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MOST ASKED TIRE BUYING QUESTIONS
Matthews provides the largest range of tires, wheels and auto parts in Canada. We will fulfill your needs in a timely manner.
As a general rule, premium all-season and touring tires are the ones that will have the most attention paid to keeping road noise to a minimum. Again, this is often dependent on the type of tire you can afford. Keeping road noise low is a science to itself; the tread design, air cavity, and casing all figure into the acoustics of highway noise. Some tires are computer-tuned so that frequencies actually cancel each other out, and many also prevent the resonance that can allow the tire’s air cavity to set up vibrations that translate as noise.
As a general rule, premium all-season and touring tires are the ones that will have the most attention paid to keeping road noise to a minimum. Again, this is often dependent on the type of tire you can afford. Keeping road noise low is a science to itself; the tread design, air cavity, and casing all figure into the acoustics of highway noise. Some tires are computer-tuned so that frequencies actually cancel each other out, and many also prevent the resonance that can allow the tire’s air cavity to set up vibrations that translate as noise.
As a general rule, all-terrain tires for trucks or all-wheel-drive SUVs and crossovers provide the most dependable traction off-road. They’re designed for consistent grip, handling and braking on loose dirt, gravel, sand, mud, snow, and slush, and usually feature reinforced damage-resistant construction and a specialized, durable tread compound. That means better traction than light truck highway tires or all-season tires for cars, minivans and crossovers. Mud-terrain light truck tires are the best for really extreme, tough conditions but usually come with a tradeoff in terms of noise levels, handling and ride quality on the pavement.
Hands-down, the best tires for winter driving are dedicated winter tires. They’re designed specifically for traction in snow, slush, and ice, with specialized tread formulations that stay flexible in subfreezing weather and more aggressive tread patterns that dig into snow and slush to get you through the toughest winter driving conditions.
Truth is, summer, ultra-high-performance, touring and all-season tires are all designed for consistent traction and handling on both dry and wet pavement. Things like tread design, construction, and tread compound are all part of the equation when it comes to grip on dry roads as well as resistance to hydroplaning on wet days.