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Writer's pictureRicha Shetty
May 17, 20213 min read

What is the Difference between All-Season and Winter Tires?

All-season tires offer optimal performance during spring, summer, and Autumn. In fact, companies have begun renaming all-season tires "3 season tires". Unfortunately, this is not an ideal tire for sub-zero, snowy winter conditions. These tires tend to lose grip at temperatures below 7 degrees Celsius. The treads on all-seasons are often smooth and straight, repelling water when you're driving in the rain and gripping the road better during warm to hot conditions.

Whereas, Winter tires feature big bulky treads, which move water and slush more efficiently, and softer rubber that maintains flexibility in cold temperatures. In this article, we are going to learn about the differences in all-season and snow/winter tires and specific features of both of them that provide you good performance in a variety of driving conditions.

Difference between All-Season and Winter Tires

What makes Winter Tires Different:


1. The Tread Rubber

2. The Tread Depth and Patterns

3. Biting Edges


1. The Tread Rubber

Tread rubber compounds of winter tires are designed to remain flexible, allowing the tire to grip the road better. Winter tires are made with a special rubber that works best in cold temperatures. The rubber is designed to stay soft and pliable when the weather cools so your tires can maintain adequate grip and traction. The rubber in regular tires (even all-season tires) stiffens in the cold, which reduces traction. Read also: Top 10 Winter Tips To Prepare Your Trucks or Vehicles in US, Canada & UK


2. The Tread Depth and Patterns

Winter tires have deeper tread depths than regular tires, especially performance tires. Deeper tread depths improve traction in the snow and lessen snow buildup. In addition to deep treads, winter tires also have unique tread patterns or grooves. These special grooves help prevent hydroplaning by efficiently pumping water through the tread. Know more about the Top 3 Common Problems faced by Vehicle Fleet Owners?


3. Biting Edges

Winter tires also feature an increased number of biting edges and high sipe densities, or in other words, thousands of tiny slits in the tread that provide traction on ice. Know What exactly does a Winter Tire Mean?


7 Features of Winter Tires:

  1. Buying winter tires can provide enhanced braking performance in snowy & icy conditions

  2. They have specially formulated tread rubber that stays flexible at low temperatures for better vehicle control

  3. Most drivers find that winter tires provide a sense of confidence and control in challenging winter weather conditions

  4. These tires perform well in all types of winter conditions – snow, ice, sleet, slush, wet and even cold dry roads

  5. Winter tires feature tread designs made specifically for ice, snow, and other severe winter conditions

  6. The treads have biting edges for greater traction on wet and icy roads

  7. Tread compounds are soft in the cold, leading to a sturdier grip


Features of All-season Tires:

  1. Purchasing all-season tires mean getting tires designed to help provide traction and grip in wet and snowy conditions

  2. The tread life for all-season tires is usually longer than tires that are designed for a particular season.

  3. All-season tires can have low rolling resistance which sometimes saves energy and results in better gas mileage.

  4. They are made to help provide stable handling and even tread-wear in both wet and dry conditions.

  5. Although all-season tires offer traction in a variety of different weather conditions, winter tires surpass them when it comes to traction in snow and ice.


Contact us for a quick demo of our Traxroot Fleet Maintenance Software to understand how our software can take better care of your tires and give you timely alerts in any emergency. Visit our FAQ page for some frequently asked questions on fleet management.



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