The Difference Between All season tires and Winter tires

Hyundai Tires

As the temperatures drop more and more in ChicagoLand, the weather conditions will only worsen as well. It’s important to know if your vehicle has been outfitted with the proper tires for the season. We at Patrick Hyundai have fielded a lot of questions about what the differences are between all-season and winter tires. In our latest blog, we outline the major differences between the two and which ones would be best for you.

All-season tires

All-season tires are, as the name implies, good for all sorts of weather. But they don’t really excel in one environment as opposed to another. These tires have many grooves and small slits in the tread that help them deal with a variety of conditions. These tires typically last longer than other types of tires. However, when the snow gets deep or temperatures go below freezing, all-season tires won’t perform as well as winter tires. Another important thing to note is that the tread life for all-season tires is usually longer than those tires that are designed for a particular season.

Winter tires

Winter tires, once again as the name implies, perform better in the snow, on ice and in cold temperatures than all-season tires. These tires have deeper tread and more grooves that manage snow and slush much better and have better traction on ice. Additionally, winter tires feature more aggressive tread which causes less snow build-up. Winter tires also feature sharper edges for greater traction on wet and icy roads. These tires are recommended to only be used during the colder months and colder temperatures as they lose grip and wear faster on hot pavement.

In closing, choosing what tires your vehicle needs is entirely a personal decision and one that you can only make given you know your vehicle. Typically, most customers opt to buy one set of tires for all four seasons and replace them when needed. However, if you have the means to do so, and need a bit more performance during the cold months, it might be in your best interest to get a set of winter tires in the coming days in preparation for winter. Whatever your choice may be, we at Patrick Hyundai can help you with your tire needs. Give us a call at 847-230-8221 or click here.