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Best Car Tires

Updated May 2023
Bottom line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Summer Tire, 20"
Michelin
Pilot Sport 4 S Summer Tire, 20"
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Stylish and Sturdy
Bottom Line

This heat-resistant tire withstands rubber-melting temperatures and keeps the vehicle stable in storms.

Pros

Durable and highly responsive to sub-par working conditions. Works well in all seasons and on rougher roads thanks to its combination of materials. Maintains balance at higher speeds.

Cons

May not work as well on winter roads as some other options.

Best Bang for the Buck
Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw Tire, 17"
Cooper
Discoverer Snow Claw Tire, 17"
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Best Traction
Bottom Line

These cold weather tires maintain grip on black ice and slippery roads.

Pros

Holds up to 2,679 pounds of cargo in the harshest snow conditions. Features grooves that help compensate for slippage and ice. Rated for extreme weather and designed for use with studs.

Cons

May not last as long as more expensive options.

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season Tire, 20"
Michelin
Pilot Sport All-Season Tire, 20"
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Year-Round Use
Bottom Line

This tire is built to last and works well in all road conditions.

Pros

Pliable on hot days and road-gripping on cold and wet days. Has an asymmetrical tread design. Has a sustainable construction with biodegradable materials. Has a 20-inch rim size.

Cons

May not handle well in extreme conditions.

Goodyear Eagle Touring All-Season Tires, 22"
Goodyear
Eagle Touring All-Season Tires, 22"
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Simple Yet Solid
Bottom Line

A tire from a trusted brand that works well for year-round use in all weather conditions.

Pros

Holds up to 1,700 pounds. Reduces friction and debris buildup thanks to the small slits. The tires keep up to 44 PSI of air without overflow. Ideal for small car owners looking for simple all-year tires.

Cons

Some buyers complained of rubber marks on their driveway.

Bridgestone Alenza Highway Terrain SUV Tire, 22"
Bridgestone
Alenza Highway Terrain SUV Tire, 22"
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Trusted Brand
Bottom Line

A highly-ranked tire with a 22-inch rim that works well for larger cars.

Pros

Features a load capacity of over 5,297 pounds. Keeps trucks and large SUVs stable. The symmetrical tread offers a smooth driving experience. Travelers who go on long road trips appreciate these safe, reliable tires.

Cons

Some people are unimpressed by how long they last.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and all opinions about the products are our own. About BestReviews  
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.About BestReviews 
HOW WE TESTED

We recommend these products based on an intensive research process that's designed to cut through the noise and find the top products in this space. Guided by experts, we spend hours looking into the factors that matter, to bring you these selections.

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Models
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105
Consumers
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Buying guide for best car tires

Until they get a flat, many people don't even think about their vehicle's tires. That could mean when it comes time to buy new ones, tires aren't given the consideration they deserve. But tires are arguably the most important safety feature on your car. They grip the road when you accelerate, while you travel and, more importantly, when you stop. Tires provide traction in inclement weather and let you steer.

The most important thing to remember when you go shopping for tires is that different vehicles and different driving situations require different tires. A large, heavy Toyota Sequoia is going to need tougher tires than a relatively lightweight Honda Civic. Likewise, if it's snowing and you're driving in the mountains, you'll need a different set of tires than you use when traveling a clear, dry and flat highway in the summer.

Tires also come in different sizes. They have to fit the rim and be large enough to keep the car off the ground. But they can't be so large that they affect your vehicle's balance and speed. Additionally, modern cars are anticipating a specific tire size, so if you don't get it right, it could affect things like the speedometer's accuracy and sensors that monitor for cruise control, anti-lock braking and more.

Luckily, all the crucial information you need to buy the proper tire is in your owner's manual and on the tire information sticker that is usually located on the driver's side door. While it's possible to get this information directly from the sidewall of your current tire, if someone put the wrong tires on your vehicle, you will repeat the mistake if you don't check the official resources.

When you understand which features a tire needs for different road conditions, what size is best for your car and what all of those different abbreviations and numbers actually mean, you can purchase the best tires for your car with confidence. Our top pick is the durable Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Summer Tire, which is ideal not just for hot weather but for rainy conditions as well.   

Best car tires

Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S Summer Tire

When it's warm or hot, you need a tire that will maintain its shape as the temperatures rise. A great summer tire gives you increased durability and responsiveness, which is essential for cornering and braking.

These ultra-high-performance Michelin tires are manufactured to give you maximum traction for highway driving. If a storm pops up, making the road a little slick, they also have exceptional wet-braking abilities. For an added touch, these tires feature a layer of sound-absorbing foam that reduces road noise in the cabin.

Although these tires are best for warmer weather, they're suitable for all seasons, making them a great value.

Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw

Cold weather creates specific challenges for tire manufacturers. Not only do your vehicle's tires need to stay pliable during lower temperatures, but they must also feature a tread design that can grip the surface, whether it's loose, powdery snow or slick, hardened ice.

These Cooper Snow Claw tires are named for their pinned studs that deliver increased traction under adverse winter conditions. They also have snow groove technology that uses trapped snow to create greater traction for improved handling and stopping power in wintery conditions. 

With a ‎2,679-pound load capacity, these tires are a durable option that's best for winter use on pickup trucks and SUVs.

Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season

All-season tires have to do it all — they need to stay pliable for enhanced road-gripping performance when it's cold, yet be able to hold up in high temperatures. The tread design must work whether the roads are clear or covered in snow.

These tires from Michelin have an asymmetrical tread design that offers better handling, giving your vehicle high stability on curves and increased traction in wet conditions. They also have a ‎1,819-pound load capacity, making them best for smaller vehicles.

To offer peace of mind, when you purchase these tires through Amazon, you also get a voluntary 30-day return guarantee.

Goodyear Eagle Touring All-Season Tires

If you're looking for a set of general all-purpose, all-season tires, the Eagle from Goodyear is a solid option. These six-ply, radial tires have a 1,700-pound load capacity, which makes them best for smaller vehicles. They have a maximum pressure of 44 PSI, a 22-inch rim width and they feature traction that wraps around the edges of the tires to provide superior grip in all conditions, whether the road is dry, wet or snowy. These Goodyear Eagle tires also feature multiple sipes — small slits in your tires that reduce the buildup of friction heat — to give you more even tread wear. 

Bridgestone Alenza Highway Terrain SUV Tire

Bridgestone is a premier tire company that consistently winds up on top 10 lists when ranking quality and design. The company brought several firsts to the tire world, including creating the first nylon-cord tire. Bridgestone understands the consumers' needs because it manufactures everything from tiny tires for go-karts to massive tires for earthmovers.

The Alenza is manufactured to provide exceptional highway performance in all four seasons. The rugged build gives them an impressive 5,297.7-pound load capacity, which makes it suitable for larger vehicles. They have a symmetrical tire tread design to provide drivers and passengers a smooth experience, with enhanced directional stability and low rolling resistance.

BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain

Off-road driving creates a specific set of challenges for tires. You need to be able to travel across uneven terrain and maintain traction, even when the ground may be loose, like mud or sand.

BFGoodrich's Trail-Terrain tires are suitable for the road and anything that lies beyond. These tires combine the durability required for both paved and unpaved roads. The locking sipes give you increased traction and stability while offering a longer tread life. The all-season design means you can adventure across any type of terrain, from dry to muddy to snowy, and enjoy the journey with minimal frustrations.

Pirelli Scorpion

Pirelli might not be the first name you think of when it comes to consumer tires, but the company has been around for over 150 years. Pirelli's extensive experience in manufacturing tires for motorsports vehicles can also provide exceptional benefits for the everyday car.

The Scorpion is an ultra high-performance, all-season tire that offers above-par traction on all types of surfaces. It performs well on dry, wet and snow-covered roads. The X-sipe grooves offer improved handling and braking, while the quick-view indicators let you know the condition of your tires at a glance. To provide peace of mind, these tires come with a limited mileage promise of 50,000 miles.

Tire technicals and what they mean to you

Types of tires

There are three generally available types of tires:

  • Summer
  • Winter
  • All-Season (or All-Weather)

Changing tires between summer and winter has long been popular, though a little inconvenient. There are good reasons.

Summer tires are harder and more durable. Winter tires don't get as warm, so the rubber has to be softer to give sufficient grip. Treads are also different to disperse water and cut through snow.

All-season tires have suffered from being viewed as something of a compromise; an adequate "jack of all trades" solution but not as good in either season. With improved tire technology — both in terms of compound and tread patterns — this is no longer the case.

In areas that experience extremes in temperature, changing from summer to winter tires can still be a very good idea. However, in more moderate regions, good quality all-weather tires do an excellent year-round job.

If you occasionally encounter snow and ice, you might consider tire chains, which are a popular and more convenient alternative (check to see if they're legal in your area).

Tire markings explained

The tire codes marked on your sidewall are packed with information. They might look complicated at first, but the format is common. You'll see something like P 195/60 R16 88T.

  • P means passenger vehicle. On pickups and SUVs, it can be LT for light truck. Other letters apply to trailers and commercial vehicles but aren't found on car tires.
  • 195 tells you the tire width in millimeters.
  • 60 tells you the aspect ratio, which is the ratio of tire height to width of the tread. Aspect ratios of 50 and under are considered “low profile.” These shorter sidewall/wider tread combinations provide better grip and more precise cornering. The downside is that they're more prone to blowouts or wheel damage in potholes or over curbs — there's less rubber to absorb impacts. Ride quality is usually harsher, too. This is probably not an issue on city streets, but it could be on country roads.
  • R stands for radial.
  • 16 tells you the wheel diameter in inches.
  • 88 is the load rating (or load index). This is a measure of the maximum weight each tire can carry. 88 is equivalent to 1,235 pounds. Multiply that by four and you have a set of tires designed to carry a car not exceeding 4,940 pounds. Charts are available online if you'd like to investigate further, but sticking to what's marked is recommended.
  • T is the speed rating. This indicates the maximum speed the tire is capable of running "under optimal conditions." All kinds of things can affect this — not least the posted speed limit! The T rating is equal to 118 mph. Other common speed ratings include S for 112 mph, H for 130, and V for 149.

Unless you have specific advice from a professional or the maker of your car, the safest (and usually most economical) option when changing tires is to replace like with like.

Tire performance

A common assumption is that a higher speed rating means better tire performance, but it does not. While it's true that H-, V-, and W-rated tires have been constructed to handle the extreme demands of sports cars and luxury sedans, that doesn't mean they'll make the average family car handle better.

Fitting W-rated tires to an ordinary car instead of T-rated ones will only result in a bigger bill.

So what should you look for? For most people, there are two important considerations: tread style and tread life.

Tread style

In theory, the best grip is provided by a tire with no tread at all. That's why race cars run on “slicks." That’s not very practical for road use, though. The trick is balancing the right amount of rubber with the right amount of “cuts,” or grooves.

The grooves running around your tire are designed to improve grip in wet conditions by slicing through water. The angled slots, called sipes, push this water sideways, away from the tread. The two combine to create as dry an area as possible between tire and road surface. They also offer better grip in light snow.

Chunkier treads are better at dissipating water — off-road tires are an extreme example — but it's a compromise. The more slots there are, the less rubber is in contact with the road in the dry. On hot days, you want as much rubber on the road as possible.

Complex tread patterns also tend to be noisier. Overly patterned or deep treads don't seem to gain any real advantage in the majority of driving conditions. If you feel you need extra tread depth regularly, you probably live in an area that warrants summer and winter tires, rather than getting one kind to do both jobs.

Tread life

Tire manufacturers usually quote a mileage expectancy. Lots of things will affect this, but it's fairly accurate and valuable for comparison purposes.

You'll also want to consider how and where you drive most of the time:

  • Do you live in a mountainous area with lots of twists and turns?
  • Do you mostly travel on freeways?
  • Do you do lots of stop-start city driving?

Softer compounds offer increased grip and better braking, but as a result, they wear out more quickly. High-mileage tires are harder, but they're an economical option for those who spend much of their time traveling the long, straight highways that crisscross the country.

You'll also want to check the manufacturer's warranty – it’s always a good guide to their confidence in the product.

How pneumatic tires have evolved

The air-filled, or pneumatic, tire was patented in 1847 by Scotsman Robert William Thompson, but he couldn't make them cheaply enough to be commercially viable. In 1887, John Boyd Dunlop developed a different version with no knowledge of the original. His were successful, and they changed the world.

Dunlop's tire was a simple tube made from sheet rubber and was first used on bicycles. Today's car tires might still be air-filled rubber, but they're a vastly different and surprisingly complex product.

More than 200 materials are used in the creation of a modern pneumatic tire. Natural and synthetic rubbers are bonded in a multilayered product that has steel, textiles and a host of different chemicals used in its composition.

The result is a tire that is immensely resistant to lateral movement yet has sufficient flexibility to absorb energy that would otherwise tear it off the wheel. Tread compounds and patterns provide astonishing grip in a tremendous variety of weather conditions. When the rain starts to pour, they're capable of dispersing more than 3 gallons of water per second. It's amazing that this level of advanced technology is so affordable.

Tips

  • Size and pressure information for the tires on your vehicle will be in your owner’s manual, but this information is often also conveniently located on a panel on the driver's side door or door frame.
  • Manufacturers choose sizes and tire specifications carefully to give the best all-around performance in a wide variety of conditions. While you might choose a different brand, fitting different sizes or profiles can have a negative impact on overall performance.
  • Never try to save money by replacing an LT tire with a P version, even if all the other details are the same, as they do not have the same structural integrity. Tires that don't have this information are Euro-spec and should be replaced by similar models.
  • Think carefully before changing your wheel or tire sizes. It can affect the handling, fuel consumption and accuracy of your speedometer.

FAQ

Q. Can I change just one tire?

A. It's never a good idea to change a single tire. The other tire on that axle will have a different circumference, upsetting the balance. It will disturb handling and braking because one side of your car will have more grip than the other. It's best to change all four tires at the same time, but at a minimum, change both on the same axle.

If you're experiencing particularly uneven wear, there could be an underlying problem. Unless you race around an oval on the weekends, your tire wear should be about the same all around, or a little more on the driven wheels. If it isn't, you should check for a wheel bearing, tie rod or suspension issue.

Q. Are run-flat tires a good idea?

A. That's a tough question. Being able to continue driving after a puncture is a lot easier than having to stop and change a tire, but it's not as straightforward as that. There are two types of run-flat. Self-supporting tires have stronger sidewalls than normal, so if air is lost, they still support the car. However, they're not suitable for all wheels. Self-sealing versions have a liquid content that seals the puncture, though there's a limit to how big the hole can be.

There are some other negatives:

  • Both handle tread punctures well, but not sidewall damage.
  • You must not continue to drive on them. Most manufacturers tell you they're good for 50 miles, at 50 mph. Then you need to get the puncture fixed or the tire replaced.
  • They're expensive.

It's a complex question and technology is changing all the time. Automakers like run-flats because they free up space — there's no need for a fifth wheel. In general, our advice is that if they're fitted as standard, that's what you should use. Otherwise, you may find them cost-prohibitive. For a few bucks, you can get a can of tire sealant. Add a 12-volt tire pump and you have a similar solution for a fraction of the price.

Q. How important is tire pressure?

A. More important than many people think. Underinflated tires are the main cause of blowouts. It's also responsible for higher tire wear, increased fuel consumption, handling problems and poor braking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that low tire pressure causes thousands of injuries every year.

Prevention is easy. All you need is a good tire gauge and five minutes. Unless you've regularly been driving over rough terrain or done very high mileage, checking them once a month is fine.

Q. What do good tires cost?

A. To some extent, the price you pay will be governed by the size and style of your vehicle. Replacements for a Dodge Ram or Chevy Corvette are always going to be more expensive than those for a Ford Focus or Honda Civic.

Nevertheless, you should find plenty of choices. We've focused on all-season tires because for most people, they offer the best balance between performance and economy. You'll probably pay between $50 and $90 per tire.

While there's no doubt you'll probably pay a small premium for “big brand” tires, there's also an argument that these manufacturers provide excellent value and have built a reputation for supplying a superior product. There's not much rubber connecting your car to the road, so you want it to be the best you can afford.