But lose transient response and emergency handling behavior that made this car such a winner to all those car magazines. As usual there is a give and take. Personally, I like the nimbleness of this car, and I feel that the suspension is tuned for this type of behavior. You might lose that "glued to the road, on rails" feeling when swapping tires and wheels to 17's (or to an A/S tire, no matter the brand.)
Indeed, that's for certain. I have snow tires mounted on 17" wheels and the difference between things is drastic. Still, for everyday pulling out into traffic, I like the extra bit of forgiveness the higher profile tires offer before wheel hop sets in. A little more confidence when trying to cut and thrust my way to work!
I'm sure that come April, when it's time to go back to summer tires, I'll be taking joy in all the subtle control that is completely muted through the current snow gear.