In a recent post, "Best Tire Brands for Long Treadwear", some of the longest wearing tires were discussed and how treadlife is one of the most important factors that consumers consider when deciding which tires to buy. In addition to treadlife, tire noise is a major factor to most drivers when selecting a new set of tires. Who wants to listen to the drone of a loud tire during a daily commute or road trip. Besides being a nuisance, loud tire noise can keep a driver from hearing other sounds that can affect vehicle maintenance and safety.
Tires that generally make the least amount of noise typically come from the following performance categories:
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Standard Touring All-Season
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Passenger All-Sean
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Grand Touring All-Season
Many years ago, summer tires were the quietest tires available while all-season tires were louder due to their more aggressive tread patterns. Tire technology has come a long way and the market has changed. Newer summer tires are now primarily focused on high levels of grip, handling and quick steering response, with less focus on road noise. All-season tires are now the best choice for those after a quiet ride. The following tires are some of the top picks for low road noise in three of the quietest categories:
Stop putting up with loud tires!
Shop by vehicle to find a quiet set of tires for your car, truck or crossover.
The MAZDA3 came to the market in 2004 as a replacement for the Protege. It was later redesigned in 2010. With a number of configurations and trim levels offered, there are various tire size options in play. The first step will be using our shop by vehicle feature and verifying the size of tire that's on your vehicle. The following tires are some of the more popular and higher rated options in three of the most common sizes for this vehicle. Keep in mind, not all of these options may be available for your specific variation of the vehicle.
In 195/65R15, I would take a serious look at Bridgestone's Turanza Serenity Plus. This is the latest Grand Touring All-Season entry from this premium manufacturer. We tested this tire last season against three of the top competitors and it came in first. Designed to provide Bridgestone's ultimate in luxury, elegance and comfort, Turanza Serenity Plus tires blend long wear with dry, wet and wintertime traction, even in light snow.
205/55R16 is another common size for the MAZDA3 line of vehicles. This is one of the more popular sizes in the market, so there will be many choices. If you're looking for a performance oriented option, check out the Continental ExtremeContact DWS. This has been the top-rated Ultra High Performance All-Season tire by our customers for five years. It's particularly strong in the winter elements, while also receiving high marks in hydroplaning resistance, wet traction, dry traction and ride comfort.
The sports minded version of the MAZDA3 wears a 205/50R17. If this is the case for you, I would suggest the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2. This Ultra High Performance Summer solution was released last year with great success. It's currently ranked number one in its category. If you're looking to accelerate faster, corner harder and brake shorter in dry and wet conditions, then take a look at the g-Force Sport COMP-2.
For more information on selecting the right tire, read "Shopping for Tires on Our Website."
What'
s all the buzz about the new Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus?
For years, Bridgestone had a top-rated tire with its line of luxury touring tires, the Turanza Serenity. When we last tested one of these tires, it resulted in a virtual tie with the Michelin Primacy MXV4. If this particular Michelin tire is one you're considering, read "Michelin Primacy MXV4 Tires Installed on My Crossover" for more information.
In today's fast paced competitive tire market, products are constantly being improved. Enter the new "Plus" version of the tire, simply called the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus. This new version features improved wear, ride and grip levels which have contributed to its rise to the top of our Tire Survey Results in the Grand Touring All-Season category.
This category of tire is perfect for drivers looking for a blend of dry and wet grip, light snow traction, long wear and a very quiet ride. In these areas, the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus really delivers, especially considering it comes with a treadwear warranty of 50,000-80,000 miles depending on the speed rating. The tires also mold a silica percentage reinforced, Long Link Carbon Black tread compound into an asymmetric design featuring Resonance Noise Attenuated (RENOA) silencer grooves designed to reduce acoustic tones.
To see if the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus is a fit for you application, shop by vehicle.
If your family hauler is a second-generation (2001-2007) Volvo XC70 AWD, you probably bought it for the safety it provides. Safety also requires focused driving and equipping your Volvo with the best tires for the conditions. Does tire choice make that much of a difference? Yes, consider the difference in wet braking distance between the top tires and the fourth place tire observed in this Grand Touring All-Season comparison test.
Choosing the right tires for your Volvo XC70 can be tricky. Most second-generation Volvo XC70 vehicles came with the relatively obscure 215/65R16 size. If wet braking is important to you, and it should be, you may want to consider one of the top three tires referenced above (Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus, Continental PureContact with EcoPlus Technology, Michelin Primacy MXV4). The problem is that they're not made in your size, therefore you'll need to look at the 225/60R16 alternate size. 225/60R16 is about 1/2" wider, 3/10" smaller in diameter and fits the Original Equipment 7" wide rim without rubbing.
Now that you know what size to look at, what tire should you purchase? Obviously, if you live in a dry area like Phoenix, Arizona, you'll want to choose your tire based on variables such as dry braking and steering response. With these parameters in mind, I'd recommend choosing between the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus, Michelin Primacy MXV4 and Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus.
The Turanza Serenity Plus provides good wet grip, decent road manners and relatively long treadwear. Michelin's Primacy MXV4 shares theses traits, however the Serenity Plus offers a little more wet grip capability. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus' strengths of crisp steering response and better dry grip make it appropriate for faster drivers.
If the Michelin tire options are what you're looking for, take advantage of their current special offer. When you purchase a set of four Michelin brand passenger or light truck tires, you can receive a $70 MasterCard® Reward Card. Offer ends April 15, 2013. View rebate details here.
2009 Hyundai Genesis Sedan 3.8
