Why You Should Seriously Consider Wider Tires For Your Car

Wider tires certainly make a statement. When everyone around you is riding on essentially the same narrow tires, rolling up with wides is like wearing shoulder pads. Your car will look bigger and have more presence, and you will feel cool. Then someone might accuse you of compensating for something, and you will say, “but at least my tires are wide.”

In all seriousness, there are some great reasons for choosing wider tires for your car. Far more than just an aesthetic choice, wide tires will give you much better grip than those scrawny ones the manufacturer gave you. Grip is one of those things that isn’t a top priority in everyday commutes but is absolutely essential once you start doing more intense (read: awesome) driving. In other words, wide tires are better for both racetracks and off-roading. Not often is that true of anything! So, if you do spend your life on more than just the highway, wide tires are definitely something to consider.

The main advantage of wide tires is that their bigger size equates to more contact area with the surface, meaning better grip and traction on or off the roads. That makes track-oriented wides great for cornering at high speeds, and it makes off-road wides perfect for powering through uneven terrain. Plus, they’re more durable, since they’re spreading the friction and abrasions of driving across more rubber. 

If you do want to go ahead and swap for wider tires, make sure you do your homework. Not every tire will fit in every wheel well. Even if you can cram one in there, it might be rubbing up against something, especially when you ride your turns, which can cause faster wear and tear and even damage. Because of that, you may need to consider additional mods, like lifting your vehicle and adding spacers.

That said, wider tires definitely aren’t always the best option. Your engine will have to work harder, meaning you might want to tune up your engine before you make the swap. Also, much like chunky all-terrain tires, more surface contact makes for more noise, too. Worst of all, wider tires are actually more likely to hydroplane.

However, if you’re looking to escape the commute and either get onto a track or into the wilderness, wide tires might be just what you need. They look fantastic, and they’ll make your performance better when it matters most.