Fall is in full swing and before you know it it will be that time of the year where the snow is falling. There is no better time than NOW to invest in a great new set of tires for your vehicle. When it comes to tires, there are a lot of options out there, and feeling overwhelmed is normal. One question you might find yourself asking is should I be purchasing all-season tires that are built for all year round performance or winter tires that are specifically made for winter weather performance. Lucky for you we have the information you’ll need in this week’s blog. Once you’ve decided on which tire to choose, be sure to shop our online tire store to find the right tires for your Volkswagen! 

Many vehicles on the road are driving with all-season tires. In fact, many vehicles are fitted with all-season tires when they leave the factory. The appeal of all-season tires is that they are built to take on road conditions all-year-round. So instead of having winter and summer tires, you can just have all-season tires. These tires offer a quiet ride, good tread, and year-round performance, no wonder they’re so popular. But are they the right choice for your vehicle during the winter? 

All-season tires have to offer good performance in a variety of weather conditions, which means they have to compromise some summer and winter performance capabilities. When it comes to driving in the winter weather, having the tires matter. With ever-changing conditions, making sure your tires can provide traction is extremely important. The argument for winter tires is simple, they are specifically made for winter weather. According to the pros, the combination of cold temperatures, ice, and snow can be best met by winter tires. Below you see the specific features of winter tires that make them unique: tread rubber, tread depth and patterns, and biting edges. 

The Tread Rubber – In extremely cold temperatures, the tread on All-Season tires stiffens and becomes less able to provide sufficient traction. Winter tires are designed to remain flexible, allowing the tire to grip the road better. 

The Tread Depth and Patterns – Winter tires offer the unique feature of deeper tire tread and unique tread patterns that reduce snow buildup and provide better traction on the snow. All-Season tires do not offer deep tread and unique designs. 

Biting Edges – Winter tires also feature an increased number of biting edges, which are thousands of tiny slits in the tread that provide traction on ice. 

So what will it be? Winter tires or All-Season tires? That will depend on where you live and how much snow and ice you’ll be seeing this winter. If you only see flurries and occasional slick roads then chances are you can probably get away with All-Season tires, but it is important to rotate your tires and replace them as needs. However, living in a place where you see a good amount of snow throughout the winter season, it might be a good idea to shop Winter tires to help give you peace of mind this winter season.