All-season tires are increasingly competing with summer and winter tires. Some drivers simply cannot profitably change tires depending on the season - due to the driving style, mileage or power of their vehicle. One of the most interesting offers for them will certainly be the Vredestein Quatrac 5.
The first model in the Quatrac series was first introduced in 1993. The brand's tires are developed in a modern global development center, which is located in the Dutch Enschede (the Vredestein brand comes from the Netherlands, but for some time belonged to the Indonesian concern Apollo Tires).
In tire design, the center's engineers use the latest solutions, technologies and benefit from the company's extensive tire manufacturing experience. Vredestein is the leader in the all-season tire segment. Let's see what solutions were used in the latest release of the Quatrac series, that is, the model marked with the number “5”, vredestein quatrac 5 review universal tire
Quatrac 5 technology
These tires are equipped with an asymmetric tread pattern that works very well in spring and summer as well as autumn and winter. The special arrangement of the longitudinal groove improves stability and improves handling on dry roads.
The model uses the 3D Grip Claws solution. This involves placing special 3D cubes between the tread grooves in the center of the tire. Their task is to improve traction during dynamic maneuvers and improve acceleration efficiency on slippery surfaces (less risk of wheel slip). Three marks Peak Snow Flake and M + S indicate good performance in winter and autumn conditions.
In addition to high traction, the Quatrac 5 model has low rolling resistance, which reduces fuel consumption and does not generate annoying noise when driving at higher speeds, which is important when driving on longer routes. In turn, the mixture of silica rubber significantly increases the wear resistance of the tire.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Asymmetric Tread
The asymmetrical tread is considered the most technologically advanced. It is divided into two zones: inner and outer, which are respectively designed to drain water and dirt from under the tire and maintain vehicle stability when cornering or maneuvering on dry roads.
The biggest advantages of such a tread include, among other things, excellent transmission of torque to the ground, making it a good proposition for vehicles with higher engine power. Asymmetric tires adhere very evenly to the surface, which increases their resistance to faster wear.
The improper placement of the asymmetric tread grooves very well suppresses all vibrations generated by the swinging tires, which makes them very quiet. It is also worth mentioning that asymmetric treads work well with the multi-link suspension of some cars and electronic driving systems (such as ESP).
The disadvantages of asymmetric tires are primarily related to their higher price compared to directional and even more symmetrical tires. This is the price we have to pay for a technologically advanced design. Cross-swapping of wheels with asymmetric tires can also be a problem. The outer side of such a model must be outside the vehicle, which implies the need to rearrange the tires on the wheels.
