Should I buy All Season Tyres or Summer Tyres?

Tyres are the only point of contact between your car and the road, so choosing the right type can make a big difference in handling, safety, and running costs.

The tyres differ in the following ways:

• All-season tyres are intended for use in summer and winter conditions. 
• All season tyres work better on wintry roads than summer tyres, but they are not as effective in snow and ice as winter tyres. 
• Swapping from winter to summer tyres can prove to be expensive. However, all-season tyres by their very nature do not need to be swapped. 

During the summer months, when the weather is at its best, one question that motorists may find occurring is whether they should buy all season tyres or summer tyres - thinking ahead to the rest of the year 

Annoyingly, the answer tends to be ‘it depends’. Which on the face of it, does not appear to be of much help.  

However, if we look at the factors which should be considered when deciding on which type of tyre to buy – this can help to make the right choice based on your own circumstances. 

Benefits of Summer Tyres over All Season Tyres

If you are looking for the best performance from your tyres, during the summer months, then summer tyres are more than likely the strongest choice.

This is because summer tyres have been developed to optimally perform in summer conditions.

As a general rule of thumb, summer tyres feature tread elasticity and stiffer tread compounds – allowing them to deliver top performances in warm weather (i.e. above 7°c).

As a result, vehicles fitted with summer tyres in the summer months boast precise handling, reliable levels of grip, and short braking distances. 

One thing that you may need to take into consideration is that to get a similar performance from your vehicle during the winter, then you may need to switch to winter tyres when the thermometer drops below 7°c. As winter tyres provide you with the best performance in winter conditions.

Benefits of All Season Tyres over Summer Tyres

Now, let’s look at the other side of the coin. 

All season tyres have been developed by tyre manufacturers to deliver the best of both a summer and winter tyre into one tyre. With the goal of providing, you with a consistent performance throughout the year. 

If you live somewhere that does not receive particularly cold winters and you experience little to no snow and frost, then all season tyres may be the best option. 

Generally, you will find that a summer tyre outperforms an all-season tyre during the summer and a winter tyre will outperform an all season tyre during the winter. However, throughout the year an all season tyre will deliver a good, consistent performance – no matter the weather or temperature. 

Beating winter tyres in the summer and summer tyres in the winter, hands down.

Some all-season tyres have also been constructed to meet the specific standards required to bear the winter ‘M+S‘ and ‘Snowflake’ accolades. 

All-season vs summer vs winter tyres — quick comparison.