With a broad range of tire choices out there, deciding which type of tire is right for you can be tough. Understanding the different types of car tires can make it easier to choose what will work best for your situation. The best trick is to start with the type of vehicle. Once you’ve determined the tire types available for your vehicle, it’s easier to choose what’s best based on your driving needs.
Types of Car Tires
In this article, we’ll consider the different types of tires based on the type of vehicle. Some of them include all season, touring, performance, summer and more.
Passenger Touring Vehicles
All Season
These are designed to deliver all-season traction, good handling and comfort on the highway. They generally feature a symmetrical tread pattern and grooves for better grip in wet weather.
Touring
These are designed to deliver reliable all-season traction and a comfortable ride, with more responsive handling. They often feature an asymmetrical tread pattern and are rated for higher speeds than all season tires.
Performance
Performance tires have larger lateral and circumferential grooves for better traction in wet weather conditions. They’re designed for better grip, typically featuring fairly dense siping and silica enriched tread compounds. They’re also rated for higher speeds than touring tires.
Summer
These are geared for performance in both dry and wet conditions. They’re not designed for all-season traction but rather for warm weather, delivering grip and responsive handling in wet or dry conditions. They’re ideal for performance vehicles in warmer climates.
Track and Competition
These are designed to deliver the pinnacle of performance. They’re made to provide constant road contact in dry conditions and are rarely used for daily driving. They’re engineered for extreme performance often featuring a high-tech body and sidewall reinforcements such as aramid or Kevlar.
Truck And SUV
Highway
These are designed to handle the heavier loads of an SUV or truck. They’re engineered to be very comfortable on the pavement and have all season tread patterns.
All Terrain
These generally have more aggressive tread patterns that trail or highway tires. They have more voids and larger tread blocks for better traction in off-road driving conditions.
Mud-Terrain
These feature extremely aggressive tread patterns with more voids and very large tread blocks. They are designed to get more traction in sand, deep mud and other soft terrains.
All-Purpose or Trail
These are only a little more rugged than standard highway tires. They generally feature fewer sides than highway truck tires.
Ribbed
These are designed to be the best in long-lasting mileage and handling. They have a solid rib tread design, which makes them ideal for commercial vehicles that cover a lot of highway mileage.
Sport Truck
These are very similar to highway tires. They feature all-season tread patterns that are optimized for various weather conditions.
Specialty Tires
Specialty tires are designed for specific purposes. They include lawn and garden tires, ATV tires, trailer tires and even temporary spare tires.
Bottom Line
Understanding the different types of car tires is crucial in helping you choose the right tires for your needs. Compare the options available for your vehicle, assess your needs and choose tires that will work best for your situation. No matter what you’re looking for, Element Wheels offers a wide array of tires that would best suit your vehicle and needs.