There are a number of tires that are designed for passenger vehicles. Most are engineered to deliver a smooth and quiet ride, offer reliable all-season traction, and last for a long time. But there are also some vehicles that offer enhanced performance and therefore need tires that can manage that performance. Let’s take a look at the different types.
All-Season
All-season touring tires offer good comfort and handling on highways and reliable traction during all seasons. They have symmetrical tread patterns and grooves on the circumference for good wet weather grip. This type of tire is available for almost all vehicles.
Competition
These are also called track tires. They are similar to street performance tires and are designed to enhance vehicular performance. They provide constant contact with the road in dry conditions. They have high-tech bodies and sidewalls that are reinforced with Kevlar or aramid. They’re meant for extreme performance sports cars. These tires are mostly used on amateur track days or professional competitions and not for daily driving. They have to adhere to strict laws to ensure they comply with the series requirements.
Passenger
These tires are meant for passenger vehicles and deliver a smooth, quiet ride, all-season traction, and their treads last for a long time. They are compatible with a lot of different cars.
Performance
These tires tend to have large circumferential and lateral grooves for wet weather traction. They also have dense siping, higher speed ratings, and silica-enriched tread compounds to help them grip better in all sorts of weather.
Summer
These tires are designed to deliver good performance in dry and wet conditions but only when the temperatures are warm. They are not good for all-season traction. The grip and responsive handling they deliver will only work in warm weather. Summer tires also have solid contact patches and circumferential grooves to help avoid hydroplaning and very little to no sipes.
Touring
These tires are also called grand touring tires. They deliver a comfortable ride, reliable all-season traction, and add responsive handling to the mix. They also have a higher speed rating and asymmetrical tread patterns. These tires focus more on performance than on comfort.
