A quick guide to car tyres
24.9.2018
Translation: Eva Francis
When you’re driving, your tyres keep you safe. They are where the rubber hits the roads. Read on to find out what to look out for in car tyres.
Not all tyres are the same – you need to look out for various factors, depending on the weather, ground and vehicle. Your tyres are what keeps you on the road, which is why they are one of the most important parts on your car. Here’s some advice on how to choose the right tyres.
Tyres on Galaxus
The filters in our shop allow you to search for all the items listed below. This makes it easier for you to find the tyre you want and prevents you from buying tyres that are unsuitable for your vehicle.
195/65R15
225/45R17
235/60R18
Check out all car tyres on Galaxus.
Car tyre codes
No matter what topographical, climatic or road conditions prevail, your tyres should never lose grip on the road. On top of this, tyres also need to have a damping effect, be suitable for optimum straight line driving, be long-lasting, act as suspension and have good concentricity properties. Above all, a tyre needs be able to transmit high forces – be it when braking, accelerating or driving around a bend. Especially in difficult conditions such as rain, wetness, snow or ice for instance. The following TCS video (in German) contains useful advice on car tyres.
Your vehicle's manual is sure to list the tyre variants that are admitted and the corresponding maximum speeds. In an emergency, the Road Traffic Office of the canton you live in can help you out. Let’s take a look at an example of a tyre and its dimensions: 195/65 R 15 91 H. 195 represents the tire width in mm, while 65 stands for the ratio of tire height and width. R indicates the type of tyre (in this case, it stands for radial tyres), 15 is the rim diameter in inches and 91 is the load index (here: max. 615 kg). Finally, the H indicates the maximum registered speed of the vehicle (here: 210 km/h).
The three most popular tyre types
Winter tyres
Winter tyres are made of a rather soft rubber compound. They remain elastic even at low temperatures, allowing you to rely on high driving stability and short braking distances even in sub-zero temperatures. Their tread blocks have a large number of sipes that ensure sufficient grip even on icy roads.
All-weather tyres
Offering grip in winter and aquaplaning protection in summer, all-weather tyres are a compromise between winter and summer tyres. However, studies have revealed that such all-weather tyres have much lower driving stability and longer braking distances than summer or winter tyres. Therefore, especially in Switzerland, you can hardly avoid buying a second set of tyres.
Summer tyres
In contrast to winter tyres, summer tyres need to be suitable for high asphalt temperatures. Therefore, the rubber compound is much harder and the sipes are designed to withstand aquaplaning. They don’t need a particularly deep profile, as they are not used on snow and ice.
What to look out for when you’re buying new tyres
The information below is usually found on the tyre label. Let’s take a look what these terms mean.
Fuel efficiency
This is measured by the rolling resistance of the tyre. It indicates the force that’s needed to move the tyre. The best category (category A) consumes about 0.1 litres less fuel per 100 km than category B. The categories range from A to G, while the difference in litres is 0.66.
Noise emission
From a safety point of view, noise emission is less important than the other two aspects. It’s not classified with letters, but with a loudspeaker symbol that has between 1 and 3 black rings – 3 indicating the loudest tyres. One black ring means that the tyre noise is more than 3 decibels below the limit that was established in 2016.
Wet grip
When it comes to wet grip, the range is even greater than in fuel efficiency: The difference in braking distance from the worst (G) and the best (A) category can be up to 18 metres. If a good grip is important to you, go for tyres that perform well in this category – keep in mind these tyres will be more expensive than others.
Header image: Car tyres are as diverse as shoes – I'll show you what to look out for.
Raphael Knecht
Senior Editor
raphael.knecht@digitecgalaxus.chWhen I'm not stuffing my face with sweets, you'll catch me running around in the gym hall. I’m a passionate floorball player and coach. On rainy days, I tinker with my homebuilt PCs, robots or other gadgets. Music is always my trusted companion. I also enjoy tackling hilly terrain on my road bike and criss-crossing the country on my cross-country skis.
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