Tire quality plays a very important role in your SUV’s performance, handling and safety. As on a car, this is where the literal rubber meets the road, but SUVs have higher centers of gravity and are often used harder than cars, so choosing the right tire matters even more.
As with cars, however, when the tread is worn or if the tires are simply old, it’s time for new rubber. Routine replacements will prevent vehicle damage caused by a tire blowout or worse—being stranded with a flat.
When you’re shopping, it’s important to remember that there is no best one-size-fits-all tire. Every tire forces a compromise, which should prompt the question: How do you drive? Do you desire a quiet, comfortable ride for daily commuting or family hauling? Are you preparing for a rough winter or need a high-performance highway summer tire? Perhaps you’re looking for off-road adventure? Each one is going to mean different choices.
Here we’ve chosen five top-performing SUV tires for a multitude of needs, and they include several types: all-terrain, highway, all-season and winter use. Note that prices will vary depending on size; we used a size typically found on compact SUV’s like the Toyota RAV4—225/65R17—as our baseline.
