Which car tyres should I buy?
Summer or winter tyres?
In the UK, vehicles are fitted with summer tyres as standard. These offer their highest grip levels in warm, dry conditions, but are also designed to operate safely in the wet. For most drivers they will be the default choice, given their all-round performance.
However, if you’re changing tyres during the winter, you may wish to consider specialised winter tyres. These are constructed from a different rubber compound that stays supple at lower temperatures. Below 7degC, winter tyres will generally out-perform summer tyres in terms of outright grip.
Winter tyres also features tread blocks with small cuts or ‘sipes’. These sipes improve traction on both snow and ice enormously, and will give greater control in the slipperiest of conditions.
Of course, when the temperature rises above 7degC, it’s worth changing back to summer tyres, as not only will they perform better, but winter tyres wear out a lot quicker when used at higher temperatures.
Winter tyres are identifiable by the 'snow flake and mountain' symbol. Read our winter tyre guide for further advice.
All-season tyres
Bridging the gap between summer and winter tyres are all-season alternatives, which purport to offer improved performance in cold and slippery conditions without impinging on performance during the summer. However, their performance levels will not be as high in extreme weather conditions as dedicated summer and winter tyres.
For example, where winter tyres are a legal requirement during colder months (Germany, for instance), the majority of all-season tyres do not meet performance requirements and are unsuitable.
Run-flat tyres
Run-flat tyres are increasingly popular. If you have a puncture on your journey, a run-flat tyre uses a stiffened sidewall that supports the vehicle weight, so you can travel for another 50 miles or so at a maximum speed of around 50mph.
There are many markings that could indicate your tyre is a run-flat tyre, including DSST, RFT, ROF and RunFL.
Run-flat tyres and traditional car tyres should not be mixed on the same car, as it could affect the handling.
TyreSafe, an organisation that promotes tyre safety, advises run-flat tyres should not be used on cars without a tyre-pressure monitoring system, which is used to alert you of a deflation or puncture.
It also warns against using deflated run-flat tyres when towing, as they're only designed to support the weight of the vehicle itself.
Used and part-worn tyres
It might be tempting to save money by buying used or part-worn tyres, but we don't think it's worth the risk.
It is legal for garages in the UK to sell part-worn – or second-hand – car tyres, but only if they are safe and properly marked. In addition to be being free of the defects (for example, cuts and bulges) that would render a tyre unfit for purpose, they have to:
show all the original markings for their type and design, including speed ratings and load indexes
feature the words ‘part worn’ in capital letters at least four millimetres high (this must be permanent, legible and not be made by cutting or branding)
be inspected internally if they are to be sold on the rim.
Some outlets sell part-worn tyres that do not meet these standards, which means they might have suffered internal damage and could be dangerous. That's why we advise you not to buy part-worn tyres.
Car-tyre construction explained
Car tyres are a complex assembly of materials with very different properties. The following are some of the key elements:
1. Tread
The tread rubber compound determines how well the tyre grips on dry roads. In the wet, the best car tyres disperse water using the grooves of the tread, maintaining contact with the road and preventing aquaplaning - where the tyre rides on top of the water, rather than passing through it - which increases the likelihood of a loss of control.
2. Steel belt
Rubber-wrapped bundles of steel wire give structural rigidity to the tyre and hold the tread flat to maintain good contact with the road.
3. Sidewalls
These combine with the air in the tyre to carry the car’s load. Lower, stiffer sidewalls (as found on low-profile tyres) help the tyre retain its shape better when cornering. This improves handling, but can also make the car's ride less comfortable.
The outside of the sidewall is where you will find the tyre size and specification markings, as explained below.
4. Bead wires
These are ultra-strong steel wires with extreme resistance to stretching. They hold the tyre onto the rim, even at very high speeds and when cornering.
To read about the most popular tyre manufacturers and makes visit our guide to the best car tyre brands.