Should you be using all-season tyres? We find out what all the hype’s about

What’s behind the rise in popularity of all-season tyres? The weather? SUVs? There’s only one way to find out.

Weather chat. It’s everyone’s favourite flavour of small talk, right? Maybe not, but there is a similar hot topic emerging in certain circles: tyres which are suitable for all-seasons, and the different weathers which each season brings.

‘Now what would such a category of tyre be called’ we hear you ask? The answer: all-season tyres. How refreshing in a jargon-packed industry.

Here in the UK, it’s not uncommon to experience all four seasons in one day, so on the surface it does make sense that all-season tyres have become a headline discussion, but let’s look a little deeper.

What is an all-season tyre?

First things first, what is an all-season tyre? Pretty much what it says on the tin: all-seasons are designed to find a middle ground between summer and winter tyres. This means they can safely perform as the temperature rises and drops throughout the year, keeping things moving in the wet, the dry, and even in the snow (should we be lucky enough to get any).

Looking for a prime example? Look no further than the Yokohama BluEarth-4S AW21, an all-season tyre packing excellent year-round performance. 

Why are all-season tyres popular?

Don’t just take our word for it, market analysis has shown significant growth within the all-season segment in recent years, with double digit growth shown in some metrics.  

One reason for this — we reckon — relates to the ever-discussed UK weather becoming more extreme, with wetter winters and hotter summers coming through, and both of which being expected to continue. Combine this with the fact that UK drivers are far less likely to follow a summer to winter tyre swap routine when compared to our European counterparts, and an all-season tyre makes a lot of sense. 

For example: it’s snowy and wet? The BluEarth-4S AW21’s tread pattern combines a divergent v-groove and a crossing narrow groove, providing reliable grip on wintery days such as this, which honestly might occur all year round. Sun is in the sky? You can rely on impressive breaking performance on wet and dry summer roads courtesy of the AW21’s wide tread and large shoulder blocks. And just like that, there are no tyre swaps necessary to remain safe throughout the year — very convenient.

Another trend steering the UK towards all-season tyres, could be linked to the increasing popularity of versatile SUVs. According to SMMT data, SUVs made the jump to become the most popular type of vehicle on UK roads last year, representing an impressive third of all car registrations. This means that superminis have given way to all-rounders such as the best-selling Ford Puma, Nissan Qashqai, and Kia Sportage which now dominate the charts.

Now, what are SUVs if not versatile? And a versatile vehicle needs a versatile tyre to match. And really, it doesn’t get much adaptable than the BluEarth-4S AW21. You’ve probably caught the gist by now that it’s an all-season tyre, so you get the versatility of performance throughout all twelve months — but wait, there’s more. SUVs may have control of the market just now, but the AW21 has the flexibility to work its magic on compact, small, or large family cars too. We’ll say it one more time: it’s versatile.

So, if you’re after versatility, convenience, safety, and a tyre that performs all year round, all-season could be the way to go. And if so, why not the Yokohama BluEarth-4S AW21?