Best All-Season Tires for Winter Driving
Consumer Reports shows you how to choose the best tires for your cold-weather needs, with specific recommendations for cars, SUVs, and trucks
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Cooling temperatures are a clear signal that it’s time to inspect your tires to 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.
If you need tires, fall is the best time to buy. This is when tire retailers tend to have the most inventory of winter-ready tires, and there can be money-saving deals. Because availability can vary, especially as winter progresses, it is helpful to have a couple of models in mind when you call or go to your local tire shop. With that in mind, our tire experts have highlighted the best tire in each all-season category and a smart alternative.
“Shopping for your next set of tires can sometimes be daunting, especially when they are one of the more expensive consumables for your vehicle,” says Julian Barrera, senior automotive technician at Consumer Reports. “Often, when the tread depth is found to be very low, drivers are at the mercy of what is available when the vehicle is at the shop. The key is to be proactive and periodically check your tread. When it starts getting low, start shopping.”
How to Measure Tread Depth
Place a quarter head-down in a tread groove. If the top of George Washington’s head is just visible, the tread has about a 4⁄32-inch depth. That’s enough to offer some all-weather grip, but it’s time to start thinking about replacement.
Choosing the Right Tire Type
Changing your all-season tires for winter/snow tires will provide the best available grip in foul winter weather and at sub-freezing temperatures. These specialized tires offer optimal grip for stopping, accelerating, and navigating sharp turns on snow or icy roads. But this replacement strategy incurs expense and inconvenience: Changing tires every winter means purchasing another set of tires and likely new wheels. Further, winter/snow tires don’t last as long as all-seasons, and they typically compromise grip on dry and wet roads.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
How Consumer Reports Tests Tires
The engineers at Consumer Reports test more than 40 tire models every year, including those for cars, SUVs, and trucks, totaling hundreds of individual tires. We do this at our track in Connecticut for wet and dry braking, handling, ride comfort and quietness, and resistance to hydroplaning (when water gets between tires and the pavement). We do our snow-traction tests at our Auto Test Center and sometimes in northern Michigan. Ice-braking evaluations are done at a nearby skating rink.
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Find the Best Tires in Each Category That Fit Your Car
Use our tire selector, which you’ll find at the top of our tire ratings.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
