Which ones are more suitable for the city?

Many drivers have a dilemma when they have to choose what to “shoe” the car with in the cold season: winter tires or all-season tires? Here are their pros and cons and what city dwellers should look out for when shopping for a new set of tires.

The tires with which most of the vehicles driving in the city are equipped are winter, summer or all-season.

The summer ones are obviously intended for the warm season and have increased grip at high temperatures. Conversely, winter ones are optimal for cold asphalt or covered with snow or mud.

And all-season tires, which theoretically can be used in both summer and winter, are they just as good and safe?

All season or winter tires: Which are more suitable for the city?

Winter tires are made of softer rubber. They ensure a very good grip when the asphalt is cold. Conversely, when the running surface is warm, the rubber becomes stiff and its grip is reduced.

All-season tires, on the other hand, can be used both in summer and winter. These are a combination of summer and winter tires.

„All-season tires are a weaker option than winter tires. The grip isn’t nearly as good, they’re noisier and dull faster. It is advisable to install winter tires in the cold season, and switch to summer tires in the spring. All-season tires are only a short-term solution, which are not recommended either for the city or for other types of roads”, mechanic Robert Marin explained to ProMotor.

So, both in winter and in summer, all-season tires are not very suitable, neither for city roads, nor for those outside the towns.

Advantages and disadvantages of winter tires vs. all-season tires

Premium winter tires provide excellent grip at temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius. And the budget ones are pretty good, they just don’t have that good resistance and they dull faster.

But more importantly, these tires provide very good grip when the asphalt is covered with snow. Because the grooves are designed so that the tire “sticks” to the tires. Also, grip on wet asphalt is increased, compared to summer or all-season ones.

The grip of all-season tires is acceptable at low temperatures. But, they will need a longer braking distance.

The main advantage of all-season tires is the price. These are cheaper than winter tires. And, as their name suggests, they can be used regardless of the season. So drivers don’t have to replace them in the cold season.