With a variety of SUV tyre options available in the market, we elaborate the types of SUV tyres based on their construction & uses.
Tyres are the most basic requirement to run a car but which one to choose according to your usage has been an evergreen dilemma for car users. Today we extensively explain to you the construction of various types of SUV tyres & key differences between them to help you choose the best for your SUV.
Construction of Tyre
A tyre mainly consists of the following parts:
1. Belts -
Belts are the base of any tyre; rubber coating of steel, rayon & materials are placed between piles and tread to hold the piles in one place.
2. Spies -
Spies are tread within tread to provide more grip to tyres over changing road surfaces.
3. Tread -
The grip provider of a tyre. It should be made of high strength material and shall provide good heat dissipation.
4. Grooves -
The space between treads is called a groove. Its function is to allow water flow and further provide friction on wet surfaces.
5. Shoulder -
The outer area of the tyre that submerges tread into the sidewall.
6. Sidewall -
The side portion of the tyre doesn't come in contact with the road. The sidewall is considered to be the weakest part of any tyre. The sidewall also features tyre information such as tyre size & type.
7. Inner Line -
Present in tubeless tyres, the function of the inner line is to trap the air in between tyre and rim.
HT vs MT vs AT Tyres
HT Tyre
'HT' means Highway Terrain tyres. As the name suggests, HT or highway terrain tyres are manufactured to tackle tarmac. These are all-purpose tyres and the most common factory fitment in SUVs.
These types of tyres are aimed to take on the road applications mainly & not suitable for long term or extensive off-road use. HT tyres are usually quiet to drive whilst providing adequate road comfort & longevity of the material.
AT Tyres
All Terrain is what 'AT' written on the sidewall of a tyre refers to. AT tyres are a combination of on & off-road usage. These tyres are designed to tackle both highway/road terrain as well as moderate off-road use.
Usually AT tyres are made in an aspect ratio of 70:30; where 70% of construction is aimed towards road use and the remaining 30% is aimed towards off-road use. This aspect ratio can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
AT tyres are more rugged in construction than HT tyres hence providing less comfort along with more road noise inside the cabin. The longevity of AT tyres is also less in comparison to HT tyres.
MT Tyres
'MT' refers to Mud Terrain if written on a sidewall of the tyre. Mud Terrain tyres are specifically made rugged to sustain extreme road situations. These are specialized tyres providing grip over rocky trails or unpaved roads.
MT tyres are the most rugged form of off-road type tyres available and construction of them include very aggressive tread patterns.
The ruggedness of MT tyres results in uncomfortable road noise inside the cabin and increased vibrations throughout the SUV/car. These types of tyres are not recommended if you don't use your vehicle mostly over unpaved roads.
This concludes that:
Grip wise - MT>AT>HT tyre
Comfort wise - HT>AT>MT tyre
Longevity wise -HT>AT>MT tyre
We hope that you understood the basic difference between different types of tyres for SUVs. Do tell us by commenting below.
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