Recently, we completed a test including a new breed of Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tires. All three options that we tested combine year-round traction and handling with a reduced environmental impact.
With ever increasing fuel costs, more and more SUV and light truck owners are feeling the pinch on their wallets. In an effort to improve fuel economy, Bridgestone, Continental and Goodyear have all developed all-season tires with specialized rubber compounds with lower rolling resistance than the standard offerings.
During our
tests we found that the
Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology provided the best handling and above average traction in wet conditions, while providing a quiet and comfortable ride. The fuel efficiency test did show a slight deficiency in the Conti's fuel economy compared to the
Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia and the
Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max, which may have been why the LX20 with EcoPlus Technology's rubber compound proved more responsive in the wet.
To further see how CUVs and SUVs can benefit from riding on more fuel-efficient tires, watch "
Testing Eco-Focused Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season Tires."
Do you have an SUV that is used mostly for street driving? Does most of your hauling involve groceries and the occasional trip to a home improvement store? Does going off-road in your vehicle mean traveling down a dirt road? Join the club! The vast majority of SUVs never see serious off-road conditions such as loose rocks, steep elevations and deep mud.
The hardcore off-road crowd may scoff at the soft-roader SUVs like my MAZDA CX-7. While their lifted Jeeps with oversized mud tires have a distinct advantage in specialized terrain, I would argue that my CX7 and other street-driven SUVs with proper tires will handle 99% of the conditions that most of us encounter with confidence.
If you're like me and most other SUV and CUV drivers in that the most off-road use your vehicle will see is a dirt road, then you're looking for street tires. The alternatives to the street tires are tires found in the
On-/Off-Road All-Terrain and
Off-Road Maximum Traction (commonly called "mud-terrain" tires) performance categories.
Most SUV all-season street tires fall into two categories: Highway All-Season and Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season. The following are my two top recommendations within their dedicated performance category:
Interested in how my recommendations compared to what some of our customers had to say about these tires? Then take a look at our
Tire Survey Results.

In a global economy, shoppers have more options than ever at their fingertips. From toasters to tires, products can be manufactured and shipped all over the world at a competitive price. And, when it comes to tires, how can you choose the most reliable and cost-effective brands? Let us help.
Over our 32-year history, Tire Rack has developed close relationships with well over a dozen different tire
manufacturers, including globally-respected brands like
Michelin and
Bridgestone to high quality but smaller companies such as
Kumho and
Yokohama. With every delivery to our warehouse and all shipments to our customers, tires are closely inspected for potential issues. Also, if an issue develops after the sale, we can work with you to get the issue resolved over the phone with the help of one of our friendly customer service representatives, via email or with the help of one of our independent
Recommended Installers.
Regardless if you're looking for a new set of performance SUV tires, suspension parts, ceramic disc brake pads or more, we are sure to have what you want at the price you desire.
Customers often say they don't need
winter / snow tires because they have a four-wheel drive truck or SUV. Just because you have a four-wheel drive truck or SUV doesn't mean that your vehicle cannot benefit from a good set of winter snow tires! Keep in mind that while four-wheel drive helps you get moving quicker in the snow, it's of no extra help in stopping the vehicle. In fact, four-wheel drive systems add additional weight to a vehicle, therefore stopping distances on ice and snow can actually be
longer than their two-wheel drive brethren. This is where a good set of winter tires can make all the difference. To gain a better understanding of why four-wheel drive isn't all you need this winter, read "
Why Electronic Drivers' Aids and AWD/4WD Systems Aren't Enough (All-Season)."
I'm currently running the
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 on my 2009 MAZDA CX-7 and have been very impressed with this set of MAZDA tires. The DM-V1 is offered in a wide variety of sizes that fit many trucks, SUVs and crossovers. See more details about my experience with this set of Bridgestone winter tires, as well as the
Michelin X-Ice Xi2 in my blog post titled "
My Story on Winter Tires."
For wider, lower profile fitments like the BMW X5 and Porsche Cayenne I recommend the
Pirelli Scorpion Ice & Snow or
Bridgestone Blizzak LM-60 in cases where the DM-V1 is not available.
When the time comes to purchase passenger truck tires, light truck tires or tires for your SUV or crossover,
shop by vehicle to find the winter / snow tires that work best for your vehicle.

For the past four years, we've used Bridgestone's
Dueler H/L Alenza tires on my wife's GMC Envoy with great results and found it to be a very comfortable and quiet radial that performs well in wet and snowy conditions.
Most H/L Alenza sizes feature Bridgestone's patented UNI-T AQII technology that uses two distinct rubber compounds in separate layers to help with wet traction as the tire wears away. As the miles go by, the lower layer of high-grip rubber is exposed to offset the effects of heat and wear the tires encounter. Through our own testing and over 18 million miles of customer
feedback, the H/L Alenza is a Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire that continues to impress year after year.
For more information on the Dueler H/L Alenza's technology, read "
Bridgestone's UNI-T Technology."
When you're looking for Bridgestone tire dealers, be sure to take a look at our selection of Bridgestone tires
here.
These days, the market for SUV and crossover vehicles is huge. And with so many models to choose from, and each carrying their own unique sizes and fitments, tire manufacturers have their work cut out. From my experience in talking to customers, today's SUV and crossover owners rarely go off road (eliminating the need for off road wheels and tires) and spend the majority of their time engaging in city or highway driving. As such, when most drivers are looking for a replacement set of tires, they tend to value ride comfort and noise quality above all else. A tire that performs well in all seasons is also a typical requirement.
Listed below are a few pros and cons of three of my favorite Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tires, the Michelin Latitude Tour, Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza and Continental CrossContact LX:
Michelin Latitude Tour Pros:
- Superior all-season traction
- Excellent ride quality
- Good treadwear
- Low road noise
Cons:
Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Pros:
- Good all-season traction
- Smooth ride
- Low road noise
- Wide array of sizes
- Moderate price point
Cons:
Continental CrossContact LX Pros:
- Smooth ride
- Good noise quality
- Attractive price
- Manufacturer's road hazard included
Cons:
- Although adequate, snow traction could be improved
And if your SUV or crossover has AWD capabilities, be sure to read, "
Matching Tires on Four-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive Vehicles."
Back in August we traded my wife's Nissan Murano for a Hyundai Santa Fe. While it isn't necessarily an upgrade, the new vehicle provides an improvement in MPG. The 2011 Santa Fe comes equipped with the
Kumho Solus KL21, in the
235/65R-17 size. This Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire is not a bad O.E. selection, however it didn't perform so well during our first snow of the season. The next day my wife insisted on a set of dedicated winter / snow tires and gave me the duty of finding nothing but the best for her new ride.
After careful research and from past experience, I chose the
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V1 as the new set of Hyundai tires for her Santa Fe. When the Charger tires on my Dodge needed to be replaced with a new set of winter / snow tires, I also chose Blizzaks and absolutely love them. We get a ton of lake effect snow in this part of the country and living out in the country, it may be a few days before we see a snow plow. That meant we had to go with the best tire that could handle the worst conditions.
If you're wondering what the best all-season tire would be for this application, I would recommend the
Michelin Primacy MXV4 or the
Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring. Both are very quiet and offer a comfortable ride with great all-season traction.
And with winter almost here, take a look at our selection of
winter / snow tires that will help you navigate through winter's toughest conditions.

Winter / snow tires offer dramatic improvement in safety and performance in winter conditions including snow, ice and freezing temperatures. This improvement is especially important for vehicles that include Max Performance Summer tires as Original Equipment.
The Porsche Panamera and new body style Cayenne commonly come with O.E. Max Performance Summer tires and are dangerous to use in a winter environment. The few all-season Porsche tires available are not well-suited for deep snow and ice.
Tire Rack offers custom
Winter/ Snow Tire & Wheel Packages for these vehicles in 18", 19" and 20" diameters. The packages come completely mounted and balanced and have the option of coming with TPMS sensors and Porsche center caps.
Winter packages for the Panamera start at around $1,800* for the 18" fitment. This package includes the
Pirelli Winter 240 Sottozero Serie II tire and
Sport Edition Cup 4 alloy wheel. And after you buy Pirelli tires for your Porsche, read "
Breaking In New Winter Tires" to better understand how the personality and handling traits of your new tires are different than your Original Equipment.
Winter packages for the Cayenne start at around $1,300* for the 18" fitment. This package includes the Bridgestone
Blizzak DM-V1 and the
Sport Edition TX8 alloy wheel. This combination of Bridgestone SUV tires and aftermarket wheels will make winter driving a breeze compared to any all weather tires you may find.
Find the right wheels/rims and tires for your vehicle by creating a
Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package today!
*Prices subject to change