-
-
My AccountORDon't have an account?Get Started Here
- We use the best SSL technology to ensure our site is secure — Norton Security Services.
Create AccountORAlready have an account?Log In Here- We use the best SSL technology to ensure our site is secure — Norton Security Services.
The Best Tires for Winter Driving: Our Top Performers
Discover how some of the latest all-season, all-weather, and winter tires performed on snow during our 2023-24 testing season!
Earlier this year, we conducted winter testing in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, evaluating over 50 tires and we have the results and charts to prove it. Whether you're looking for reliable all-season or all-weather options or need dedicated winter tires to tackle the snowy season, our definitive test results provide clear insights into their snow performance.
Testing Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires 2023
Our final UHPAS test of the year was our most competitive yet!
Tires Tested
Bridgestone Potenza Sport AS (Ultra High Performance All-Season, 225/40R18 92Y XL)
- What We Liked: The steering and lateral traction, along with its well-executed winter performance.
- What We'd Improve: A slightly quieter ride without giving up performance.
- Conclusion: A worthy addition to the category that wastes no time in making an impact.
Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus (Ultra High Performance All-Season, 225/40R18 92Y XL)
- What We Liked: It's good at most things, and a nice mix of composed and comfortable on the road.
- What We'd Improve: Some additional steering resistance would help.
- Conclusion: A reliable veteran that has aged well, but whose competition is catching up.
Pirelli P Zero AS Plus 3 (Ultra High Performance All-Season, 225/40R18 92Y XL)
- What We Liked: The strong braking and grip work in harmony with its responsive steering.
- What We'd Improve: It could be a bit more comfortable.
- Conclusion: An all-rounder standout with few real weaknesses.
Vredestein Hypertrac All Season (Ultra High Performance All-Season, 225/40R18 92Y XL)
- What We Liked: The low overall road volume, balanced performance, and good winter grip.
- What We'd Improve: We'd appreciate more precision in steering and a bit less bounce on the road.
- Conclusion: A very well-balanced tire competing in the presence of greats.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2023
Three-peak mountain snowflake Grand Touring All-Season tires are put to the test.
Tires Tested
Falken Aklimate (Grand Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91V SL)
- What We Liked: It's comfortable on the road and capable when pushed on the track.
- What We'd Improve: A slight bump in most characteristics would bring it to greatness.
- Conclusion: A good all-round tire that should satisfy drivers in most situations.
Nokian Encompass AW01 (Grand Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91V SL)
- What We Liked: Its snow traction is good for the category and on-road behavior is adequate.
- What We'd Improve: There's room to improve both its on-road comfort and wet traction.
- Conclusion: It's a decent tire that could make some drivers happy but struggles to make a case for itself outside the winter season.
Toyo Celsius II (Grand Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91H SL)
- What We Liked: On the road, it's composed, cushioned and comfortable.
- What We'd Improve: It could be a tad quieter.
- Conclusion: A deserving entry that understands the mission of a touring tire.
Vredestein Quatrac (Grand Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 94V XL)
- What We Liked: It does everything everyone else does, but better.
- What We'd Improve: It has some persistent resonance on most surfaces.
- Conclusion: A great tire, that while imperfect, remains one of the better touring options available.
Testing Highway All-Season Tires 2023
Two new daily drivers face a customer favorite.
Tires Tested
Kumho Crugen HT51 (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: It kept pace and never really stumbled in any weather conditions.
- What We'd Improve: Could use greater wet traction and some refinement to ride comfort.
- Conclusion: It's not a bad tire, but it didn't quite find a way to shine, apart from its respectable winter performance.
Laufenn X FIT HT (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110V)
- What We Liked: It's well-cushioned, muted and composed.
- What We'd Improve: Wet and winter traction could be tightened up.
- Conclusion: It's very good and with some improvement to performance in slippery conditions, could be great.
Sumitomo Encounter HT2 (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: The best wet performance in the test.
- What We'd Improve: It could use some additional refinement on the road.
- Conclusion: Respectable performance in all weather conditions, with room to improve on the street.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2023
A newcomer from Pirelli faces stiff competition.
Tires Tested
Bridgestone WeatherPeak (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/40R18 88V)
- What We Liked: It's easy to drive and comfortable over broken pavement.
- What We'd Improve: We want a bump in dry and wet grip to complement its handling.
- Conclusion: It's a nicely rounded all-weather touring tire.
Michelin CrossClimate2 (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/40R18 92V)
- What We Liked: Its sharp steering and strong braking in dry or wet.
- What We'd Improve: The ride could use some softening.
- Conclusion: It still checks the right boxes even if the competition is finding some inroads.
Pirelli Cinturato WeatherActive (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/40R18 92W)
- What We Liked: Its steering is bright and responsive on-road and around the track.
- What We'd Improve: Reduce some tread growl and find a slight increase in dry handling.
- Conclusion: It's a worthy addition to the strong category subset.
Vredestein Quatrac Pro (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/40R18 92Y)
- What We Liked: What can't it do at a high level?
- What We'd Improve: We'd like a bump in winter grip.
- Conclusion: Still a strong option for an all-weather Grand Touring All-Season.
Testing Studless Ice & Snow Tires 2022
As with many difficult tasks, the right tool can make all the difference. When it comes to inclement winter weather, we find Studless Ice & Snow winter tires to be that game-changing tool. They are a master at alleviating stress by providing reassuring confidence when winter weather is at its worst. In this test, our team challenges several of the strongest competitors in the category, and one previously untested tire, Cooper’s latest release, the Discoverer True North, to see how they compare in variable road conditions.
Tires Tested
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 (Studless Ice & Snow, 225/45R17 91H)
- What We Liked: Its test leading traction on almost every surface.
- What We'd Improve: Add some on-road refinement if it doesn't diminish the traction.
- Conclusion: It's an impressive winter weather tool.
Continental VikingContact 7 (Studless Ice & Snow, 225/45R17 94T)
- What We Liked: It has nice road manners and strong grip.
- What We'd Improve: We always want more wet and ice traction.
- Conclusion: It's a well-balanced performer in both inclement weather and clear roads.
Cooper Discoverer True North (Studless Ice & Snow, 225/45R17 94H)
- What We Liked: It has competitive grip where it matters most.
- What We'd Improve: A little refinement could help it on the road.
- Conclusion: It can compete with the best and shouldn't be overlooked.
Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra (Studless Ice & Snow, 225/45R17 94H)
- What We Liked: It has well balanced traction and satisfying steering.
- What We'd Improve: Some additional noise refinement and a bump in wet grip.
- Conclusion: It provides competent traction and nice road manners.
Testing Studdable Winter / Snow Tires 2022
In this exciting, multi-faceted winter showdown, we compare two of the most popular Studdable Winter/Snow tires, the Firestone Winterforce 2 and General AltiMAX Arctic 12. Both tires were previously untested, so we were excited to see how they performed against each other. Additionally, we took the opportunity to include the AltiMAX Arctic 12 with studs installed to determine how much difference studs make in all aspects of performance. We also included a Studless Ice & Snow winter tire in the ice portion of this test to get a general idea of the relative traction drivers can expect if they choose a strong performer from that category.
Tires Tested
Firestone Winterforce 2 (Studdable Winter / Snow, 225/45R17 91S SL)
- What We Liked: The ride is nicely composed.
- What We'd Improve: It needs a sizable improvement in wet traction. It's loud on the road and just OK on the ice.
- Conclusion: A comfortable, if noisy ride, this is an upgrade from an All-Season in the right conditions.
General AltiMAX Arctic 12 (Studdable Winter / Snow, 225/45R17 94T XL)
- What We Liked: The ice traction is solid for the category. It's decent on the road, too.
- What We'd Improve: We would like some additional wet traction and less road noise.
- Conclusion: It delivers a nice all-around blend of characteristics.
General AltiMAX Arctic 12 (Studded) (Studdable Winter / Snow, 225/45R17 94T XL)
- What We Liked: The strong ice braking is a nice improvement.
- What We'd Improve: It's not that much better on the ice than the non-studded version. The road noise is intense. It's not legal for road use everywhere.
- Conclusion: Invest in a good Studless Ice & Snow winter tire instead.
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive Preview Report
Preview testing Pirelli’s latest do-it-all tire.
Tires Tested
Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive (Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season, 265/60R18 110V)
- Conclusion: The Scorpion WeatherActive truly impressed our team throughout the preview drive, and any negatives we could find seemed more like calculated compromises, rather than mistakes or oversights. The Pirelli was good on the clear streets of our road ride route, which is the condition it will most often be operated in. Any compromises in pattern noise are minimal and probably a welcome tradeoff for its reassuring dry and wet traction. Given its balanced, and very good, performance in our winter testing, those minimal compromises are likely to fade into memory as soon as any snowy conditions arrive.
Testing Highway All-Season Tires 2022
In this Tire Rack test, we take a look at Highway All-Season tires. A category meant to deliver a smooth, comfortable daily drive, a long tread life, and capable, all-season traction through inclement weather. Utilizing a new test platform for 2022, we evaluated two top performers that define the Highway All-Season category against a new entry from Vredestein, the Pinza HT. Like the other two tires in this test, do we foresee the newcomer climbing the ranks to the top? We shall see!
Tires Tested
Continental TerrainContact H/T (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: Strong wet, snow and ice traction, with excellent noise comfort.
- What We'd Improve: Give it a slight bump in steering effort.
- Conclusion: It's an excellent option with little compromise.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: Its ride feels expertly damped and the steering feels precise.
- What We'd Improve: An increase in wet and winter traction would make it more competitive.
- Conclusion: It's a well-regarded choice for a reason.
Vredestein Pinza HT (Highway All-Season, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: It has great handling balance and soaks up large bumps.
- What We'd Improve: We'd like to see some ride refinement and sharpen up the steering.
- Conclusion: It has the right formula and should satisfy like its competition.
Electric Vehicle Tires – Comparing Continental Original Equipment to Aftermarket
For the last test in this two-part series, we compare the OE Continental ProContact RX T1 on the Tesla Model 3 to the ever-popular aftermarket option, the Continental PureContact LS. Original equipment (OE) tires on electric vehicles (EVs) are highly focused on efficiency. While that’s all well and good, there tends to be the lingering question, “how much” more efficient are they than popular replacement tires? The answer varies with each tire. On a continued mission to develop a picture that will help us provide some guidance for drivers, we turn to Continental as a benchmark.
Tires Tested
Continental ProContact RX T1 (OE) (Grand Touring All-Season, 235/40R19 96V)
- What We Liked: It's nice on the road and decent in the wet.
- What We'd Improve: The steering is just OK. It could be better in the wet and the snow.
- Conclusion: It strikes a surprising balance for an OE tire.
Continental PureContact LS (Grand Touring All-Season, 235/40R19 96W)
- What We Liked: It has great traction in the wet and isn't far off the OE tire for range. It's pretty good in the snow, as well.
- What We'd Improve: It's a touch loud on the road and isn't great to drive on the track.
- Conclusion: This one is nicely balanced, too.
Electric Vehicle Tires – Comparing Michelin Original Equipment to Aftermarket
For the first test in this two-part series, we compare the OE Michelin Primacy MXM4 T1 on the Tesla Model 3 to the ever-popular aftermarket option, the Michelin CrossClimate2. Original equipment (OE) tires on electric vehicles (EVs) are highly focused on efficiency. While that’s all well and good, there tends to be the lingering question, “how much” more efficient are they than popular replacement tires? The answer varies with each tire. We wanted to start developing a picture that would help us provide some guidance for drivers.
Tires Tested
Michelin Primacy MXM4 T1 (OE) (Grand Touring All-Season, 235/45R18 98V)
- What We Liked: More efficiency = more range. The ride and noise quality are top-notch.
- What We'd Improve: The steering is just "OK," and we would like more wet and wintertime traction.
- Conclusion: Its focus is on range, but it's good all-around.
Michelin CrossClimate2 (Grand Touring All-Season, 235/45R18 98W)
- What We Liked: It's great to drive and has impressive traction, regardless of the weather.
- What We'd Improve: Range takes a big hit. The ride is a little firm.
- Conclusion: It prioritizes traction over efficiency.
Testing Standard Touring All-Season Tires 2022
Standard Touring All-Season tires focus on delivering day-in, day-out reliability and longevity. The two benchmark performers we use in this test, the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife and Continental TrueContact Tour, are no exception. We challenge the two well-regarded tires against the latest Standard Touring All-Season tire from Michelin, the Defender2. The Defender2 boasts technologies that heavily promote smooth, even treadwear and a durable compound focused on long life. How will the newcomer stack up against two tires that have proven their place in the category?
Tires Tested
Continental TrueContact Tour (Standard Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91H)
- What We Liked: Its excellent wet traction really stood out with our drivers.
- What We'd Improve: The ride can be a little choppy at times.
- Conclusion: A top option, especially when wet weather traction is a priority.
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife (Standard Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91H)
- What We Liked: It has test leading road comfort and handling.
- What We'd Improve: A bump in wet traction would yield significant gains overall.
- Conclusion: It has the formula and is a well-balanced tire for the category.
Michelin Defender2 (Standard Touring All-Season, 205/55R16 91H)
- What We Liked: Its expertly tuned damping and steering on the street.
- What We'd Improve: A significant increase in wet and snow traction would be nice.
- Conclusion: It's a capable tire that might not focus on ultimate wet grip.
Testing On-/Off-Road All-Terrain Tires 2022
In this Tire Rack test, we were excited to challenge the new Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T. Aimed squarely at the center of this market, the Baja Boss A/T looks to blend aggressive features and bold off-road traction with civilized road manners. It utilizes a cut-and-chip resistant compound for off-road toughness, plus a functional and attractive upper sidewall treatment that protects against punctures and enhances traction in loose terrain. To test the Baja Boss A/T’s claims, we compared it to two consumer favorites; the Falken WildPeak A/T3W and the Toyo Open Country A/T III. How will the newcomer compare?
Tires Tested
Falken WildPeak A/T3W (Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 114T)
- What We Liked: Test-leading noise comfort and wet traction.
- What We'd Improve: The steering could be more responsive, with more lateral traction in the snow, and the ride is a little firm.
- Conclusion: We can see why it's a consumer favorite.
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T (Rugged All-Terrain, 265/60R18 114T)
- What We Liked: The ride is very comfortable, with capable command in the snow.
- What We'd Improve: It could use a bump in wet traction and a little less tread noise on the road.
- Conclusion: This new addition is worth consideration.
Toyo Open Country A/T III (Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: A nice ride, coupled with alert steering that feels surprisingly sporty, while still offering reasonable winter capability.
- What We'd Improve: We would like some additional wet grip.
- Conclusion: It's a strong option in dry conditions.
TESTING ON-/OFF-ROAD ALL-TERRAIN TIRES 2022
The On-/Off-Road All-Terrain tires in this test are built to offer more off-pavement capabilities than their highway or touring counterparts, but knowing they are most often driven on the road, aim to strike the delicate balance between the two. To best represent this performance category, we rounded up several previously tested favorites that all performed well in their respective tests; the Firestone Destination A/T2, the Vredestein Pinza AT, and the Continental TerrainContact A/T. Will one tire prove superior?
Tires Tested
Continental TerrainContact A/T (On-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: Its test-leading wet and snow traction, with athletic steering on the road.
- What We'd Improve: A small increase in impact comfort would really improve the ride.
- Conclusion: It just edges out the competition in some important areas.
Firestone Destination A/T2 (Off-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 109T)
- What We Liked: It's comfortable over bumps with responsive handling.
- What We'd Improve: It's on the right track, if everything received a small bump it would be tough to beat.
- Conclusion: It's very good and would be great with that last bit of performance and refinement.
Vredestein Pinza AT (On-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110H)
- What We Liked: The ride comfort is good, and it has appropriate traction levels.
- What We'd Improve: It could use some refinement in the steering and an increase in wet lateral grip.
- Conclusion: It has some tough competition but shows it belongs in the conversation.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022
The benchmark tires we selected to represent the Grand Touring All-Season category in this test, the Vredestein HiTrac All Season and the BFGoodrich Advantage Control, have proven to deliver the traits most desired of a Grand Touring All-Season tire. The previously untested, Cooper Endeavor, and the successor to a customer favorite, the General AltiMAX RT45, seem to check all the right boxes on paper. Will they live up to their claims when tested by our team?
Tires Tested
BFGoodrich Advantage Control (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91H)
- What We Liked: It has a soft ride over large impacts.
- What We'd Improve: It could use less tread noise and an increase in steering feedback. The light snow traction is just "OK."
- Conclusion: It does the job but could use some refinement.
Cooper Endeavor (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: The crisp and responsive steering is nice.
- What We'd Improve: It needs an improvement in wet braking and could use a bump in the snow, too.
- Conclusion: It's a nicely executed, fair-weather touring tire.
General AltiMAX RT45 (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 94V)
- What We Liked: The ride is well-composed over rough pavement, and it performs respectably in winter conditions.
- What We'd Improve: Tread noise is a bit high for the group.
- Conclusion: It's a well-rounded performer, but doesn't stand out.
Vredestein HiTrac All Season (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91H)
- What We Liked: The wet traction leads the test by a considerable margin.
- What We'd Improve: Some increased steering response on the road would be great.
- Conclusion: It checks all the right boxes on paper and on car.
Testing On-/Off-Road All-Terrain Tires 2022
This Tire Rack test focuses on On-/Off-Road All-Terrain tires that lean more toward on-road comfort and refinement than extreme off-road capability. While they may not be the first choice for the enthusiastic off-roader, they certainly possess a balanced blend of on-/off-road characteristics, great for variable terrain. Headlined by the Kumho Road Venture AT52, we selected two worthy competitors for this test; the consumer-favorite, Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S and the previously untested General Grabber APT. See which competitor comes out on top.
Tires Tested
Cooper Discoverer AT3 4S (On-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: Test-leading noise comfort, snow and wet traction.
- What We'd Improve: The ride is a little firm, and the steering could be more engaging.
- Conclusion: This customer favorite is a strong performer in almost any situation.
General Grabber APT (On-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: The ride is very comfortable.
- What We'd Improve: It could use a bump in wet and snow traction and handling dynamics.
- Conclusion: It's satisfying in the dry and a little tricky in the wet.
Kumho Road Venture AT52 (On-Road All-Terrain, 265/60R18 110T)
- What We Liked: The alert steering feels surprisingly sporty, and the ride is quite nice.
- What We'd Improve: We would like some additional wet and wintertime grip.
- Conclusion: It delivers a compelling blend of characteristics.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022
Grand Touring All-Season tires represent the pinnacle of on-road design for the daily driver. They strive to offer a high-level blend of comfort, handling, traction and tread life, which is no small feat. In this report, we test one the newest entries to the category, the Bridgestone WeatherPeak against two popular benchmark performers.
Tires Tested
Bridgestone WeatherPeak (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: Great on-road manners and steering.
- What We'd Improve: It could use more composure when pushed.
- Conclusion: An impressive package that's ready to compete with the best.
Continental PureContact LS (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: Athletic handling and traction.
- What We'd Improve: Add some more on-road refinement.
- Conclusion: It's still right up there with the top performers.
Michelin CrossClimate2 (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: Its precise steering, well-damped ride, and excellent winter performance.
- What We'd Improve: Tune out a little road noise on smooth pavement.
- Conclusion: Does everything well with no real compromises.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022
In this test, we were excited to put the DriveGuard Plus, featuring Bridgestones latest generation run flat technology to the test. Bridgestone designed the DriveGuard Plus to compete head-to-head with the finest touring tires on the market with no caveats or excuses. With this claim, we knew we weren’t going to take it easy on this tire! We chose two of the most comfortable touring tires on the market as benchmarks for this test.
Tires Tested
Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45RF17 91W)
- What We Liked: The ride quality is impressive, and the steering is satisfying.
- What We'd Improve: It could use a small bump in wet grip and light snow traction.
- Conclusion: This is a premium touring tire with the added benefit of run flat capability.
Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: Test-leading wet traction and commendable on-road refinement.
- What We'd Improve: The steering is a little non-linear and unnatural, and it needs a big improvement in the snow.
- Conclusion: It's a very compelling option for drivers who want a comfortable tire
Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 (Grand Touring All-Season, 225/45R17 94H)
- What We Liked: IIt's comfortably sporty on the road and surprisingly adept on the track.
- What We'd Improve: It needs a big increase in wet traction.
- Conclusion: A great tire that's somewhat let down by its performance in the wet.
Testing Grand Touring All-Season Tires 2022
The Toyo Celsius Sport is the latest entry into the category, built to offer predictable handling and, as the name suggests, an element of sportiness. Along with the newcomer, we’ve assembled a group of other like-minded, all-season tires that share the same space within the Grand Touring All-Season category: The Firestone WeatherGrip, General AltiMAX 365 and the Vredestein Quatrac Pro. Which tire will lead the pack in this Tire Rack test?
Tires Tested
Firestone WeatherGrip (Grand Touring All-Season, 215/45R17 91V)
- What We Liked: It's impressive in the snow and mostly compliant over large impacts.
- What We'd Improve: It needs a big increase in wet traction.
- Conclusion: A winter focused all-season performer.
General AltiMAX 365 AW (Grand Touring All-Season, 215/45R17 87V)
- What We Liked: Its responsive front end and dry lateral grip levels.
- What We'd Improve: Add more wet traction and refine the steering at lower speeds.
- Conclusion: Another winter-focused all-season tire that could use some refinement.
Toyo Celsius Sport (Grand Touring All-Season, 215/45R17 91Y)
- What We Liked: Crisp steering and a well-damped, sporty ride.
- What We'd Improve: A bump in wet traction without sacrificing anything else.
- Conclusion: A well-executed, athletic choice within the 3PMSF options in the category.
Vredestein Quatrac Pro (Grand Touring All-Season, 215/45R17 91W)
- What We Liked: Excellent wet traction with manners to match for the street.
- What We'd Improve: Some more life in the steering at times.
- Conclusion: An across the board, high-level performer.
SERVICE WITH A SMILE
Need help choosing the right products for your vehicle? Our team of highly trained experts has the knowledge and passion to help. Just pick up the phone and give us a ring. Or let's chat via email. We love solving problems and lending a hand (or an ear).
Contact Us