Toyo Tires – Stay in Charge, Whatever the Weather

Whether it’s the wrong kind of leaves on the line, frozen pipes or frosted locks, traditionally us Brits have never prepared well for winter… and it shows. As the sage advice goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothing. And whilst no sane person would brave the winter months in their summer shoes, we somehow expect our cars to.

The safety-conscious Scandinavians have it sussed. With many countries enforcing fitment of winter tyres in appropriate months, the accident figures, or rather lack of them, speak for themselves. We’ve all seen cars beached by the roadside or sliding helplessly along a poorly cleared road. Often with inevitable and expensive results. Whilst a decent set of winter tyres may tax the pocket a little, it’s small beer compared to a lost day’s work, your insurance excess – and resulting premium hike – or worse! Many fatal accidents occurring in winter could have been wholly avoidable had the vehicle in question had the right tyres fitted. Putting a price on safety really is the worst kind of false economy.

Toyo’s solution to this problem is tailor made for the UK market. Unlike Scandinavia, who can bank on months of snow with correspondingly chunky tread designs, our cold and wet winters require a more versatile tyre. Toyo winter tyres have to deal with snow occasionally whilst performing superbly on cold tarmac, wet and dry throughout the winter. The large choice of fitments that Toyo offers also perform well on those rare fine days that autumn and winter occasionally bless us with, meaning they can safely be left on during the colder months without any compromise to safety, grip or driver feedback.

With a diverse range that covers everything from the smallest hatchback to large 4×4’s, Toyo says you don’t need snow to appreciate the extra grip, control and reassurance that its computer-optimised winter tyres bring. The tyremaker firmly believes that slush, ice, mud and even the average December downpour will soon prove the worth of these tyres, particularly for drivers living in more remote areas.

Toyo’s Snowprox range consists of three main lines in a myriad of fitments – each with their own qualities and features;

Snowprox S952
Designed to tackle the British winter, Snowprox S952 is at home in cold weather as well as ice and snow. The successor to the well regarded S950, it takes winter motoring to new safer levels. It’s silica compound offers outstanding wet handling, shorter braking distances, high speed handling capability plus reassuring dry performance. Toyo adds that all this comes with the added appeal of superb wear life. Even without as much as a single snowflake, comments the tyremaker, the Snowprox will outperform most normal tyres in the winter months. Available from 15 to 18-inches to suit a wide range of popular cars, including many high performance versions with large or aftermarket wheels.

Snowprox S941 and S930
Smaller cars and wheel sizes are also catered for with the Snowprox S941 and S930 ranges. These tyres take reflect Toyo’s ongoing commitment to winter tyre development and enhance traction and braking, even in harsh weather conditions.

Open Country W/T
Many drivers consider the 4×4 or SUV to be the perfect vehicle for winter, but winter tyres can still make all the difference in terms of handling. Toyo point out, and they are right, that the added benefits of all wheel drive are useless unless the vehicle has traction. For 4×4 drivers that need to get a grip Toyo offers the Open Country W/T, a veritable all-rounder that balances crisp handling come rain or shine with an ability to work well at any temperature or grip level.

Observe G1S plus
When the elements throw everything they can at you, tyre choice becomes critical. Enter the Observe G1S plus. It’s “not so much a tyre, as an Inuit!” exclaim Toyo. Its ‘saw edge’ tread block pattern and stable block design provide real surety of grip in the most severe conditions, whilst its wide slits allow water to be swiftly expelled. And if conditions stretch even such dedicated winter features the tyre’s optional studs can be fitted, allowing the tyre to ‘bite’ into snow or packed ice, ensuring safe and swift progress.