What are all season tyres, and should I switch?

Have you ever thought that your summer tyres aren’t always suitable for all seasons? Many motorists in the UK don’t know that there are many different tyre options, each suited to different times of year. 

While some drivers will be keen to avoid buying full winter tyres as snow is still fairly rare, standard summer tyres will perform particularly poorly in icy conditions.  

All season tyres, on the other hand provide a happy medium and are perfect to keep drivers firmly on the road in the cold, providing great wet grip. So instead of changing tyres multiple times a year, all season tyres have become the more appealing option for drivers when it comes to overall cost saving.

Summer, winter and all season tyres - what's the difference?

Summer tyres are the standard tyre product that is fitted to the car from new when you buy it from the manufacturer. These tyres are best suited to the warmer months between March and October. Summer tyres are made from a softer compound so, during the warmer months, they grip dry roads superbly and offer excellent handling and steering.

Then there are winter tyres, which are the optimum choice when the temperature drops below 7 degrees. Sometimes referred to as snow tyres, they have a different rubber compound enabling them to grip the road in wet, icy or snowy conditions. They also feature tiny grooves on the tread pattern known as sipes which help to grip snow and ice.

Finally, the all season tyre is an all-rounder, agile enough to grip on dry roads but resilient enough so as not to harden like summer tyres on colder days. In mild climates like the UK where you cannot guarantee hot summers but equally snowfall is fairly rare, all season tyres offer the ideal solution as they still perform great in the wet.

At Kwik Fit we stock a range of all-season tyres including the following:

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen2

The award-winning Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen 2 is an all season tyre which offers drivers great performance in all weather conditions, as well as snowy and icy roads. This tyre is designed to meet the needs of drivers in the UK who don’t always change tyres in line with the differing and unpredictable weather conditions. 

Michelin CrossClimate

The Michelin CrossClimate achieves all-weather excellence thanks to a combination of an intelligent new rubber compound mixture which adapts to weather conditions, providing grip in all temperatures; with a unique tread pattern. In tests carried out by TUV SUD, the V-shaped tread provided excellent dry performance while the new bevel-edged tread blocks with higher performing sipes allowed for great traction on snow and ice.

As well as boasting safety in every weather condition, the Michelin CrossClimate delivers the highest levels of combined performance in fuel economy, longevity and driving comfort that Michelin is committed to delivering in every tyre that it develops.

Speak to Kwik Fit

If you are unsure which tyres are the right ones for you, contact your local Kwik Fit centre, tells us a little about your driving habits and we'll be able to suggest the best tyres for the job. Many of our centres are open 7 days a week too!