Consumer Reports’ test results reveal which companies make the best-performing tires
By Jeff S. Bartlett
Updated October 14, 2025

Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
There are significant performance differences among tire brands and models, particularly in grip and tread life, based on Consumer Reports’ extensive tire testing.
“The best tires shine for impressive braking, handling, and hydroplaning resistance. For all-season and winter tires, snow traction and stopping on ice are important in our scores,” says Ryan Pszczolkowski, Consumer Reports’ tire program manager. “And the best brands are those whose tires consistently shine in those areas.”
To steer you in the right direction when choosing replacement tires, we analyzed the test results of 129 models to rate the 18 brands from which we tested four or more models. The final result is based on the average Overall Score for the tested tires.
“The top brands can be a great place for shoppers to start,” says Gordon Gingras, an automotive engineer at Consumer Reports. But he recommends checking with the specific tire ratings for the category because they reveal not only the best-performing model but also how tires perform in each test, so you can find the models that shine in the areas that matter most to you.
The tires we test come from these categories: all-season tires; ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season and UHP summer tires; all-season SUV tires; all-season and all-terrain truck tires; winter/snow car and truck tires; and performance winter/snow tires.
Below we’ve spotlighted the top four brands and listed recommended tires from each across all the categories we test.

We perform braking tests at a local skating rink to ensure consistent conditions.
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
Our tests measure performance in braking, comfort, handling, hydroplaning (when water gets between the tire and the pavement), noise, snow traction, and other important areas. We test braking on ice at a local skating rink (shown above), and an outside lab assesses rolling resistance, which affects fuel economy. Plus, we evaluate tread life by driving thousands of miles on a road course in western Texas and use that information to predict tread life.
Combined, this extensive information can help you find the best tires from 30 tested brands, including BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Continental, Cooper, Falken, Firestone, General, Goodyear, Hankook, Kumho, Michelin, Nexen, Nitto, Nokian Tyres, Pirelli, Sumitomo, Toyo, Uniroyal, Vredestein, and Yokohama.
A tire must excel at performance and safety in our tests to earn a Consumer Reports recommendation, a distinction noted in our dynamic ratings chart.

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Michelin is at or near the top of most tire categories we test. Typically, its models offer a good mix of grip, handling, and long tread life. And even though Michelins are often among the most expensive tires, they tend to be a good value when factoring in performance and tread life. All eight tested models earn a CR recommendation. A standout is the Michelin CrossClimate2, an all-weather tire that provides winter traction without needing to be removed when snow season ends. It’s in the all-season SUV category, but it’s also suitable for cars. Other top-rated Michelin tires include the Defender2 all-season tire and the Pilot Sport All-Season 4 ultra-high-performance tire.

Michelin CrossClimate2
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
• All-season: Defender2 and Primacy Tour A/S
• All-season SUV: CrossClimate2
• All-terrain terrain: LTX A/T 2
• UHP all-season: Pilot Sport All-Season 4
• UHP summer: Pilot Sport 4S
• Winter/snow: X-Ice Snow
• Performance winter/snow: Pilot Alpin PA4
Continental tires often rank among the best, but not always, underscoring the value of checking the ratings for specific models. All seven tested Continentals earned a CR recommendation. The brand is particularly strong in truck tires, with the TerrainContact H/T being our top all-season truck tire and the TerrainContact A/T being the highest-rated all-terrain truck tire.

Continental TerrainContact H/T
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
• All-season: Continental TrueContact Tour 54
• SUV all-season: CrossContact LX25
• Truck all-season: TerrainContact H/T
• Truck all-terrain: TerrainContact A/T
• UHP all-season: ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus
• UHP summer: ExtremeContact Sport 02
• Winter/snow: VikingContact 7
Although the name may not be familiar to many U.S. shoppers, Vredestein is among the world’s oldest tire manufacturers. This European company has been building tires for more than a century, and it shows. All seven tested Vredestein models are recommended. In fact, Vredesteins typically rank among the top tires in any category they compete in.

Vredestein HiTrac
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
• All-season: Quatrac Pro+
• All-season SUV: HiTrac
• All-season truck: Pinza HT
• All-terrain terrain: Pinza AT
• UHP all-season: HyperTrac All Season
• UHP summer: Ultrac Pro
• Performance winter/snow: Wintrac Pro
Founded in 1915, General Tire is now a division of Continental AG. In our tests, the brand has become synonymous with value. General models are typically strong performers that deliver good performance for the money. We recommend six tested tires. A couple of stars are the Altimax Grabber HTS60 all-season truck and G-Max RS UHP summer tires. Both tires are among the tops in their category.

General Altimax RT45
Photo: John Powers/Consumer Reports
• All-season: Altimax RT45
• All-season truck: Grabber HTS60
• UHP summer: G-Max RS
• UHP all-season: General G-Max AS-07
• Winter/snow truck: Grabber Arctic
• Winter/snow: Altimax Arctic 12
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