I too picked up a set early in December. They perform surprisingly well in the snow. I was quite pleased. Not a snow tire of course, but better than any all-season tire I've owned. Compared to my previous Michelin Exaltos (which were also fine tires), the Pures have noticeably lower rolling resistance. I could feel the difference immediately -- like driving with a tailwind! (I checked that the tire pressure on the new tires was the same as the old tires, to give a fair comparison.) I won't bother to take accurate fuel readings until the warmer weather, though. (The winter cold kills gas mileage, regardless of tire.) While my local Discount tire did a fine job with the installation, I had to nag them periodically to see if they could find my tire size. I guess they didn't make much profit on the small Passat tire and weren't that motivated to look. (I got the Black Friday discount.) But it was worth it. They provide a softer ride than the Exalto's, but maybe a tad more road noise, though nothing objectionable. In short, I'd recommend them.