# All season tyres
All season tyre buying guide
Everything you need to know about buying all-season tyres
All-season tyres can give motorists the best of both worlds: a tread depth suitable for most weather conditions, an impressive tread-life and freedom from the hassle of changing, then storing your summer and winter tyres each year. They can be the perfect solution if you live in a mild climate.
Seasonal tyres are the best choice for you if you have to tackle tough winters or very hot summers.
Find out if all-season tyres are right for you, discover which all-season tyre is best for passenger cars, EVs, SUVs or trucks, and learn to recognise the all-weather symbol on your sidewall.
What to consider before investing in all-season tyres
Think about where you will be driving and how often. If you have an SUV that needs to drive smoothly in town, but must also go off-road on a regular basis, you’ll need a tyre brand that is more suited for all-terrain with the best traction rating and tread-wear warranty. Or perhaps you drive a passenger car that spends almost all its time in an urban environment? In this case you might want to focus more on braking capabilities, fuel efficiency and aquaplaning performance.
Of course your safety and peace of mind are our key concerns. Use our tyre buying guide, the Continental Tyre Finder, to help you find perfect new tyres, whichever vehicle you drive.
What does the all-weather symbol look like on your sidewall
The sidewall provides a lot of information about your car tyre if you know how to read it. Find out more here.
To be sure that your all-season tyre will be able to offer optimum performance in all but the most extreme weather conditions, the two things to look out for on your sidewall are the ‘M+S’ symbol and ‘3PMSF’, the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol – literally an image of a three-peaked mountain with a snowflake inside.
‘M+S’ shows the tire’s suitability for driving in mud and snow; the ‘3PMSF’ symbol indicates experts have certified the tire as safe to use in snow. The three-peaks symbol also means the tire is suitable for use in regions where snow tires are a legal requirement.
Continental all-season tires carry both symbols, making them incredibly versatile and a great investment. However, you must use winter tires if you drive in harsh winter conditions where temperatures regularly drop below freezing.
Seasonal or all-season tyres for electric vehicles?
Electric vehicles are the future, but whilst their carbon footprint is considerably lower, the strain placed upon their tyres is much greater. Why? Car batteries are heavy, so there’s greater pressure on the wheels, plus an EV’s instant torque puts extra stress on tyres and increases tread wear. The extra weight increases braking distance, too.
Essentially, if you’re an EV driver you need to take extra care of your tyres, whether seasonal or all-season, and choose a stronger tyre than you would for a combustion-engine car.
In many ways, swapping between summer tires and winter tyres might seem the best choice for an EV. However, advanced research and cutting-edge technology behind Continental’s all-season tyres affirm they are suitable for use with EVs, offering good tread-life even under the additional strains.
Which all-season tyres are best for SUVs
Continental offers a range of all-season tyres for SUVs amongst the best in their class and with a generous tread-life warranty.
If you drive a crossover you might do most of your driving in the city. Continental all-season tyres offer excellent handling all year round, high fuel efficiency and even noise reducing technology in some models for a smooth and quiet ride with increased comfort and safety
An e-SUV´s battery weight and instant torque means the rubber compound in EV all-season tyres must be especially robust to ensure you get the best grip and most responsive braking possible. And if you want to take your e-SUV off road, you´ll need to find the right balance between a smooth read with less rolling resistance and optimum traction for all-terrain driving
Ultra-high-performance SUVs need a premium tyre that gives superb handling with maximum levels of grip, and a longer tread-life. Our High-Performance Technology Center (HPTC) is continually developing innovative technologies to improve their performance tyres, as well as create new tread patterns to enable high-performance SUVs to drive at their very best
Rest assured, when it comes to safety, performance and efficiency from your all-season tyres, Continental has got your track.
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