How to choose the right set of tyres for your driving needs

As the saying goes: “Always spend more on things that separate you from the ground”. This adage applies to shoes, your bed, and of course, your car tyres.

It is a known fact that a car’s tyres are the most important part of your vehicle. By choosing the wrong set of tyres, it could affect your handling, braking, and overall safety and performance of your vehicle.

Depending on your driving needs, there are an array of different tyres types to choose from in the market. For example, there are drivers who prefer tyres that will improve their handling and responsiveness on the road. There are also some drivers who prefer tyres that will give them a quieter and more comfortable drive.

Of course, there may be some who prefer something more economical that gets the job done, without compromising on safety.

Overall, shopping for tyres should be akin to shopping for shoes - you'll need to select something that not only matches your car, but also complements your driving habits.

As a rule of thumb, you should always monitor the remaining tread depth and make sure that it doesn’t go below 1.6mm. If your tyres are due for a change, here are some tips to help you choose the right set of tyres for your driving needs.

Tyre rating

While choosing your tyres, do take note of the details on the sidewall. They aren’t there for decoration purposes. If you don’t understand what they mean, here’s an example:

P185/65R15/H

(P) Tyre type

The first alphabet “P” represents the type of vehicle. In this case, the tyres are the best fit for passenger cars. There are also other alphabets for different types of vehicles, “LT” stands for Light Truck, “ST” stands for “Special Trailer” and “T” for temporary.

If there is an absence of letter representation, this means that the tyre is Euro-Metric. Such tyres have different loading capacities than their P-metric counterparts.

(185) Width

This number after the alphabet indicates the width of the tyres. Basically, the larger the number, the more contact the set of tyres have on the road.

(65) Aspect ratio

In layman’s terms, the aspect ratio is denoted by the tyre’s section height with regards to the tyre’s section width. This means that the sidewall height on this tyre is 65 per cent of 185.

The sportive range of tyres is usually represented by a lower aspect ratio (shorter sidewall). In contrast, the higher aspect ratio allows comfort driving experience (higher sidewall).

(R15) Construction type and tyre diameter

The ‘R’ stands for the type of construction; in this case, it is ‘Radial’ construction, allowing drivers a flexible, springy and comfortable ride. The following number represents the rim diameter; a set of 15-inch tyres will sit perfectly on 14-inch rims.

(H) Speed rating

The letter represents maximum speed indicated on the speed chart, listed below. In general, a higher speed rating means better grip and shorter braking distance, but also less durable treads. If you want a spirited driving experience, you might want to get tyres that handle higher speeds easily and change them more often.

Speed chart:

Q - 160 km/h

S - 180 km/h

T - 190 km/h

U - 200 km/h

H - 210 km/h

V - 240 km/h

W - 270 km/h

Y - 300 km/h

(Y) - Above 300 km/h

Tread pattern on tyres

There are three standard types of tyre tread patterns - symmetric, asymmetric and directional.

Symmetric is the most cost-efficient and comfortable type of tyres out there. The narrow treads are designed in a wavy pattern, helping with quiet rolling performance. However, it is not suited to take on off-road and wet conditions.

Tyres with asymmetric tread patterns are designed with different tread blocks. It is purposely built to tackle wet conditions and high-speed cornering capabilities. Which means that there is greater contact on the road.

If driving safely through wet conditions is your top priority, the directional tread patterns suit those occasions. The comprehensive V-shape tread designs helped with better aquaplaning resistance at higher speeds. However, it gets noisy compared with symmetric and asymmetric tyres while on the go.

Potenza Adrenalin RE004 - Performance tyres

If you love to put the pedal to the metal, Bridgestone offers a potent option to roll with. The Potenza Adrenalin RE004 tyres are specially curated for performance purposes. The tyres are built to help drivers stay connected to the roads and go the extra mile without neglecting comfort.

Turanza T005A - Comfort touring tyres

Bridgestone's Turanza T005A range optimises pitch variation for noise reduction. The reengineered tread compound helps to allow shorter braking distance and reinforced sidewalls to enhance rolling resistance.

Ecopia EP300 - Fuel efficiency tyres

The Ecopia EP300 is part of Bridgestone’s economical range of tyres. The crown-shaped design on this set of tyres optimised longevity and rolling resistance while promoting fuel-saving efficiency on the go.

Alenza 001 - Premium SUV/CUV tyres

Unlike any other rugged tyres for the CUVs and SUVs (Crossover Utility Vehicles and Sports Utility Vehicles), the Alenza 001 is exclusively engineered to endure both wet and dry conditions confidently. It offers drivers high-level braking performance and outstanding tyre life.

This article was first published in Motorist.