Don’t let the name confuse you, all-season tires are most suitable for spring, summer, and fall. That’s why some companies have changed the name to 3-season tires.
And although all-season mud + snow tires are legal on highways with winter tire requirements so long as they have a tread depth of 3.5mm, it’s recommended to have winter tires or all-weather tires on your car before it starts getting really cold.
Therefore, if you use all-season or summer/performance tires, you might want to invest in a good set of winter tires as well.
Another option is to purchase all-weather tires, which can be kept on your wheels all year round. All-weather tires also feature the Transport Canada-authorized 3-peaked mountain/snowflake (“Alpine”) logo.
So, is it cheaper to go with all-weather tires or swap between a set of winter tires and all-season tires?
Generally, a set of four winter tires will cost you between $400 and $800. The same can be said for a set of all-season tires and a set of all-weather tires.
If all three sets cost approximately the same, you might think that a set of all-weather tires is the right choice since you’ll only have to purchase one set and forget a tire change schedule altogether. The problem is, since you’ll be driving with them for all 12 months of the year, all-weather tires have a shorter lifespan.
On the other hand, swapping out winter tires for all-season tires every six months means both sets of tires will last a lot longer. So, even though you’re paying for two sets, you won’t have to replace those tires nearly as often!