Is driving on dry asphalt with summer tires possible in sub-zero temperatures? Many drivers assume it isn’t, fearing the rubber will lose its bite and fail to perform as expected. In the past, the editors at Behind the Wheel explored this question through a large-scale test. While some tire models from that table may be outdated today, the core findings remain relevant.
From July through November, the tire team tested braking performance on a Skoda Octavia using seven different sets of tires, braking from 100 to 5 km/h. When temperatures dropped to +11°C, winter studless Michelin X-Ice tires were added to the lineup alongside summer tires. The results showed that even winter tires without studs can underperform compared with summer tires in certain dry conditions.
What are those conditions?
Examining the data for a clean asphalt surface, winter tires exhibit a noticeably longer braking distance even at -5°C, and this effect is amplified at higher temperatures.
Expert opinion
Sergei Mishin, head of the tire group Behind the Wheel, comments on the nuances of tire performance:
Not all tires change properties in the same way. No single tire can be the best across the entire temperature spectrum. A typical example is that Michelin and Continental excel in different ranges: one performs best in warm weather, the other when temperatures drop toward +4°C.
Another important point: at temperatures below +7°C, grip tends to diminish for many tires. Yet this is not universal. In fact, the changes are not so drastic that a necessity to immediately switch tires appears at +5°C. By around +11°C, it is common to pair winter tires like Michelin X-Ice with summer tires. The observed result is that the deterioration in summer-tire braking performance is not dramatic: winter tires still show longer braking distances even at -5°C, and warm, dry conditions are not unusual for them to perform marginally better on snow and ice. There are no contradictions here—winter tires regain advantage on ice and snow conditions.
Near-zero temperatures on the positive side generally keep summer-tire grip relatively high. If fall forecasts indicate no ice or snow, there may be little urgency to switch tires before frost. Manufacturers often indicate +7°C as a precaution to prevent ice formation.
According to the expert, on a clean road surface, winter tires typically brake less efficiently than summer tires. Generally, the better a tire performs on snow and ice, the less aggressive its behavior on dry asphalt tends to be.
Important: all measurements cited refer strictly to driving on clean, dry asphalt and do not apply to snowy or icy conditions. Caution is advised in all cases.
Moreover, clean asphalt itself can be deceptive: when temperatures are well below freezing, frost can form quickly and a thin moisture layer can turn into a crust of ice. That makes summer tires particularly risky. If freezing is expected, it is prudent to switch to winter tires even when roads appear free of snow and ice.
For a deeper understanding of how summer and winter tires behave at varying temperatures, readers are encouraged to review the full test report.
- Behind the Wheel content is accessible on Odnoklassniki with official collaboration.
Photo credits: Depositphotos.com and Driving
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