Years ago, tyre choices for winter conditions were limited. You could struggle with traditional summer tyres or use an effective get-you-home solution such as AutoSocks, which work well, but only on snow or ice.

For serious winter grip, you could fit winter tyres. Indeed, in parts of Britain where winter hits hardest, such as Scotland or The Peak District, this remains a preferred solution. There are devotees in the Cotswolds too. Just imagine commuting from somewhere like Amberley in snow!

Widespread expert approval

For years, tyre makers worked on true all-season tyres. The earliest never got close to the performance of dedicated winter or summer rubber. Then Michelin and Goodyear launched their Cross-Climate and Vector 4Seasons and began dominating all-season-tyre reviews by AutoExpress, Germany’s ADAC motoring organisation and magazines such as Auto Bild from countries where dedicated winter rubber is a necessity. Viable all-season tyres were a reality at last – a fact reinforced when Peugeot fitted them to its 2008 as standard.

A few compromises remain

Okay, there’s still some compromise. No all-season tyre yet gives quite the ultimate performance of dedicated winter or summer rubber in its intended season. If you live in mid Wales, seasonal switching to winter tyres will still make sense. And for ultimate track-day performance, you’ll probably stick with your favourite summer rubber.

However, if you regularly drive in typical cold, damp, occasionally snowy, British weather, tyres like Michelin’s CrossClimates, the Vector 4Season Gen 2 tyres on our Skoda Yeti, or Continental’s new AllSeasonContact are a no-brainer.

The downside? Softer compounds which may mean a shorter life. Furthermore, the Goodyears – though always reassuring – don’t quite match the ‘on-rails’ feel of Skoda’s ex-works Pirellis in summer. They’re not budget tyres either, although promotions seem frequent.

Reassuring all-season performance

That said, for many drivers, the compromises are acceptable given reassuring four-season performance. Besides, the latest all-season tyres give real benefit whenever roads are wet or temperatures below 7°C degrade summer-tyre performance.

How often do you drive under such conditions (this is Britain after all)? And how highly do you value peace of mind when you meet fresh snow in Wales, Gloucester-shire freezes, or you drive in European countries such as Germany – where all-season tyres with the Alpine mountain snowflake symbol are legally required in winter?

For more and more of us, all-season tyres deserve serious consideration – whatever the season. If you’re like me, once you’ve tried them, I suspect you won’t go back!