Tires
Buying advice
Despite advances in longer-lasting tires, actual tread life will vary by type of car, tire type (such as all season or performance
tire), driver aggressiveness, and even road and weather conditions. Car owners still need to replace their tires a few times
or more throughout the life of a typical vehicle. As the adage goes, nothing lasts forever.
Proper maintenance and responsible driving can maximize the mileage from a set of tires. Monthly tread inspections can inform when the tires warrant replacement, well in advance of the federally mandated tread-wear indicators. While 2/32 of an inch of tread depth is the legal limit, we recommend replacing tires sooner for those typically driving through poor weather. If you routinely drive in heavy rain or winter conditions, consider replacing the tires when the tread reaches a 4/32-inch depth. That can be measured with a quarter, held with Washington upside down. His head is at about 4/32 of an inch. Our tests show that there is a significant traction difference between 2/32 and 4/32 of an inch, with highway-speed braking differences measured in the tens of feet.
Once a need for new tires is determined, it is necessary to identify the best tires for your vehicle and driving demands.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
There is a wide range of tires types and size available from popular brands such as Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli. Prices vary by size, but typically range from $50 or less for all-season car tires to more than $150 for ultrahigh-performance tires. It pays to know what is currently on your vehicle and to learn about your options.
There are three basic types of tires--car, truck, and winter--and each has a few choices in each category.
CAR TIRES
Choice of a car tire depends on how you drive, type of tire included with your car, and the performance you want.
All-season tires come in sizes to fit everything from small cars to full-sized SUVs and pickups. They are for drivers who want year-round traction, long tread wear, and a comfortable ride.
Performance all-season tires have a higher speed rating than standard all-season tires. They generally provide better handling and braking, and usually have a lower profile (shorter sidewall height) and a wider footprint for sportier applications.
Ultra performance tires are commonly fitted to sedans or sporty vehicles. These tires are designed to provide good handling and responsive steering in wet and dry conditions, but the tread wear and ride comfort are common compromises. Summer versions are not intended for snowy or icy conditions. All-season versions tend to provide a compromise of dry and wet grip relative to summer tires for all weather conditions.
TRUCK TIRES
Because of their size, dynamics, and how they are used, trucks and SUVs often require special tires.
All-season truck tires are well-rounded and are good for on-road driving. They are designed to perform reasonably well in most conditions.
All-terrain tires are suited to paved roads and light-duty off-road use. They provide added traction on unpaved and snowy roads.
WINTER TIRES
If you drive often in wintry or icy conditions, then winter tires might make sense for you.
Winter tires have a mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall. It indicates that they passed an industry test for severe snow use. All the winter tires we tested carry that symbol. Don't be misled by an M&S (mud and snow) designation found on the sidewalls of a tire. That doesn't mean it's a winter tire; it means only that the tire has a relatively open tread pattern.
Winter tires have treads with more biting edges for better grip on snow and ice, while their softer compound remains flexible even in extremely low temperatures. But on cleared roads, they might not grip as well as all-season tires and they often wear more quickly.
Performance winter tires provide higher levels of snow and ice grip, but keep some of the handling and cornering capabilities of performance tires.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Put safety first. Look for tires that do well in our tests for braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Let tread wear, ride comfort, noise, and rolling resistance be tiebreakers. Our demanding tread-life tests demonstrate that a manufacturer's warranty doesn't always reflect how a tire will wear.
Read the fine print. The warranties manufacturers provide for their tires are pro-rated; the more miles on the tire, the less credit you get on a replacement. And most tire warranties only cover damage resulting from regular use and don't cover damage resulting from potholes or other road hazards.
Know your tire's size. To find the size and type of tire recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle, check the placard in the doorjamb or glove compartment, on the fuel-filler door, or in the owner's manual.
Taking the P205/55R16 94V tire as an example, the P prefix denotes a passenger-car tire, although many light-duty trucks use tires with this designation, as well. LT is the designation for tires that are typically used on larger or heavy-duty light trucks. Some tires omit either prefix.
The 205 is the tire cross-section width in millimeters, and 55 is the ratio of sidewall height to cross-section width (55 percent). R means radial-ply construction. And 16 is the wheel diameter in inches. The number 94 corresponds to the tire's maximum load capacity. The letter V is the speed rating indicating the maximum sustained speed, in this case up to 149 mph.
Speed rating. Although we recommend buying tires with the same or greater speed rating as the original equipment tires, winter tires are the exception. When possible, look for winter tires with a speed rating that is close to or the same as the original tires they replace.
Shop around. Tire prices can vary widely by region, retailer, or even by the changing price of the raw materials used to produce them.
Check independent tire dealers, online or mail-order stores, tire chains, car dealerships, department stores, and warehouse clubs. Be sure to ask whether the price includes mounting, balancing, and new valves, which can increase total cost.
Buy fresh. Look at the sidewall of a tire for a designation beginning with DOT (for Department of Transportation). The last four digits of the designation indicate the week and year of manufacture. For example, 3307 means the tire was made during the 33rd week of 2007. Don't purchase tires that are more than a few years old.
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Proper maintenance and responsible driving can maximize the mileage from a set of tires. Monthly tread inspections can inform when the tires warrant replacement, well in advance of the federally mandated tread-wear indicators. While 2/32 of an inch of tread depth is the legal limit, we recommend replacing tires sooner for those typically driving through poor weather. If you routinely drive in heavy rain or winter conditions, consider replacing the tires when the tread reaches a 4/32-inch depth. That can be measured with a quarter, held with Washington upside down. His head is at about 4/32 of an inch. Our tests show that there is a significant traction difference between 2/32 and 4/32 of an inch, with highway-speed braking differences measured in the tens of feet.
Once a need for new tires is determined, it is necessary to identify the best tires for your vehicle and driving demands.
WHAT'S AVAILABLE
There is a wide range of tires types and size available from popular brands such as Bridgestone, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli. Prices vary by size, but typically range from $50 or less for all-season car tires to more than $150 for ultrahigh-performance tires. It pays to know what is currently on your vehicle and to learn about your options.
There are three basic types of tires--car, truck, and winter--and each has a few choices in each category.
CAR TIRES
Choice of a car tire depends on how you drive, type of tire included with your car, and the performance you want.
All-season tires come in sizes to fit everything from small cars to full-sized SUVs and pickups. They are for drivers who want year-round traction, long tread wear, and a comfortable ride.
Performance all-season tires have a higher speed rating than standard all-season tires. They generally provide better handling and braking, and usually have a lower profile (shorter sidewall height) and a wider footprint for sportier applications.
Ultra performance tires are commonly fitted to sedans or sporty vehicles. These tires are designed to provide good handling and responsive steering in wet and dry conditions, but the tread wear and ride comfort are common compromises. Summer versions are not intended for snowy or icy conditions. All-season versions tend to provide a compromise of dry and wet grip relative to summer tires for all weather conditions.
TRUCK TIRES
Because of their size, dynamics, and how they are used, trucks and SUVs often require special tires.
All-season truck tires are well-rounded and are good for on-road driving. They are designed to perform reasonably well in most conditions.
All-terrain tires are suited to paved roads and light-duty off-road use. They provide added traction on unpaved and snowy roads.
WINTER TIRES
If you drive often in wintry or icy conditions, then winter tires might make sense for you.
Winter tires have a mountain/snowflake symbol on the sidewall. It indicates that they passed an industry test for severe snow use. All the winter tires we tested carry that symbol. Don't be misled by an M&S (mud and snow) designation found on the sidewalls of a tire. That doesn't mean it's a winter tire; it means only that the tire has a relatively open tread pattern.
Winter tires have treads with more biting edges for better grip on snow and ice, while their softer compound remains flexible even in extremely low temperatures. But on cleared roads, they might not grip as well as all-season tires and they often wear more quickly.
Performance winter tires provide higher levels of snow and ice grip, but keep some of the handling and cornering capabilities of performance tires.
HOW TO CHOOSE
Put safety first. Look for tires that do well in our tests for braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Let tread wear, ride comfort, noise, and rolling resistance be tiebreakers. Our demanding tread-life tests demonstrate that a manufacturer's warranty doesn't always reflect how a tire will wear.
Read the fine print. The warranties manufacturers provide for their tires are pro-rated; the more miles on the tire, the less credit you get on a replacement. And most tire warranties only cover damage resulting from regular use and don't cover damage resulting from potholes or other road hazards.
Know your tire's size. To find the size and type of tire recommended by the manufacturer of your vehicle, check the placard in the doorjamb or glove compartment, on the fuel-filler door, or in the owner's manual.
Taking the P205/55R16 94V tire as an example, the P prefix denotes a passenger-car tire, although many light-duty trucks use tires with this designation, as well. LT is the designation for tires that are typically used on larger or heavy-duty light trucks. Some tires omit either prefix.
The 205 is the tire cross-section width in millimeters, and 55 is the ratio of sidewall height to cross-section width (55 percent). R means radial-ply construction. And 16 is the wheel diameter in inches. The number 94 corresponds to the tire's maximum load capacity. The letter V is the speed rating indicating the maximum sustained speed, in this case up to 149 mph.
Speed rating. Although we recommend buying tires with the same or greater speed rating as the original equipment tires, winter tires are the exception. When possible, look for winter tires with a speed rating that is close to or the same as the original tires they replace.
Shop around. Tire prices can vary widely by region, retailer, or even by the changing price of the raw materials used to produce them.
Check independent tire dealers, online or mail-order stores, tire chains, car dealerships, department stores, and warehouse clubs. Be sure to ask whether the price includes mounting, balancing, and new valves, which can increase total cost.
Buy fresh. Look at the sidewall of a tire for a designation beginning with DOT (for Department of Transportation). The last four digits of the designation indicate the week and year of manufacture. For example, 3307 means the tire was made during the 33rd week of 2007. Don't purchase tires that are more than a few years old.
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