Winter or all-season tyres?
ARE winter tyres indispensable in the coldest season of the year, or are all-season tyres just as good?
After all, so-called all-weather tyres offer obvious advantages: Instead of two sets of tyres, you only need one. This also eliminates the twice-yearly need to change your tyres. One the other hand, all-season tyres cannot offer the same performance as winter tyres, which are optimised for ice, snow, and cold temperatures, making a noticeable difference in borderline driving situations. You should also take into account: one set of tyres used all year round will of course wear out more quickly than two sets changed every six months.
‘ The choice of whether to fit all-season tyres or winter tyres depends mainly on three factors,’ says Thierry Delesalle of Tirendo.
‘ The climate, the vehicle you drive, and your mileage. If you drive in regions where the winter is milder, and snow and ice are rare, all-season tyres might be the right solution for you. Less heavily motorised cars don’t depend so much on optimum grip in borderline conditions.
‘And if you almost exclusively drive at low speeds in urban settings, the particular advantages of winter tyres are less attractive. But if you’re taking your car on a skiing holiday, or regularly drive longer distances out of town, winter tyres are clearly preferable.’