If you don't replace all four tyres at once, the question is: where do the new ones go? The answer surprises many people: on the rear, even on a front-wheel-drive car.
Why the rear?
The rear tyres keep your car stable. If they have less grip than the front tyres, the rear can step out on a wet road or in a corner. That's called oversteer, and it's much harder to control than understeer.
If the front tyres have less grip, the car tends to go straight on instead. You feel that sooner and it's easier to correct.
But front-wheel drive wears the front tyres?
True: with front-wheel drive the front tyres wear faster. The advice is still to fit the new tyres on the rear and move the best old tyres to the front.
Rotating tyres
To make your tyres wear evenly, you can swap them between front and rear every 10,000 km. Note:
- Directional tyres can only be swapped on the same side.
- On cars with different sizes front and rear, rotation isn't possible.
Four-wheel drive
On a 4x4 or AWD it's best to replace all four tyres at once. Differences in diameter can strain the drivetrain.
Not sure which tyres to replace? We'll measure your tread and advise you.
