Winter tyres vs all-season tyres: How to find the right tyre for your car

Using the right tyre is crucial. Many British drivers use summer tyres all-year round, but there are clear benefits to switching to winter tyres, especially if you live in one of the colder and more remote parts of the country. Then again, swapping between summer and winter tyres twice a year is a hassle many of us could do without. All-season tyres do away with this inconvenience, because they are designed to work well all-year round. So, which is better, winter tyres or all-season tyres?

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Winter tyres vs all-season tyres: how are they different?

Winter tyres and all-season tyres differ in terms of tread, rubber compound and their operating conditions.

Winter tyres

These are your go-to for consistently low temperatures. Winter tyres have a rubber compound that retains its elasticity even at low temperatures giving good grip on cold road surfaces and even snow and ice.

Winter tyres have sipes, which are fine grooves in the tread which help displace water, snow or ice from the tread.

The downside of winter tyres is that they are no good in the summer and may not operate at their best in a mild British winter. Because of their softer compound and the sipes in the tread pattern they wear quickly and have longer stopping distances in warm weather compared with summer tyres.

Winter tyres work best in temperatures of 7°C or below.

All-season tyres

As the name suggests, all-season tyres are designed to work well across a variety of temperatures in weather conditions.

The rubber compound is formulated to remain grippy across a wide range of temperatures. It’s a compromise between the compounds used in summer and winter tyres.

All-season tyres tend to have sipes in the tread, although not necessarily to the same extent as winter rubber.

Independent tests show that the very best all-season tyres now rival dedicated winter tyres – especially for use in regions with mild winters.

What do the tests say?

A recent practical test by the “Die Reifentester” platform in Germany showed that modern all-season tyres perform almost equally well as winter tyres on wet and dry roads – especially in regions without extreme snow conditions.

On snow, however, winter tyres continued to be ahead. For example, when braking from 50kmh (31mph), there was only a difference of about 1.5 metres between the best winter tyre (approximately 24.9 metres) and the worst tested winter tyre (approximately 26.4 metres) – the all-season tyre was slightly behind.

So, unless you live in a remote or mountainous part of the country where winter snow is common, a high-quality all-season tyre will perform well. It’s only those who regularly drive on snow or ice who really benefit from the extra cold-weather performance of a dedicated winter tyre.

Who should run all-season tyres and who should use winter tyres?

All-season tyres are best if you live somewhere with only a few snowy days in a typical winter. They will also suit drivers who can stay at home if the weather is bad.

If you absolutely need to get around, even in wintery weather, proper winter tyres will perform better in the very coldest conditions, especially if there is snow and ice on the ground. If you live halfway up a Scottish mountain, a true winter tyre is more likely to keep you mobile than four-season rubber. Winter tyres could also be worthwhile if you drive to go skiing.

There’s no one-size-fits-all solution, it depends on where you live and how vital your winter journeys are. Winter tyres are better than all-season tyres in extreme conditions, but for most British drivers, quality all-season tyres are more than good enough. Plus, there’s no need to change the tyres again come the spring.

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Looking for a new set of wheels? With Carwow you can sell your car quickly and for a fair price – as well as find great offers on your next one. Whether you’re looking to buy a car brand new, are after something used or you want to explore car leasing options, Carwow is your one stop shop for new car deals.

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