What are the Benefits of Winter Tyres?
What are the Benefits of Winter Tyres?
Winter is approaching, and that means it’s time to start preparing your car for the changing weather. For many UK drivers, navigating icy, frosty roads and extreme cold temperatures is an annual challenge we’ve long come to dread.
However, when it comes to facing icy, slippery surfaces and severe cold, winterproofing your car with winter tyres may just be the ideal solution. Here is our guide to everything you need to know about winter tyres to help you see whether they should be one of your must-haves this season.
What are winter tyres?
Winter tyres are exactly what the name suggests: tyres specially designed to provide strong traction and improved grip in winter conditions. They are engineered to work best in temperatures below 7°C, as well as in snow, on ice and when driving through standing water.
Winter tyres are made from a softer rubber compound which is more flexible and better able to contort to different road surfaces, providing better traction. The rubber also remains soft and flexible in cold temperatures, unlike summer tyres, which become extremely rigid when they get cold.
Winter tyres also have much deeper grooves and sipes than regular tyres. These cut into snow and ice and dissipate water more quickly, providing better grip and improving braking performance.
Winter tyres are identifiable by the M+S (mud and snow) and three-peak mountain symbol on the sidewall. Visit our online Kia store
to find Kia winter tyres built by us, specifically for your Kia.
When do I need to change to winter tyres in the UK?
The way that they’re designed means that winter tyres are not safe to use in summer. The soft rubber compound they’re made with will wear much faster in warm temperatures and increase rolling resistance. As a result, not only will your tyres need replacing far more quickly, but they’ll also suffer very poor fuel economy.
Winter tyres are best for the winter months of the year, so it’s advisable to fit them from October to March. You should then change back to summer or all-season tyres for the rest of the year.
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Are winter tyres worth it?
When winter rolls around again, the much-debated question around winter tyres arises: are winter tyres worth it in the UK? Many drivers associate winter tyres with extreme European climates, rather than the milder weather we have in the UK.
According to The British Council
, the average UK temperature in winter is between 2 and 7 degrees. Winter tyres are designed to work best at temperatures below 7 degrees and are therefore ideal for the winter climate in the UK. This is particularly true for areas of the country where adverse conditions, such as frost, ice and snow, are more common.
If you don’t mind the hassle of changing tyres
once a year, fitting winter tyres is generally a good long-term investment. There is no doubt that winter tyres are the best tyres for winter driving. They usually provide a better fuel economy during the cold months, as well as reducing the risk of an accident, which could lead to expensive repairs.
It’s also important to note that, because you’ll only be using winter tyres for a few months of the year, your regular tyres will not get worn down as quickly. By investing in winter tyres, you’re effectively sharing your annual mileage between two different sets of tyres
, meaning they’ll both benefit from a prolonged lifespan.
Handle winter like a pro with Kia
At Kia, we pride ourselves on ensuring premium performance all year round, no matter the weather. All our cars are well-equipped with a suite of comfort features and safety technologies that excel even in wintry conditions.
As part of our onboard Kia Connect services, all our cars are fitted with an intelligent climate control system that enables you to pre-set and adjust the cabin temperature. With our Kia Connect App, you can remotely schedule the cabin temperature, so your car will already be toasty by the time you start your journey. Other winter-proof features, like heated seats, automatic defoggers and even a heated steering wheel, have previously earned the Sportage
its title as one of the best winter cars
according to What Car?
Our pioneering driver assistance technologies
, such as the high beam assist and front collision avoidance assist functions, are designed to provide an extra level of protection on the road. These can be particularly useful in adverse weather conditions, especially when visibility is poor.
These winter-friendly features are also available in our award-winning range. We want to make planet-friendly driving as accessible and convenient as possible, so we build our electric car
to perform well even in snow, ice and all other winter conditions. Read our article to check out our top winter driving tips for electric cars.
Images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be to full UK specification. Features shown are not standard across the Kia model range and availability will vary dependant on model.