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Kanata Tires Simplified

Not all Kanata tires are created equal. Start with the life you should expect from your tire, which of course corresponds with how much you pay for your Kanata tires and then things get more complicated.  We can help simplify things and find the right Kanata tires for your car – but here’s a primer.

All Season Tires
These Kanata tires provide good performance, handling and ride quality on dry, wet and moderately snowy roads. For many locations in North America, these tires are good for year-round use.  But here in Canada you may also need to consider…

Snow Tires 
To state the obvious… it snows here… quite a bit.  So a Kanata car probably needs snow tires for winter weather handling and stability.  The extra traction is at the very least a “nice to have,” in terms of safety and on far too many snowy days a “must have” for Kanata winter drivers.

Truck Tires 
Don’t have a truck?  Move to the next section.  If you do, you should know that these Kanata tires are equipped with aggressive tread and taller sidewalls to fit the size and use of large vehicles and are rated for carrying heavier loads.  You can pick these tires by a rating for maximum load and towing.

Speed, Sport and Performance Tires 
Great for your summer days, these Kanata tires are for “aggressive” drivers. Cars that might be described as “sporty” or “performance” cars.  These tires are build for high speeds and sharp cornering. These tires have a shorter effective life due to soft sticky rubber compounds which grab the road during aggressive driving.  Only choose this type of tire if you already have them on your car or want to upgrade your car’s handling performance.  These tires are not great for wet or snowy roads.

Off-Road Tires 
These Kanata tires are built strictly for taking your truck, SUV or 4WD vehicle through mud, deep snow, swamp or sand. They are excellent in THESE conditions but your ride quality on the roads will suffer with for everyday road use.

When in the market for tires there are three specific ratings you should be aware of:

• Speed – Note what letter is on your prospective Kanata tires.  These letter ratings are from low to high, L to Z with Z being the highest speed.
• Treadwear – This code is 100 for an “average” Kanata tire signifying the expected tread life and durability.  A 200 rating indicates the tire should last twice as long as the average tire.  A higher number means longer life, but it can also mean a stiffer tread which can translate to a rough ride.  This number is accompanied by a letter rating for heat dissipation and traction.  An AA rating is the best, followed by A, B or C ratings denoting less capability.  Try to choose an AA or A rated tire in both these categories.
• Size – Make sure you check with your owner’s manual and/or a Kanata mechanic before you change the tire size for your car.  Your car can only accommodate a certain range of sizes based on the wheel width, wheel diameter and body clearance when turning.

Now that you know the basics, stop by G&I and we’ll help you find the tires right for you, your car, and your budget.