Best All-Season Tires Listed for Winter Driving in Cars, SUVs, and Trucks

TIME TO GET YOUR WINTER/SNOW TIRES

Winter is nearly here and now is the time to get serious about taking care of your vehicle’s winter tire needs before shortages due to the pandemic could lead to a lack of winter/snow tires to choose from for your particular type of vehicle.

Related article: Consumer Reports Car Experts Explain and Compare 2WD vs. AWD vs. 4WD

CR Tire Tests

Putting to the test a wide selection of tires on closed tracks, snow-traction tests in New York state; and yes---even sometimes on hockey rinks to provide a controlled test surface to compare tires under identical ice conditions, tire specialists at Consumer Reports have just released their latest listing of recommended tires.

Related article: Consumer Reports Treadwear Testing Reveals How Long Some Tire Types Really Do Last

Do I Need New Tires Right Now?

If you are unsure whether or not you really need new tires for the winter, CR analysts offer this bit of decision-guiding advice:

Cooling temperatures are a clear signal that it’s time to inspect your tires and make sure you’re ready for winter weather. Tread depth is a key factor in how well tires can resist hydroplaning and sliding in snow. Tires are considered worn out when the tread is down to a 2⁄32-inch depth. But for winter, it’s wise to start shopping at a 4⁄32-inch depth.

To determine your vehicle tires’ tread depth, just place a quarter head-down into a tread groove. If you can see that the top of George Washington’s head is just visible, the tread should have about a 4⁄32-inch depth to it. According to CR tire experts, “That’s enough to offer some all-weather grip, but it’s time to start thinking about replacement.”

Best All-Season Tires for Winter Driving

That said, here are the all-season tire models they recommend this week to help keep you on the road when road conditions are slippery:

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• Best All-Season Tire for cars, minivans, SUVs, and trucks: Firestone WeatherGrip (Price: $113.99 - $116.99) ---rated good for hydroplaning and ice braking; and, excellent for snow traction.

• Best Performance All-Season & Tire: General Altimax 365 AW (Price: $147.99) ---a step up from regular all-season tires, this one is rated good for hydroplaning; and, excellent for ice braking and snow traction.

• Best Ultra-High Performance All-Season Tire: BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S (Price: $262.96 - $271.91) --- a significant step up from performance all-season tires, delivering higher levels of dry and wet grip and handling, but at a cost of a little less traction. This one is rated good for hydroplaning, ice braking and snow traction.

• Best All-Season SUV Tire: Michelin CrossClimate SUV (Price: $236.96 - $246.13) --- a good blend of all-weather grip, secure handling, low noise, smooth ride, long tread life; and, they’re specifically engineered for SUVs--- but not rated for ice-braking ability. This one is rated good for hydroplaning, and excellent for snow traction.

• Best All-Season Truck Tire: Michelin Defender LTX M/S [T] (Price: $211.00 - $221.01) ---for both SUVs and light-duty pickups, these tires work well under most wintery driving conditions, including dry and wet pavement and light to moderate snow. This one is rated good for hydroplaning and excellent for snow traction.

And finally…

For additional tire-related articles, be sure to check out these selected two: “Everything You Need To Know About Buying Car and Truck Tires” and “The Best Rated High Performance Car Tires of 2021 Including Winter Swap Outs.”

Timothy Boyer is Torque News Tesla and EV reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily Tesla and electric vehicle news.

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