What tyre is the best for winter?

Winter tyres are specifically designed to deal with adverse weather conditions. They offer extra grip and traction on wet roads and at temperatures of below seven degrees Celsius. They are also able to deal with some snow and ice. This makes them well worth considering, particularly if you live in an area that is remote and often subject to heavy rain and snow.

Winter tyres contain more natural rubber than summer tyres and are made from a softer compound. In lower temperatures, this allows the tyres to stay supple, whereas a summer tyre would become hard: this results in improved grip and handling.
 
In addition, the contact patch is larger and more rugged. It is covered with thousands of tiny grooves called sipes, which help the tyres to warm up while also displacing water and slush more quickly. On average, winter tyres have ten times as many sipes as summer tyres. When driving on snow, this design helps to provide better handling.

The UltraGrip Performance Plus is a high-performance tyre that excels in all winter conditions, proving especially good in terms of wet handling and braking. It uses Winter Grip Technology to boost elasticity in colder conditions and Adaptive SipeGrip Technology to provide improved grip and reduced breaking distances. It is a very quiet-running tyre and offers excellent fuel economy and grip.

Dunlop’s Winter Sport 5 is considered something of a snow specialist due to its combination of improved traction, shorter stopping distances and protection from aquaplaning. It has extra tread blocks to boost traction, deeper grooves that help with dispersal, and provides a quiet and fuel-efficient performance in a range of wintry conditions.

The Michelin Alpin 6 offers peak performance in both rain and snow, thanks in part to its unique ‘emerging groove’ design, meaning that the grooves will emerge and widen over time. It offers short stopping distances, precise steering and handing, high mileage and fuel efficiency as well as protection from aquaplaning.

The TS 860 offers superb traction, handling and reduced braking distances in wet conditions, but also on dry roads. Braking is excellent in shallow water as well as on ice and snow, and there is significant mileage potential owing to its low rolling resistance.

If you are looking to buy winter tyres or need advice, our tyre professionals are always happy to help with any queries you may have. You can find your nearest Protyre garage by entering your postcode into the search function on our website.
 
Protyre’s network of garages can fit a broad range of tyres to suit all budgets and vehicle types, many of them from stock. This includes premium tyres from manufacturers such as Pirelli, Bridgestone and Michelin, as well as lower cost options, for example, Sumitomo, Avon, Hankook, and Fortuna.