Menu
winter tires mississauga

The Different Types of Tires

Buying new tires can be overwhelming with the sheer amount that’s on the market. But not to worry, as this guide will tell you everything you need to know about the various types of tires available and which one is best for you.

Sedans and Minivans

All-Season

Designed to deliver comfort, all-season tires handle well on the highway. They’re reliable all year long, through the summer and winter months. The wheels themselves have a symmetrical tread pattern with grooves for effective wet weather gripping.

Touring

Designed for comfort and all season reliability as well, touring tires have responsive handling and can reach a higher speed rating than all-seasons. However, the tires feature asymmetrical tread patterns.

Performance

Performance tires usually have grooves that are larger laterally and in circumference, for better traction in wet weather. They feature dense siping and silica tread compounds for better gripping in any weather conditions, while reaching higher speeds than touring tires.

Summer

Geared for wet and dry performance, summer tires don’t have all-season traction, as they’re optimized for warmer weather while delivering responsive grip and handling in wet or dry conditions. These are ideal for performance vehicles in warm climates.

Track and Competition

Designed to deliver extreme performance, track tires are rarely used for daily driving. They’re designed for consistent road contact in dry conditions and are commonly used for either amateur practice or professional competitions.

Trucks and SUVs

Highway

Highway tires have all-season tread patterns that handle heavier loads from trucks and SUVs. They’re engineered for comfort on the pavement and are made of durable compounds that are resistant to the effects of uneven wear for a longer lifespan.

All-Terrain

With more aggressive tread patterns than highway tires, all-terrain tires feature longer tread blocks with more voids. They’re designed to handle gravel, light mud and sand. They also achieve highway comfort and stability while effectively handling off-road driving.

Mud-Terrain

Highly aggressive tread patterns with larger blocks and many voids, mud-terrain tires have more traction for deep mud and sandy conditions. The sidewalls are reinforced for more resistant to abrasions, punctures and tears. However, they’re less comfortable on roads and noisier than other options. These are best for regular off-roading enthusiasts.

All-Purpose/Trail

These are the rugged version of highway tires, with overlapping block patterns that allow for moderate off-roading on mild terrains or loose road conditions.

Ribbed

Designed for long-lasting mileage and highway handling, ribbed tires have a solid rib pattern that enhances stability, even with heavier loads. They also increase wet weather traction and are best for commercial vehicles that do a lot of highway driving.

Specialty Tires

Winter

Designed to provide the best traction in harsh winter weather conditions, particularly those below 7 degrees, winter tires are made for a wide variety of vehicles with many uses. The two main types of winter tires include studded and non-studded patterns. Studded tires, which have small metal pins attached, create high traction on icy roads but are loud and creates an uncomfortable drive. Non-studded tires, on the other hand, are sturdy winter tires without metal studs, but they still provide good grip and traction against ice.

Temporary Spares

Available as compact or full-size tires, temporary spares are meant to replace flat or damaged tires on the go. Compact tires are for short-term use only, as they usually can only handle up to 50 mph and require more air pressure compared to standard tires. Full-size spare tires, however, are the same size as standard tires and perform just as well.

At 416 Wheels and Tires, we provide customers with a variety of tire brands and services such as tire repair, replacement, rim sales and more. With affordable prices, give us a call or visit our website to learn more.