TYRES FOR EVERY CONDITION

From ice to mud and all terrains in between, these are the tyres that suit

You should never underestimate the importance of your tyres. As the only points of contact between you, your car, your family, your valuables and the road, it’s essential to ensure you have good quality and well-maintained rubber fitted, regardless of the vehicle.

But there are many variables to consider when selecting the correct tyre for your specific purposes, including your budget, the type of vehicle they are being fitted to and also the conditions you most frequently encounter.

Here’s our quick guide to the various types of tyre on offer, to help you pick the optimum rubber for the job – starting from the coldest and most extreme applications.

Winter

A winter-grade tyre is identified by the threepeak mountain snow flake symbol on its side. This internationally standardised stamp indicates that the tyre has demonstrated significantly better handling and safety performance in cold, wet and icy conditions, certified through rigorous testing.

Winter tyres can be used for extended journeys outside of optimum operating conditions, although they won’t perform as well as models designed for warmer/drier climes.

Mud & snow

Mud and snow-rated tyres are identified by the M+S sidewall marking. While they have special features that boost traction on loose surfaces including snow, they are not necessarily made of the same soft rubber that stays supple in cold conditions. As such, they are best suited to use in warmer temperatures above 7°C, with occasional trips into cooler conditions.

All-terrain

For vehicles that spend less time off the beaten track, but still need more than a touch of go-anywhere grip, an all-terrain tyre offers a good balance of both. All-terrain tyres are not just intended for SUVS and off-roaders, and can be applied to any vehicle that spends time away from the road, just as a winter tyre can be applied to any vehicle in the correct climate.

All-season

The true all-rounder for on-road applications. All season tyres are designed for temperate climates where it isn’t necessary to swap your rubber on a seasonal basis.

Regardless of the brand, all season tyres offer low rolling resistance (reduces loss of energy or power as the wheels move) with good water clearing and wet weather traction, but also a compound that responds well in hotter dry weather too.

That said, an all-season tyre

will not offer the benefits of an outright high-performance tyre designed for optimum traction and dynamics when the sun shines…

Summer

Depending on the region, summer tyres can also be referred to as performance tyres, indicating that their characteristics are best suited to fine weather and more powerful vehicles.

In Australia’s relatively warm and dry climate, it is acceptable to leave a “summer” tyre fitted all year round as long as you do not mind a slight performance sacrifice in wet or particularly cold weather.

A summer tyre’s tread pattern has few or no sipes (thin slits across the tyre surface) to remove water faster, instead favouring large uninterrupted areas of smooth rubber that grip better on dry asphalt.

In some cases, summer mer tyres can be easily identified by the sunshine symbol stamped into the sidewall.