Best Winter/Snow Tires – Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports tests 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 in northern Michigan. Ice-braking evaluations are done at a nearby skating rink.

The Overall Score for each of these tires emphasizes snow traction and braking on ice, the main motivations for buying such tires in the first place. Winter/snow tires typically have a tread compound that stays pliable in the cold and numerous biting edges for gripping snow and ice. The trade-off is a shorter tread life. So we don’t test winter/snow tires for tread life, and most don’t have treadwear warranties because they’re intended to be used for just one season a year.

See the complete tire ratings.