How to distinguish good winter tyres from mediocre ones? Aspects you should definitely consider

The time when winter tyres will be mandatory for your car is just around the corner, but you should not wait until the end of November to change them. Therefore, if you have not yet prepared a replacement set of tyres, this is the last opportunity to find the right “shoes” for your car for the winter season. You will learn how to recognise good winter tyres in this article!

The EU label provides useful information

The law stipulates that every new tyre must have a European Union tyre label, which provides information about three factors:

1. Rolling resistance, or fuel consumption – the higher the rolling resistance, the more fuel the car will consume, thereby also producing more CO2 emissions. Rolling resistance is indicated by classes from A (lowest resistance) to G (highest resistance), and the difference in fuel consumption between Class A and Class G tyres may exceed 7%. When comparing two adjacent classes, the more economical one can save approximately 0.1 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres;

2. Wet-grip performance – this is also indicated using the aforementioned classes. The higher the class, the shorter the braking distance on a wet road surface, and in Latvia’s climate this is a very important aspect during the autumn and winter months. The test is conducted by braking from a speed of 80 km/h; Class A tyres stop after 28 metres, whereas Class F tyres stop only after 46.5 metres. Needless to say, in dangerous situations, even a couple of metres can sometimes be decisive;

3. External rolling noise level  – this is indicated in decibels (dB), and the higher the figure, the louder the tyre. If you are not familiar with decibels, you can consider the number of sound waves instead – the fewer there are, the quieter the tyre (the label displays one, two or three waves).

However, you should not rely on this information alone, especially if you are looking for good winter tyres. Why? Because, for example, the way tyres perform on icy and snow-covered roads is also very important, and this information can only be found in tyre tests – if a particular model performs well on wet road surfaces, that does not necessarily mean it will perform equally well in more wintry conditions.

One of the most objective indicators – tyre tests

Summer, all-season and winter tyres are available in such a wide range that finding a neighbour or friend who has tried a particular tyre model will certainly be difficult, if not impossible. At the same time, the information provided on the manufacturer’s website or in a shop may not be sufficient to understand how a particular tyre will perform on the road. This is precisely why tyre tests are conducted all over the world, with professionals testing tyres in various situations, describing both their behaviour on the road and the driving styles and conditions for which the tyres are ultimately suitable. 

Tyre tests can be found in many places – in both local and foreign motoring magazines, as well as on numerous websites. For the most objective overview possible, it is advisable to consult several tests conducted by independent testers. If the same model is recognised as a good choice in several magazines, programmes or websites, you can be sure that these are truly good winter tyres.

Tyres online – a good way to find the best deal

Once you have found the most suitable tyre model, the next task is to purchase it, and there are several options – from an online shop to buying tyres at a supermarket (yes, sometimes they are even available there). Several factors work in favour of an online shop:

1. You can quickly and conveniently find the model you need and compare prices;

2. The purchase can be completed at any time of day;

3. You can have the tyres delivered right to your doorstep at a time convenient for you.

If you are also looking for tyres, take a look at the wide selection available at the smart shop 1a.lv – even the most demanding driver will find good winter tyres here!