Are winter tyres worth buying?

If you got caught out in one of last winter’s cold snaps, you might be wondering whether you should invest in a set of winter tyres for your car, or a set of all-season tyres that should provide a good level of grip whatever the weather. There are pros and cons with both types that you’ll need to weigh up before you can decide whether either is worth the outlay.

Let’s start with winter tyres. They have higher levels of silica and natural rubber than summer tyres, so they don’t harden in low temperatures. Their tread also has more grooves and a more open pattern, so they lift water from the road surface, helping them to grip asphalt and snow better. As a result, you’re far less likely to skid on icy or snowcovered roads with winter tyres fitted.

However, they generally only grip better than summer tyres under braking at temperatures below 7deg C, and many parts of the UK don’t experience very cold weather frequently. Using winter tyres at higher temperatures isn’t recommended, because they don’t perform as well as their summer counterparts.

Therefore, you have to decide when is the best time to change from summer to winter tyres, and our unpredictable weather means you could get caught out with the wrong type of tyre fitted.

There’s also the expense of buying four or five tyres and wheels and the difficulty of storing them if your local dealership doesn’t offer a storage service.

Going for a set of all-season tyres is aneffective solution. Michelin introduced the first all-season tyre, the Cross Climate, in 2015, and it’s now been joined by other all-year tyres, including the Falken Euroall Season, Goodyear 4 Seasons and Nexen N’blue 4Season. All of these have strong grip and braking in wet and snowy conditions and good dry braking, too.