Not really a tyre type in its own right, but many drivers will have one in the boot. These should get you home or to a tyre retailer, but can have serious safety implications if used at high speed. They are now a less popular option for car designers grappling with ever bigger wheel sizes – who instead are turning to run-flat rubber, which enables them to dump the jack and wheel-changing kit at the same time.

Once, nearly all rubber of this kind had chunky tread patterns designed for mud-plugging. But the rise of the SUV has seen the tyres change, with the most popular now essentially being summer car designs in 4x4 sizes. Ultra High Performance (UHP) versions are also made for powerful and heavy SUVs such as the Porsche Cayenne and BMW X5. These are limited off-road, although you can still fit most 4x4s with all-terrain tyres, which cope better when you leave the tarmac. There are also winter patterns made for the current generation of SUVs.

Effectively road-legal tyres for use on the track, these give stunning dry grip thanks to sticky compounds and have the minimum grooves to ensure as much rubber is put on the road as possible. Brilliant for quick laps, but as with all designs, there is a trade-off somewhere. The main drawbacks are a relatively short life and poor wet performance. As the number of water-shifting grooves is so limited, some manufacturers recommend they are not used in damp road conditions.

As the name indicates, these tyres fall somewhere between summer and winter rubber, and are designed for use all year round. This makes them an ideal purchase for drivers who do not want to invest in extra rims or store their rubber. Popular in America, they are becoming more common in Europe, especially in areas which require winter tyres for only short periods. The design manages to retain some of a winter tyre’s ability when temperatures start to drop, without compromising too much in the way of dry road grip and ride comfort.

Specialist winter tyres are compulsory in some European countries. Unique compounds which remain flexible at low temperatures mean they are a better proposition than standard tyres at seven degrees Centigrade or below – even when there is no snow. Finnish maker Nokian has developed tyres which work well in slush – matching common conditions found in western Europe. Tread patterns feature dozens of tiny grooves or ‘sipes’ to grip snow and ice. There are three main types: studded, Nordic and Alpine/Central European.

The rest of Europe considers the rubber that comes on cars as they roll off the production line to be ‘summer’ tyres. UK drivers usually fail to make the distinction, as the market for winter tyres is very small here, and concentrated in the more remote areas of Scotland and northern England. But there is still a choice of standard rubber, with three main patterns (see below) and enormous price variations – some makes charge half as much as premium brands.