The tire type you’ll need will largely depend on the type of car you have, the conditions you will drive in, and the terrain you expect to drive on. The most common types of tires are all-season, all-terrain, touring, and winter tires.
All-season tires are made to drive over any type of terrain all year long. However, they are categorized between regular, performance, summer, and ultra-high performance. The performance type is slightly better than the regular type at providing better year-round traction but their mileage may be lower than the regular variety.
Summer and ultra-high performance all-season tires sacrifice some traction that could be beneficial to have in winter. If you choose the latter versions, having winter tires would be beneficial as those are made specifically to tread through snow and ice.
All-terrain tires are great for driving off-road and providing traction on uneven terrains that are dry, wet, or even snowy. Finally, touring tires are great when you are traveling long distances.
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Size:
Size is an important factor when shopping for tires. It’s best to choose tires that are the same type and size as your current ones since your car was designed to work with those.
You never want the tires to be smaller than the tires your car came with since they will not support your car. Getting bigger tires is an option, but it can affect the performance of your car.
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Durability:
There are a few features to look for that will clue you in on how durable a tire is. Start by checking the speed rating and tread wear. The speed rating lets you know how fast the tire can go for long periods of time without causing too much wear.
The tread-wear number indicates how many miles the tire is expected to last. The higher the number, the longer it will last. It also helps to check the tread-life warranty. If your tires wear out before the milage listed on the warranty, you can get a credit to go towards a replacement.
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Best Touring:
WESTLAKE RP18 All-Season Radial Tire Some people just like the feel of a road trip. Whether you are driving to the next city or crossing state lines, driving for long periods of time can almost be meditative. Tires that excel in these conditions, known as touring tires, increase efficiency and performance by decreasing rolling resistance.
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Winter Tires:
Specialized tires designed to handle snow and ice conditions.
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Tread-Life Warranty:
A guarantee that provides a credit towards replacing tires if they wear out prematurely. In other words, these tires make it easier for the wheels to roll so the engine and drivetrain don’t have to work as hard to keep the vehicle at a constant speed.
The Westlake RP18 Touring does a perfect job of blending a grippy surface with low resistance tread blocks to maximize speed and efficiency during a long trip. The angular, alternating pattern of the treads keeps the tires gripped to normal road surfaces like roads and highways.
Meanwhile, the straight strips of tread decrease resistance by providing a straight surface for the wheel to roll over at high-speed. Meant for 16-inch wheel rims, this tire is a good choice for common small to medium-size cars if you want to maximize fuel efficiency and engine performance during a road trip.
