With the time to change tyres for winter approaching fast in Europe, drivers have to decide which tyres to put on their cars for the challenging cold snap ahead – even with legislation that varies from country to country. Temperatures have generally not been as cold in recent years as they have been previously, but the seven degree rule still stands: when temperatures drop below this threshold, it’s necessary to have cold weather tyres to guarantee superior performance in both wet and dry conditions. But is best to put on winter tyres or all season tyres? The answer to that question depends on a number of different factors.
Which Tyres To Choose
The ideal choice for cold weather is always winter tyres, which are made with specific compounds to offer optimal grip and increased traction on both dry and wet surfaces, reducing the risk of aquaplaning.
On both winter and all season tyres, it’s important to check the markings on the sidewall. The M+S symbol denotes a tyre that has been specially designed for tricky surfaces, but even higher levels of safety are indicated by the 3PMSF logo (representing a mountain with three peaks, along with a snowflake). This logo means that the tyre has passed all the tests associated with the most challenging conditions in winter.
So the level of safety is clearly illustrated by the markings, but the choice to fit winter or all season tyres comes down to a number of different factors. Above all, it depends on how the car is used. Intense use with higher mileage (in excess of 25,000 kilometres a year) as well as more powerful and bigger cars, or frequent drives in mountainous areas, call for a full winter tyre. Predominantly urban driving and smaller vehicles (from city cars to compact SUVs) allow for the use of all season tyres.
Swapping between summer and winter tyres is the best choice for the majority of drivers, but the other option is an all season tyre, such as the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3. This meets the needs of more urban drivers perfectly, as many comparative tests recently won by the new Pirelli have already proven.
Driving Advice For Winter
As well as having the right tyre, it’s important to have the right driving style. Whenever it’s dry in winter, the same approach can generally be taken as in summer, but it’s important to remember that there’s less grip and so it’s advisable to maintain a bigger margin of safety.
Wet or snowy conditions are a different proposition, where the same sort of driving style should be adopted as for fuel-saving. In other words, no harsh acceleration, which can cause wheelspin on snow, while braking should be kept to a minimum, with engine braking preferred instead. Maintaining a healthy stopping instance is also more important than ever, to avoid running into the car in front. When it comes to parking, diagonally is best if possible: especially when snowploughs dump snow by the side of the road.
Drivers of electric cars need to pay particular attention: battery life tends to diminish in winter, which means that it’s better to rely on tyres with low rolling resistance. This is a fundamental characteristic to guarantee a longer range, which Pirelli caters for thanks to its bespoke ‘Elect’ technology. The very first winter car tyre to score ‘A’ for rolling resistance has been recently launched by Pirelli: the P Zero Winter 2 for the BMW i7.
European legislation around winter tyres
Those travelling around Europe need to know about individual regulations that apply to each country. Both Germany and France are changing their rules about winter tyres this year, for example.
France: From 1 November to 31 March, winter tyres with M+S and 3PMSF markings are compulsory in mountainous regions and areas that are specifically signposted.
Germany: The use of winter tyres, which are identified with M+S and 3PMSF symbols in Germany, are compulsory for wintry roads and conditions.
Austria: For roads in winter conditions M+S marked tyres with a tread depth of at least four millimetres on all four wheels are compulsory from 1 November to 15 April.
Switzerland: Winter tyres are not mandatory, but anyone who causes traffic congestion by driving on summer tyres in winter conditions, or anyone who has tyres judged to be defective, can be punished.
Croatia: In winter conditions from 15 November to 15 April, it’s compulsory to fit winter tyres with M+S markings and a tread depth of at least four millimetres on all the wheels.
Greece: From 15 October to 15 March it’s obligatory to fit M+S and 3PMSF winter tyres on all four wheels on roads that are covered in snow, specifically signposted, or in the case of specific public announcements.
Spain: M+S tyres have to be used at least on the driven wheels if it snows, and chains can be used in indicated areas, up to a maximum speed of 50kph, if there is snow on the road.
Sweden: All vehicles must use M+S and 3PMSF winter tyres with a minimum tread depth of three millimetres from 1 December to 31 March in winter conditions.
Italy: It’s compulsory to carry chains in the car or fit winter tyres with M+S markings from 15 November to 15 April. The rule applies outside of urban areas, but it can also be requested within them by local authorities.
Pirelli’s Winter Tyres
Pirelli has developed a comprehensive range of winter and all season tyres to respond to all requirements and driving conditions. Two new Pirelli winter and all season products make their debut for this winter in 2024: the P Zero Winter 2 and Cinturato All Season SF3, both of which have obtained winning results in comparative tests conducted by specialist publications.
Those looking for maximum performance and safety in winter conditions can rely on the P Zero Winter 2, which took the top score (A) on the European tyre label for wet grip, with excellent braking on snow.
The latest all season tyre from Pirelli is the Cinturato All Season SF3, which offers year-round control as shown by the Performance Mark: a seal of excellence issued by certifying body TÜV SÜD.
The new Pirelli all season tyre features the 3PMSF marking, which guarantees safe driving even on icy and snowy surfaces. These continuous safety and performance improvements – even in the most extreme winter conditions – stems from the unstinting work of Pirelli’s engineers, who use the most advanced virtual modelling techniques as well as artificial intelligence and driving simulators.