Winter Tires & All-Season Tires: Understanding the Difference

Depending upon the geographical location in which you live, navigating during the winter weather can truly be an arduous task. It’s around this time of year when the weather drop below freezing, snow accumulates on the ground, and that means your yearly commute to Grandma’s house is more perilous than it has to be. For this reason, you might be thinking of outfitting your vehicle with some winter or all-season tires. However, it’s important to understand the difference between the two, and that’s what we’ll be exploring today. 

All-Season Tires 

Also known as all-weather tires, these combine the benefits form both winter and summer tires. While they offer a substantial tread depth to navigate the roads with minimal difficulty, the tread has difficulty maintaining traction on roads that have heavy snow, rain, or ice. Drivers who live in climates where the weather seldom drops below freezing can benefit from all-season tires, as they don’t need to be changed on a yearly basis. Use discretion when choosing all-season tires, pay attention to the weather patterns and ensure you get a set that won’t cost too much but still be effective all year long. 

Winter Tires 

Winter tires, as their name suggests, are meant for combatting the unforgiving terrains that winter wreaks upon the roads. They’re made from a softer-than-normal rubber compound which allows for increased traction on the road, and they have deeper tread depths to allow you to retain control on icy roads and snow-covered areas. The softer rubber compounds prevent them from freezing in lower temperatures, which can adversely affect all-season tires when you’re driving in harsh winter conditions. 

Which Set is Better? 

The advantage that you have with winter tires is that you’ll have extra traction and control when you’re on the road. If you live in an area that has a considerable amount of snowfall each winter, it’s a good idea to invest in a set and have them installed when the weather drops below freezing. Because you’ll only be using them during a certain time of year, this will actually prolong the use of your vehicle’s other tires. All-season tires are recommended for areas that have minimal snowfall, and while you will save money on only owning one pair all year, it’s important to ensure that they’re of sound quality. 

Island Subaru 

At Island Subaru, we understand the stress that comes from driving this time of year. This means that whether you’re in the market for a new vehicle or just want some guidance about what tires you might need from our service staff, we’re here to help. Visit us at myislandsubaru.com for more information.

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