When looking to buy tires for your SUV, consider their types, load index ratings, speed ratings, aspect ratios, section widths or thickness, tire sizes and any additional features. Choosing tires with a warranty covering a large mileage that spans many years goes without saying. Find out if one of our recommended SUV tires is what you need by reading on.
Are your SUV tires worn out or damaged beyond repair? Do you need replacement tires for your light truck, pickup or SUV? If you answer yes, then you’re in the right place. Auto tires come in all sorts of sizes, types and brands for use on different kinds of vehicles. SUV tires can be all-terrain, all-season, winter-only, summer-only or even snow-only.
The tread life of your tire depends on the specific tire type, the type of your car (SUV, truck, light truck, car, etc.), driving habits, weather conditions and even the conditions of the roads you drive on. These factors are bound to affect your tires’ tread life, even if they’re built to last. Moreover, you’ll still have your tires replaced when the time comes, because everything has a beginning and an end. The best way to optimize your tires’ mileage is through responsible driving and proper maintenance.
With monthly inspections of your treads, you’ll know when it’s time to replace your tires before the federal tread-wear indicators tell you so. Using proper tires on your car doesn’t just improve your handling and fuel economy, but also enhances your driving comfort and general safety on the road.
When shopping for an auto tire, you may first decide on the right type of tires for your specific vehicle depending on various factors.
When shopping for replacement tires, we recommend that you learn all about the existing tires on your vehicle and find out the available options on the market. Your first option may be similar tires with matching speed rating and size. With the right speed rating and tire size for your specific vehicle, you can find other tire models out there known to excel in the areas that matter most, such as ride comfort, braking, noise, handling, etc.
Consider
all-season auto tires, all-season performance auto tires, ultra-high performance auto tires,
all-season truck tires, all-terrain truck tires,
winter/snow auto tires, performance winter auto tires or truck winter tires. Whichever tire you want to use on your specific vehicle, this guide will help you make the right choice.
Price
When it comes to buying the right set of tires for your SUV, or any other vehicle for that matter, you get what you pay for. The quality and brand of tires will determine how much you’ll pay for any set of tires for your car. Naturally, durable, efficient and long-lasting tires are usually more expensive than those of lower quality.
Don’t opt for cheap SUV tires, as they might turn out to be more expensive in the long run – you’ll have to replace them often, and they may even compromise your safety on the road. Although-high quality tires cost more at first, they’re designed for better fuel efficiency and durable use. Premium tires are also designed for your safety on the road, preventing potential accidents and injuries.
Since tires are the only components of your car that touch the ground, making them responsible for your safety and that of your passengers, you may want to buy the best on the market. Buy top-quality tires manufactured by a well-known brand that you can afford. The price of auto tires ranges from $70 to $250. Whereas you’ll find a top-quality Michelin tire at about $250, economic brands such as GT Radial have tires that cost as little as $70.
Features
When shopping for SUV tires, there are several features you need to look out for. After determining the type of tire you want to buy for your car, which may depend on the type of road you use and prevailing climatic conditions, there’s the need to look out for treadwear and sidewall information for specific details, as discussed in the next section.
Here are some basic features to consider in your replacement tires:
- Tire type: all-season, all-terrain, winter tires, etc.
- Treadwear for even wear
- Size, such as P215/60R16
- DOT Age, such as 2315
- Warranty for mileage, such as 50000 to 80000miles
- Tire sidewall info on size, load index, speed rating, treadwear grading, traction and temperature score, etc.
With the right treadwear, tire type and sidewall information meant for your specific vehicle, you can expect to use your new tires for many years before needing replacements.
Construction and Design
When it comes to the construction and design of SUV tires, you need to consider factors such as treadwear, tire pressure, and sidewall.
Treadwear
Although new tires feature treadwear grade, it doesn’t indicate when you can expect your tires to wear out or how long they can last. What makes tire mileage comparisons difficult is the fact that they’re rated using different techniques by different manufacturers.
According to the Consumer Reports website, most tires live up to their warranty mileage claims and not all long-lasting tires are the most expensive. Treadwear deteriorates in different ways, such as over-inflation (when tread wears fast at the center), under-inflation (when it wears fast at the shoulder or edges), misalignment (when it wears fast on a single side or edge), and even wear that’s well spread across the tire and results from proper maintenance.
Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems
Since 2008, new cars come with standardized Tire Pressure Monitoring Systems (TPMS). Various studies conducted by the government have attributed TPMS to better fuel economy, reduced under-inflation of tires and improved safety on the road.
Although the federal government requires cars to have the capability of monitoring tire pressure and notifying the driver whenever significant drops are registered, no technology has been specified. Many auto tires are fitted with sensors to monitor pressure and transmit data through wireless networks known as direct TPMS to the instrument panel of the car.
Direct TPMS are powered using batteries that last years of use, after which they can be replaced or a new sensor installed. Although basic systems use light indicators to signify pressure loss, advanced systems are built with displays to indicate tire pressure readings.
These systems measure tire speed using the antilock brake systems, which in turn interpret tire pressure. Since these systems aren’t built with pressure sensors, they don’t output pressure on display units.
Tire Sidewall
As mentioned before, we advise you to buy new tires with the same speed rating and size as your original tires. Let’s explore this in more detail. You’ll need to check the tire’s cross-section width, the sidewall height-to-width ratio, and the diameter of the wheel rim.
Load Index
LI is the maximum weight or load each tire can safely support. Make sure the tires can support the weight of your SUV, even when it is full of people and luggage.
Also consider treadwear grading, speed rating, traction score, temperature score and the date code by the manufacturer. When shopping for a tire, ensure it was manufactured within the last two years. Your choice of tire for your SUV should have the right traction, speed rating and load capacity, among other features to match your unique needs for the right tires.
Performance and Ease of Use
Although environment, heat, under-inflation and potholes can weaken tires, causing them to wear faster, many SUV tires are built to last at least 50,000 miles. With proper maintenance, your new set of SUV tires should last many miles. Check your tire pressure on a monthly basis, check for uneven treadwear and stay within your tire’s maximum load capacity. Measure your tread depth every four months and look out for cuts, cracks or bulges on the tread or sidewall to know whether your tires are in good shape or need replacement.
For light trucks and SUVs, you might want to consider all-terrain tires designed for use on paved roads and light, off-road applications. Whichever type of tires you choose for your SUV, ensure the manufacturer provides sufficient information for installation and maintenance. Also ensure that the tire width number is higher for wider tires and the load index number larger for higher load capacity. Check for a warranty to protect you from manufacturing faults.
Whether you’re going for a long trip across various terrains or simply taking your kids for a ride around town, there’s a unique tire out there to meet your unique needs. We hope that with our review of five of the top SUV tires, you’ll be in a position to pick the right tire for your auto. If not, that’s okay too, because these brands we covered have plenty of other tires you can check out!