What is life like with your car? Let us know and win £500 in John Lewis vouchers | No thanks

Can I use winter tyres in summer months?

I have a set of summer and winter tyres but the summer tyres need replacing and I'm thinking of changing to all-season tyres. However, the winter tyres still have a lot of miles left in them. Is it legal or advisable to carry on using these tyres over the summer until they need replacing? In addition, which all-season tyres would you recommend? Winter performance in snow is a major factor as I live on a hill.

Asked on 16 October 2020 by

Answered by Georgia Petrie
I wouldn't advise using winter tyres in the summer months. Winter tyres are designed for cold temperatures. When it's warm, you won't need the deep tread depths to handle snow, ice etc. The rubber compound will wear down faster in warm weather, firstly. In summer, winter tyres also won't provide the same handling capabilities as summer or all-season tyres, so you won't get the sharp response from a winter tyre in warm weather. They'll slow you down and make your car less fuel-efficient, too. If you want all-season tyres, I'd advise Michelin CrossClimate+, Continental AllSeasonContact or Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2.
Similar questions
Just bought a new car and it is fitted with summer tyres. Should I change 4 brand new summer tyres for All Season tyres before winter sets in? Or should I wait and see how the weather progresses?
I'm due to replace two tyres and the other two are probably due for replacement in 6 months. I'm wondering about taking the plunge and fitting all weather tyres (5 as I have a spare). Do you think it would...
I am preparing my 2017 Corsa 1.4 Turbo for its forthcoming MoT. I do not do many miles, no more than about 5000-6000 per year. The front offside tyre is low on tread and for sure needs replacing, the near...