Searching for the best all-season tires can be a daunting task because you have numerous considerations to make. For starters, are you aware of the different types of tires available? Also, are you familiar with the correct size for your car?
Additionally, some all-season tires have special safety features that increase traction in various weather conditions. Finally, you need to understand the advantages and disadvantages that these products offer.
Below is a breakdown of the essential factors to consider to help you make the best choice. Also, you can peruse our picks for 5 of the best all-season tires for reliable grip regardless of the driving weather conditions.
5 of the Best All-Season Tires
1. Michelin Defender T+H All-Season Radial Tire
MICHELIN Defender T + H All-Season Radial Car Tire for Passenger Cars and Minivans, 215/65R17 99H
- Radial car tire for Passenger Cars and Minivans designed for...
- MaxTouch Construction maximizes the tire's contact with the road...
- IntelliSipe technology designed to maximize biting edges for...
- Comfort Control technology helps ensure ride satisfaction while...
- 80,000 miles manufacturer's treadwear limited warranty; 6 years...
The Michelin Defender T+H, one of the best all-season tires on the market, features a silica additive in its Evertread rubber compound and symmetrical tread pattern. Michelin uses Intellisipe Technology for designing the interlocking sipes for improved traction on wet roads. The biting edges on the sipes also enhance grip on snowy road surfaces.
The noise produced by these all-season tires is quite low, thanks to the Confort Control Technology that smoothens your ride. Additionally, the tread-life of the Michelin Defender T+H is impressive, owing to improvement in the design over the previous iterations.
Pros
Cons
2. Michelin LTX M/S All-Season Radial Tire
MICHELIN Defender LTX M/S All Season Radial Car Tire for Light Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers,...
- Radial car tire for Light Trucks, SUVs and Crossovers designed...
- More Mileage- MICHELIN EverTread Compound provides 10% more...
- Reduced risk of hydroplaning- outstanding grip for improved...
- Fuel-efficient and eco-friendly- Features MICHELIN MaxTouch...
- 70,000 Miles Manufacturer's Treadwear Limited Warranty; 6 Year...
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S, a high-performance all-season tire, features a reliable all-year grip, fuel efficiency and longer tread life. The model comes with the same Evertread Technology as Michelin Defender T+H that helps it maintain excellent performance in tasking conditions.
With this tire, you do not have to worry about dry and wet traction because of its suitability on high-torque vehicles. Additionally, the material allows it to reduce rolling resistance which improves fuel efficiency. Whether you are driving on light snow or wet roads, you can rely on the 3D active sipes tread design to improve your grip and offer a smooth and comfortable ride.
Pros
Cons
3. Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max All-Season Radial Tire
Goodyear ASSURANCE FUEL MAX All-Season Radial Tire - 205/55-16 91H
- Goodyear
- 738524571
The Goodyear Assurance Fuel Max is the best choice for drivers who want to improve fuel efficiency on the road. The tread compound features quality polymers that can help you cut up to 2,600 miles off your gas prices after lifetime use. Also, the tread has nylon strips wrapped on a polyester cord that makes it long-lasting.
The Goodyear Assurance all-season tire delivers on the wet and dry traction. The tread design features shoulder grooves and a center rib for improved stability. The microgrooves and tread notches of the tires provide biting edges to keep your vehicle on the road even in snow and ice.
Pros
Cons
4. Firestone All-Season Touring Tire 185/65R14 86T
Firestone All Season Touring Tire 185/65R14 86 T
- A Tire You Can Count On
- All-Season Performance
- Built to Last With a 65,000 Mile Limited Treadwear Warranty
- Deep sipes retain wet and all-season performance
- Specially engineered to provide performance in wet, dry, and...
The Firestone All-season Touring Tire is durable and affordable as the rubber tread pattern comes in handy in icy and snowy driving conditions. The grooves also improve grip on wet roads as the blocks and dips remove water quickly from beneath the tire while driving fast.
If you want a comfortable set of tires, the Firestone Touring has an extra layer of rubber that adds more cushion for a smoother ride. Get a quality driving experience thanks to the solid internal structure that accommodates a load capacity of 1,168 pounds.
Pros
Cons
5. TOYO Open Country RT All-Season Radial Tire
TOYO Open Country RT All- Season Radial Tire-37X13.50R20LT E/10 127Q
- This product is not for sale in the state of Arkansas
The TOYO Open Country RT, as the name suggests, is an all-season tire that is built for the rugged terrain. Its features include puncture resistance, strength, long tread-wear compounds and sealed driving performance. This tire is the product you buy if you want to explore more confidently.
Your vehicle will look more aggressive with the TOYO Open Country RT tires, but they will still be relatively quiet on the road. Feel free to drive at high speeds since the interlocking blocks act to reduce flex and enhance stability.
Pros
Cons
Key Considerations When Buying the Best All-Season Tires
a) Different Types of Tires
1. Tires for sedans, crossover utility vehicles and minivans
- All-season tires are made to ensure driving comfort and expert handling on highways regardless of the weather conditions. The tire features a symmetrical tread pattern and circumferential grooves that provide excellent traction in wet weather.
- Touring tires give drivers a comfy ride coupled with more responsive handling, especially when driving at high speed. Thus, performance is the main focus of these tires, and you can get all-season and summer variations.
- Performance tires have lateral and circumferential treads, which are larger and designed for wet weather traction. The tread compounds are enriched with silica and sip, increasing their grip at even higher speeds than touring ones.
- Summer tires deliver in both dry and wet weather but are not suitable for all-season performance. Still, they are ideal if you live in an area with a warm climate because of their solid contact patches and circumferential tread.
- Track and competition tires offer the best in performance and are not suitable for regular driving. The tire features advanced technologies to keep the vehicle on the road while turning at high speeds.
2. Trucks and service utility vehicles
- Highway tires are designed for reliable grip, a high load capacity, and tread patterns for all seasons. These versions are long-lasting because of the durable compounds in the rubber, which do not wear out unevenly.
- An all-terrain tire features a deep tread design for better traction in challenging driving conditions. Drivers can also use them on the road and experience comfortable performance.
- Mud-terrain tires have a more rugged tread that allows them to provide traction on soft surfaces. Off-road enthusiasts can rely on the durability of these tires since they resist abrasions, tears and punctures.
- Ribbed tires are the preferred type for regular highway drivers with commercial vehicles. Its rib tread design ensures your car is stable while heavily loaded and improves wet weather traction.
3. Winter tires
As their name suggests, winter tires provide optimum performance in super cold conditions due to the deep circumferential treads and intense siping. Consequently, they can remove any snow and ice from the contact patch for traction in snowy weather.
There are two types of winter tires. Studded winter tires are designed for the harshest weather with heavy ice. Non-studded ones offer a superior grip on ice to keep your car on the road.
b) All-Season Tire Size
Each car model requires a specific tire size in terms of diameter and width. It can be tempting to buy all-season tires that are bigger because they can make your car look meaner. However, a larger size can reduce the performance.
On the other hand, car manufacturers insist that you buy all-season tires that are the same size as those that came with the vehicle wheel. Still, there is leeway when it comes to the size options. Thus, consult a professional mechanic when you want to buy new tires.
c) All-Season Tire Safety Features
All-season tires combine rubber compounds and tread patterns to deliver terrific driving performance in wet and dry weather conditions. Their manufacturing technology enhances their capabilities on light snow, making them ideal for all-year drivers.
For instance, the rubber is both pliable and flexible in temperatures that are around the freezing point. Nevertheless, these are not winter tires or summer tires. Hence, their grip performance is not the best in super cold or dry weather conditions.
d) Price
In most cases, the price of the best all-season tires varies depending on the brand you want to buy. Of course, different manufacturers load competing technology on the tires they produce. Thus, you are likely to see more impressive features on products that are more expensive.
Nevertheless, there are numerous all-season tire options you can go through that are within your budget. You can check the quality and warranty features of the choice you want to go with before you make a purchase. These factors will help you on landing on a long-lasting all-season tire.
e) Perks and Drawbacks of All-Season Tires
All-season tires have some advantages over winter or summer tires. On the other hand, choosing this option comes with demerits that you need to consider. After all, the technology that goes into each type of tire is geared towards achieving a certain level of performance in varied weather conditions.
Advantages
Since all-season tires are designed for mild weather, they improve handling in wet conditions and even light snow. Most people living in moderate climates leave them on their cars all year round without worrying about getting a replacement set of tires. It can be much cheaper to get all-season performance tires.
The tread on all-season tires is deep for better grip for drivers on wet roads. The rubber compounds used in the tires make them more durable than summer ones. Plus, their manufacturing technology makes them suitable for most wet and warm conditions.
Disadvantages
When temperatures fall below the freezing point, all-season tires lose much of their performance capabilities. For starters, extreme cold causes the hardening of their rubber compound. As a result, they lose their traction on heavy snow and ice-covered roads.
Admittedly, all-season tires are a safe and suitable choice for drivers in light snowy conditions. However, deep snow, slush and ice can fill the grooves and reduce traction on the road. In these cases, winter tires are the best option because they offer better performance.
Drivers in extremely cold environments should look for tires with the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol. This mark certifies that you are buying ultra-high performance in the chilliest winter conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the Best All-Season Tires
1. What tire brand is the best for all seasons?
The Michelin Defender T+H is the best tire brand in the all-season category. It provides a combination of safety features, affordability, and ultra-high performance for your vehicle.
2. Are all-season or all-weather tires better?
All-weather tires are better than all-season ones in two ways. First, they offer better traction in both wet and dry conditions. Additionally, they offer more quality in winter driving.
Moreover, the all-weather tires have the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol for their suitability for cars in snowy areas.