Pros and cons of all-season tires

As the name “all-season tires” or “all-weather tires” suggests, these tires have both summer and winter road conditions good driving characteristics. According to German legislation, it is also permitted to drive with this type of tire in winter, provided the tires are marked as such with the “M+S” symbol.

The advantages of all-weather tyres are obvious: Due to the fact that you can drive with such a set of tires all year round, the time-consuming tire change from summer to winter tires is no longer necessary. In addition, with the purchase of all-weather tires there are no costs for the purchase and storage of the second set.

The main disadvantageWhat the all-season tires have is their lack of specialization in the summer or winter season. That is why they are also called “generalists”. So with these tires, for example, in the summer, the abrasion and the Braking distance longer compared to summer tires. Also a increased fuel consumption – This is due to the increased rolling resistance of all-season tires – is another minus point of this type of tire. In winter, conventional winter tires offer good vehicle traction in snow, ice and mud thanks to a special tread pattern with many grooves. Although all-season tires are also characterized by a pronounced profile, they are negatively noticeable in summer on dry roads due to high running noise.

All-season tires can be used in regions with relatively low temperature fluctuations, for example in the coastal regions. Since all-weather tires have relatively low wear, they are particularly suitable for infrequent drivers and for owners of small cars.

Because all-season tires a Compromise between summer and winter tires it is advisable to pay particular attention to the quality when purchasing. A large selection of all-weather tires can be found online, for example at tirendo.de