All-season tires have many advantages with one of the main ones being the lower rolling resistance as well as being able to use one set of tires throughout the year. With the advantage of lower rolling resistance, the car will be more fuel efficient. The reason the all-season tires have lower rolling resistance is because their tread is less aggressive than either winter tires or all-weather tires. This is because as they not suited for severe winter weather and thereby do not have as aggressive tread as either winter tires or all-weather tires. This is because they do not hold the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” symbol”, which in turn means that they have not passed required performance criteria in snow testing and are thereby not considered severe snow service rated. This however is not of any concern in the many States with mild weather.
The fact that all-season tires are not made for severe winter is also the reason they perform better than all-weather tires in all other seasons of the year and it is also possibly why they are the most popular tires. In fact, they excel in both driving comfort and fuel efficiency over all-weather tires and winter tires. The reason being that their tread is less aggressive which allows for a smoother ride and longer tread life while providing optimal handling on both dry and wet roads.
There are many good quality all-season tires on the market, tires like the Nokian zLine A/S all-season tires are especially designed for excellent handling and stability, with controlled driving comfort. They feature the latest technologies ensuring uncompromising performance, durability, comfort and safety on wet and dry surfaces alike. With new advances offering the best hydroplaning protection as well. This is a very important feature as hydroplaning can be very serious and quite frightening. These tires also come recommended for hybrid and electric cars.
When shopping for tires it is also important to respect the manufacturer’s recommended tire dimensions for your make and model car. If for example the recommended dimensions by the manufacturer are 225/50R17 then you would need to buy 225/50R17 all-season tires, 225/50R17 winter tires or 225/50R17 all-weather tires. This means that the width is 225 mm and the number 50 means that the tire’s section height is 50% of the tire’s section width. The last number is the diameter of the rim in inches.
If the choice exists to equip your vehicle with all-season tires, then that is by far the better choice. With the above-mentioned advantages over the all-weather tires there is always the option if residing in an area with severe winter weather, to place dedicated winter tires on your vehicle during the winter months. This actually remains the best option for both safety and handling on snow and ice. If the area where you live does not have severe winter conditions than the all-season tires can be used year-round offering a durable, comfortable and silent driving experience.
For more information regarding all-season tires, visit: www.nokiantires.com