S E L E C T T I R E R AT I N G S
to you, such as winter grip, tread life, ride comfort, and rolling resistance.
EVERY SEASON: COVERED While regular all-season tires typically come in T-speed ratings (up to 118 mph), many new cars come with performance all-season tires in H- and V-speed ratings (with ceilings of 130 mph and 149 mph, respectively). These deliver better grip, but at the cost of some tread life. Most don’t carry a price penalty for performance, and there are some bargains available. A few also offer good snow and ice traction.
TRADITIONAL TRUCK TIRES
Top Tires It doesn’t pay to skimp when buying replacement treads
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hopping for new tires can be a daunting task. You can look at and feel them, but there’s no way to tell simply by how they look which provides the best grip, the longest life, or the shortest stopping distance. That’s why Consumer Reports tests 50 or more tire models each year, with each going through as many as 14 rigorous tests.
SPEND MORE, GET MORE We’ve found you generally get what you pay for. No matter the type, tires that combine the best grip with the longest tread life may cost a little more, but will likely be worth it in the long run. For example, a $130 tire that will last twice as long as an $87 tire is a better bet, assuming other factors are equal. Still, the cheaper tire may be just fine if you won’t be keeping your car for long. ConsumerReports.org/cars
Many tires have a pro-rated tread-wear warranty—but consult our tread life Rating or mileage for a direct comparison on how long a tire will last. We have found some tires with lower rolling resistance allowed our test cars to get one to two more mpg than tires with the highest rolling resistance. But the mileage you get with brand-new, low-resistance tires may initially be worse than the old, end-of-life tires you are replacing. This is because tires with tens of thousands of miles of wear have less tread and behave more like low-rolling resistance tires. We recommend sticking to the same type and size tire that originally came on your car. First, check the Ratings for ones that provide good braking and handling capabilities, as well as good hydroplaning resistance, which can help you avoid an accident. After that, look for models rated highly in areas important
Big SUVs and pickup trucks have specifically-designed tires, although many can also be used on crossovers. All-season or all-terrain SUV/truck tires are designed for the rigors of towing and carrying heavy loads. All-terrain tires also provide some off-road grip.
HOW LONG WILL THEY LAST? Our latest test of all-season and performance all-season car tires includes the projected wear-out mileage in place of the five point tread-life Rating scale. To determine longevity, we test tread life at a contract lab in Texas where each tire is driven 16,000 miles (12,000 miles for ultra-high-performance tires) on public roads. We’ve been conducting this test for several years. We found that close to half of the 48 all-season and performance all-season tires that we tested could be expected to last 65,000 miles or more, and about a half dozen could top 85,000 miles. A rewarding surprise: Long tread life doesn’t necessarily bring much of a price premium, if any. Our tread life estimates let you compare the expected miles-to-wear-out for the specific tires we tested, but your actual experience will vary by how, where, and what vehicle you drive, among many other factors. Michelin was a standout in our latest tests. The three Michelin models we CONSUMER REPORTS NEW CARS
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