Stock tires in the winter

[socamb]

I am about to purchase a new WRX. I know they come stock with summer tires. I have no desire to track or auto cross. I want a fun car to drive hence this purchase.
I also do not care to go to the bother of two sets of tires.
So ...
What can I expect from these tires in the snow. Will the car even be drivable. Or should I ditch the stock tires right away and get some all season tires.
Any help would be appreciated.

[mgmichlein]

Bought a 2013 5-door new. I live in Northcentral Wisconsin. The Dunlops that came with it are great in the summer and in the rain. It is going to snow tonight. Today I put on my Cooper WeatherMaster ST/2s. They are already on steel rims. Go the extra money and enjoy your Rex all year long. Blizzaks ,igniting be better on ice, but we get a lot of deep snow here and the Cooper winter tread is Omni-directional and in a four-wheel drift, that’s what I want. Do NOT go with all-seasons to save money. Go real or go home. Find a snow tire you know and trust, put it on a steel rim (sliding into a curb or salt will really mess up your alloy wheels. Besides, I found I could pound out my steel rims after hitting a HUGE hole while driving through Chicago in 2014). I have plowed snow with that 2013 and busted drifts with my Coopers. There are better winter treads - look up Nokia Hakkapeliitta. Great tire. Super soft at 30 degrees below and stop on a dime on ice or snow. Be smart. Buy a good winter tread. Save your fenders and maybe your life - or someone else’s. You are buying the best car (at least for me) in the world. The only thing holding you to the earth and keeping the shiny side up is your tire. Be not stupid.

Me? I am 75 years old, driven all sorts of stuff here and in Europe. I love to go fast and maneuver like a snake at illegal speeds. What do I hate? The pain of being put back together again after a “mishap” and thinking of my stupidity destroying the best car I have ever owned.