Have you ever wondered whether all-season tires are the right choice for you? Believe me, many have – and the fact that you’re reading these lines makes me think that you’re exactly in these shoes right now. There is no doubt that all-season tires are very popular in the US – and around the globe. Most tires sold in the US are all-season. Is it really the logical choice in most cases? Are all-season tires really worth it? This is what we are going to discuss in the article. Learn much more about all-season tires in our ultimate guide!
What Are All-Season Tires?
Simply put all-season tires are a kind of tires that perform reasonably well in a variety of conditions – not all though. We could say that they are the “generalists of tires” that – in most areas – can be used all year round. (Not sure whether your current tires are all-season? Here’s how to tell.) The only other similarly versatile type of tires are all-weather tires. We have actually compared these two types in this article. All-season tires offer a mix of good performance, comfort and longevity. Usually, they are also reasonably priced.
Their Main Advantages
Enough of the small talk, let’s jump in and see first the main pros and then the main cons of all season tires.
1. Convenient
What do we mean by convenience as a pro? It’s simple: you don’t need to swap tires twice a year. That is pretty convenient if you ask me. Sure, you still need to rotate your tires from time to time but that is something you should do anyway, no matter what type you use.
2. Cost-effective
There are two main reasons why it is cost-effective to use all-season tires: On one hand you don’t need to maintain two (e.g. summer and winter) sets of tires. By the way all-season tires are similarly priced. On the other hand you don’t need to pay for tire changes multiple times a year – of course you can also change your tires yourself but most people outsource it to specalists. (If you’re buying a new car, you might wonder: Do new cars come with all-season tires?)
3. Ideal for Moderate Climates
In case you live in an area where it doesn’t snow much, doesn’t get too cold and the roads don’t often get icy in winter, you are probably good to go with all-season tires. They work pretty well in such moderate climates all year round.
4. Long tread life
When I wrote that they offer good longevity I wasn’t really telling you the truth. In fact all-season tires come with the best longevity and thus tread life warranty. It is mainly due to the fact that they are made of harder rubber than specialized tires like summer or winter tires. There are models that are sold with 80,000-85,000 miles manufacturer warranty. Of course real life longevity may differ from that but still: the kind of warranty a tire is sold with is a pretty good indication of how long it should last.
Disadvantages of All-Season Tires
It is not all good though. Nothing is perfect. All-season tires aren’t either. Let’s see where they come short of the alternatives.
1. Compromise on Performance
Well, this one should surprise anyone: generalists are no good specalists. While all season tires handle most conditions pretty well, they are not really great at anything – apart from cost effectiveness and longevity 🙂 It means that e.g. you won’t get the gripping, accelerating and cornering capabilities of a summer tire in dry conditions. And so on, you get the point.
2. Limited Winter Capability
All-season tires cannot handle deep snow and icy roads. They are not safe in these conditions. (Here’s a closer look at how they perform in snow). So, if you live in an area with harsh winters, you should use specialized winter tires in those cold months – all-weather tires may do the job and they definitely perform better than all season tires but they are not ideal either.
3. Less Sporty Handling
This point is somewhat similar to the first one: if you own a performance car or just are a sporty driver who loves driving and cornering fast, all-season tires won’t give you the desired grip and responsiveness. In this case you should opt for summer performance tires – and winter tires if it gets cold in winter.
So, Should You Consider All-Season Tires?
Well, as always it depends – on where you live and your driving style. If you live in an area with moderate climate and you’re not a sporty driver, a set of quality all-season tires will most probably be ideal for you. In any other case you should probably opt for specialized tires. If it’s warm all year long, summer tires will be optimal for you. In case you also happen to own a performance car and/or are a sporty driver, you should definitely consider using UHP (ultra-high performance) tires.
Well, this is it. The answer to the question “are all-season tires worth it?” is: it depends. For most people they are ideal or do the job. But it really depends on where you live and your driving style. Safe driving!
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