There was a time when tyres were only used to protect the vehicle from touching the surface. But with the modernization tyres have got to do more than only "rolling on". Tyres are something that deals with real-time challenges such as absorbing shocks, unwanted obstacles, and sudden braking due to abrupt potholes. Moreover, today’s cars include some safety features like Traction and Stability control, ABS, etc.. that entirely depends upon the state and the quality of the tyre.

Mud and all-terrain are the tyres that provide you an extraordinary performance, especially while off-roading. Many times people are confused mud tyres with all-terrain tyres,, so, top clear the So, it's important to know the difference between both before you buy or invest money and make a right decision if it’s for you or not.

Mud Terrain Tyre

Mud tyres are also known as mud terrain tyres. These are premium tyres especially, made for off-roading. These are specially used in SUVs, jeeps, and trucks for maximum off-roading traction. If we compare terrain tyres and mud tyres, then you'll get to know that terrain tyres are used both off-road and on-road whereas, mud tyres are only best for off-road due to their unique tread design. A solid competitive advantage of these tyres is - thick mud. Normal tyres are great in mud or even in wet mud also but, always lose with the mud terrain when it comes to thick mud. Mud tyres have a very aggressive and chunky tread pattern, making them easy to identify. Treads are usually between 12mm to 17mm which helps the mud to stop entering and sticking to the treads.

Pros:

• Mud tyres have stronger sidewalls which reduce the chances of a puncture.
• These are excellent while off-roading
• These also have an amazing self-cleaning ability.

Cons:

• Poor traction, when on-road especially on wet.
• Noisy on the roads.

All Terrain Tyres

All-terrain tyres precisely mean that they can go anywhere! Slightly aggressive, built tougher with stronger side walls, and are generally used 60% off-road and 40% on-road. These tyres are best suited for most of the surfaces like snow, mud, sand rock, and gravel. Due to the enduring capabilities and advanced structure, all-terrain tyres are more expensive than normal tyres, that's why they are meant to serve the people who can pay extra than the normal tyres.

Pros:

• They provide a good grip in snowy and slippery situations.
• These tyres don’t need to be changed from summer to winter if you're satisfied with the performance of your car.
• While off-roading, the interlocking tread design results in improved grip and amazing traction on mud and rocks, and excellent handling on solid roads.

Cons:

• Because of its design the air does not flow smoothly from the grooves which results in louder noises than the normal tyres.
• Lifespan of all-terrain tyres is shorter due to the softness of the rubber used in them. These tyres need to be replaced every 40,000.
• Due to their heavy dusty nature, they're less fuel efficient.

There're some myths about 4X4 tyres, let's bust them here:

High tire pressure will cut off the mud: No, in every situation this is not possible. Reducing the tyre pressure results in a bigger size of contact patch which provides a better grip, which means the tyre won't sink on smooth surfaces.

Mud tyres are only used while off-roading: This was true 20 years ago! but now with the modernization and with the progressed technology these tyres are very capable.

To drive on dirt roads an aggressive tyre pattern is needed: This is not true! That doesn't mean if you drive on dirty roads, you only need tyres with an aggressive pattern, what you need is- casing strength!