When you are looking for new winter tyres for your vehicle, you may be wondering how to know which ones are best for your vehicle. The type of vehicle you have is important. There are different types of tyres for normal cars and SUVs and for larger vehicles such as vans or light trucks. There are also special tyres for electric and hybrid cars.
It is important to select the best winter tyre for the vehicle you have. It is also necessary to combine it with the weather conditions in which we tend to drive. With a wide range of winter tyres of different brands, the selection can be quite demanding. The EU has introduced a mandatory label to simplify tyre selection, but does not target winter tyres and is more focused on summer tyres, so even if you can still use it to indicate that it will not help you compare which better for the winter conditions you will face or if the tyres are good for your vehicle. Here it is better that you do your research online.
When you start searching for tyres online, it is important to know that there are basically 3 different tyre product groups that can be used for winter conditions. You have 2 dedicated winter tyres that must be used together with summer tyres when the winter season ends. One of them is spiked and the other is not spiked. The studded tyres they have metal studs that protrude from the tread to ensure a good grip when riding, especially on ice. Then there are the non-studded tyres that use a unique tread pattern to create grip on ice and snow and often also add cryocrystals to give the tread surface an abrasive surface to increase friction. Then you have the all-weather tyre that can be approved for winter conditions. This tyre can be used all year round and is a perfect option if you live in an area without a clear winter and a clear summer season, where a compromised tyre will be perfect.
When you have decided which tyre option is best, then you will have to start looking for the tyre options available for your vehicle. There is a lot of information available online, so once you have narrowed down which winter tyre option fits you best, you can start searching for that combination. If you are looking for non-studded SUV tyres, then you will have drastically narrowed the search results. The best next step is, therefore, to start reading independent tests and tyre reviews to get a good understanding of how well they perform on the tests that represent the conditions in your area. Finally, it can be combined with indicators from the European tyre label, such as rolling resistance to reduce fuel consumption.
The value for money and the discrete performances do not reward them as models suitable for those who must travel many kilometres or for those who are often faced with low temperatures or snow-covered bottoms. However, they are a good solution for motorists who do not want to invest in the double set of tyres, or who live in areas where temperatures remain mild almost all year without excessive temperature changes. SUV tyres should be excellent in all weather conditions, particularly appreciated for its resistance to wear in the hot weather conditions during the summer months. Adherence in winter conditions should not be underestimated, it is excellent at temperatures close to zero or slightly below zero. The next-generation silica compound also provides good wet grip and low rolling resistance, thus reducing fuel consumption.
Surely it is necessary to estimate how many kilometres you travel, in which area you live and if the car will have to cross different regions and what temperatures it will have to face.
These are assessments that we advise you to make at the time of tyre change if you need to have a double train, i.e. winter and summer, or invest a few more euros aiming for a set of 4-season tyres.