Changing tyres: should you put new rubber on the front or rear wheels?

We know that when it comes to changing tyres, it’s always safer to swap in pairs. But which axle should you prioritise for predictable, progressive handling? Watch Michelin’s expert demonstration to find out.

Front or rear? It’s a simple but often debated question when it comes to replacing your car tyres. From your local mechanic to someone you spoke to down the pub, everyone seems to have an opinion on which axle should get the freshest rubber. So who’s actually right? 

Michelin are here to set the record straight once and for all. With over three decades of tyre development and testing know-how, Technical Manager, Brian Porteous, leads an impactful demonstration on the importance of new tyre placement.  

Using the sort of ubiquitous hatch that millions drive daily ( Seat’s Leon 1.0-litre TSI) shod with Michelin’s versatile CrossClimate 2, Brian takes to MIRA’s expansive wet handling facility to illustrate how improper tyre placement can have a dramatic effect on your vehicle’s handling characteristics. You might be shocked by what he reveals.

New tyres on the rear axle: safe, progressive understeer

First up, the correct way to rotate your tyres. Taking to the skid pan with new tyres on the rear axle and partially worn, 2.6 mm tyres on the front axle, Brian approaches the Leon’s cornering limit to find out if the car’s in-built tendency to understeer remains.  

As he explains, this situation is quickly and instinctively rectified by lifting the throttle to tighten the Leon’s line through the corner. For most drivers in most situations, this understeer-biased handling is more easily controlled and, ultimately, safer than an alternative oversteer.

New tyres on the front axle: sudden, unpredictable oversteer 

As most cars wear their front tyres out more quickly, it seems logical to put the newest, grippiest rubber on the front axle. As Brian’s demonstration highlights, that’s not a wise move. 

With the part worn 2.6 mm tyres now on the rear axle, the Leon’s back end suddenly steps out at the same speed as before. Clearly the car’s natural handling balance has been altered, and any attempt to reduce the slide by lifting the throttle only increases the angle — or worse, causes the car to spin completely. 

While such slides can be caught with the correct countersteering technique, it takes longer for the driver to detect slip from the rear, allowing the car to travel further sideways and away from the desired line.

Conclusion 

It might sound counterintuitive, but Michelin recommends rotating your newest tyres to the back wheels. As the tests clearly highlight, this setup preserves your car’s inherent understeer balance and ensures safe, predictable handling in low-grip situations. 

Moreover, this demonstration was carried out using tyres artificially worn or ‘buffed’ to well within the legal tread depth limit. Conducting the test with tyres at or beyond the 1.6 mm limit would have even more pronounced results — and the same is true for rear-wheel drive applications. 

Ultimately, changing all four tyres will always reap the best results, but if you’re going to swap a pair — renewing just one can cause dangerously unpredictable handling — make sure you always put the newest tyres on the back of your vehicle. 

Did Michelin’s results surprise you? Let us know how you’ve been rotating your tyres.