Aterna – The Perfect Tyre For Everyday Motoring

Envoy ambassador Paul Cowland takes a closer look at Aterna, the reliable and versatile passenger car tyre…

Cars play a huge part in most of our lives, but on an individual level, our enthusiasm for them, and their importance in our very existence varies greatly. For abject petrolheads like me, they are literally at the centre of everything. Friends and family aside, they’re my first waking thought, the greatest part of my day, and then usually, what I spend my evenings viewing, scrolling or reading around.

But for others, they’re simply an essential way to get to work, or to take the kids to school.

I can empathise with this, as there are areas in my life where I simply want to buy something to fulfil a role or purpose and have it do its job brilliantly. The last time I bought a fridge, for instance. Did I sit there poring over Which? fridge reviews, or trawl Youtube for the latest fridge influencer videos? No. I simply picked one that looked good, was a name that I’d heard of, and that was able to keep my milk cold.

For many motorists, the process of buying a new car can be pretty similar. Head to a reputable dealership, find something that you like the look of, and that you can afford. Check that the kids and dogs fit, make sure that the servicing isn’t going to break the bank, and then sign on the dotted line. After that, the car is simply a tool to enable your lifestyle and get you to where you need to go. I have a lot of respect for these ‘no nonsense’ buyers. Unlike me, they’re buying cars purely objectively, looking for great deals and sensible solutions. Whereas, here I am, 35 pages deep in EBay searching for yet another classic car that I don’t really need, and we definitely don’t have room for…

But what do you do when you’re ready for your next set of tyres? Well, the great news is, whether you are one of these admirably sensible motorists, or you have a little high octane flowing through your veins, we have the perfect tyre to suit; the Aterna.

The Aterna is ideal for small to medium cars and was created by our white-coated boffins here at Envoy HQ to be all things to all people. For those that like to make their motoring life simple, it’s a tyre that offers fantastic handling, low noise and superb wet weather performance at a very attractive price point. That’s all you need to know. It’ll do everything you ask of it, in all weathers, giving you and your family high levels of safety and predictability. Advance directly to your local Envoy dealer and get a set.

For those readers still here, and for those that occasionally thumb through a copy of ‘Evo’ or ‘Top Gear’ magazine, don’t worry, we’ve got a few things that you might like to know, too. The first is the way that the tyres have been built. Those horizontal grooves aren’t just for good looks. They’ve been cleverly designed to actively minimise and contain noise emissions for a tranquil driving experience. Or at least ensure you can hear every word of your favourite podcast. It’s definitely all part of a quieter and more comfortable drive, that’s for sure. The Aterna is ‘A’ label rated for noise, meaning, it’s literally top of the class. Perhaps not what you were expecting for a tyre at such an attractive price point…

It’s also fair to say that motorists in this sector are looking to get great fuel economy too. But then, with a litre of unleaded at around £1.40 these days, who can blame them? Here, the Aterna is very clever in its construction, using a low rolling resistance to maximise those precious miles-per-gallon over the lifetime of the tyre. But does that really matter? Well, yes, quite frankly. If you can improve the fuel consumption of a car that does 30MPG by just 10%, perhaps through a mixture of smoother driving, better tyres and correct inflation, and assuming at £1.40 a litre, you’ll save almost £700(!) over three years doing the UK average mileage of 12,000 miles a year. That’ll pay for a few tyres – or perhaps even a very lovely weekend away?

So what’s the catch then? You can’t have your cake and eat it too? The Aterna is quiet, economical, grippy, durable and affordable. I bet you’re wondering if that all comes at the expense of wet weather handling? Nope. Once again, the clever silica compound, deep central grooves and what we call the side ‘sipes’, those funny little notches on the edge of the tyre, work together to shift the water. Here too, the Aterna gets a gold star, merit and distinction for its class-topping ‘A’ rating. But have you ever wondered exactly what that means as you lunge for the brake pedal on a wet motorway? Well, let me explain…

A tyre’s wet grip capacity is expressed in Grades from A to E. The difference in braking distances between each grade is roughly 3m, or an average car length, depending on speed, of course. So, when you stop in the wet, at speed, the difference in average stopping distance between an A and E rated tyre is some 18 metres. That’s FOUR car lengths, my friends. And it’s possibly the difference between a big accident and a little relieved swearing.

The range starts at 13” and goes all the way up to 19” sizes, so there’s a really good chance that we’ve got one to suit your family car. And whether you’re looking to get ‘the nod’ from a fellow knowledgeable petrolhead, or simply want to get to work in the safest and most economical way possible, it’s the perfect tyre for you.

To find out more about whether Aterna is right for your driving needs, contact your local Envoy dealer or check out the product page.