Winter tyres for colder, harder roads
Winter tyres are made for driving on cold surfaces below 7°C. They give improved handling and grip even in the harshest winter weather, whether that is snow, ice, black ice or simply cold, damp tarmac.
What makes a winter tyre different
Winter tyres are marked M+S (mud and snow), 3PMSF (the three-peak mountain snowflake), or both. Their rubber adapts quickly to the cold, and their flexibility and deep tread sipes give much better grip, optimised handling and shorter stopping distances.
In the UK, temperatures can be mild one day and freezing the next. Winter tyres are made to handle all of it, so you know your tyres will keep you safe whatever the weather does.
Below 7°C, summer tyres harden and lose grip. That is when to switch.
When to switch to winter tyres
Change as soon as temperatures start to drop below 7°C. Summer tyres do not have the flexibility to adapt to colder surfaces: they harden and cannot grip the road.
And when to take them off? Winter tyres are not meant for all year round. Left on in summer they wear quicker and are much less cost effective, just as summer tyres are not equipped for winter.
Winter or all season tyres?
Both improve grip and handling through the winter. Where snowfall is heavier, in the more remote parts of the UK, winter tyres are the better option. Otherwise all season tyres can perform just as well on cold and icy roads.
Getting winter tyres
We stock a large range of winter tyres, from budget to premium. Set your size in the tyre finder, or call and we will help you choose.