I've just had the bad luck of getting a puncture that was not safely repairable in my Subaru's winter tyres, which as it's permanently in 4x4 means I had to replace all four tyres. Fortunately, I had the summers to put on, it's the end of March, and the winters were ageing anyway (a bit like me!).

Got me thinking. My wife has a Karoq 4x4. Obviously, a Haldex system isn't permanently in 4x4 drive. But, If she was unfortunate enough to be in the same position, with a puncture in one tyre that wasn't repairable, would she have to replace all four tyres too, or just the two on the effected axles?

I've tried to find reference to this in the owner's manual, but couldn't find any information. I seem to recall that when I had both of my two Yets, over 10 years ago now, there had been something similar then. Maybe the haldex system is more advanced now?

You'd be best checking and cross-referencing answers with other Karoq 4x4 owners, a good specialist tyre fitting place, VWŠkoda (somehow).

My thoughts might be wrong so need checking, but @Carlston might know better. It might depend on how old and worn tread the other three tyres are compared to the new fresh replacement. If part-time 4x4 then generally it might be at worse changing both tyres on the axle with the tyre that needs replacement, or if the unaffected tyre on that axle isn't very old and not much tread wear, and wear even across the tread, then perhaps only the one tyre is needed. Permanent 4x4 would be get away with one or need all four, I'd guess. But if you really need the 4x4 facility, if only occasionally, you might be better not risking anything on your wife's car and fitting four new fresh tyres rather than you getting the blame if changing only one or two tyres and then your wife had issues using the 4x4, or lend her the Subaru and you wade through with the Karoq.

You should really replace all four, but Haldex can cope with differences across the axles IIRC. That being said, it has to be within reasonable tolerance. I don't think it matters about the same axle, as the power is only split between the front and rear. E.G. my vRS needs to have the same on the front axle with the LSD, but the back is irrelevant.

AFAIK generally at the front you want same for one side as the other for suspension including tyres, and same with rear one side to the other, unless you're doing some specialist thing other than normal road driving.

Personally, being a fairly low milage driver nowadays Then it's always all 4 as by the time they are worn they are also old. Generally speaking tyres should be replaced between 6 and 10 years old even if they are not worn to the legal limit of tread.

We have a 4x4 in the garage and that always has all 4 done at the same time. As a minimum I'd do the pair on an axle unless they were very new when the puncture occurred.

You can tell the age of the tyre by looking at the 4 digit code on the sidewall. It's just 4 numbers, the first 2 are week no, and the last 2 are year. (1226 - this would mean made in week 12 of 2026)

Michelin have RFID,s implanted into tyres at manufacture now for their sake in handling, stock, traceability for scrappage / recycling. There are TPMS,s now that can identify the tyres with the RFID.