Summer tires have a dedicated rubber compound that delivers excellent grip and handling on both dry and wet roads in warmer conditions. They also have reduced rolling resistance and therefore provide greater fuel efficiency and generate less road noise.
The tread pattern on a summer tire is more streamlined than a winter tire, with fewer grooves for water clearance, maximizing the contact patch with the road. Consequently, the vehicle has superior traction and braking during dry summer months.
On the other hand, The tread compound of a winter tire contains more natural rubber, so it doesn’t harden when the temperature drops below 7 degrees Celsius. Instead, it stays flexible and limber in cold climates to reduce the stopping distance when braking.
The tread design has deeper blocks that will dig into snow and ice to provide more grip. The winter tire also has a lot of sipes, which are excellent for clearing water and slush from the path of the car and mitigating the risk of hydroplaning.
Winter tires shouldn’t be used for the summer season. The compound is far too soft for dry asphalt, meaning it will wear out quicker. Moreover, the increased rolling resistance will lead to higher fuel consumption and road buzz.
It’s important to remember that your Nissan’s driving features like 4-wheel drive (4WD), anti-lock brakes, and electronic stability control can be useful for accelerating and maneuvering, but they do almost nothing for stopping or slowing down. To get better traction on a snowy or icy road, there’s no substitute for winter tires.
Don’t wait too late into the winter season before pulling the trigger on your winter tire purchase. We receive the majority of our winter tire inventory in the autumn. While we always strive to have an incredible selection for our customers to choose from, options of tires can become limited as time goes by.
