Tires

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What's behind our tire Ratings?

Experts at our National Testing and Research Center tested 180 models in tires to see which ones perform best.

We look for:

Overall score
Overall score emphasizes safety-related tests, including braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Scores and ratings are held to a comparative standard within a tire category.
Dry braking
Dry braking is from 60 to 0 mph.
Wet braking
Wet braking is from 40 to 0 mph or 60 to 0 mph. Refer to the wet braking iText at the top of the Ratings chart for the specific speed used.
Handling
Handling includes how well the tires gripped in an avoidance maneuver involving a swerve into the left lane and back into the right lane; dry and wet cornering grip; and subjective steering feel.
Hydroplaning
Hydroplaning reflects how quickly we could drive through standing water before the tires begin to lose contact with the pavement.
Snow traction
Snow traction reflects the distance our test car needed to accelerate from 5 to 20 mph on moderately packed snow.
Ice braking
We tested ice braking on a skating rink from 10 to 0 mph.
Ride comfort
Ride comfort reflects our on-road judgments.
Noise
Noise reflects our on-road judgments.
Rolling resistance
Rolling resistance, measured on a dynamometer, is a factor in fuel economy.
Tread life
Tread life is an indicator of wear potential from CR's vehicle road test on the Federal Government's treadwear course.

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Recommended tires

Recommended tires are standout choices with high scores. They include CR Best Buys, which offer exceptional value. When narrowing your choices, weigh features, price, and attributes that matter to you.

Recommended tires

Tire buying guide

To find the tire that is right for you, read our expert advice on which features to consider and how to find the best value.

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Why shop here?

In addition to finding Ratings for the latest models, you can now shop online using an ad-free interface where you can buy tires in a safe-shopping environment.

Learn more about our Price & Shop program

Car owners need to replace their tires a few times over the life of a typical vehicle. Despite advances in longer-lasting tires, actual tread life will vary by car type, tire type (such as all-season or high-performance), driving aggressiveness, and even road and weather conditions. If you're looking for information about tires, Consumer Reports is your best resource. Consumer Reports’ tire reviews will give you honest buying advice that you can trust. Use our tire buying guide to discover which features are most important to consider. We also provide unbiased Ratings and tire reviews to help you choose the best tires for your needs.

Ratings & recommended tires

Performance all season tires (41)

Available in H- and V-speed rating, they are a step up from regular all season tires both in performance and price. They place emphasis on handling, though the trade-off tends to be shorter tread life. V-speed rated tires are tuned more for performance in handling and corner grip than H-speed rated tires, but there is some overlap in performance between the two speed ratings. H- and V-speed rated tires are popular fitment on newer vehicles

All season tires (20)

All season tires are the most popular type and typically come with an S- and T-speed rating. They are standard on many sedans and minivans, and are designed to handle most conditions including dry and wet pavement and light to moderate snow. They also emphasize a comfortable, quiet ride, predictable handling and long tread life. All season tires are a good choice for most drivers, except where winters are severe.

Ultra high performance all season tires (20)

Available in the highest speed ratings of ZR with sub-speed rating categories of W and Y, these tires deliver high levels of dry and wet grip and handling, but give up some for some light duty winter traction. Like summer tires they offer a stiffer ride, shorter tread life, and a heftier price than lower speed rated tires. They are a good choice for sporty sedans and coupes.

Ultra high performance summer tires (23)

Available in the highest speed ratings of ZR with sub-speed rating categories of W and Y, these tires deliver the ultimate dry and wet grip and handling. But the penalty is often a stiff ride, short tread life, and a hefty price. As the name implies, summer tires are not suited for cold, winter temperatures. Commonly found on sports cars.

All season truck tires (23)

Consumer Reports tests passenger car tires designed for light trucks. These tires are commonly used on SUV's and light duty pickups. They are designed to handle most conditions including dry and wet pavement and light to moderate snow, well. They also emphasize a comfortable, quiet ride, predictable handling and long tread wear.

All terrain truck tires (13)

Consumer Reports tests passenger car tires designed for light trucks. These are the tires commonly used on SUV's and light duty pickups. All terrain models differ from all season tires, in that they have a more aggressive tread pattern intended for use on-road and in moderate off-road conditions. Like all season tires, all terrain models are designed to handle most conditions including dry and wet pavement and light to moderate snow, well.

Winter tires (16)

Winter tires have a tread with more biting edges for better grip on snow and ice than all season tires, and many have a softer rubber compound that remains flexible in extremely cold temperatures. But on cleared roads, they might not grip as well as all season tire and they tend to wear more quickly. Nearly all do not have tread wear warranties or government assigned grades for Tread wear, Traction, and Temperature. Winter tires should be removed once seasonal driving conditions moderate. Winter tires can be identified by a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall. Use winter tires in sets of four for balanced handling and optimum grip for braking in wintry conditions.

Performance winter tires (14)

Similar features to regular winter tires, but many of these performance winter tires come in sizes and speed ratings of H and higher for cars that use performance tire in warmer months. Performance winter tires have higher levels of snow and ice grip and keep some of the handling and cornering capabilities of the performance tires they replace, but are not always as good as all season tires on dry and wet pavement and tend to wear-out faster. Performance winter tires should be removed once seasonal driving conditions moderate. Winter tires can be identified by a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall. Use winter tires in sets of four for balanced handling and optimum grip for braking in wintry conditions.

Winter truck tires (10)

Consumer Reports tests passenger car tires designed for light trucks. The light truck winter tire segment is an emerging market, and we expect to see more models in the future. These winter tires have a tread with more biting edges for better grip on snow and ice than all season tires, and many have a softer rubber compound that remains flexible in extremely cold temperatures. But on cleared roads, they might not grip as well as all season tire and they tend to wear more quickly. Nearly all do not have tread wear warranties or government assigned grades for Treadwear, Traction, and Temperature. They should be removed once seasonal driving conditions moderate. Winter tires can be identified by a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall. Use winter tires in sets of four for balanced handling and optimum grip for braking in wintry conditions.

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Michelin Defender

(Tested)

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Tire buying guide

Despite advances in longer-lasting tires, actual tread life will vary by car type, tire type (such as all season or high performance), driving 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 in a set of tires. Monthly tread inspections can inform when the tires warrant replacement, well in advance of the federally mandated tread-wear indicators. In most states, tires are legally worn out when their tread depth reaches 1/16 inch (or 2/32 inch as found on standardized tread-depth gauges). The easiest way to measure this, if you don't have a gauge, is to hold a penny upside down in the tread. If the top of Lincoln's head is visible, you need new tires. But using a penny standard doesn't work for all weather conditions. We have found in our tests that a tire with just 1/8-inch tread was notably worse in hydroplaning resistance and snow traction. By the time only 1/16 inch remains, wet-pavement cornering and braking drop off too. Based on our experience, when your tires have less than 1/8 inch of tread left, it's a good time to start shopping for replacement tires.

As a better indicator of tread wear, place a quarter upside down in a tire groove. The distance from the coin's rim to George Washington's hairline is about 1/8 inch. If you see all of his head in any one groove where a tread-wear indicator appears, consider shopping for new tires.

Once a need for new tires is determined, it is necessary to identify the best tires for your vehicle and driving demands.