Road travel increases significantly during holidays or summer, prompting many drivers to change their vehicle’s tyres for safer journeys. However, selecting the right tyres is not always straightforward, as numerous factors must be considered. Bridgestone, a global leader in premium tyres and sustainable mobility solutions, offers tips to help you make the right choice when buying tyres.
Only Approved Tyres
When replacing your car’s tyres, you should consult the vehicle’s technical documentation for the tyre dimensions and see all the ‘equivalent’ alternatives based on load capacity index, speed category, identical outer diameter (with a ±3% tolerance), and the corresponding rim profile.
You can find the tyre’s dimensions and specifications on the sidewall marking. For example, a 205/55 R16 89V tyre includes:
· Width: 205 mm
· Aspect ratio: 55 (height/width ratio expressed as a percentage)
· Rim diameter: 16 inches (the ‘R’ indicates a radial tyre)
· Load index: 89 (580 kg per tyre)
· Speed rating: V (up to 240 km/h)
The manufacturing date is indicated in the DOT code on the sidewall. The last four digits (e.g., 1024) represent the week and year of manufacture: week 10 of 2024.
Don’t Compromise on Safety
Many drivers routinely choose budget tyres without considering their pros and cons, which can be a serious mistake. Choosing the right tyres and maintaining them properly can significantly lower fuel consumption, improve driving safety, and prevent risks and breakdowns. That is why opting for premium tyres is important, as they offer greater durability and exceptional performance compared to low-cost alternatives.
A Tyre for Every Car and Driving Style
The type of car and driving style are also key factors in tyre selection. For electric vehicles or calm drivers, the priority is usually low rolling resistance (for maximum energy and fuel efficiency), quietness, comfort, and maximum safety.
Conversely, for powerful vehicles and/or sporty drivers, the requirements are entirely different. In this case, tyres should be chosen for their handling precision, steering response, high stability, cornering control, and superior grip.
Geography and Weather Matter Too
It is also essential to consider the region you drive in and its weather conditions. Driving on mountainous roads in winter (with low temperatures and occasional rainfall) is not the same as driving during summer (with drier climate and high temperatures). Based on these factors, you can choose summer tyres (fitted on most vehicles), winter tyres (better performance below 7°C), or all-season tyres (which combine the benefits of both, but are less specialised for each season).
Considering these tips, it is important to remember that only a small surface area of the tyre — roughly the size of a postcard — maintains contact with the road. At Bridgestone, we want to emphasise the importance of choosing the right tyres for your car.
Each tyre type or model is designed to meet specific needs, so making the right choice is key to ensuring performance, safety, and driving experience. “The road can test us at any moment. Choosing the right tyre not only improves comfort and efficiency but can make all the difference in a critical situation,” says Adrià Martínez, Engineer at Bridgestone’s Technical Department.
Ultimately, we cannot always predict what will happen on the road, but we can prepare by choosing the appropriate tyres that meet our expectations and needs because they can make all the difference when it matters most.
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