Do I need winter tyres?
The distinction between winter and all-season tyres lies in their rubber compound and tread design, which dictates their performance in different temperatures and road conditions
Winter Tyres are the masters of the cold. Their soft compound prevents them from hardening in low temperatures and maintaining essential grip. Their aggressive tread pattern is engineered specifically to find traction on ice, slush, and in snow.
All-Season Tyres are the ‘jack-of-all-trades.’ They offer convenience by eliminating the twice yearly tyre change and storage costs, making them a popular option here, in the United Kingdom, with our moderate weather. In extreme winter conditions, they cannot match the safety and performance of a set of winter tyres but given that our climate is temperate they are a fantastic option.
Feature | Winter Tyres | All-Season Tyres |
Rubber Compound | Very soft (high natural rubber and silica content), designed to remain flexible in temperatures below 7°C. | A compromise compound, softer than a summer tyre but harder than a winter tyre. Performs adequately across a wider temperature range. |
Tread Design | Deep, chunky tread blocks with high density of sipes (tiny slits) to bite into and expel snow, slush, and ice. | A hybrid design, featuring moderate tread depth and siping for balanced performance on wet, dry, and light snowy roads. |
Ideal Conditions | Severe winter—heavy snow, ice, and consistent temperatures below 7°C. | Moderate climates with mild winters (some light snow/frost) and varied summer conditions. |
Performance | Superior grip, braking, and handling on snow and ice. | Balanced performance year-round, but a compromise—not as strong as a dedicated summer tyre in the heat or a dedicated winter tyre in snow and ice. |
Why fit All Season Tyres?
They are a convenient and cost-effective option
No Seasonal Swapping: All-season tyres eliminate the need to buy, store (even though we do this for you in our Tyre Hotel), and fit two separate sets of tyres (summer and winter) every year. This saves the cost of the second set of tyres and the fitting fees (even if our fitting charges are fantastic value 😉)
- Year-Round Legality: Unlike some European countries, the UK has no mandatory winter tyre laws. An all-season tyre can be safely and legally driven on UK roads all year.
For a long time, many European countries required winter tyres during colder months, and the key legal marker was the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” (3PMSF) symbol, sometimes called the Alpine symbol. That logo indicates the tyre meets specific EU performance standards for snow traction.
The '3PMSF' Safety Assurance
- Many premium all-season tyres now carry the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.
- This is crucial because it certifies that the tyre has passed a minimum, regulated performance test on packed snow, providing a high level of verified safety assurance for cold and wintry conditions.
All things considered, for the average UK motorist, who primarily drives in a mix of wet, cold, and occasionally lightly snowy conditions, the modern all-season tyre offers a perfect, safe, and convenient balance between the necessary cold-weather performance and year-round usability.
Call in to any of our local branches in the following towns to discuss the best tyre options for your vehicle:
- Sudbury
- Haverhill
- Diss
- Saffron Walden
- Bury St Edmunds
- Stowmarket
Our expert technicians are on hand to provide a free tyre health check and give you the professional guidance needed to make an informed decision for safety and performance throughout the year.
