All-Season Tires
All-Terrain Tires
Mud Tires
What every best SUV Tires - Light Truck Tires has:
- A long tread warranty.
- Good pavement performance.
- Good grip.
Light Truck Tire Reviews
Editor's Note: For SUV, light truck and crossover owners, a Michelin all-season tire is your best bet -- and we have a set of our Best Reviewed tires on our vehicle and couldn't be happier. For more adventurous drivers, we name top all-terrain and off-road mud tires, too.
Best Reviewed
Specs that Matter
Traction grade -- A
Temperature grade -- A
Tread warranty -- 6 years/70,000 miles
Best all-season truck/SUV tire
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a top choice for those who take their trucks and SUVs mostly over roads, but who also want a tire that won't leave them flat when the pavement disappears. Testing reveals it to be a competent performer for a variety of vehicles and over a variety of driving surfaces. Owners love it, too. The 70,000 mile, six year treadwear warranty is one of the best around for a tire that can hold its own off road. See our full review »
Best Reviewed
Specs that Matter
Traction grade -- A
Temperature grade -- A/B
Tread warranty -- 6 years/70,000 miles
Best budget all-season truck/SUV tire
The Continental CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus is a safe and stable all-season SUV tire that compares favorably with more expensive models for highway use. It brakes exceptionally well on both wet and dry roads, and delivers a comfortable and quiet ride. You can take it off road in a pinch, but look elsewhere if that's a prime consideration. The six-year, 70,000-mile warranty matches that of the Michelin, and is one of the longest-lasting available on a budget priced tire. See our full review »
Best Reviewed
Specs that Matter
Traction grade -- N/A
Temperature grade -- N/A
Tread warranty -- 50,000 miles, pro-rated
Best all-terrain truck/SUV tire
Reviewers say the Cooper Discoverer A/TW is the best all-terrain truck tire because it excels as both an off-road tire and as a comfortable tire for the daily driver. Experts put it to grueling tests, off-road and on, and on dry surfaces, wet surfaces, and snowy surfaces, and come away smiling every time. It's also reasonably quiet (for an all-terrain tire) on the highway. Tread life is rated to last longer than the norm, and Cooper includes a 50,000-mile prorated warranty. See our full review »
Buy for $205.99
Runners Up
Specs that Matter
Traction grade -- N/A
Temperature grade -- N/A
Tread warranty -- None, workmanship only
Best off-road tire
The Goodyear Wrangler MT/R with Kevlar features aggressive tread and Kevlar-reinforced sidewalls to maximize grip and durability, crawling past the competition on rock courses and through muddy trails. Its well-rounded design delivers excellent performance in sand, snow and on pavement, with a ride that's smoother than the average mud tire. The Kevlar-reinforced sidewalls are puncture-resistant, and important plus for heavy-duty off road use under a variety of conditions.
The right tire makes all the difference in the performance of a light truck or SUV
Braking, accelerating, steering and suspension have one thing in common: The quality of your tires affects them all. A bald set of tires can lead to rough rides or -- even worse -- cause you to lose control of your vehicle. The wrong set of tires isn't much better. The right rubber, on the other hand, "will offer the responsiveness necessary for obstacle avoidance, short stopping distances that aid panic braking situations, and road-holding grip under both dry and wet conditions," says the Car Care Council.
Though tires often appear to be very similar, the difference in performance and handling can be night and day between sets. The best truck tires and SUV tires are strong performers, as long as you keep in mind their intended use (pavement versus off-road, for example). However, none of them excel across the board, according to professional comparisons. That's why experts recommend that buyers consider how and where they will drive, and then pick the type of tire that best fits their needs. If you don't drive an SUV, crossover or light truck, we cover passenger car tires in their own report. Regardless of what vehicle you drive, you can find the best winter tires in our snow tire report.
Types of SUV Tires - Light Truck Tires
All-Season Tires
Designed primarily for use on pavement, the best all-season truck tires combine a comfortable ride with safety features for stability on curves, short braking distances and adequate traction on wet streets to deliver a quieter, more car-like experience. They have the lowest rolling resistance of the three tire types to boost mileage performance. Top models can manage light snow and ice, but if your region gets heavy snowfall, consider switching to a winter truck tire, which will give you the best grip on slick and snowy roads. Our report on snow tires includes some recommendations for winter tires for SUVs and light trucks.
All-Terrain TiresIf you drive mainly on pavement, but also have occasional off-road adventures, an all-terrain tire is the way to go. The best all-terrain tires maintain a good balance between highway performance -- quiet and smooth enough to be comfortable for most daily driving -- but with enough aggressive tread to crawl through mid-range off-road trails. According to a leading consumer organization, many models of all-terrain truck tires have enough grip for accelerating on snow-packed roads, but none are very good at braking quickly when roads are icy, so a snow tire is still the better choice for winter driving. The increase in traction does cut down on the tires' rolling resistance, so users should expect poorer gas economy when using an all-terrain truck tire versus an all season model.
Mud TiresThese tires are designed for off-road use, providing maximum grip for rock-crawling and dirt trails. Their open tread patterns are designed to break through mud without getting stuck, and their sidewalls are reinforced to withstand punctures from rocks. On the highway these features increase tread noise and gas consumption while creating a stiffer ride.
A word on pricing
Unless otherwise noted, all prices in this report refer to sizes that are popular for replacement tires for SUVs, vans and trucks (such as 225/65R17, 245/75RT17, 245/75R16, 265/70R17 and others, depending on the tire model and application) and are per tire. These prices are a guideline only and are provided to show relative value between choices. Actual prices may be higher or lower for different sizes, and for tires designed for heavier loads (designated with an LT -- light truck -- prefix). See the buying guide for more information on tire sizes and load capacities.
Finding The Best SUV Tires - Light Truck Tires
Our Sources
"All-Season Truck Tire Ratings"
"All-Terrain Truck Tire Ratings"
"Massive 4x4 Tire Guide"
ConsumerSearch editors evaluated dozens of professional road tests and hundreds of owner reviews for all types of truck tires. We consulted large comparative tests conducted by ConsumerReports.org and others, as well as more in-depth single tire evaluations by Truck Trend, AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com and more. For user input, TireRack.com is a top source, with more reviews based on more miles driven than anywhere else on the internet. From there, we narrowed down the field by focusing on safety features -- including braking abilities, handling on corners and resistance to hydroplaning.
From there, we picked truck/SUV tires that combine excellent performance with comfort and durability, and found several top models in a range of prices. Match one of these to your budget and driving needs to find the best tire for you.
Elsewhere In This Report
4 Best Truck Tires
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