I'd also agree you'd be good with a narrower tire but its not the end of the world if you stay factory fit.

More importantly is the tire you use. Living in MA and having quite a few cars through college years I have purchased many different snows...some on budget, some with ample money.

In my humble opinion and experience I would have to rate the Firestone Winterforce tire as one of the best snows I have ever used. I have tried the likes of Michelin X-Ice, Marangoni, etc, and have found the Winterforce to be an exceptional tire. Make no mistake the tire is dedicated to snow performance and your ride will not be the same in handling but suffice it to say I had a really hard time getting not only a 740 stuck using them but also a 95 VW Golf, and an 03 Civic. The tire means business and is definitely on the cheaper side. Nokians and Gizlaved are nice but performance is the same as the Winterforce and the cost difference speaks for iteself.

On my XC I opted for more studless ice performance and went with Blizzaks. Never had a problem even when I tried getting stuck on a steep incline in 12 inches of snow...didn't happen, but again thats AWD for you :)

steve