A dozen or so years ago, drivers used to drive just on one set of tyres all year round – but not because good quality all-season tyres were already available back then. At that time, winter tyres were something new on the Polish market and they still had many opponents, who today cannot imagine driving without winter tyres and appreciate their performance on slippery, wet and snowy surfaces.
The tyre industry is developing and increasing the quality of products every year – new tyres are becoming more technologically advanced and have better parameters. That, however, does not mean that tyres that will ensure great traction in all conditions have already been developed. – Tyre companies are constantly trying to outdo each other in developing innovative solutions. Today's all-season tyres from reputable manufacturers are a completely different product than tyres used in the ‘80s. Current technologies make combining some features of winter and summer tyres in one product possible – says Piotr Sarnecki, general director of the Polish Tyre Industry Association (PTIA). Are all-season tyres as good as their seasonal counterparts?
Advantages of all-season tyres
Having two sets of tyres and the necessity to change them twice a year can be quite troublesome for many drivers, which is why the lack of need for seasonal replacement of all-season tyres is a big advantege – as their name suggests, all-season tyres are designed to be used in all 4 seasons. All-season tyres have a softer rubber compound than summer sets, but not as soft as typical winter tyres. They also have a tread equipped with sipes that enable them to grip snow, but it is not as aggressive in construction as the one in winter tyres.
Looking at the tread structure itself, it is obvious that all-season tyres have compromised properties. Parameters such as braking distance on various surfaces, resistance to aquaplaning or cornering grip show that their performance is average – in summer they are better than winter tyres, in winter better than summer tyres.
Before buying all-season tyres, we should make sure that they have the only official winter approval mark – three-peak mountain snowflake symbol. A tyre without this symbol cannot be considered as all-season or winter because it does not use a rubber compound that provides adhesion at lower temperatures.
Disadvantages of all-season tyres
It is not true that buying all-season tyres is more profitable than buying seasonal sets – all-season tyres will only work for you if you prefer a conservative driving style and are not a frequent user of expressways and highways. Summer tyres have relatively low rolling resistance compared to all-season tyres, which translates into lower fuel consumption and less noise - this is why, among other things, many drivers consider driving on seasonal tyres to be much more comfortable.
All-season tyres are always a compromise – their properties will allow safe driving in more weather conditions than summer or winter tyres separately, however, when driving in summer they will wear much faster than summer ones and will not provide us with such a high level of safety. It will also be difficult for them to match the capabilities of winter tyres on a snowy road - in typical winter conditions all-season tyres can actually make driving impossible. All-season tyres will not be as good as winter tyres in winter and summer tyres in summer.
Who are all-season tyres for?
All-season tyres are certainly for those of us who drive very little – if our annual mileage reaches over 10 000 km, all-season tyres will not be profitable. In winter they wear like winter sets do, but in the summer, they will wear much faster than a summer set, because they are made out of a softer rubber compound. So, if you have been driving for 4-5 years so far on one set of summer and one winter tyres, then in the same time you will use 2 or 3 sets of all-season tyres.
Another group of potentially satisfied customers are drivers of rather small cars. Due to the compromise performance, all-season tyres should not be subjected to excessive overloads. Therefore, in cars larger than the compact class they will perform poorly. In addition – due to poorer grip – all-season tyres will interfere with on-board safety systems, most of which derive information from the wheels. Their frequent skidding will strain the ESP and braking systems, which will have to intervene by braking on the appropriate side of the vehicle.
The owners of SUVs say that with a 4x4 drive they can drive on whatever they want – well, the 4x4 drive has advantages, but mainly when it comes to starting off. Braking is no longer so easy - tyres must have good grip. SUVs are heavier than normal passenger cars, and their centre of gravity is higher, which does not make the task easier for all-season tyres. Therefore, owners of such vehicles should be rather careful with the choice of all-season tyres.
Companies using vans should in their choice of tyres should be guided by the place of use of such a vehicle. If it drives on long distance routes, then it will be more economical and safer to use tyres designed for a given season. If, however, driving in cities and in the suburbs is more frequent, decent all-season tyres will be a more convenient option.
– When buying new tyres and wondering whether to choose seasonal or all-season tyres, we should primarily consider our individual needs. It is best to consult a service advisor in a professional tyre workshop. It is important how often we use the car and in what conditions we drive most often. If in both the first and second half of the year we often cover long distances and our car is larger than a compact one – it is a better choice to get two sets of tyres. They will be a more economical and safer solution – adds Piotr Sarnecki.
Remember – there are no completely universal tyres. Even among all-season sets there are those that are made for spring and autumn, or mainly winter. When deciding to buy this type of tyres, choose only reputable manufacturers and a product of at least a middle class. Not every manufacturer has sufficiently mastered the art of creating a tyre that combines the opposite properties of seasonal tyres.
Source: Polish Tyre Industry Association