Premium tyres make a difference

As your vehicle’s only point of contact with the road, buying your tyres requires particular attention. When looking for information, you are sometimes advised to opt for premium models to ensure the greatest possible safety. You are aware that these arguments play on your emotions and you need an objective opinion. To give you a clearer picture, Pneus Online offers you an explanation of what a premium tyre is and why you should choose one!

Cutting-edge technology

There are three range levels on the tyre market, each with its own brands. The cheapest products for your wallet (“budget”), followed mid-range “quality” products offering good value for money. At the top end are the brands known as “premium”: Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, Hankook and many others. All reassuring names with established reputations.

What is the reason for this? These are brands that benefit first from the latest technological developments by the major manufacturers that produce them. They invest in these brands to ensure they offer optimum performance. Their continuous progress is the result of dozens of patents and years of research and development. This is inevitably reflected in the prices.

Nice to know: nevertheless, “budget” and “quality” brands do not compromise on technology and safety. They reuse techniques already tried and tested in the premium range. They also occasionally come from the same group: for example, the “quality” brand Firestone belongs to Bridgestone and Kleber to the Michelin Group.

Responses to today's needs

Let’s cut to the chase: choosing a premium tyre effectively guarantees your safety. It is the priority for manufacturers’ innovation processes. Premium tyres always offer the best in terms of grip, for optimum road holding, as well as shorter braking distances. In effect, a degraded or lower quality tyre always extends the vehicle’s stopping time, whatever brake assist systems you have.

With their lead in terms of innovation, premium tyres also offer up-to-date benefits that are very much aligned with drivers’ aspirations. With the focus on contemporary economic and ecological challenges, they also ensure:

• Reduced energy consumption and, therefore, an increased range thanks to lower rolling resistance. This applies equally whether you drive a petrol/diesel or electric vehicle.
• Slower wear, guaranteeing less frequent tyre replacement, thanks to a longer rubber lifespan. Great news for the planet and your wallet. Another bonus is that they are less susceptible to abrasion and release less toxic dust into the environment.

Particular attention is paid to ride comfort, all the more so for electric vehicles where the noise generated by the tyres is more noticeable.

When should you invest in premium tyres?

In its desire to best guide your choices, Pneus Online highlights two scenarios where opting for a high-end tyre is preferable:

• You use your vehicle every day

You use it for acombination of journeys in all weather: you tick all the performance boxes for premium tyres! We recommend you opt for a durable tyre that is as fuel-efficient as possible, which will ensure your safety and comfort.

• You have an electric vehicle

The batteries in these cars mean that they weigh more. Added to this is the fact that their motors deliver all their power as soon as the wheels start turning. The consequence: the tyres are subject to heavier physical demands. In this case, it is preferable to opt for a premium brand that will guarantee good resistance. In their current ranges, manufacturers have developed technologies that are able to adapt to the demands of electric vehicles.

Read our article on the choice of tyres for electric vehicles:
Tyres and electric vehicles: how to choose the right ones?

Everything else is a question of perception. If you are reassured by the quality and safety of top-of-the-range tyres even though you don’t drive a lot, have them on your vehicle! Just as you can choose not to have them for budgetary and other reasons.

A guide to avoid making a mistake

Are you looking at a brand you are not familiar with? Since 1st November 2012 there has been a regulation for tyres entering European territory. It involves labelling that has become mandatory, with the aim of guaranteeing consumers an easy way of comparing several models. The result is an informed choice that meets your expectations.

By reading the label on the side of the tyre, it is easy to identify its characteristics: braking performance, grip in wet conditions, fuel consumption and noise level. By comparison with the major brands mentioned above, the published figures do not lie!

Please read our article “Reading the marking on Car tyres”.