Summer tires are what most sports cars, sport sedans and plenty of luxury cars come with from the factory. The compound is soft and sticky, the tread blocks are big and stiff, and there's less open space in the tread, so more rubber touches the road. You get quicker steering and shorter stops on dry and wet pavement.
That grip depends on warmth. Below about 7 °C the compound stiffens and grip falls off quickly, and on snow or ice a summer tire is close to useless. In Toronto they're a warm-season tire, roughly late April or May through October depending on the year.
If your car came on summers, plan on a set of winters for the cold months. We match the size, load index and speed rating your car calls for, including staggered setups where the rear tires are wider than the fronts.
What they do well
Sticky compound
Built for grip in warm temperatures on both dry and wet roads. In warm weather, a good summer tire usually stops shorter in the wet than an all-season.
Stiff tread blocks
Larger, stiffer blocks and shoulders flex less in a corner, so the car responds faster to the wheel.
High speed ratings
Usually V, W or Y. If your placard calls for one of those, replacements should match it or go higher.
Water evacuation
Wide circumferential grooves move water out quickly to resist hydroplaning in summer storms.
Best for
- Sports cars and sport sedans that came on summer tires from the factory
- Drivers who want sharper steering and shorter stops in warm weather
- Cars that switch to a set of winters from November to April
- Weekend cars that are put away for the winter
Trade-offs
- Poor grip below about 7 °C, and unsafe on snow or ice.
- The soft compound wears faster than an all-season. Expect fewer kilometres per set.
- Firmer ride and more road noise, especially in low-profile sizes.
- Staggered sizes can't be rotated front to back, so the rears usually wear out first.
Pothole season and low profiles
The start of summer-tire season overlaps with pothole season in Toronto, after the freeze-thaw has broken up the roads. Low-profile tires have very little sidewall to cushion a hit, so a deep pothole can bend a wheel or put a bulge in the sidewall. Keep the pressures at the placard figure. An underinflated low-profile tire is much easier to damage.
