Do you frequently drive on the highway? Or are you someone who likes to explore different places — from rocky terrains to mountainous roads? You might even be someone who wants to do both! So which tire is then suitable for you? All-terrain Tires or Highway Tires?
In this article, we have provided a thorough comparison between all terrain tires vs. highway tires to help you make the decision. So keep reading until the end!
Table of Contents
All Terrain Tires Vs Highway Tires Comparison Table
| TOPICS | ALL-TERRAIN TIRES | HIGHWAY TIRES |
|---|---|---|
| TRACTION | All-terrain tires are made to provide excellent traction on a variety of routes and surfaces. This kind of tire includes models with a combination of open-tread suitable for both off-roading and paved-street handling. | Highway tires are solely intended for usage on paved roads. They’re designed for smooth, quiet rides with predictable handling in cars, trucks, and SUVs and often come with lengthy mileage warranties. |
| DESIGN AND PATTERN | All-terrain tires’ open tread patterns are what make them so successful on off-road surfaces. The interlocking tread sections work together to provide exceptional grip on both paved and unpaved surfaces. | Compared to other tire types, highway tires have less aggressive tread designs that provide great braking and handling. |
| NOISE | All-terrain tires will create a lot louder noise than tires suited for paved roads due to the tread design that is supposed to maximize traction. | Highway tires are often built with unique tread patterns that reduce noise and dissipate heat, allowing for longer tire life by reducing tread wear. |
| TREADWEAR | Because of their tread wear, all-terrain tires have a shorter life span | Because of their tread wear, highway and street tires have a longer life. |
All About All Terrain Tires
Let’s first get to know what precisely all-terrain tires are and what their purpose is. These tires are meant for commuting on different roads and can handle extreme weather and rough terrains. They are designed to endure pressure caused by rocks, gravel, mud, and all sorts of natural inhibitors.
The tires come with an exposed tread construction that enables them to ride smoothly over both rough and smooth surfaces. However, if your purpose is to only ride on the expressway, this might be the best choice for you as it is not suited for such prolonged rides.
Compatibility with Vehicles
You can use these tires for different types of automobiles like SUVs, small and medium-sized trucks, and any other four-wheeler. The tire is mainly fit for rides that can go on adventure trips and tolerate extreme weather conditions.
Advantages of All Terrain Tires
There are some significant advantages of using All-Terrain tires. Some of the most prominent ones are:
Suitable for All Types of Weather
Since all optimal all-terrain tires are constructed to endure different natural challenges, you can use these in all kinds of weather. So whether you live in a region with chilling cold or somewhere that gets hot summers, you can surely use all-terrain tires on your vehicle without much trouble.
Enhanced Ability to Carry Weight
All-terrain tires are capable of handling high-weight vehicles due to the muscular walls that cover their sides. You will also be able to carry necessary items that you might need for camping without worrying about the load on a vehicle fitted with all-terrain tires.
Disadvantages of All Terrain Tires
Now let’s look at some of the disadvantages that you might face while using these tires:
Sound Pollution
If noise bothers you a lot, all-terrain tires might not be the best choice for you. When you are driving on smooth paved roads, these tires tend to be quite loud, which can be a nuisance for many.
Lower Durability
One big downside of using all-terrain tires is, their tread wears out quickly. The tread is constructed so that it is malleable enough to travel on different types of road conditions. This specialized construction causes it to wear fast.
All About Highway Tires
For those of you who go on several road trips throughout the year using the highway, the highway tires are perfect for you. It is also suitable for people who hate noisy tires and prefer quieter and comfortable rides during their journey. Unlike all-terrain tires, highway tires can only be used on smoothly paved terrains.
Compatibility with Vehicles
You can fit highway tires with any of your regular commute vehicles. You can also use it on SUVs. And the best part is, these tires can be used throughout most seasons.
Advantages of Highway Tires
Several advantages can be associated with highway tires, such as:
Higher Durability
Dissimilar to all-terrain tires, the tread on highway tires is more robust and comes with complex grooves that reduce heat production. As a result, the tread does not wear out quickly, which results in higher durability of the tire.
Ability to Handle Rainy Season Well
While all-terrain tires might be a bit slippery during monsoon, highway tires tend to drive better on roads drenched by rain due to their groovy tread.
Good Control
You will have an excellent grip over the vehicle since you will be driving on the highway. The tires are made in a way to facilitate smooth braking and turning to make long drives safer.
Disadvantages of Highway Tires
Like two sides of a coin, Highway Tires, too, have their share of cons. Such as:
Incompatibility with Cold Weather
Although highway tires fare pretty well during summer and monsoons, in freezing temperatures, they falter. You cannot drive smoothly on ice using highway tires due to their groovy tread design.
Unsuitable for Rough Terrains
All Terrain Tires can be driven on paved roads when necessary, but if highway tires are frequently used on off terrain roads, they will wear out quickly since their design does not support such extreme road conditions.
Conclusion
We hope the comparison between all terrain tires vs highway tires provided in this article has cleared up all the doubts you had about which one to go for. So hurry up and buy the tire that most fits your preference!