Best SUV and Truck Tires of 2025

When choosing a tire, it’s important to understand which category to focus on. Buying the first set of replacement tires for a vehicle can be straightforward because you can use the ones currently on it as a reference. But if you bought the vehicle used or you previously replaced the tires, check the recommendation in your vehicle’s owner’s manual or the tire information placard found on the driver’s doorjamb to determine the size and type.

Consumer Reports tests more than 40 tire models every year, including those suited for cars, SUVs, and trucks. This massive program involves the purchase, installation, and evaluation of about 800 tires every 12 months. We test them at our track in Connecticut for wet and dry braking and handling, ride comfort and quietness, and resistance to hydroplaning (when water gets between the tire and the pavement). We perform our snow-traction tests at our Auto Test Center and in northern Michigan. Ice-braking evaluations are done at a skating rink.

We also commission outside labs to measure each tire’s rolling resistance, which affects fuel economy, and run extensive 16,000-mile treadwear tests on public roads in western Texas. The results from those real-world tests are used to predict tread life, enabling us to offer buying advice based on actual miles driven instead of government ratings or manufacturer promises.