Six weeks ago, I swapped the summer tyres on my 2010 Renault Megane for a set of Goodyear Vector 4 Seasons. The purpose is to find out if these all-season tyres will do exactly what they say on their sidewalls, and get me through the year without needing to switch to winter tyresfor the colder months, and back to summer tyres for the warmer ones.
At this point many will point out that they have never used specific tyres for the winter months, and nor have they come unstuck as a result. It’s just about common sense and a few fundamental driving skills. However, the fact is that winter tyres, with compounds and tread patterns that have been designed to work in cold weather, will improve how your car copes when the temperature drops below 7C. The difference when there’s snow or ice on the ground is enormous. Having tried a set of winter tyres on my two-wheel-drive supermini last year and come off better than many 4x4s when the snow fell, I have first-hand experience as to the benefits of being on the right tyres.
What you can’t really do, however, is leave your winter tyres on all year round, because the same soft compound that prevents the tread blocks from freezing when it snows also makes them vulnerable to wearing very quickly when it’s hot. Hence the all-season tyre – a one-stop solution for your motoring needs, right?
Well, after a little over 600 miles on the Vector 4 Seasons, I’m so far pleased with their performance. I just missed putting them on for the peak of summer, but there have been plenty of warm, dry days since and while I admit I haven’t put thousands of miles on them, nor is there any evidence of wear from the driving that I have done.
There’s also been a fair bit of rain, which the new rubber has coped with admirably. Goodyear claims 4 per cent better aquaplaning resistance than rival tyres, but having not tested those I can’t really comment other than to say I haven’t experienced any aquaplaning, which is obviously good. All in all, the car has been stable under braking, and has more than sufficient grip for its modest talents
Source:telegraph.co.uk
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