Shorter braking distances
Greater traction and handling
Reliable safety on the road
In temperatures below 7°C the compound and rubber in a summer tyre begins to harden. Winter tyres, and all season tyres, are constructed with a different type of rubber compound - containing a higher percentage of silica and natural rubber. This allows winter tyres to remain flexible and perform better in lower temperatures.
Greater Control
The tread design of winter tyres has been specially created to offer better grip and traction in the snow.
Better Grip
The special compound in winter tyres allows it to remains softer in low temperatures - offering more grip, better braking and precise handling.
Enhanced Performance
Technology in winter tyres means it performs better when the temperature drops below 7° Celsius.
Drivers can be rest assured that the Michelin CrossClimate+ brakes on dry roads like a summer tyre, provides excellent grip on wet roads throughout the year and is approved for use in snow.
The Yokohama BluEarth-4S AW21 is an all season car tyre developed by Yokohama to deliver an excellent year round performance, capable of excelling in a variety of weather conditions.
The Bridgestone Weather Control A005 is an all season tyre, developed to deliver a high performance in summer and winter.
The Hankook Kinergy 4S is an all-season tyre which has been designed with reduced rolling resistance to deliver a smooth flow over water and snow.
Of all winter accidents, 68%* of them happen in urban areas
*Institute for Traffic Accident Research (VUFO)
Your guide to the general differences between the tyres:
Summer Tyres
• Optimum from Spring through to Autumn. When the average temperature is above 7 degrees Celsius
• Typically use a softer rubber compound – designed for good grip and traction when driving on dry and wet roads.
• Specialised tread patterns with shallower tread depths to focus on improved precision on the road, for improved handling in cornering and control at high speeds.
Winter Tyres
• Performs best during the winter months, when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius.
• Compound contains a higher natural rubber content - helping the tyre to remain flexible in freezing weather and conform to the road surface.
• The grooves of winter tyres are typically wider to channel snow and water. The latest generation also have smaller shoulder grooves to improve snow and ice traction.
All-weather Tyres
• Designed to cope with all sorts of conditions - good performance delivered throughout the year
• Moderate natural rubber content to stop the tyre hardening in temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius – enhancing grip
• Designed with moderate tread depths that have been engineered to help deliver a longer tread life than many summer tyres
It's not only on snow and ice that winter tyres come into their own. Once the thermometer drops lower than 7°C, all season and winter tyres provide you with reduced braking in wet conditions and lessen the risk of aquaplaning - when the snow begins to thaw. Watch them in action:
