Summer tyres better than winter tyres in the cold!

[Caulkhead]

Interesting winter tyre versus summer tyre test in the latest What Car? magazine.

As expected the winter tyres were best on snow and ice, but on wet roads below 7 degrees C there wasn't much in it and on cold dry roads, the summer tyres significantly outperformed all of the winter tyres. Not what I was expecting.

[roachcoach]

[Cyder]

Now sit back and watch the winter tyre fanboys heads explode as they refute these claims!

[cptsideways]

I shall have a read - did they test on cold wet roads too? If not a bit of a daft test.

[Caulkhead]

cptsideways said:

did they test on cold wet roads too?

Yes, I think I mentioned it in my post!

[roachcoach]

Is there a link or still in paper format?

[Lefty]

I think I may buy my first ever issue of What Car tonight.

[Caulkhead]

roachcoach said:

Is there a link or still in paper format?

I've only seen it in the mag, can't find a link online. It's the issue with a yellow Honda Civic on the front.

[budgie smuggler]

Summer tyres or all seasons? Surprising result if it was summers.

[Melvin Udall]

So if you have snow, ice, slush, or rain, during winter, you're best on winters. Great. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Caulkhead]

budgie smuggler said:

Summer tyres or all seasons? Surprising result if it was summers.

Summers. I run all seasons on a car currently and have worn out many a winter tyre over the years!

[HellDiver]

Depends what winter tyres they were testing, doesn't it?

LingLong Winters will obviously be worse than Goodyear summers, for example.

I recon my Uniroyal summers are better than my Dunlop winters in cold and wet. But when there's 3" of compacted snow and ice for a mile until I get to gritted roads, I know for a fact the Dunlops will be better.

[Snowboy]

Caulkhead said:

As expected the winter tyres were best on snow and ice, but on wet roads below 7 degrees C there wasn't much in it and on cold dry roads, the summer tyres significantly outperformed all of the winter tyres. Not what I was expecting.

That sounds about right to me.
Depending, on quite how cold the cold dry roads were and how cold the tyres were too.


In cold dry conditions both tyres are working in conditions they weren't best designed for - the pros and cons balance each other out.

Did it mention the difference between summer tyres on warm dry roads and summer tyres on cold dry roads?
I'd be interested in that too.

[Kevin VRs]

I occasionally drive in the winter in temperatures down to -20C or so. Summer tyres are rubbish even on dry roads when the temperature gets that low. All season are not much better.

[Melvin Udall]

Cyder said:

Now sit back and watch the winter tyre fanboys heads explode as they refute these claims!

What is there to refute?

[roachcoach]

Melvin Udall said:

Cyder said:

Now sit back and watch the winter tyre fanboys heads explode as they refute these claims!

What is there to refute?

Apparently quite a lot, judging by every other winter tyre thread in existence.

[thinfourth2]

Cyder said:

Now sit back and watch the winter tyre fanboys heads explode as they refute these claims!

Not even vaguely surprised as winter tyres have lots of little floppy tread blocks.

Still buying them for my new car