Your tires have worn or burst and it’s time for a new set, but which ones should you buy? There are many different types of tires out there and finding the right ones can be a challenge.
Car and Minivan Tire Types
The purpose of these tires is to provide a smooth ride and last for many years. They include general and high-performance tires, and some of them are built to provide more traction in difficult conditions.
All Season Tires
The All Season tire is designed for all weather types. It offers comfort and good handling and features symmetrical tread with grooves designed to provide more grip in wet weather.
Performance Tires
Performance tires have large circumferential grooves which gives them more traction in wet weather. They are designed to grip hard and deliver maximum performance on the track.
Summer Tires
Although summer tires are designed with warm weather in mind, they also do well in wet conditions and switch easily between wet and dry. They are built for high-performance vehicles driving in optimal summer conditions on tracks that are mostly dry with occasional showers.
Competition Tires
A type of tire that promises top performance in dry conditions. These tires are designed to be raced and aren’t suited for daily driving.
Grand Touring Tires
Touring tires are faster and promise greater handling. They lean more toward performance than comfort and the price will reflect this.
Truck Tire Types
Truck tires and SUV tires are typically more resilient and have a longer-lasting tread. They may be made for off-road driving, but as this list shows, there are several variants.
Highway Truck Tires
Highway tires are designed to be comfortable and stable under the heavy loads of a truck or SUV. They are durable, long-lasting, and have a tread pattern capable of managing most weather types.
All Terrain Truck Tires
The unusual tread patterns of all terrain tires, including large gaps between the treads, helps them to gain traction when driving off-road. They can grip grass, mud, and rocky terrain, making them a good choice for 4x4s and pickup trucks.
Mud Terrain Truck Tires
The big gaps in these tread patterns give mud terrain tires lots of grip as they move over soft and yielding terrain, thus limiting the risk of the vehicle getting stuck. They may be reinforced to prevent punctures, which are more common with off-road tires.
Ribbed Truck Tires
Ribbed tires have a “rib” tread pattern that delivers improved stability and performance when carrying large loads. They can grip well in wet weather and usually provide good mileage, making them a popular choice with transport and haulage vehicles.
Specialty Tire Types
These tires cover anything that doesn’t fit into the categories above, from strong and dedicated tires built for specific conditions to temporary tires designed to be cheap and easy.
Winter Tires
The tread pattern on winter tires guarantees optimal performance in the wettest and harshest of conditions, as seen throughout the winter months.
Winter tires vary greatly and can be made for a variety of vehicles, but the point remains the same: to deliver high performance and reliability in winter conditions.
Temporary Spare Tires
A temporary spare is a cheap and compact tire that will help you out in a pinch but shouldn’t be used over the long haul. These tires are often rated for just 50 miles or so and they are best driven at relatively slow speeds. They’re not high performance, they can’t be taken off-road, and they won’t help you much in harsh and unforgiving road conditions. But they’re easy to store and will assist in an emergency.
