COLD WEATHER GRIP
WINTER & ALL-SEASON TYRES
Below 7°C an ordinary summer tyre hardens and loses grip. Winter and all-season tyres stay soft in the cold, so your car stops shorter and holds the road on cold, wet and icy mornings. Fitted in Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, open 7 days.
WHY THE 7°C RULE MATTERS
Most UK winters are cold and wet rather than snowy, and that is exactly where the right tyre makes the biggest difference.
Stays soft in the cold
A winter compound stays flexible below 7°C, so the tyre keeps gripping when a summer tyre has gone hard.
Shorter braking
More grip means the car stops in a shorter distance on cold, wet, icy and snowy roads.
Clears water and slush
Deeper tread and hundreds of small cuts called sipes push water and slush out and bite into the surface.
Made for local roads
Hills, untreated side roads and routes over the Moorlands are where cold-weather grip counts most.
THE BENEFITS OF WINTER TYRES
Winter tyres are made from a softer rubber with a deeper, more open tread. From roughly November to March, when temperatures in Stoke-on-Trent regularly drop below 7°C, they give noticeably better grip and shorter braking than summer tyres, not just in snow but on every cold, damp morning.
- Better grip and shorter stopping distances below 7°C
- Pulling away and climbing hills without spinning the wheels
- More confident steering on cold, wet and icy roads
- Marked with the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol
- Best fitted as a set of four, then swapped back in the spring
Winter is coming: the tyres you need
ALL-SEASON TYRES: ONE SET, ALL YEAR
An all-season tyre sits between a summer and a winter tyre. It grips well in the cold and wet, copes with the occasional snowfall, and still drives well in the summer. You keep the same set on all year, so there is no swapping in the autumn and spring and no second set of tyres to store.
For most drivers in the UK, where winters are mild and wet rather than snowbound, a good all-season tyre is the simplest way to get better winter grip. Look for the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol on the sidewall.
- Safe, predictable grip all year round
- No seasonal swap and no tyres to store
- Ideal if you cover average mileage, mostly in the UK
- Choose a dedicated winter tyre if you regularly drive in snow or on high, exposed roads
SUMMER, ALL-SEASON OR WINTER?
| Summer | All-season | Winter | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best temperature | Above 7°C | All year round | Below 7°C |
| Cold, wet roads | Fair | Good | Best |
| Snow and slush | Poor | Good | Best |
| Warm, dry roads | Best | Good | Fair |
| Swapping and storage | No | No | Twice a year |
Not sure which suits you? Search with your registration to see the sizes for your car, or give us a call and we will talk you through it with no pressure. Driving an electric car? See our EV tyres guide.
Winter vs summer tyres: what’s the difference?