Different Tyres on the Same Axle in Austria: Legal? 2026

Mixing tyres (tires) on one axle: the quick answer

In Austria you can legally mix brands. What you can’t mix is construction type or size on a car (unless its approval allows it), and a winter tyre can’t sit on the same axle as a non-winter tyre. A different brand on each axle is legal. Two different tyres on the left and right of one axle is legal only if they match in construction, size and winter status, and it still isn’t a good idea.

What Austrian law says

The tyre rules are in § 4 of the Kraftfahrgesetz-Durchführungsverordnung 1967 (KDV), the regulation that puts the Austrian Motor Vehicles Act into practice. Two paragraphs cover mixing:

• § 4(4b) says cars and vans up to the permitted total weight set in the regulation must have tyres of the same construction and size. The construction types listed are cross-ply (diagonal), bias-belted, radial and reinforced. If the vehicle’s approval says otherwise, for example different front and rear sizes on a rear-wheel-drive car, the approval applies.
• § 4(4c) says a tyre made for use as a snow and slush tyre must not be fitted on the same axle as a tyre that doesn’t have those properties.

The rule says nothing about brand, tread pattern or model. So a Bridgestone-sized radial on the left and another maker’s radial of the same size on the right is not an offence in itself. Fitting one winter tyre and one summer tyre on an axle is an offence. So is mixing a radial with a cross-ply, or fitting a different size than the car is approved for.

Austria also has a situational winter-equipment rule for winter conditions. See winter tyre laws by country and the all-season vs winter tyres comparison to check whether your tyres count as winter tyres.

Why matching on an axle matters, even where it’s legal

Tyres from different makers can carry the same size, speed letter and load index and still behave differently. Rubber compound, tread design and carcass stiffness all affect how quickly a tyre builds grip, how it sheds water and how it responds to steering. On one axle, that mismatch shows up as:

• A pull under braking, because one side grips earlier than the other.
• Uneven behaviour in wet corners, with one side aquaplaning first.
• Stability-control and ABS corrections that the system wasn’t calibrated for.

Different tyres on the front and rear axles cause fewer problems than mixing left and right, but the balance of the car still changes. The usual advice from tyre makers is to keep the tyres with the most grip and deepest tread on the rear axle, so the rear doesn’t slide before the front.

The speed rating must still meet the handbook on every wheel. Putting a lower-rated tyre next to a higher-rated one where the car calls for the higher rating means the car no longer meets its specification. That’s a separate problem from the axle rule.

All-wheel drive and run-flats

On four-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive cars, tyres with different rolling circumferences turn at slightly different speeds. A different brand or a large difference in tread depth can be enough to cause this. The centre differential or coupling then works constantly, which can cause wear or warning lights. Many car makers set a tolerance for this in the handbook. Check it before replacing just one or two tyres, and use the tyre size calculator to compare circumferences.

Run-flat tyres have a stiffer sidewall than standard tyres. Mixing the two on one car changes handling, so most car and tyre makers advise against it. See run-flat tyres: pros and cons.

Rules back home: UK, US, Canada and Australia

• UK: the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations restrict mixing radial and cross-ply tyres on the same axle. The MOT checks tyre condition and fitment, not brand.
• US: in-use tyre rules for private cars are set by each state, and inspection rules vary. The door-jamb placard and owner’s manual give the approved size and load rating.
• Canada: provinces and territories set the in-use rules. Some provinces have winter-tyre requirements that affect how you can mix tyres in winter.
• Australia: states and territories set roadworthiness rules. The tyre placard gives the approved sizes.

None of these places bans mixing brands outright. The engineering advice is the same in all of them: match tyres per axle, and preferably all four.

Rental cars and your own car in Austria

When you pick up a rental car in winter, check that all four tyres show the same winter marking. If a rental has one odd tyre, ask for a swap before you leave. Under § 4(4c), the driver is the one on the road with a non-compliant axle. If you’re driving your own car from the UK, US or elsewhere, the Austrian rules apply while you’re in Austria. Use the tyre markings guide to read the sidewall codes.

What to do: match, pair or replace?

Rotating tyres at regular intervals keeps wear even and makes it easier to replace all four at once. See the tyre rotation and alignment guide.

Sources

• Austria: Kraftfahrgesetz-Durchführungsverordnung 1967 § 4(4b) and (4c), Rechtsinformationssystem des Bundes (RIS), consolidated version: https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/NormDokument.wxe?Abfrage=Bundesnormen&Gesetzesnummer=10011385&Paragraf=4