ASYMMETRICAL VS DIRECTIONAL TIRES
As you may have noticed, there are different types of tread patterns. The four common ones are: symmetrical, asymmetrical, directional and directional & asymmetrical.
We talk in depth about the common tire patterns here. In summary: each tread pattern offers specific driving benefits and strengths.
Asymmetrical and directional tires are commonly found on performance vehicles due to their extreme traction and handling. Like many enthusiast based hobbies, equipment is very often a matter of personal choice and previous experience.
The tire you choose should depend on your vehicle and how you drive.
What is the difference between asymmetrical and directional tires?
Some of the confusion between asymmetrical and directional tires is that some asymmetrical tires are also directional!
This is because directional tires’ tread points in one direction, but don’t necessarily need the same pattern on the inner and outer tread (like symmetrical tires). They can also have asymmetrical tread elements, making them directional & asymmetrical.
Are directional or asymmetrical tires better?
The right tire for you depends on your driving habits, your vehicle and where you drive.
Directional tires offer excellent hard cornering and acceleration. They can be good in either wet or dry conditions (but not both at the same time; they’re not typically all-season oriented) and are pretty efficient. However, they tend to be expensive and won’t last as long as other tire types. They need to be mounted and rotated in a particular way to ensure maximum performance.
If your tire is a directional & asymmetric tread, it will have a pretty short life because they’re typically used as ultra-high-performance or competition tires. In this case, treadlife isn’t so much a concern, anyway.
Asymmetric tires allow for great dry and wet weather grip. Many tread designs include all-season type features. Sometimes they are even designed for winter weather. When it comes to varied weather conditions, asymmetric treads do very well. They usually include noise reduction features in the tread, too. However, they’re prone to uneven treadwear.
DIRECTIONAL TIRE TREAD
Directional tires have a pattern that angles to point in one direction. They are sometimes called “v-shaped” tread tires.
You can read more about directional tires on our blog.
Directional tires are a popular option for race and sports cars. This is because they deliver powerful wet traction and excellent fuel efficiency due to low rolling resistance. Older performance models tend to have directional original equipment tires but more modern models tend towards asymmetrical tires with higher speed ratings. Many still prefer to replace them with a directional tire set.
ASYMMETRIC TIRE TREAD
Asymmetric tires have different features on the inner and outer tread areas.
These tires use different design features to deliver multiple benefits, making them a versatile performance option in varying weather. Some competition level asymmetric tires even use different rubber compounds in different parts of the tire to offer boosted grip and handling!
Asymmetric tires can be prone to irregular treadwear and so more care needs to be taken when rotating and mounting them for correct installation. Asymmetric tires include instructions on their sidewall, so you or your tire tech can be sure to install them correctly.
You can trust us, your tire experts, to get the job done right!
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