Everything you need to know about tyre grip

Tyre grip refers to the friction between your tyres and the surface of the road that prevents vehicles from skidding and sliding out of control. On slippery surfaces, tyre grip reduces the chance of hydroplaning.

The type of tyres you choose affects tyre grip. Each serves different purposes and has distinct tread patterns, aspect ratios, loading capacities, and material compounds.

Tyres with better tyre grip have wider contact patches or parts of the tread that touch the surface of the road. This is why we look at tread depth to determine the best grip tyres.

When choosing for the best grip tyres, we suggest that you look for tyres with:

• Wider treads

• Lower aspect ratios or shorter radial cords and greater width

• Higher load capacity

• Soft compounds like rubber or a mix of rubber and other chemical additives like black carbon

Regardless of your tyres of choice, you should always keep your tyre pressure at the recommended range, as suggested by the manufacturer. Adding too much or too little pressure to your tyres can put a toll on tyre grip.

Road debris on dry surfaces like sand, gravel, and potholes influences tyre grip. These materials reduce friction between tyres and the road, compromising traction and vehicle control. Sand acts like tiny ball bearings, while gravel creates an unstable surface, both leading to reduced grip. Potholes cause momentary loss of tyre contact and potential vehicle damage.

These conditions increase stopping distances, impair cornering, and hinder sudden manoeuvres. Proper tyre design and regular maintenance are crucial for optimizing grip in these challenging situations, with tread patterns designed to channel away debris and specialized tyres offering improved performance on loose surfaces.

The best grip tyres for your vehicle are the ones that are weather-appropriate.

Summer tyres are the best grip tyres for New Zealand. Since summer tyres are made of harder compounds that soften in high temperatures and feature shallow and straight grooves, they are designed to maximize safety. They also work great in the rain with the water evacuation channels that help disperse water efficiently and tread patterns that increase contact with wet roads, preventing your vehicle from hydroplaning.

Driving at a faster speed hinders the tread’s ability to displace water from the contact patch which causes you to lose lateral grip. As water builds up between the road and tyres, you are more likely to feel lighter steering.

Your vehicle will either understeer or oversteer once its tyres break grip sideways. Understeering happens when the front tyres lose grip, causing poor handling.

When your vehicle loses tyre grip at its rear (oversteering), your car has a higher chance of spinning uncontrollably, resulting in uneven tyre wear in a single area. There will be several warnings before a tyre loses its lateral grip or traction. So, don’t panic and check your tyres regularly.

Whether you’re driving on a dry or rainy road, your safety cannot be compromised. At Michelin, we offer a wide range of quality tyres for your everyday ride.

For more grip tyres options, check out our full tyre catalog here.