Most modern tyres can only be fitted one way round, and there is nothing on the dashboard to tell you if they are wrong. The markings are moulded into the sidewall and take a few seconds to check. It is worth knowing what they mean, both so you can check a fitting and so you understand why your tyres cannot simply be swapped corner to corner.
Directional tyres
A directional tread is usually a V or arrowhead pattern, designed to channel water outward and rearward as the tyre rotates. It only works in one direction of rotation, so the sidewall carries an arrow and often the word ROTATION or DIRECTION.
Fitted backwards, the pattern scoops water inward instead of expelling it, which reduces resistance to aquaplaning. It can also increase noise. The tyre still works; it simply does not do the job it was designed for when it matters most.
That matters because wet grip is the property that degrades fastest as a tyre wears, and the Highway Code sets substantially longer stopping distances for wet roads than dry, see the Highway Code. Anything that reduces water clearance is working against you in exactly those conditions.
Asymmetric tyres
An asymmetric tyre has a tread that differs across its width, effectively combining two designs in one. The outer shoulder is usually stiffer with larger blocks for cornering grip, and the inner section has more channelling for water dispersal.
Because of that, the sidewalls are marked OUTSIDE (or side facing outwards) and INSIDE. Mount one inside out and you put the water-dispersal section on the outer shoulder and the cornering section where it cannot do its job.
Some tyres are both
A few tyres are asymmetric and directional, which means they must be mounted with the correct face outward and rotating the correct way. In practice this means a given tyre can only ever go on one side of the car.
That is worth knowing if you carry a full-size spare, because a spare on a directional tyre may be facing the wrong way for one side of the vehicle. It will get you home, but it should be corrected rather than left.
What it means for rotating your tyres
Tyre rotation is normally used to even out wear, but these patterns restrict it:
- Directional: tyres can move front to back on the same side, but cannot cross sides without being dismounted and refitted to the rim.
- Asymmetric: tyres can cross sides, because the outside face stays outside wherever the wheel goes.
- Both: front to back on the same side only.
Our guide to tyre rotation covers whether rotating is worth doing at all on a modern car.
Symmetric tyres: the third type
A symmetric tyre has the same tread pattern across its width and in both directions of rotation, so it can be fitted any way round and moved to any corner. It is the simplest type and the one with no sidewall orientation markings at all.
Symmetric patterns are common on smaller, cheaper and older tyres, on many van and commercial tyres, and on some all-season designs. They are usually quieter and cheaper to make, and they wear evenly because the load is spread uniformly.
The trade-off is that a single pattern cannot be optimised for both cornering and water clearance, which is why higher-performance tyres moved to asymmetric and directional designs. That does not make symmetric tyres poor; the EU label wet-grip grade tells you how a given tyre performs regardless of its pattern type, see the EU tyre label explained.
The practical advantage is flexibility. A symmetric tyre can be rotated in any pattern, used as a spare for either side, and paired with another symmetric tyre without worrying about orientation. If you are buying for a van or a small car and rotating tyres regularly matters to you, it is worth knowing which type you are choosing.
Quick reference: marking, rotation and use
The table below is the whole subject in one place, and it is worth a photo on your phone for the next time a tyre comes off.
| Type | Sidewall marking | Can move front to back? | Can swap sides? | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Symmetric | None | Yes | Yes | Small cars, vans, budget ranges |
| Asymmetric | OUTSIDE and INSIDE | Yes | Yes (outside face stays outside) | Most modern premium touring and performance tyres |
| Directional | Arrow, ROTATION or DIRECTION | Yes, same side only | Only if dismounted and refitted to the rim | Winter tyres, some all-season and performance tyres |
| Asymmetric and directional | Both sets of markings | Yes, same side only | No; each tyre is effectively left- or right-hand | A minority of high-performance tyres |
Two points catch people out. First, a directional tyre is not left- or right-handed on its own; the direction is set when it is mounted on the rim. The same tyre can go on either side of the car, provided it is mounted to rotate the right way for that side.
Second, an asymmetric tyre's OUTSIDE marking has nothing to do with direction of rotation. It only tells the fitter which face goes outward, so an asymmetric tyre can be fitted on either side without dismounting. Our tyre rotation guide shows the rotation patterns that work for each type.
Replacing one or two tyres when patterns are involved
When you replace fewer than four, keep the same pattern type on each axle, because a directional and an asymmetric side by side clear water differently and can make the car feel uneven in the wet.
UK law does not ban mixing tread patterns on the same axle on a car; what it bans is mixing radial and cross-ply construction across an axle. The legal position on tyres is set out on GOV.UK. The advice against mixing patterns is about handling, not the law.
In practice:
- If one tyre is damaged and its partner is the same make and pattern with plenty of tread, replace the one and match it exactly.
- If the exact tyre is no longer available, replace the pair on that axle with something of the same type and season, and put the new pair on the rear. See replacing tyres in pairs.
- Never pair a summer tyre with a winter tyre on one axle, whatever the pattern type.
- If you carry a full-size spare of a different pattern, use it to get home and then put the correct tyre back on.
When the new pair goes on, check the orientation of all four before driving off. A fitter who has just handled two directional tyres has had two chances to mount one backwards, and it is far easier to correct on the driveway than after the next wet motorway trip.
How to check yours are right
Crouch by each wheel and look at the sidewall. For directional tyres, confirm the arrow points the way the wheel turns when driving forward. For asymmetric, confirm the word OUTSIDE is the one you can see.
If something looks wrong, it is a correctable job: the tyre is dismounted from the rim and refitted the right way round. Poor wet grip is not something to discover in November on a wet motorway. A fitter should check orientation as part of every fitting, and we cover the wider list in what a tyre fitter checks. If one is the wrong way round, we can refit it at your home or work as a mobile tyre fitting job.
