Top high-performance tires

As automakers try to boost the handling and fun-to-drive quotient of their cars, they're coming out with more models equipped with performance tires designed to optimize cornering, grip, and handling. And in the upper tier of this market—in both capability and price—are ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires.

UHP rubber, which is usually found on sports and high-performance luxury cars, is now showing up on less-expensive models, such as the Mini Cooper S and the Volkswagen GTI. Even mainstream models like the Buick LaCrosse and the Chevrolet Malibu offer UHP tire packages.

Those tires have a wide tread to maximize grip and short, stiffer sidewalls that minimize flexing while cornering. Both attributes help them deliver more responsive handling. The trade-offs, however, are typically a stiffer ride and a shorter tread life. Mainstream tire types might have a tread-wear warranty of 75,000 to 100,000 miles, for example, but a warranty for a UHP model, if there is one, goes up to only 60,000 miles.

The models we tested have speed ratings of W, Y, and Z, which means that they're capable of sustaining speeds of more than 149 mph. That might seem like overkill on public roads, but speed ratings are a good guide for a tire's overall performance. We found that tires with higher speed ratings also have better overall grip at normal highway speeds.

We tested two types of UHP tires: summer and all-season. Summer tires are designed to deliver maximum grip in temperate conditions. But they give up grip when the mercury dips to near freezing, and they provide very little grip on snowy or icy roads. UHP all-season models are for year-round use, although they don't perform as well as dedicated winter tires on snowy and icy roads. We also found that they typically last longer than summer models, which often have no tread-wear warranty.

Among the all-season models we tested, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 stands out. It delivers excellent dry-braking and handling capabilities that beat even many summer tires, as well as very good tread life. The second-place Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric All Season has slightly lower dry-braking and handling performance, but it still offers impressive overall grip, commendable handling, and long tread life.

Among the summer tires, the Pirelli P Zero and Michelin Pilot Super Sport received top marks. The P Zero earned excellent ratings for dry and wet braking, and for handling. The Pilot Super Sport is impressive for its precise handling on dry and wet surfaces, and it provides the longest tread life of any summer tire.

We also tested eight performance winter models, which are designed to provide added grip on snowy and icy roads. See our full Ratings.

It might be tempting to shop strictly by price when you need to replace your UHP tires after two or three years, but we found that you tend to get what you pay for and that there are no standout bargains among the tires we tested.

Michelins, for example, tend to cost a little more than other brands. But they consistently rate highly in our tests and generally have impressive tread life based on our evaluations.

Because tire prices can vary significantly among outlets, we recommend that you start shopping before your current tires are worn out and that you keep an eye on sales and other discounts. Begin your hunt when the tread depth of your tires reaches 4/32 of an inch. You can easily check this by inserting a quarter into each tread groove, with George Washington's head pointed down. If you can see the top of his head, it's time to start shopping.

When buying replacement tires, it's best to stick with the same size and speed rating as your car's original tires. First, check our Ratings for models with good overall scores and good braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance. Those are important safety factors that can help you avoid an accident. Once you've narrowed down your choices, look for models that performed well in other areas that are important to you, such as noise, ride comfort, or rolling resistance (a factor in fuel economy). Given the expense of these tires, choosing one with longer tire life is not only a money saver; it can also give you a wider margin of safety by letting you drive more miles before the tire's performance is degraded from wear.

If you expect to drive extensively on snowy or icy roads, you should consider getting winter tires. Designated by a mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall, they provide much better grip in those conditions than all-season tires.

We tested eight winter-tire models that fit the same cars as the ultra-high-performance tires in our larger test. And we saw a noticeable improvement in winter grip. When accelerating from 0 to 20 mph on snow, for example, these tires helped our car reach 20 mph in half the distance of UHP all-season tires.

But winter tires typically deliver relatively poor traction on cleared roads and they wear out more quickly than conventional tires. Performance snow tires are also expensive, from $165 to $250 each. Those are all good reasons to take them off at the end of the snowy season.

This year the Nokian WR G3, a top-rated tire, proved to be an exception to the usual trade-offs. It didn't offer the best snow and ice traction in our tests, but it did maintain much better dry and wet grip than other winter tires, making it a good choice for areas where roads are often plowed. For a few dollars less, the Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 performs almost as well. Those two models are also the only ones that provide a tread-wear warranty: the Nokian offers a 55,000-mile warranty and the Michelin 30,000 miles.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R2, which delivered excellent winter traction but had poor wet- and dry-braking distances. This tire isn't for everybody, but if you live in a place where you'll be driving more on snow and ice than on pavement all winter, it might be the right rubber to pull you through those tough conditions.