Soft on the shelf - soft on the road?

Which tire has the softest sidewall?

Choosing tires by the softness of the sidewall is one of the most common misconceptions among car owners. In season, you can often meet people at the counter who try to understand the level of comfort of a future tire by touch. This has nothing to do with comfort.

A tire is not a standalone product. Tires can only be compared to each other if they are mounted on a disc and under pressure. The smoothness of the ride and the level of comfort in this case depend on the materials and how they combine with each other under load. That is, at what angle the carcass threads, breaker are located. How the rubber adapts during heating. It is also important to understand how well a given tire size combines with your car.

Tires should be chosen based on safety parameters first and foremost. If you want to choose a comfortable tire, you should pay attention to homologations. This is the process of adapting a tire to the technical specifications of the car manufacturer, and such tires are often characterized by a higher level of comfort. Especially if you have a luxury car.