Winter Tyres: Frequent Asked Questions
Is it worth putting winter tyres on your car in the UK?Winter tyres enhance driving safety when the UK experiences frost, snow, and icy conditions – providing better grip, handling and braking. Featuring flexible rubber and aggressive tread, they help confidently navigate slippery roads. However, drivers should still ensure they carry out safe driving practices – such as longer distances between cars and lower speeds.
Do you need 4 winter tyres or 2?It is generally recommended that you should fit winter tyres on all four wheels for balanced traction and handling when driving in snow and ice conditions.
Fitting winter tyres to only two wheels can cause uneven handling and braking. While two winter tyres may be acceptable for front- or rear-wheel drive in some instances, for maximum safety and performance it's best to have them on all four wheels.
When should I put winter tyres on?When fitting winter tyres, if possible try to have them on your car when temperatures drop below 7°C. Before the first snowfall of the season is also a good time to aim for – as the tread compound and pattern of winter tyres have been formulated to tackle the unique challenges of ice, snow and freezing conditions. Always drive with caution, adjust speed and driving style to road conditions.
Do winter tyres use more fuel? Winter tyres may have slightly higher rolling resistance – which leads to lesser fuel efficiency. However, the difference is usually small and offset by improved traction and handling in freezing conditions. Other factors affect fuel usage more – such as driving style, vehicle aerodynamics and weight. If you are concerned, look at the tyre labels for low-resistance winter tyres and maintain proper air pressure levels to maximise your fuel efficiency.
Why don't we use winter tyres all year?Winter tyres are specially designed for cold, snowy, and icy roads. Their compound features higher levels of pliable rubber for increased flexibility – allowing the tyre to contour to the road. An aggressive tread pattern for helps with better traction.
However, they may not perform to the same levels in warm, dry weather – due to the characteristics which improve their winter performance. Switching back to summer or fitting all-season tyres when temperatures rise will ensure better handling and longer tyre life.
Do winter tyres help on ice?Yes, winter tyres are specifically designed to provide improved traction and handling on icy roads. The special rubber compound used in winter tyres, alongside the unique tread patterns of winter tyres have been designed to help grip the road surface, reduce the risk of slipping and improve braking performance.
Do winter tyres wear out faster?Winter tyres may wear faster than a summer or all-season tyre in warmer conditions, due to the make up of their compound. However, this is offset by the fact they provide better traction in snow and icy conditions. It's best to use winter tyres only in winter months – switching to summer tyres once the winter is over.
Are winter tyres OK in the summer?Winter tyres won’t provide optimal performances when driven on in warm (temperatures above 7°C), dry weather and will wear quicker due to the higher rubber content in the tread compound. It's recommended to switch to summer or all-season tyres during the warmer months - to enjoy an all year round tyre performance.