evolution Winter’s wear can be evaluated on a tire-by-tire basis, and each tire strategically placed to even out wear and extend tire life.

10. Customer approved

One winter season in the books, the Evolution Winter was almost unanimously approved by TireBuyer.com users. Its 4.8/5 overall rating and high praise in customer testimonials are real-world proof of the Evolution Winter’s quality.

Any final questions or concerns before you’re ready to fight back against the elements with the Cooper Evolution Winter? Give us a call at 866-961-8668 or check out all the product details and specs for the Cooper Evolution Winter tire.