Kia Soul 2020 Owner's Manual page 561

Tread wear
The tread wear grade is a compara-
tive rating based on the wear rate of
the tyre when tested under controlled
conditions on a specified govern-
ment test course. For example, a tyre
graded 150 would wear one-and-a-
half times (1½) as well on the gov-
ernment course as a tyre graded
100.
The relative performance of tyres
depends upon the actual conditions
of their use, however, and may depart
significantly from the norm because
of variations in driving habits, service
practices and differences in road
characteristics and climate.
These grades are molded on the
side-walls of passenger vehicle
tyres. The tyres available as standard
or optional equipment on your vehi-
cles may vary with respect to grade.
Traction - AA, A, B & C
The traction grades, from highest to
lowest, are AA, A, B and C. Those
grades represent the tyres ability to
stop on wet pavement as measured
under controlled conditions on spec-
ified government test surfaces of
asphalt and concrete. A tyre marked
C may have poor traction perform-
ance.
WARNING
The traction grade assigned to
this tyre is based on straight-
ahead braking traction tests,
and does not include accelera-
tion, cornering, hydroplaning,
or peak traction characteristics.
Maintenance
Temperature -A, B & C
The temperature grades are A (the
highest), B and C representing the
tyre's resistance to the generation of
heat and its ability to dissipate heat
when tested under controlled condi-
tions on a specified indoor laboratory
test wheel.
Sustained high temperature can
cause the material of the tyre to
degenerate and reduce tyre life, and
excessive temperature can lead to
sudden tyre failure. Grades B and A
represent higher levels of perform-
ance on the laboratory test wheel
than the minimum required by the law.
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