# All-season tyres: real experience and are they legal in winter _Updated: 8 November 2026_ **Short answer:** All-season tyres are tyres for the whole year. In Serbia they count as winter tyres when the sidewall has the M+S mark and the tread is at least 4 mm deep. A good model brakes on snow almost like a winter tyre, and a weak one much longer, on dry and wet roads too. So choose a tyre with the mountain and snowflake on the sidewall and a good test result in your size. > **The service we recommend: Tyre fitting and change** Tyre change and mounting, a new valve and balancing of every wheel. We tell you the price when you tell us the model. [More about the service](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/services/tyre-fitting) ## An all-season tyre sits between summer and winter An all-season tyre has fine cuts like a winter tyre. They grip snow. It also has wide channels like a summer tyre, which clear water. It has to grip the road both in frost and on hot tarmac, so no all-season tyre is the best at everything. ### How it grips in different weather - **Cold and wet road:** It grips better than a summer tyre, because it is softer. Below 7 °C a summer tyre starts to slip. - **Snow on the road:** In one test a good model braked from 50 km/h only 30 cm longer than a winter tyre. - **Deep snow, ice and mountain roads:** Winter tyres grip better. - **Hot tarmac in summer:** A good summer tyre grips better. In summer an all-season tyre wears more slowly than a winter tyre. ## In Serbia they count as winter tyres with M+S and 4 mm of tread The regulation lists a tyre with the M+S mark on the sidewall as a winter tyre. So an all-season tyre with that mark counts as a winter tyre. It counts as a winter tyre only while its tread is at least 4 mm deep. Below 4 mm it can be used in summer, until the tread reaches the wear marker, a small bump at the bottom of the groove. If there is no marker, the limit is 1.6 mm. Winter equipment is required from 1 November to 1 April, when there is snow, ice or black ice on the road. Outside built-up areas you must also carry chains. [More about winter equipment](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/winter-car-equipment-serbia) Without winter equipment, when it is required, the fine is 5,000 dinars. [More about winter tyres and the law](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/winter-tyres-law-serbia) ## Look for the mountain with a snowflake, not just M+S The M+S mark means the tread and rubber are designed for snow. For this mark the tyre does not have to pass a snow test. The symbol of a mountain with 3 peaks and a snowflake, also on the sidewall, means the tyre has passed a set snow test. So buy an all-season tyre with both marks. ### If you drive abroad in winter - In Germany, since 1 October 2024, only a tyre with the mountain and snowflake counts on snow and ice. A tyre with only the M+S mark does not count as a winter tyre there. - In France, in mountain areas where winter equipment is required, only a tyre with the mountain and snowflake counts since November 2024. - In Austria the M+S mark also counts, with at least 4 mm of tread, from 1 November to 15 April when there is snow or ice on the road. ## All-season tyres in real use: what tests show Tests by European motoring clubs show a big difference between all-season tyres. - In the 2025 test, on a dry road from 100 km/h, the weakest tyre needed about 7.5 m more than the best. When the first had stopped, the second was still doing about 40 km/h. - On a wet road from 80 km/h, the braking difference between the best and the weakest tyre was about 11.5 m. - On snow most models braked about the same, but one braked 3.5 m longer than the best. - Good tyres last longer. In the 2025 test almost all tyres with good results on snow and wet roads had an estimated life of about 50,000 km, more than the weaker ones. - In the 2026 test for small cars, only 1 of 16 models was rated "good". For 8 models the test gives no recommendation. 5 of them were rated dangerous because they do not grip on snow. So choose a tyre by its test result in your tyre size, not by brand or price. Some makers do not offer their newest model in smaller sizes. For a small car only an older model is then on sale. ## Who all-season tyres suit - **You drive mostly in town and do not cover many kilometres:** All-season tyres. No tyre change in autumn and spring and no second set to store. - **This is the second car in your household or a small city car:** All-season tyres, with a good test result in that size. - **In winter you go skiing or drive mountain roads:** Winter tyres for winter. They grip better on deep snow and ice. - **You drive many kilometres a year:** A summer and a winter set. Each tyre grips better in its own part of the year. - **In summer you drive to the seaside in great heat:** Summer tyres for summer. They grip better on hot tarmac. ## All-season tyre price: what it depends on The price depends on the tyre size and the model. The size must be the one the car maker set for your car, with the same load and speed rating. All three are written on the sidewall, next to each other, for example 185/70 R14 89T. The number 89 is the load rating, and the letter T the speed rating. One all-season tyre usually costs a little more than a summer or winter tyre of the same size. But you buy one set instead of two and do not change tyres twice a year. ## How to keep all-season tyres safe - Check the tread before every winter. Below 4 mm the tyre no longer counts as a winter tyre in Serbia. - Fit all-season tyres on all 4 wheels. Put the same model on both front wheels, and the same model on both rear wheels, because the regulation requires it. Do not mix all-season with summer or winter tyres. The car then grips the road differently. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can I drive on all-season tyres in summer? Yes. The regulation allows winter equipment outside the period from 1 November to 1 April too, and an all-season tyre is made for the whole year. ### How do I know if my tyres are all-season? The sidewall often says ALL SEASON, A/S or ALL WEATHER, and the tread has more fine cuts than a summer tyre. For winter, also look for the M+S mark and the mountain with a snowflake. ### Are all-season and four-season tyres the same? Yes. All-season, all-weather and four-season tyres are the same type of tyre, for the whole year. Have a question about your car? Message us on WhatsApp or call 067 774 1606. ## Read also - [Winter tyres and the law in Serbia: when they are mandatory and the fine](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/winter-tyres-law-serbia) - [Winter car equipment: what the law requires and what else](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/winter-car-equipment-serbia) - [Snow chains: when they are mandatory, which to buy and how to fit them](https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/snow-chains) --- Page on the website: https://autoindustrija.rs/en/advice/all-season-tyres auto-industrija, Belgrade. Phone and WhatsApp: +381677741606. E-mail: kontakt@autoindustrija.rs.