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One tyre to rule them all: has Firestone developed the ultimate year-round tyre?

Image of Alisdair Suttie
Author: | Updated: 17 Jul 2015 17:12

It might seem a little early to be discussing winter tyres given we’re in the middle of summer, but it’s a curiously appropriate time to think ahead. Given the UK’s unpredictable weather and the number of drivers caught out in recent years demanding winter tyres when the weather turned sour, planning ahead is a very good idea.

A number of drivers will already have a set of winter tyres stashed away, waiting to be fitted when the mercury starts to head south. Swapping between winter and summer tyres is something that has become much more commonplace for UK drivers.

There is little hardship in changing from one set of tyres to another and, over the course of a couple of years or more, the added cost of having two complete sets of tyres is negated by them offsetting having to buy new tyres for a longer period.

vw golf on wet tyres

Catching up with Europe

It’s impressive how many drivers in the UK have adopted and adapted to this way of thinking in a relatively short period of time. Given it’s an ingrained way of life in countries such as Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the UK has caught up in very short order.

Unlike many European countries, the UK has no set laws governing tyre choice for any particular part of the calendar. Whereas in Germany, drivers in many parts of the country are required by law to swap to winter tyres, drivers in the UK only have to make sure their car’s tyres are above the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

With no legal compunction, it does mean there are still many drivers in the UK who do not bother with or even contemplate the switch to winter tyres. This is despite the clear evidence that winter tyres outperform summer tyres in every measurable way when temperatures drop below 7°C.

Why is this? When safety is so obviously improved by a dedicated tyre for the conditions, why do so many drivers still refuse to even think about swapping to the best possible rubber for their car?

It seems apathy and a resistance to spend money on a second set of tyres remains a bugbear for many drivers. There is also the matter of storing the other set of tyres when they are not in use, plus some drivers just don’t see the need.

All of these are poor excuses when set against safety considerations, but they do hold some validity if for no other reason than they are a barrier to drivers changing to better tyres for the conditions.

No need to swap

Firestone MultiseasonTo combat these feelings among a large section of drivers in the UK, Firestone has launched its Multiseason tyre. As the name clearly suggests, this is a tyre aimed at dealing with a wide variety of driving conditions without the need to swap between winter and summer tyres.

On the surface, this sounds like a perfect recipe for compromise, where the tyre is neither great in summer or winter conditions.

However, Firestone is a division of Bridgestone and they have a wealth of experience in this field. It also helps the Multiseason tyre has been developed with Europe in mind and has been tested here to make sure it delivers on its promises.

Where a customer might choose a Bridgestone A001 tyre in the UK for its blend of dry and wet weather performance, Firestone reckons the Multiseason is a very sound alternative. Unless performance driving is your main demand from a tyre, the Multiseason is in many ways a better all-round choice as it offers superb wet weather grip. It is also a hard wearing tyre that Firestone reckons should last for up to 32,000 miles of typical mixed driving in the UK.

This ability to last for a decent mileage is another way Firestone intends to win over those drivers who have been resistant to owning winter and summer sets of tyres. With no need to change between the two and longevity as standard, the value for money aspect plays an important role in this decision making process.

Capabilities

Of course, there are other brands out there that offer a similar package to the Firestone Multiseason, so you do have some choice. However, it’s interesting to note the abilities of the new Firestone rubber when it comes to the sort of driving conditions we’re likely to experience in the UK.

For driving through standing water, the Multiseason disperses more water than its nearest rivals. It also offers better braking and traction in snow, while its dry handling ability is matched by its two closest competitors.

Overall, then, Firestone has developed a tyre that is almost perfectly suited to the UK driving environment. It’s not often you get to pick a tyre that has been designed for such a small geographical area as central western Europe. Most tyres have to perform well across a wide range of tests in a vast spread of countries, so all credit to Firestone for coming up with a tyre that addresses the needs of this region, albeit one where customers are more affluent than most others.

For lease customers who opt to look after the maintenance of their car themselves, this is an intriguing option when they have to replace their tyres.

While many of us tend to go with like-for-like replacement tyres, this new Firestone offering opens up the chance to enjoy more secure winter driving with no loss of grip, handling or refinement during the warmer half of the year. Notably too, the Firestone tyre is highly rated for noise and emissions, so you don’t need to compromise in these areas either.

The most important message from Firestone, and other tyre makers who offer all-season tyres, is there is no need to make any concession between cold weather ability and warm weather use.

One tyre can cover all bases in the UK, though you still need to plan ahead to choose the right tyre for your car rather than making a panicked last minute decision when you find your tyres are down to the wear marks.

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