Tire Comparison: Best Fits by Vehicle and Driving Style

Tires are where the rubber meets the road for your vehicle—literally. Given that they impact your car's reliability, performance, gas mileage, ride quality, handling and longevity, you want the right ones.
Here's an overview of how to find the best tires for you, whatever your vehicle and driving habits.

How Long Do Tires Last?

As a rule of thumb, you should replace your tires every six years—and never drive on tires older than 10 years. Tire manufacturers also provide a specific time guideline. But how often you should replace your tires may vary based on your driving habits.

Signs You May Need New Tires

While having a timeline in mind is useful, it's more important to pay attention to your specific tires. You should check your treads frequently, especially before big journeys like a road trip. Signs that you need new tires include:

• Tire cracks, bulges or bubbles. These deformities can emerge over time as tires are exposed to the elements.
• Vibrations and performance issues. If your tires are starting to fail, you may notice more vibrations or bumps than usual. Performance might suffer, too. Your car may be harder to stop or control on rainy or slick roads.
• Worn tread. You should replace your tires when the tread's depth reaches about 4/32 of an inch. You should also replace tires if tread wear is uneven, such as if the interior of the tire has low tread but the outside is fine.

The penny test

While it may seem obvious, make sure your tires actually need replacing. Not sure? Try the penny test.
Insert a penny between the tire tread with Lincoln's head facing you and pointing down. If you can see all of Lincoln's head above the tread, it's probably time for a new set of tires. Ditto if you see uneven tread wear, cracked sidewalls, discoloration or bulging.

6 Popular Types of Tires Compared

The best type of tires depends on your specific vehicle, where you live and what kind of driving you do. You can ask your mechanic, but it's also helpful to understand the basics.

1. All-season tires

Best for

• Cars, trucks and SUVs
• Most drivers with typical driving habits

Pros

• Good for most situations
• Adequate in snow and ice

Cons

• Not designed to excel off-road or in snow and ice

Summary

All-season tires are the most common type of tire and a good fit for most drivers. If you think of yourself as needing “normal" tires, all-seasons are a great option. Note that your all-season tires will still need to fit your specific vehicle. For example, if you have a pickup truck, you need all-season truck tires designed for towing and hauling heavier loads.

2. Winter tires

Best for

• Cars, trucks and SUVs in snowy climates
• Drivers who live near or travel on roads that are often snow-covered or steep

Pros

• Great handling in snow and ice

Cons

• Need to be purchased in fours
• Typically need a different set of tires for the season without snow
• Changing tire sets can be costly or time-consuming

Summary

Winter tires, also known as snow tires, are great for driving in snowy climates. Snow tires have sipes, meaning a type of tread with lots of slits. These provide great grip and handling on snow and ice. If you live in a very snowy climate or spend lots of time in ski towns, you'll want to consider winter tires during the snowy season.

3. Performance tires

Best for

• Performance or sports cars that are driven occasionally
• Drivers who don't need to travel in bad weather

Pros

• Great handling at high speeds
• Designed for high-output engines with lots of horsepower

Cons

• Not good in the snow
• May be loud or bumpy
• Don't last as long as other tire types
• May impact gas mileage

Summary

Performance tires deliver extra grip to sporty, high-speed vehicles. These tires can be used for daily driving, but they're designed to deliver great handling to vehicles with lots of horsepower. While performance all-season tires are a great option, performance tires generally don't do well in snow.

4. All-terrain tires

Best for

• Trucks or SUVs designed for off-roading

Pros

• Capable off-road, while still comfortable on daily drives
• Offers the best of both worlds for people who occasionally go four-wheel driving

Cons

• May be loud or bumpy on the road
• Not as capable as dedicated off-road tires
• Not good in snow or ice

Summary

Not to be confused with all-season tires, all-terrain tires are for vehicles that are occasionally used off-road as well as on paved roads and highways. They're made from stiff rubber, which can stand up to rocks, dirt and debris, but isn't great in snow. Mud tires are a type of all-terrain tire.

5. Off-road tires

Best for

• Cars and SUVs that are mostly or entirely used off-road

Pros

• Great grip and handling on dirt, sand and mud

Cons

• Noisy and bumpy on pavement

Summary

Off-road tires are super durable and designed for vehicles that go four-wheel driving regularly. They're hearty, but they're typically loud on the road and don't offer a particularly smooth or comfortable ride.

6. Run-flat tires

Best for

• Electric vehicles without a spare tire

Pros

• Offers the ability to drive about 50 miles without air, potentially reducing dangerous situations involving changing a tire

Cons

• Expensive—run-flats can cost twice as much as typical tires

Summary

Run-flat tires can maintain their shape even if they lose air because of a puncture. This can give you time to find a shop to repair the tire and help you avoid dangerous situations, such as changing a tire on the side of the highway. Run-flat tires are often standard on electric vehicles, since these vehicles typically don't have a spare tire.

Key Factors To Consider When Choosing Your Tires

• Climate and typical weather conditions. If you live somewhere with snow and ice, you should likely opt for winter tires during the coldest months. But if you live in an area that never gets snow, all-seasons will be fine.
• Driving habits and frequency. Choose tires that fit your lifestyle and driving habits. If you have a long commute, look for long-lasting tires designed to take more wear. If you spend your weekends off-roading, all-terrain tires might be a better fit.
• Vehicle make and model. Check your owner's manual to see if your manufacturer makes specific tire recommendations.
• Personal preferences. Tires can impact your comfort and confidence. Think about what's most important—for example, snow tires can give extra peace of mind in wintry weather, but might cause road noise that some drivers prefer to avoid.
• Tread life and warranty. The projected tread life of a tire and the manufacturer's warranty can give you a sense of how long the tire should last.
• Budget considerations. Tires can be expensive, especially if you opt for specialized tires like performance or mud tires. Basic all-season tires are often more affordable.
• Tire brand. One way to choose the right tires is by going with a proven brand, such as Pirelli, Continental, Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Nokian, Dunlop, Yokohama, Toyo, Hankook or Cooper.

NHTSA Tire Rating Lookup

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has rated thousands of tire lines used on passenger cars, minivans, SUVs and light pickup trucks. Their lookup tool helps you compare the following performance factors by brand and tire line:

1. Traction - Tire traction ratings (AA, A, B and C) indicate how well the tire can stop on wet pavement. The higher the rating, the shorter the stopping distance.
2. Temperature resistance - Temperature grades (A, B and C) indicate how resistant the tire is to heat, which is important if you drive long stretches in hot weather.
3. Treadwear - Tires are graded from 100 to 600 on their relative rate of wear. The higher the grade, the better the tire stands up to wear.

Understanding Tire Speed Ratings

A tire's speed rating (see chart below) is an indication of how well it will perform at a particular test speed.

Tire speed rating chart

The higher the speed rating, the better the handling will be. Generally, high-performance cars use H (130 mph) or V (149 mph) ratings, while passenger vehicles use S (112 mph) and T (118 mph) ratings.

Frequently Asked Questions About Car and Truck Tires

Q: Can I mix different types of tires?

A: For best performance, you should have four of the same type of tire on your car at a given time. However, you can switch between multiple sets of tires, such as winter tires for snowy months and performance tires for months with little snow.

Q: How often should tires be replaced?

A: A rule of thumb is that tires should be replaced every six years. However, you may need to replace tires before that. Check your tire tread quarterly to ensure your tires are still safe.

Q: Can I only replace two tires?

A: You can replace just two tires if you have front- or rear-wheel drive and the tires aren't too worn. However, if you have an all-wheel-drive vehicle, you'll need to replace all tires at the same time.

Q: Do I need an alignment with new tires?

A: Yes, you should get an alignment when you get new tires. This helps ensure the tires hit the road at the correct angle, increasing the tires' lifespan and your fuel efficiency.

Q: Should I buy a road hazard warranty?

A: A road hazard warranty covers damage—including tire damage—from debris in the road. If you're considering one, compare the price of the warranty to the cost of getting four new tires if you were to pop one.

Rolling On

Tires are the lifeline for your car, so choosing the right set is important. Consider your driving habits and choose tires that will provide the performance, comfort and peace of mind you need.
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