Low profile tyres: Advantages and disadvantages explained

Whenever we read about tyres, we see a wide range of specifications. One of them is low-profile tyres, which have become a common sight nowadays. Cars with larger alloy wheels than standard ones and wrapped with low-profile tyres have become common sightings on Indian roads. What is a low-profile tyre? Usually, low-profile tyres come with reinforced smaller sidewalls and can fit in the same wheel wells. Most users opt for such tyres to bring boldness and style to the vehicle's character. They certainly improve the car's stance. But low-profile tyres, too, have advantages and disadvantages. What are those?

Advantages of low-profile tyres

Low-profile tyres improve braking performance by having larger wheel rims and wider tyres. This way, they ensure better vehicle handling both in wet and dry weather conditions. The low-profile tyres also provide good grip and significantly lesser side swaying. Low-profile tyres offer greater traction compared to conventional tyres. The low-profile tyres ensure an enhanced feel of the road, which means the driver can feel the road much more intensely than the cars with normal tyres.

Low-profile tyres also benefit the cars' cornering characteristics by enabling better cornering force handling. Also low-profile tyres provide better steering performance as well. In terms of visual appearance, low-profile tyres are better looking and add more style to cars compared to conventional tyres. The premium cars' low-profile tyres often come with run-flat technologies, which allow driving even when the air pressure is lost.

Disadvantages of low-profile tyres

Low-profile tyres have some disadvantages as well. The major disadvantages of low-profile tyres include stiff or rough rides, especially on Indian roads, which are known for not-so-smooth conditions. Low-profile tyres are highly susceptible to tyre, and rim damage as these tyres come with smaller air cushioning to absorb harsh impacts from potholes and rough patches on roads.

The wheels, too, become more susceptible to road damage with low-profile tyres. Low-profile tyres usually don't perform well in winter, especially on snowy roads. Low-profile tyres usually come with increased width, which may generate more noise than normal tyres. These tyres compromise fuel efficiency. For a fuel-conscious driver, low-profile tyres are big no. The low profile tyres are pretty expensive as compared to normal tyres.