Tire Comparison – Knowing the Difference
For any vehicle owner, tire comparison can be very important. Not only do you need specific tires for particular kinds of weather and terrain, but you would also need the knowledge in case you would like your tires to suit your lifestyle and taste. Tires would of course differ depending on what vehicle you use, and would further be classified on their function and performance.
For cars and minivans, passenger tires are definitely the most cost-effective. They are built for smooth ride and long wear, and usually have a lower cost per mile. Touring tires however, have enhanced performance and excellent ride quality. They usually have a lower profile and a wider tread compared to a passenger tire. This gives the touring tire better handling and stability as you gain speed. Performance tires are specialty tires and are used to enhance the look and traction of vehicles. They have a very wide range of profiles and treads and have lower speed ratings, making them more affordable. High performance tires have lower profiles and larger wheel sizes (in terms of diameter), helping to improve cornering response, lower rolling resistance and increase tread stability. Ultra high performance tires are used in sports cars and sedans, built especially for top speeds. Its sticky tread compounds make the tread life shorter though, the price you have to pay for top performance. Competition tires are specially built for racing classifications. Although these are legal and can be used on the streets, doing so is very impractical.
For trucks and SUVs, there is a different set of tires altogether. AP type tires are usually the default tires installed in trucks and SUVs because of their smooth, quiet ride on the highway and good all season traction. Sport truck tires give excellent handling combined with the ability to handle suspensions and load carrying capacity of trucks. They also have all season tread designs that can serve you well all year round. All terrain tires give better off road traction than AP type tires, with tread designs that have larger blocks and greater voids to clean out mud and snow better. Mud terrain tires are a combination of extreme traction for extreme terrain and acceptable highway use.
With the different kinds of tires that you can put on your vehicle, tire comparison is definitely important. Depending on what your priorities are, whether it is performance or design, tire comparison should be the first step to consider.