Most people have no idea how specialized tires have become. While there have always been tires at different price points and of variable quality, modern tires have splintered into several varieties designed to fulfill a specific purpose.
For example, high-performance summer tires and winter tires differ in almost every way, including proportions, tread pattern, tread depth, and rubber compound. But grip in dry and wet or snowy conditions isn’t the only thing one must consider—ride comfort, tread noise, rolling resistance, tire life, and cost are all affected as a tire is optimized for a particular set of conditions. There are also run-flat tires available for various purposes that you can drive on for 50 miles or so after they’ve lost air pressure, but they often ride somewhat harder, are heavier, and cost more.
Of course, jack-of-all-trades all-season tires still dominate the market, but if you want peak performance during a particular type of driving, you should choose a specialized set. Here are the general categories of tire offered today:
Track Driving/Attacking a Favorite Back Road: Ultra-High Performance Summer Tires
These are the tires that come standard on the highest-performing sports cars and sports sedans. Choose these for maximum grip and responsiveness in the dry. Ultra-high performance (UHP) tires tend to have a low profile, which means that the sidewall height is small relative to the tire width. They use the stickiest tread compounds, have minimal tread pattern, and employ a stiff tire carcass to produce responsive steering and handling. (If yours like the one pictured above, you’ve probably had some fun.)
Caveats: These tires can be prone to hydroplaning in heavy rain and are completely hopeless in the snow; in fact, many summer tires are not recommended for use below 40 degrees, even in the dry. These tires also tend to have high rolling resistance so they compromise fuel economy and they often have a firm ride. Finally, they don’t last long, often covering 75 percent fewer miles than standard tires before wearing out. Compounding this shortcoming, they are expensive, especially in run-flat form, sometimes costing as much as $500 per tire.
Keep in mind that there are gradations even within this specialized tire category. And you can find tires that are a slight step down in performance that last longer and cost less than the absolute best performers. As they say, speed costs money—so how fast do you want to go?
Daily Driving + Frequent Back-Road Runs: High-Performance Summer Tires
Moving down a notch, you’ll find tires that are about halfway between standard all-season tires and the UHPs detailed above. These make sense for enthusiast drivers who own fast cars that they drive every day.
You get higher grip and livelier handling than with all-seasons, but you also get more tire life than with the more extreme tires and they cost less. These tires work well in the rain but not so much in the snow, so you’ll have to switch to winter tires if you live in a colder climate.
Occasional Sporty Driving with Less Hassle: High-Performance All-Season Tires
These are the best choice for drivers who want higher performance but not the bother of switching to winter tires. Still grippier than all-seasons, these tires can work in the snow. In exchange for the extra measure of performance, you give up some tire life, as these last only about two-thirds as long as regular all-season tires. They also have a bit more tire drag—consuming slightly more fuel—and ride a little harder. Finally, they cost a little more.
Multi-Climate Drives or Daily Driving: Standard All-Season Tires
These are the tires that come fitted to most new cars and trucks, and they work very well for the average driver. It’s no wonder they’re the standard tire: They’re moderately priced, last a long time (upwards of 50,000 miles), deliver a smooth and quiet ride, and are usable in all conditions. They work reasonably well in light to medium snow, but they excel under no conditions with the exception of heavy rain. If you push them hard in a corner, you’ll find limited grip and diminished handling. And you can quickly find their cold-weather limits in deep snow in the mountains.
Winter Rally Runs/Snow Belt Living: Winter Tires
For those who live in harsher snow environments in more mountainous terrain, or who prefer high-performance summer tires that are unsuitable in the winter, proper winter tires are a necessity. Such tires have deep, heavily lugged tread patterns designed to bite into heavy snow and provide improved traction. They also employ specialized tread compounds that work well in cold temperatures and provide better grip in icy, slushy, and wet conditions. While winter tires are labeled with “M+S” lettering like all-season tires, the pure winter tires also have the mountain/snowflake symbol to distinguish them.
Keep in mind that when the weather turns warm—say, above 40 degrees—you’ll want to quickly swap these tires for more suitable rubber. The tread compound that endows winter tires with their great cold-weather grip wears rapidly in warmer temperatures, and you don’t want to wear your snow tires more than necessary because they require a greater tread depth than standard tires to deliver peak performance. Consequently, they don’t last as long as standard all-season tires. Also, the coarse tread pattern limits dry weather grip and handling precision and they’re also usually a bit noisier than standard tires.
If your driving involves frequent icy conditions, you might consider studded winter tires. These employ a series of metal studs that protrude slightly from the tread to enhance grip on pure ice. However, just as the studs dig into an icy surface, they also mar dry pavement, so their use is usually restricted. Check you location regulations before going the studded route.
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Hell’s Revenge or the Rubicon Trail: Off-Road Tires
Those who enjoy off-road trails will want to fit tires designed to enhance the experience. Such tires employ deeply lugged tread patterns to bite into muddy and dirt roads. These tires come in sizes suitable for trucks and SUVs, and are often fitted in a size larger than stock to raise the vehicle and provide more ground clearance. In exchange for their superior off-road performance, these tires generate substantial tread noise on the highway and high rolling resistance, which saps fuel economy. However, for those who enjoy the most challenging off-road trails, they are the best and only option.