If you are in the process of getting new tires fitted on your car, there are countless options for you to consider. From specialized summer or winter tires to all-season tires, it can easily feel overwhelming. After all, tires are the only point of contact between the road and your vehicle. You want to be sure that your tires can handle the weather where you live. In this day and age, all-season tires are used by many people living in areas with moderate climates without harsh weather extremes. When it comes down to all-season tires, you might be wondering about their performance in rainy conditions.
All-season tires were invented by Goodyear in 1977 and are designed to provide traction all year long in a variety of weather conditions. The type of rubber used, along with the specialized tread patterns, allow all-season tires to maintain grip in wet road conditions. Modern all-season tires use new technology to improve aspects like noise-reduction and fuel efficiency.
Before you commit to new tires for your car, you need to weigh your options. In order to do that, you need to have an understanding of the different options available on the market. From specialized seasonal tires to all-season tires, you might not know where to begin. If you’re considering all-season tires, start here! We’ll break down how these tires work, which conditions they’re suited for, and the best offerings from the world’s largest tire manufacturers.
What Are All-Season Tires?
For many decades, drivers were forced to change the tires on their cars whenever the weather changed. Just 50 years ago, if you saw clouds gathering and needed to drive somewhere, you first would have needed to go get the relevant tools to swap out the tires on your vehicle. However, in 1977 this changed.
Though Continental was the first tire manufacturer to release a grooved tire in 1904, Goodyear took this technology further in the following decades. In 1977, The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company was the first tire manufacturer to craft an all-season tire. Named after the inventor of vulcanized rubber – which is one of the main materials used in tires – Goodyear is to thank for us not having to swap out our tires whenever the weather changed.
Many drivers are not aware of all-season tires, especially those who never had to swap out their summer tires for their winter tires. In fact, today, all-season tires are the standard when it comes to cars. The reason many drivers will not know the term ‘all-season tire’ is because they just think of it as a regular tire.
While the advent of the all-season tire by Goodyear in 1977 made tire history, some people today still use specialized summer or winter tires. Today, these specialized tires are built to endure certain types of climates. This especially comes in handy for people living in regions with harsh climates.
Summer tires are designed to be used either during the summer months or all year long in regions that don’t experience cold winters. These tires are designed to drive in hot climates without being negatively impacted by the temperature. These tires are able to though they can also be used in the rain due to their simple tread design.
Winter tires, on the other hand, are designed to be used during winter months or in very cold climates. These tires are also commonly referred to as Snow tires due to their ability to drive in both snowy conditions and in temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit or 7 degrees Celsius. These tires are able to perform in below-freezing temperatures due to the type of rubber used and the design of the tread pattern.
Summer or winter tires are great for those living in regions with harsh climate extremes. However, for people living in regions with more mild temperature ranges or rapidly changing temperatures, it would be a nuisance to constantly have to swap out tires when the weather shifts.
In actual fact, using specialized seasonal tires in the wrong weather conditions won’t work well! If your vehicle is currently fitted with winter tires and you take them out during hot weather, you will cause the tire and the supporting structures to overheat due to the way the rubber handles the winter weather. Conversely, using summer tires in winter could result in the poor acceleration of your vehicle.
However, thanks to Goodyear, there’s an alternative that’s already largely become the gold standard when it comes to vehicles. All season tires are suited to get you from A to B, come rain or shine – literally! However, some vehicle owners may wonder about the efficiency of all-season tires in the rain.
Are All-Season Tires Good in the Rain?
If you think of your winter in your region of the world and snowy landscapes come to mind, you will likely need winter tires for a good portion of the year. If you think of winter in your area and only some rain comes to mind, all-season tires could be the option for you. When it comes down to the performance of all-season tires in the rain, this is what you need to know.
Tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road, so you want to ensure they can get you to your destination safely. All season tires are designed to do just that, time and time again. Research shows that all-season tires statistically last longer than specialized seasonal tires. Tires that last and are suited to any season? We don’t blame you if it sounds a bit too good to be true.
Though all-season tires cannot handle temperature extremes, especially harsh winter conditions, they are an appropriate investment in regions with seasonal weather and the occasional rain on a cold day. These tires balance certain elements that comprise a tire’s design in order to handle diverse weather conditions. This design allows your tires to maintain a suitable grip on the road in both dry and wet conditions.
Depending on the tire manufacturer, all-season tires typically utilize the appropriate rubber compounds so they can retain traction in different driving conditions. The design of the tread supports the tire’s suitability to driving in diverse conditions. The tread is designed to provide grip on warm days and to push water away from your tire on wet days, allowing your car to handle a variety of different weather conditions on the road.
Due to the balancing of different elements to create the best all-around tire, this type of tire is considered a jack of all trades but a master of none. While an all-season will perform well in dry or hot conditions, a dedicated summer tire will likely outperform it. Similarly, though an all-season tire will provide adequate traction in wet conditions, a winter tire would be able to handle the wet road better – and even more extreme winter conditions.
All season tires could also be considered ‘all vehicle’ tires, as they can be fitted onto almost any vehicle – from sedans to minivans. Unless you live in a region that experiences harsh climates with prolonged winter or summer conditions, an all-season tire would be your safest bet. Unless you want to swap out your tires when you see the clouds gathering, that is.
All-season tires are designed to be used all season long, but not all all-season tires are designed equally. Some all-season tires feature newer tire technologies that have been developed, which can help your car be more fuel-efficient and can even expand the types of terrains your vehicle can drive on. Many modern all-season tires are even equipped to handle a little bit of snow from time to time!
Since the advent of all-season tires more than forty years ago, these tires (and the companies that develop them) have made great strides in their designs. With numerous great options from the world’s leading tire manufacturers, we thought we would help you narrow down some of the best all-season tire options.
The Best All-Season Tires from the Best Tire Manufacturers
All-season tires are designed to handle a variety of different weather conditions. Getting the right all-season tire for your vehicle will leave you feeling confident on the road, come rain or shine. When it comes to the best all-season tire offerings from the biggest and best tire manufacturers, these are the ones you need to know about!
Bridgestone
These are some of the best all-season tires from Bridgestone!
Firestone All Season Touring Tire
Hailing from one of the world’s largest and most well-regarded tire manufacturers, this all-season option is a great one! These tires are created using durable rubber, which, along with the specialized tread design, allow you to use them in dry, wet, and even icy conditions on the road. With tread grooves designed for the effective evacuation of water in wet conditions, this option from Bridgestone will support you all year round.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus
This offering from Bridgestone is not only designed to support you all season long, but to save you fuel, too. With a limited 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, this tire will get you there and back safely no matter the weather. You’ll have a quiet drive in wet and dry conditions, all while getting 20 additional miles per tank of fuel. This is a great all-season tire!
Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus
For larger vehicles, from SUVs to trucks, this all-season offering from Bridgestone is one that must be considered! Complete with an 80,000-mile limited warranty on the tires’ treadwear, this tire will provide great traction for your vehicle. These tires are designed to improve the fuel efficiency of your vehicle when you compare them to previous Bridgestone Dueler releases. All of that while still providing you with a quiet drive, no matter the weather out.
Michelin
These are some of the best all-season tires from Michelin!
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ All Season Performance Radial Tire
This all-season tire from Michelin gives you everything you want in this type of tire, and then some more. This tire will make every ride a great one, whether the road is dry or wet. This is thanks to the great technology used by Michelin in the design of this tire.
The Extreme Silica+ compound, along with the unique tread design used by Michelin, allows your vehicle to maintain its grip on wet road surfaces. Going a step further, Michelin’s advanced Helio+ technology allows you to take these tires through mildly icy or snowy conditions without sacrificing any traction! Designed to support your vehicle no matter the weather, this is a great all-season tire to consider.
Michelin Defender LTX All-Season Tire
This all-season tire comes with a 60-day satisfaction guarantee as part of Michelin’s promise plan. However, when it comes to this tire, we think you’ll be more than satisfied with its overall performance. Not only will these tires support you all year long for years to come, but you’ll also save 65 gallons of fuel in total over the lifespan of your Defender tires.
With the use of a compound known as Evertread, these tires are designed to last 10% than other similar tires in harsh conditions. Not only do these tires have your back, but Michelin does, too. In addition to the 60-day satisfaction guarantee, these tires also come with three years’ worth of assistance with flat tires, as well as a 6-year standard defect warranty.
Goodyear
These are the best all-season tires from Goodyear!
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
As the name suggests, with these all-season tires on your car, you’ll be ready for any weather! These tires offer great traction in dry and wet conditions. Every care has gone into making a tire that will serve you all season long, for many seasons. In fact, as your tire wears, the tread is designed to evolve in a way that allows your tires to maintain traction in wet conditions. These tires can even take some snow and ice! You’ll be ready for whatever life throws at you!
Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive
If you’re looking for a great all-season tire that offers a noise-free journey, this is the option for you! Like the Assurance WeatherReady option discussed above, this offering from Goodyear also features Evolving Traction Grooves. The design doesn’t stop there, though! Along with Aqua Channel grooves, you’ll have superior performance in wet conditions now and in two years’ time. All these features work seamlessly with the ComfortFlex technology to give you a smoother and quieter ride.
Conclusion
Back in the year 1904, Continental released the world’s first grooved tire. Seventy-three years later, Goodyear would release the world’s first all-season tire. Before that, people actually had to manually change the tires on their car whenever the seasons or weather changed. Today, the only drivers who swap between summer and winter tires are those who live in regions with extreme weather conditions.
For people who live in regions with moderate weather and climate, all-season tires are a great car solution. These tires are designed with the right balance of features to leave you feeling confident in a variety of conditions on the road. From the materials used to the design of the tread patterns to expel water, every care is taken to give you the best all-around tire.
All-season tires are more than fit to drive in the rain and on wet road surfaces. In fact, most modern all-season tires are equipped to do more than that. Many of the top tire manufacturers offer all-season tires that are equipped to handle icy roads and low amounts of snow without the need for seasonal winter tires.
Most types of vehicles can be fitted with all-season tires. All the major tire manufacturers offer all-season tires for sedans, SUVs, trucks, and more. It can seem stressful looking through all these options, which is why he highlighted some of the best above. When you pick the right all-season tire for your vehicle, you’ll feel confident on the road all year long.