None of us can truly claim to be tire experts. It takes years of experience and a bit of technical knowledge to figure out what works best for your vehicle with respect to the roads you navigate and the climate conditions.
It is vital that you understand not every type of tire works in every condition and by making a wrong choice you remain susceptible to road accidents and property damage that can culminate into a lawsuit as well.
Generally speaking, there are summer tires, winter tires and all season tires available in the market today and each has its own set of advantages and limitations. The summer and the winter tires are built for usage in specific weather conditions whereas the all-season tire offers a balance of capabilities and combines the best of both worlds.
So, how to make a choice? In the following sections, we have carefully listed all that you need to know about the various tire types available so that you never make a mistake while choosing your specific type of wheels.
Let us have a close look!
Summer and winter tires
These are specialized tires for use in extreme heat and cold. Summer tires are perfect for the high-performance vehicles which are built to unleash the racing DNA of speed and agility. There are specialized tread patterns and rubber compounds that account for the increased driving precision in the heat.
There is a low amount of tread in the tires which means more contact of the rubber with the surface which gives you better traction. Many summer tire manufacturers even swear by the performance in wet conditions as well since they are resistant to hydroplaning.
In case of winter driving, you can switch to winter tires to combat the sleet, snow, and ice on the road. These have a far superior grip and traction compared to the summer tires in cold conditions. It is not a great idea to use the summer tires for winter driving as you might be putting yourself as well as the life of others at risk.
However, the truth is it is not ideal or feasible to keep changing the tires on your vehicle depending upon the weather conditions. Tire changing is time-consuming and needs a lot of hard work.
There is a better alternative though, which bring us to the all-season tires.
All season tires
All season tires are perfect for the average user since they are optimized for driving in the heat of the summer as well as the treacherous wet and snowy conditions. If you want acceptable performance in all weather conditions go for all season tires.
It is not just about the performance though. All season tires have moderate to high tread depths which means better grip thus have a longer life compared to the summer tires. The ride comfort, handling and performance attributes provided by the all-season tires are suitable to most of the drivers around the world.
All season tires have a huge variety on offer including car models, loading and carrying capacities along with variable speed ratings. These are the perfect blend of the features of summer as well as a winter tire and are the best option when driving in moderate to extreme summer and winter conditions.
It makes a lot of sense to go for all season tires to increase the safety for your car and passengers alike.
