Tire types · guide
All-season vs. all-weather vs. winter tires
The three categories
| Type | Designed for | Winter marking |
|---|---|---|
| All-season | Year-round in moderate climates; fine in rain and light snow, not heavy snow or ice (Michelin) | Often M+S (mud and snow), which is not winter certification |
| All-weather | Year-round including winter; better than all-season tires in winter (Cooper) | 3PMSF symbol; all-season tires typically do not carry it |
| Winter | Snow, slush, black ice and cold; compound stays flexible below 45 °F (Michelin) | 3PMSF; sometimes an Ice Grip symbol |
Sources: Michelin USA “Summer vs. Winter vs. All-Season Tires” and Cooper Tire “All-Season vs. All-Weather Tires”. These are makers’ own descriptions.
NHTSA’s plain-language version: all-season tires “can handle a variety of road conditions” with “some mud and snow capabilities”; winter tires “are more effective than all-season tires in deep snow”; summer tires are “not designed to operate in temperatures below freezing, or on snow and ice” (NHTSA).
M+S vs. 3PMSF
Michelin: M+S is “common on all-season tires but not a substitute for 3PMSF certification”, while 3PMSF is “the official winter standard”. TIA likewise says a tire that passes winter test requirements will usually carry the mountain-and-snowflake icon (TIA). Michelin’s advice: all-season tires are workable in mild winters with occasional cold days; where temperatures regularly fall below freezing with snow and ice they are not sufficient (Michelin).
The tread-life trade-off
Cooper says all-season tires “usually last longer” than all-weather tires because the all-weather tread is made of different materials built for colder conditions, so it is “normal for its tread to wear down faster” (Cooper Tire). That is a maker’s general statement, not a measured figure. It is the reason to pair this guide with the longest-lasting tire guide and the cost-per-mile math.
Practical rules from the sources
- With 4WD or AWD you still need winter tires on all four wheels for balanced traction (Michelin).
- Don’t mix tire types: Michelin says all four should be the same type, including summer with all-season.
- TIA: if winter tires go on the front they must also go on the rear; if only two, mount them on the rear (TIA).
- Studded-tire rules vary by state (Michelin).
Why winter tires are missing from our UTQG data
The federal UTQG rule does not apply to “deep tread, winter-type snow tires” (49 CFR 575.104(c)), so a UTQG treadwear grade can’t be used to compare them and we don’t create winter pages from NHTSA data. Only 3 of 3,020 lines have winter, snow or all-weather words in their NHTSA names. Our all-season hub covers lines that carry an all-season marker. Browse by category: All-season · Touring · Performance · All-terrain · Highway-terrain.
FAQ
What is the difference between all-season and all-weather tires?
All-weather tires carry the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol and are better in winter than all-season tires, which typically lack it. Cooper adds that all-weather tread typically wears faster.
Does M+S mean a tire is winter-rated?
No. Michelin says M+S is common on all-season tires but is not a substitute for 3PMSF certification.
Do I need winter tires if I have AWD?
Michelin says that if you often drive in snow, ice or freezing temperatures, winter tires are essential even with 4WD or AWD, and should be on all four wheels.
Are winter tires UTQG-graded?
Federal UTQG rules do not apply to deep-tread, winter-type snow tires, so they are not covered by the treadwear, traction and temperature grades.
Look up real ratings
- 225/65R17 tires ranked by treadwear35 graded lines
- 265/70R17 tires ranked by treadwear23 graded lines
Sources
- Summer vs. Winter vs. All-Season Tires, Michelin USA. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- All-Season vs. All-Weather Tires, Cooper Tire. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- TireWise: Tire Safety Ratings and Awareness, NHTSA. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- 49 CFR § 575.104 Uniform tire quality grading standards, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR). Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- Reading a Tire Sidewall, Tire Industry Association. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
- Tire Replacement, Tire Industry Association. Retrieved 2026-10-25.
NHTSA ratings are from the dataset we publish. Maker statements are the makers’ own claims. We make no price claims. Found an error? See About & corrections.