If you’re looking for the best price, free shipping, good tread-life warranties, and more performance options per size than any tire brand, then you might want to look at the Goodyear brand. I know some people will not agree with me about how affordable the average price for a Goodyear is, they probably aren’t considering the fact that Goodyear offers free shipping and 30-day road test which means you can return the tires and get refunded if they don’t meet your expectations.
Tires from the brand are designed to last and that explains the above-average tread-life warranty offered. How do I evaluate tire brands?
What I do is compare common tire sizes for trucks, SUVs, and mid-size cars. Goodyear offered the most options at varying performance specs and prices. For instance, Goodyear had nine different options for a mid-six tire (size 205/65R16) covering all-season, summer, winter, all-terrain, fuel efficiency, and sports performance. Whereas most competitors had a maximum of six options.
Another thing worth noting is that tread life warranty varies according to the tire. Goodyear offers above-average tread-life warranty for each tire type, they aren’t the highest, but every warranty is above the average offered by other brands. Some winter tires don’t have warranties.
My personal favorite from Goodyear is the Wrangler Radial All-Terrain All Season Tire. There is no compromise with the Wrangler Radial, you get it all, decent mud, snow traction and hauling capacity with good fuel mileage and tire life.
Cooper Tires
I like Cooper Tires, they’re giving the top brands a tough time staying on top because their tires cost significantly less per tire than other established brands with sacrificing performance options and tread-life warranties. Cooper Tires offers affordable prices for various sizes and types of tires.
This brand offers great budget buys; if you consider the affordable price, the number of performance options fitting common tire sizes, and the above-average tread-life warranties, the value of a Cooper Tire stands out, even if slightly. The performance options you get to choose from is great. Though the tread-life warranties of Cooper Tires are above average, it isn’t really convincing.
Hankook
Although Hankook’s tread-life mileage warranties vary tire by tire, they offer the highest mileage warranty, above-average mileage, and low average price per tire. Aside from price, the biggest concern for most drivers is how durable tires are. Hankook quells this concern with industry-leading tread-life warranties.
I know tread-life warranties often have stingy conditions, the mileage covered in the warranty provides a good indication of the expected life and durability of these tires. The best Hankook warranty is one of the highest, if not the industry highest at 100,000 miles, whereas many other brands average around 83,500 miles.
The best part about Hankook is that you don’t have to pay a premium for their tires. From my research, the average price for a Hankook tire is only bested by Cooper Tire, but I consider the excellent tread-life warranty on the Hankook worth having at the price.
Remember that every tread-life warranty requires diligent tracking of mileage, maintenance records, and other conditions to make use of the warranty.
Michelin
Founded by the Michelin brothers, Edouard and Andre Michelin, the brand is a famous tire manufacturer from France and it’s one of the best tire companies in the world. Michelin tires are reputed for a quality rubber that keeps the vehicle fuel-free and securely fixed on the road. It’s no wonder two famous racing organizations, MotoGP and Le Mans are the top users of this tire.
Michelin offers various tires for vehicles ranging from motorcycles, scooters, cars, and bicycles. Michelin tires made for motorcycles are renowned for their performance, quality, and durability.
I consider the Michelin LTX M/S2 All-Season Radial Tire to be the best Michelin tire. The treadwear on this tire is very slow and the tire seems to last forever.
PIRELLI
Founded in 1872 by Giovanni Battista Pirelli in Milan, Pirelli is among the biggest and oldest tire brands in the world, just behind Goodyear, Michelin, Bridgestone, and continental brands. Many drivers assume that tires from this manufacturer will be costly because their tires are mostly spotted on super cars and are reputed for their high performance, but in reality, they aren’t as costly as you’d expect and you can buy one for your SUV or sedan. Their tires have an excellent tread-life warranty, the only downside being that they have no product that fit trucks.
I admire the Pirelli Scorpion ATR All-Terrain Tire’s handling and superior traction that makes it braking and cornering smoother.
CONTINENTAL
Another top tire manufacturing company, but this time from German. The tires made by Continental rank just behind those of Goodyear, Michelin, and Bridgestone. Even with that, they still manufacture a full line of OEM and replacement tires. Safety, environmental friendliness, and fuel economy are the three elements that are considered when making Continental tire.
Aside from vehicle tires, the company is also on the forefront and a leading supplier of automotive safety, interior electronics, brake systems, and other vehicle components. They have a headquarters in Lancaster County, S.C for U.S tire operations.
My favorite tire for winter is the Continental Extreme Contact DWS06 All-Season Radial Tire, the handling and grip the tires has on the road gives you confidence while driving.
DUNLOP
Another famous tire brand with a long history, Dunlop was founded in the late 18th century by John Boyd Dunlop. Over 120 years of Dunlop’s pioneering innovations and exceptional success from the sporty tire range has built the brand from low popularity to the first choice of most drivers and car enthusiast all over the world.
Many years of experience put Dunlop at the forefront of developing and applying innovative technology in the tire industry. Their tires enhance the feel of the road and make driving convenient for the person behind the wheel.
They uphold a very strict standard for manufacturing and testing their tires which makes them trusted by car manufacturers such as Toyota, Chrysler, TVR, Nissan, Suzuki, Honda, Isuzu, Porsche, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, AMG, Alfa Romeo, Kia, Mazda, Mitsubishi, etc.
If your current tires generate much noise and vibration, then you might want to consider the Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-Season Tire – 245/75R16 109S from Dunlop
Choosing The Best Tire
Although there have been lots of advances in tire technology, tread life is still finite and, as expected, will vary by vehicle type, tire type, road and weather conditions, maintenance, and driving aggressiveness. Over the lifetime of a typical car, you’ll need to replace the tires a couple of times because nothing lasts forever.
Tire Types
When your tires are due for replacements, we recommend figuring out what’s currently installed on your vehicle and to learn about your options. In most cases, you’ll want to go with similar replacements that match the speed rating and size of the old tires. From here, you can use the ratings as a minimum requirement to find models that excel in the areas that are important to you, such as handling, braking, ride comfort, and noise.
All-Season Car Tires
All-season tires are for drivers that require year-round traction, a comfortable ride, and long tread wear. These tires come in various sizes to fit everything from small cars to pickup trucks and SUVs. The downside is that all-season tires typically lack the precise grip and handling of performance tires.
Speed ratings: None, S (112 mph), T (118 mph)
Treadwear warranty: None or 40,000 to 100,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 14 to 18 inches
Performance All-Season Car Tires
These tires provide year-round grip and handling tuned for enthusiastic driving. They generally have a higher speed rating than most standard all-season tires, and, as expected, provide better braking and handling than regular all-season tires.
Speed ratings: H (130 mph), V (149 mph)
Treadwear warranty: None or 40,000 to 80,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 15 to 20 inches
Ultra-High-Performance Tires
Sedan or sporty vehicles are commonly fitted with all-season and summer ultra-high-performance tires to upscale the vehicle. All-season tires are specially made to provide responsive steering and good handling in wet and dry conditions, but the ride comfort and treadwear are common compromises. Summer UHP tires won’t grip in snowy or icy conditions because they were not intended for cold weather. To gain winter traction, all-season versions may compromise some dry and wet grip.
Speed ratings: ZR (149-plus mph), W (168 mph), Y (186 mph)
Treadwear warranty: None or 30,000 to 60,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 17 to 22 inches
All-Season Truck Tires
These types of tires are well-rounded tires designed to perform well in most conditions and are specially designed for the heavy loads a pickup or SUV can move.
Speed ratings: S (112 mph), T (118 mph), H (130 mph)
Treadwear warranty: None or 40,000 to 80,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 15 to 22 inches
All-Season SUV Tires
All-season SUV tires are designed specifically for modern SUVs; They are well-tuned for light-duty towing, performance, and off-road capabilities of SUVs and trucks.
Speed ratings: T (118 mph), H (130 mph)
Treadwear warranty: 60,000 to 90,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 16 to 20 inches
All-Terrain Truck Tires
All-Terrain truck tires are made for more heavy-duty applications and are suitable for use on roads that have been paved and light off-road use. The tread is more rugged to provide added traction on unpaved and snowy roads.
Speed ratings: S (112 mph) for many
Treadwear warranty: None or 50,000 to 60,000 miles
Typical wheel size: 15 to 20 inches
Winter/Snow Tires
These tires typically offer superior handling and grip to go, stop, and corner in cold, inclement weather, but since the rubber is formulated to stay pliable at freezing temperatures and the tread is specifically designed to bite into snow and ice, they normally have faster treadwear than all-season tires. Plus, they take longer to stop than all-season tires on cleared roads
Speed ratings: Q (99 mph) and higher
Treadwear warranty: None for most
Typical wheel size: 14 to 22 inches
Performance Winter/Snow Tires
Performance Winter/snow are designed to be seasonal replacements for vehicles using UHP all-season and summer tires. They come in sizes to fit those cars, providing improved cold-weather grip.
Speed ratings: H (130 mph) and higher
Treadwear warranty: None
Typical wheel size: 17 to 20 inches
Truck Winter/Snow Tires
These are specifically designed for pickups and SUVs. We recommend using use truck winter/snow tires in a set of four for optimum grip to go, stop, and corner.
Speed ratings: S (112 mph) for many
Treadwear warranty: Typically none
Typical wheel size: 15 to 20 inches
Tire Maintenance
Many of today’s tires last more than 50,000 miles before they wear out, which makes safety checks more critical than ever because heat, potholes, environment, and underinflation can weaken them before then. Here are some tips to keep your tires safe and get maximum mileage out of them.
- Check the air pressure regularly when the tires are cold (i.e. while in the garage or before they’ve been driven more than a couple of miles). Ensure they’re correctly inflated to the air pressure listed on the placard on the doorjamb, fuel-filler door, or inside the glove compartment, and if the pressure is low a portable air compressor might suffice. Ignore the pressure on the tire’s sidewall; that’s the maximum pressure for the tire.
- Look for bulges, cuts, or cracks, in the sidewall or tread, and make sure to replace tires that have them.
- Look for uneven tread wear on your tires, they typically mean your vehicle needs a proper wheel alignment or replacement of worn suspension components, and you should get both checked in an auto shop. If you’re replacing your tires, get your vehicle’s suspension and wheel alignment check prior to mounting new tires, to avoid premature treadwear.
- Overload makes the tire hotter, thereby increasing the chances of blowing out. Ensure to stay below the maximum weight capacity of the vehicle listed on the doorjamb placard.
Final Thoughts
Responsible driving style and proper maintenance can maximize the mileage in a set of tires. Performing tread inspections every month can inform when the tires need replacement, well in advance of the federally mandated tread wear indicators.
The most expensive tire brand on the market is Michelin, averaging about $217 per tire for SUV rims, $129 per tire for sedan-sized rims, $263 per tire for truck rims. Though they have an impressive range of tire series, most of the series is very limited in size, meaning there aren’t many performance options per tire size as with most brands. But, when it comes to winter tires, Michelin is the best brand you can get.