Tires are one of the most essential parts of a car, especially when it comes to safety, as they help to make sure a car can stop, start, and steer properly and effectively. As different seasons come with different conditions and hence require different properties, the effectiveness of all-season tires is still questioned by some inquisitive drivers today.
The first all-season tires were produced by Goodyear back in 1977, marketed to be the money and time-saving alternative to switching between summer and snow tires. This new form of tire became an instant success, inspiring many other companies to create their own versions. All-seasons are now the most common form of tires, with nearly all new vehicles sold being fit at the factory with them. They also make up for 97.5% of all replacement-tyre sales.
There is often truth in the market, and all-season tires resoundingly seem like the best solution. Below briefly outlines why all-season tires are often the best choice.
What is an All-Season Tire?
There are three main types of tire on the market, winter, summer, and all-season tires. Driving on all season tires combine properties of the weather-specific tires to create a product that is safe and suitable year-round. The tires on this 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 seem like they’ll get the owner through any terrain!
Made from an intermediate rubber compound that offers a good level of grip for warm, dry roads, all-season tires will not harden as much as summer tires do as the weather gets colder. All-season tires also have a unique tread pattern with grooves to aid help to avoid aquaplaning, with high-density spies to provide interlocking grip in icy conditions. It is this blend of features that make all-season tires the ultimate tire for a wide range of weather conditions.
The Benefits of All-Season Tires
- Save on the cost and time of changing between winter and summer tires. Buying two sets of quality tires is usually pricy, especially when considering ongoing fitting costs. Using all-season tires removes all of the installation, storage, and purchasing costs that come with owning two pairs of tires.
- They perform better throughout winter than any other non-winter tire will. Thanks to the unique tread and groove pattern and the intermediate rubber compound, all-season tires are a much more reliable winter choice. It is worth remembering that, although they will still work well for temperatures below freezing, they are not quite as reliable as winter tires when the weather dips below 44 degrees.
- They are superior to all other non-summer tires in the summer months too as the tread improves handling on hot, dry roads.
- They last longer. All-season tires are constructed to wear evenly across the entire tire, making them the best long-term option.
- All-season tires are often the cheapest on the market. Since these are the most popular form of tire, manufacturers often sell at a lower price to keep up with the competition.
Are All-Season Tires Suitable for all cars?
All-season tires come in a variety of sizes suited for standard vehicles such as people carriers, hatchbacks, SUVs, and most vans. However, the range of sizes is more limited than what is offered by summer and winter tires. People with high-performance cars may struggle to find the right size all-season tire.
