All Weather Tires

All-weather tires meet the industry’s Severe Snow Service requirement (a test of acceleration on medium-packed snow) and carry the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol on the sidewall.

All-season tires are developed for four-season driving but have not been put through this independent testing.

While both categories can be driven year round, including in light snow, all-weather tires do hold a general winter advantage over their all-season counterparts, as our hands-on independent testing has shown.

The Severe Snow Service requirement that all-weather tires must meet is meant to replicate plowed, but still snowy roads common in areas prone to seasonal snowfall like the Pacific Northwest, Denver, and the Midwest.

All-weather tires have typically outperformed all-season tires in our own winter testing and have proven to be a viable option for those that live in parts of the US that experience light to moderate snowfall and can rely on effective snowplow and road treatment services. A part of their growing appeal is the convenience of not having to switch to winter/snow tires each year, as they can be driven on in the spring and summertime and typically feature manufacturer warranties in the 30,000-mile to 60,000-mile ranges.

All-weather tires likely won’t be a viable substitute for a dedicated set of winter tires if you live in an area that sees heavy snowfall and frequent icy driving conditions, and will not perform as well as a true winter/snow tire or tire chains when the weather is at its worst—something to consider if you also have to drive through mountain passes or blizzard-like conditions in the wintertime.