UTQG 300 AA-A
UTQG: Uniform Tire Quality Guide (BS really since the gov. developed a standard but pretty much left the individual tire companies to implement the way in which they test so its useful with in a manufacturers tire line only)
300: This tire wears 3 times better than a tire rated a 100 (rule of thumb, basically this tire could achieve under ideal conditions about 60,000 miles. but thats driving like granny with perfect air pressure and no abuse)
AA: Comparative traction ability AA being the best, then it goes from A-C. This takes into account wet traction. They had to develop the AA rating when all the rain tires came out.
A: Temperature rating A being the best C being the worst. This relfects how well the tire operates when heated up. By default most hi-performance tires have an A rating because the invironment they operate in. Hi speed/Hi heat. The latter being the tire killer. Thats why tire pressure is critical.
The way it might read is P225/50r16 94Z M+S or might be 225/50r16 94Z M+S as an example. Then again it might have the Goodyear inspired pictogram on the sidewall. Generally M+S tires are easy to spot, lots of sipes (cuts in the tread blocks), with wide spaces in between the blocks them selves, maybe a directional pattern, and so on. All to increase the bite of the tire in snow and to evacuate the water from the tire. Michelin actually goes a step further and mixes in a proprieary silca material that enhances the wet/snow/wear capability of their tires.
You would be amazed at the stuff they do to get tires to perform. Take a z-rated tire for instance. At 149+ its keeping contained a bunch of crap that cannot be bonded together. steel belts, nylon, rayon, kevlar, whatever. All while going over bumps, expansion joints, etc. Not only that but your asking it to make directional changes when ever you turn the wheel. If ever there was a black science it right there!
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