Motorsport Messages from Marshall

While I will not go over every facet of tire construction in one post, there are several traits that I look for that are more likely to lead to a pleasant and quiet driving experience. When looking for a quiet tire, I try to avoid tires that have large tread blocks with spacing far apart. This pattern, which is commonly seen in aggressive all-terrain and off-road truck tires, offers a huge amount of biting edges. It also tends to produce a roar as the tire travels along the road surface. A tire doesn't have to be overly aggressive to be an effective all-season option. In most cases, finding a tire with balance is best. 

Even though directional tires serve their purpose at evacuating water effectively, they also tend to have a negative effect on noise quality. This type of tread pattern also reduces your ability to effectively rotate the tire. With symmetrical or asymmetric tires, you're able to rotate front-to-back and side-to-side. With a directional tire, you may only rotate front-to-back.

Consider the following options when looking for a tire that provides a quiet ride.

Michelin Defender

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Kumho Ecsta 4X

Passenger All-Season and Standard Touring All-Season:

• Michelin Defender
• Goodyear Assurance ComforTred    
• Continental ProContact with EcoPlus Technology

Grand Touring All-Season:

• Michelin Primacy MXV4     
• Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus      
• Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Ultra High Performance All-Season:

• Continental ExtremeContact DWS     
• Kumho Ecsta 4X

Take a look at our Tire Survey Results to compare options and find the tire that's right for you.

As a replacement for the extremely popular Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec, the Direzza ZII is scheduled to hit the racks this coming week and continue to filter into inventory before the start of the 2013 motorsports season. Given the success of the first generation tire, the Dunlop Direzza ZII looks to be a very serious contender.

Noticeable improvements are expected in the form of at-the-limit dry traction due to the increase in surface area and slight reduction in tread void. Of course, we'll have further test reports and results available in the spring.

For a quick peek at the tire's performance, watch "Dunlop Direzza II Introductory Track Drive." During our time with the tire, we learned that it rewards a smooth driving style. It had just enough rotation at the rear to help our test vehicle glide around the corner, requiring minimal steering input to manage the few degrees of drift. The Direzza ZII displayed notice improvements in many areas including lateral stability through the slalom. Once we turned on the track's sprinkler system, we saw the Direzza ZII again perform better than the Sport Z1 Star Spec. When our vehicle was equipped with the newer Dunlop, we noticed a tire more predictable at the limit, along with faster recovery once any slide began. All in all, it was just plain easier to go faster with the Direzza ZII!

If you're already starting to shop for an Extreme Performance Summer tire, give the Dunlop Direzza ZII some attention. With a 200 treadwear rating, it's legal for street tire class racing and is available in a large variety of sizes.

It seems the Audi Q7 is a vehicle that has issues with tire wear. Like most heavier vehicles, it'll tend to wear tires faster than a lighter car. While we can't change this or promise any treadlife miracles, the problem can be remedied to a degree.

The Q7's Original Equipment was made available with several different sizes and brands of tires, however most of the options had one thing in common: very soft tread compounds. Typically, the tires used on the Q7 were sport truck tires or performance tires featuring relatively soft compounds and correspondingly low UTQG treadwear numbers. This type of tire combined with the weight of the vehicle usually leads to poor tire mileage. From my own personal estimate, most Q7 owners usually see about 20,000 miles before needing to replace their tires. When looking for replacement tires, I find it often makes sense to move away from the Original Equipment and take a look at more proven options with the propensity for longer life.

Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season

Continental ExtremeContact DWS

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza

The following are a few of my favorite tires that come with pleasing mileage warranties from the manufacturer:

Pirelli's Scorpion Verde All Season is their eco-friendly Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season tire that combines dry and wet road handling, comfort and year-round capabilities. Ecoimpact icons on the sidewall highlight its environmental compatibility where it reduces rolling resistance and tire weight to increase fuel economy and lower the vehicle's CO2 emissions.

Continental's ExtremeContact DWS satisfies drivers' year-round driving needs by blending dry and wet road performance with light snow and slush traction. A visible "DWS" indicates the tire has sufficient tread depth for dry conditions, as well as wet roads and light snow. After the "S" wears away, the remaining "DW" indicates the tire only has sufficient tread depth for dry and most wet road conditions. And after the "W" and "S" wear away, the remaining "D" lets drivers know the tire has appropriate tread depth for dry conditions only.

The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza provides elegance with an edge. Featuring Bridgestone's UNI-T technology, the tire takes behavior to a higher level by increasing comfort and control, in order to further enhance wet traction over the life of the tire. In our Tire Survey Results, the Dueler H/L Alenza receives high marks for dry traction, steering response and cornering stability. It's important to note that this tire is only available in an 18" size for your Q7.

To ensure you find the right tire for your Audi Q7, shop by vehicle.

After a considerable wait earlier in the year, KONI Sport Shocks are again available for the 2011-2013 Ford Mustang V6 and GT. While the rear shocks have the same part number as 2005-2010 members of the Mustang S197 chassis, the front struts utilize a different strut mount and have previously been very difficult to find.

Fitting a firmer shock body to this chassis helps reduce some of the front-end dive during breaking and also reduces some lateral movement. As with all KONI Sport Shocks, these are adjustable and offer a twin tube, low pressure gas design.

Shop by vehicle to ensure you grab the right parts for your pony.

If you're one of the fortunate few to have been bitten by the track day bug, you'll come to realize (if you haven't already) that one of the biggest limitations and inhibitors on performance are your factory brake pads. Designed with low dust and minimal noise in mind, factory pads often lack the metallic content and heat range necessary to bring you down from high speeds repeatedly.

One easy way to combat this is to use a slightly more abrasive pad. While hybrid pads designed for both the street and track are a bit tougher on rotors, and can be a bit noisier, they also are less resistant to fade and produce more consistent lap times. Two such options to consider are the Hawk HP Plus Race and StopTech Street Performance brake pads.

Hawk's HP Plus Race brake pads are a superb upgrade for high performance streetcars used in competition, for high speed driving or that encounter repetitive heavy braking. Its Ferro-Carbon compound can take the heat at the track and get you home safely without changing your brake pads in and out.

Key Features and Benefits of Hawk HP Plus Brake Pads:

• Extremely high friction output
• Suitable for autocross events
• Race worthy for club racing
• Elevated temperature resistance

StopTech Street Performance Pads meet the demands of high performance driving while maintaining the refinement and comfort expected in everyday driving conditions. The pad is specially formulated to provide linear response in both hot and cold temperatures. With an aggressive friction formula, StopTech Street Performance Pads are suitable for light track days and autocross events.

Both pads will enable you to enjoy light track use and drive your street car home without ever changing the brake pads. If you do decide that you need a dedicated track pad, and are willing to change out pads at the track, take a look at all race only pads from Hawk.

Bursting onto the tire scene last year was the upgraded and improved Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus. As an update to the original Turanza Serenity, which was well liked for its quiet and comfortable road manners, this newer tire focuses on much of the same while increasing its amount of all-season traction and mileage rating. 

While the Turanza Serenity was no slouch, and currently holds the fifth spot in our Tire Survey Results, the Turanza Serenity Plus aims for the top spot and has been extremely well received by customers since its release. The tire features a mileage warranty of up to 80,000 miles depending on size and is featured in various speed ratings and fitments. To date, 30 sizes of the Serenity Plus have been released, with all featuring low rolling resistance capabilities.

Tire rolling resistance has an impact on vehicle fuel consumption. The automotive industry estimates a 10% reduction in tire rolling resistance can result in a one to two percent improvement in fuel economy. This may not seem like much, but reducing fuel consumption by a couple of tanks per year makes the purchase of lower rolling resistance tires better over their lifetime. For more information on this topic, read "Tire Rolling Resistance Part 2: Defining Rolling Resistance."

Having driven on this tire during our internal tests, I expect it to be a great contender with the ever popular Michelin Primacy MXV4, a long time top-ranked tire.

Gaining much popularity with consumers as of late is the Firestone Precision Touring. This tire, which features a 70,000 mile treadlife warranty, has been well praised for its performance in all conditions, including snow. It has also received high scores in hydroplaning resistance, dry traction, steering response and ride comfort. For a tire that seems to do everything well, the price of the Firestone Precision Touring often comes as a surprise. 

At a price point that is significantly lower than most of its competition, this tire really delivers. At the moment, the Firestone Precision Touring is ranked second in our Tire Survey Results, and sits only behind the prestigious Michelin Defender.

This Standard Touring All-Season tire is developed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, family minivans and crossover vehicles looking for year-round capability and comfort. Molding a silica-enhanced all-season tread compound into a symmetric design featuring wide shoulders flanking interlocking ribs provides dry road response and handling. Four circumferential grooves help water through the tire's footprint for wet traction while multiple notches and sipes provide biting edges that improve traction in light snow. The tire's structure includes twin high tensile steel belts on top of a polyester carcass to deliver strength, ride quality and handling.

To see if the Firestone Precision Touring is available for your application, shop by vehicle.

Tires found in the Studless Ice & Snow performance category are best designed to work under the harshest of conditions. Their super soft compounds and aggressive tread patterns do an excellent job of evacuating large volumes of snow and slush and adhering to glare ice. They're often low speed rated and place all of their focus on that one important task of providing the highest amount of traction possible. Two popular options in this class are the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 and Michelin X-Ice Xi3. Both tires have received praise from our customers, too:

"My home is at 7,000 feet elevation in a subdivision with steep, narrow, curved roads. Winter tires are essential for my family since snow removal is inconsistent and a normal overnight snowfall is about 12". Blizzaks always get me through deep snow with control and confidence. The WS70 is significantly improved for both snow, ice and dry traction." Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Subaru Outback Wagon 2.5 XT Limited (Bridgestone Blizzak WS70)

"Just drove through a major snow storm and the vehicle handled like the storm wasn't happening. Awesome!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2013 Ford Focus 5-Door (Michelin X-Ice Xi3)

While all this may sound appealing, Studless Ice & Snow tires aren't for everyone. While some drivers prefer a basic approach to winter / snow tires, others prefer to preserve some of the handling traits their vehicles came with from the factory. In general, Performance Winter / Snow tires are not as aggressive as Studless Ice & Snow tires. They do an excellent job of blending a dedicated snow compound with a high speed rating that preserves dry road handling and turn-in response. Such tires may also feature a tread pattern that is more tied together to provide a reduction in tread noise. An example of this can be seen in the photo above of the new Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4.

If you are looking to run a dedicated winter tire without making many handling sacrifices, take a look at the growing number of tires in this popular class. Performance Winter / Snow tires are low profile, H- or V-speed rated tires designed to suit winter driving on European highways. They are available in many of the low profile sizes used as Original Equipment on sporty imported and domestic cars. Shop by vehicle to see if a Performance Winter / Snow tire is right for your application.

Having a lower price point than many winter / snow tires, some customers question the effectiveness of the General AltiMAX Arctic. This tire is perhaps not as soft as certain Studless Ice & Snow tires like the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70 or Michelin X-Ice Xi3, and it may give up a small amount of ice traction. However, this Studdable Winter / Snow tire has proven quite effective for multiple seasons and continues to get strong reviews by consumers.

As a studdable tire, the AltiMAX Arctic can be sold with studs to further increase traction in the most severe winter conditions. While studded tires are certainly not for everyone and have some negative features, such as reduced dry road handling and increased road noise, the ability to add studs is optional and available for those who desire. It's also important to check with local law enforcement officials to see if studded tires are allowed in your area. To learn more about how studded tires may or may not be right for you this winter, read "Studded Tires for Winter Driving."

As mentioned earlier, customers have been giving the General AltiMAX Arctic great reviews. Take a look at what some of them are saying about their experience with this tire:

"This tire is the best I've ever used in 45 years of driving in Vermont winters!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2013 Volkswagen Jetta S

"Awesome snow tire. Not only was it one of the cheaper tires in my size, but one of the best reviewed - and I can see why. My rear-wheel drive BMW got around our 6", one-day snow accumulation as good as any of the 4WD trucks I've had in the past. It is a beast of a tire in the snow, and still very quiet on the highway. If this tire can get a BMW through a North Dakota winter, I'd be confident using it anywhere!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2004 BMW 330CI Performance Package

"Fantastic winter tire at a great value price. Ride and noise are good to very good. Ride and cornering are amazing being better than the factory standard tire on this vehicle. Snow traction is good in all conditions and really snow plows through deeper conditions. Ice performance is very good. I have purchased this tire for two vehicles to date and recommend it to my friends as an affordable option for a great winter tire." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2012 Nissan Altima Sedan

To see if the General AltiMAX Arctic tire is right for your application this winter, shop by vehicle.

Selecting wheels for a vehicle is subjective based upon one's taste and ultimately up to each individual customer. Here at Tire Rack, we offer many different brands to suit the various tastes of our customers.

While I'm frequently asked, "What wheel would look best on my car?", I must admit it's a very difficult question to answer. Even though I've been customizing cars for years and certainly have my thoughts as to how things should be done, my feelings don't always match that of the consumer. 

When I do weigh in, I try to recommend wheels that aren't overstated, of good quality and are as purposeful as possible. For customers looking for a wheel that is durable, good looking and extremely lightweight, one of my favorite choices is Enkei's PF01. 

Part of the Enkei Racing Series family, this product weighs as little as 10 lbs. in certain sizes and maintains a much lower price point than other high-end wheel manufacturers. The broad range of bolt patterns and sizing of this wheel allows it to be used on a wide variety of vehicles.

The 4x100 bolt pattern is a popular choice for Honda and Mazda Miata owners, while the 5x114 option has proven to be very popular on countless other makes and models. Besides the physical allure of this wheel, it's proven quite handy when trying to clear Big Brake Kits due to its large amount of spoke clearance.

When considering aftermarket wheels or aftermarket rims as they are commonly called, take a look at many of the various wheels from Enkei. With many wheels to chose from, your tastes doesn't have to exactly mirror my own.

If you own a classic muscle car or custom street rod and are looking for period-correct tires, you're likely aware that your options are becoming extremely limited. As vehicles roll off the assembly lines every day with larger Original Equipment wheel sizes, classic tire sizes in 14" and 15" are becoming harder to come by.

To narrow down the field, most owners of classic vehicles prefer to maintain the original styling the car came with in its respective era. The original styling of the 60s, 70s and early 80s is often identified with branded raised white letters on a tire's sidewall. 

While stock levels in various brands have diminished over the years, Tire Rack is still proud to offer BFGoodrich's iconic tire, the Radial T/A in 22 sizes. This Performance All-Season tire features a look that many consumers are attracted to and is priced more cost-effectively than you might expect if you've been looking for Original Equipment reproductions.

Ranging in outside diameters between 24" and 29" and widths from 205mm - 295mm, these tires are a favorite for muscle car owners or anyone looking to tackle a custom project. 

This time of year, many customers choose to purchase a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package to assist with wintertime traction. With a new set of tires, comes the need to store all-season or summer tires for the long months ahead. 

Whether you're looking to preserve your expensive factory wheels or aftermarket pieces, Tire Rack's Seasonal Tire Totes allow for convenient storage of your wheels and tires while remaining cost-effective. Not only will they provide a storage option during these coming winter months, they are equally useful when putting your dedicated winter package into retirement once spring arrives.

Features and Benefits of the Seasonal Tire Totes:

• Sold in pairs
• One size fits tires 22" to 31" in overall diameter and up to 295mm section width
• Extra strong handle for easy transport
• Holds over 80 lbs.
• Hook and loop closure for easy insertion and snug fit
• Machine washable
• Rugged polyester/nylon materials and construction for years of use
• Black with silver accents
• Screen-printed with Tire Rack's logo

Easily transport extra tires and keep your garage organized this winter with the Seasonal Tire Totes from Tire Rack.

While I will confess to enjoying the testing of tires here at Tire Rack and detailed notes developed during our in-house track time, many customers prefer to hear how I feel about a tire's behavior during street driving. Our road tests give us valuable information on how a given tire will perform on different road surfaces at various speed ranges found in your daily commute. The road tests are performed for all tire categories and are especially helpful when making appropriate recommendations for all-season tires of which a customer will spend a vast amount of time driving on city streets and freeways.

Grand Touring All-Season tires are one of the most common types of tires found on the road today. Although they may not turn blazing fast lap times compared to dedicated summer tires, they still provide reasonably good steering response and on-center feel that's combined with acceptable treadlife. Another popular trait of these tires is there ability to soak up the miles without interrupting the driver with excessive road noise.

There are many great options in this category, however two of my favorites are the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus and Michelin Primacy MXV4.

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus

Recently, Bridgestone released a new tire to replace its popular Turanza Serenity. The new version, appropriately named the Turanza Serenity Plus, picks up where the old tire left off with a few improvements. Featuring an asymmetric tread pattern, this tire allows for front-to-back and side-to-side rotations and provides a good host of biting edges for use in inclement weather. Using speed ratings between H and W depending on size, the Turanza Serenity Plus also offers good handling characteristics without abusing the driver with an overly stiff sidewall. The tire's movements feel composed, direct and stable at highway speeds. Serenity Plus tires feature a 75,000-mile warranty making it an excellent buy for those looking for a mid-priced tire that'll last into the foreseeable future.

Michelin Primacy MXV4

A tried and true favorite, the Primacy MXV4 has logged more than 12,000,000 miles of consumer driven survey data and currently resides as the top-rated tire in its class. Although the tire features a high-end price point at times, it's a reflection of the quality that has come to be expected with Michelin tires. Quiet and smooth riding, the Michelin Primacy MXV4 is very deserving of its top spot. All sizes of the Primacy MXV4 feature a manufacturer's mileage warranty of 60,000 miles.

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus

Michelin Primacy MXV4

Shop by vehicle to find the tire that's right for your application.

As the 2012 winter season quickly approaches, many members of our sales team took to the ice rink to compile measured data regarding starting and stopping distances on glare ice. In our tests, we reviewed several winter / snow tires and got a feel for each tire's bite capabilities, lateral handling grip and breakaway limits.

These winter tires feature softer compounds than all-seasons that allow them to stay flexible when temperatures plummet. This flexibility allows the tire to grip even the most slick of surfaces. In addition to this helpful compounding, winter tires are designed with aggressive tread patterns and tread depths for additional biting edges.

During this year's testing, two tires really stuck out as my favorite performers:

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

This fourth generation of the iconic Blizzak line did many things well during our testing. Utilizing a soft compound with metallic flakes known as micro bite particles, this tire seemed to be the most responsive in terms of starting and stopping distances. Before reaching the fixed braking zone, the Blizzak WS70 reached a higher speed than its competitors and slowed at an impressive rate. While the tire tended to be a bit on the noisy side, its slight tread noise is justifiable given its excellent performance figures. This is a dedicated winter tire that gets down to business.

Developed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, minivans and crossover vehicles, Blizzak WS70 winter / snow tires provide traction on winter's slushy, snow-covered and icy roads. Due to the traction capabilities of these tires, Bridgestone recommends using them only in sets of four to provide the best handling characteristics and tire performance.

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Replacing the extremely popular X-Ice Xi2, the Michelin X-Ice Xi3 did not disappoint. While at the ice rink, I found the tire to be near equal in terms of performance when compared to the Bridgestone Blizzak WS70. Designed to provide predictable handling in cold, dry, and wet wintry conditions, the tire is an excellent choice for drivers seeking an aggressive dedicated winter tire. Similar to many other Michelin products, these tires are expected to wear quite well and are the only snow tire in the Studless Ice & Snow category to offer a manufacturer's treadlife warranty.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS70

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

While many of the tires tested this year would make for a fine winter performer, these two giants continue to get my support. Both brands are extremely reputable, make high quality products and push the envelope of winter performance with each new product launch. 

We are once again offering steel wheels this winter season for a wide variety of vehicles in select 14",15" and 16" sizes and bolt patterns. While steel wheels will not work on all vehicles due to problems with brake clearance, the steel wheels listed for your vehicle on our Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package selection screen are a guaranteed fitment. 

More cost-effective than aluminum alloy wheels, steel wheels allow you to put together a winter tire and wheel combination at a great price. Steel wheels may not be as aesthetically pleasing as aluminum wheels, however we do offer wheel covers for different appearance options. When considering steel wheels for your Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package, remember the following features when compared to an alloy wheel:

• Meet the basic needs of drivers who want the convenience of a winter tire package without the additional cost of an alloy wheel
• Typically available in black or silver finish depending on the application
• Basic styling can often be updated with wheel covers
• Cost less than alloy wheels due to ease of manufacturing and lower material cost

Steel wheels can also be used with Tire Pressure Monitor Sensors. 

To find your steel wheels, search by vehicle and create a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package!

As the winter season fast approaches, it seems that the most frequent question I receive is when to mount winter / snow tires. While this answer is never set in stone and will vary based on where you reside, I typically recommend the middle of November as a good time for installation. The tires will stay on through the middle of March or until April, it all depends on when temperatures begin to rise.

With that being said, certain tires such as options found in the Performance Winter / Snow category feature a stiffer sidewall and higher speed ratings that are a little more appropriate for extended dry road use. In contrast, extremely soft compounded tires with a very low speed rating will want to be kept off until absolutely needed to avoid premature wear. These aggressive winter / snow tires can be found in the Studless Ice & Snow category.

While the added traction and sense of security is always a great thing, installing your winter / snow tires too early in the season or keeping them them on too long can diminish their effectiveness when they're needed most.

Winter is almost here, so be sure to create a Winter / Snow Tire & Wheel Package to handle the harsh conditions that are on the way.

As a replacement for their popular Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, Bridgestone's newest Ultra High Performance All-Season tire has big shoes to fill. Much like its predecessor, the new Potenza RE970AS Pole Position features a directional tread design with a host of biting edges for all-season use. Tread compounding on this tire is firmer than a quick wearing summer tire and allows Bridgestone to offer this tire with a 40,000-mile treadlife warranty. Although less than some of their other models, this tire does a phenomenal job of blending treadlife, lively performance and good road manners.

With heavy hitters such as the Continental ExtremeContact DWS and the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus found in the same category, the new Bridgestone RE970AS Pole Position has faced stiff competition. However, it has come out on top with the number one rating in our consumer-driven survey results.

Drivers of sports coupes, sedans and sports cars who are looking for balance should consider the Bridgestone Potenza RE970AS Pole Position. Available in 34 different sizes with a W-speed rating, this tire is available to fit most of today's popular applications.

Designed with fuel economy in mind, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 reduces the amount of resistance to the road surface for a smooth ride and cost savings at the pump. While I have never been a fan of promising huge mileage bumps, the change of even one mile per gallon can offer a significant savings over the tires' life. 

The Ecopia EP422 is developed for the drivers of coupes, sedans, minivans and small crossover vehicles looking for year-round traction, handling and comfort with reduced environmental impact. Ecopia EP422 tires also help enhance fuel economy by reducing tire rolling resistance along with the vehicle's carbon dioxide (C02) emissions while delivering year-round, all-season traction, even in light snow.

This tire, which has been highly rated by consumers, seems to work well as a competitively priced Grand Touring All-Season. The tire features a symmetrical tread pattern, which I favor over others due to its rotational ability and likeliness to generate less noise as the tire wears. See what drivers are saying about the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 and why it's well received by our customers:

"A fantastic, inexpensive tire. Tires are quiet, have great traction and help deliver great mileage. I have experienced no problems in highway driving, turning or braking. They are so good I will probably get them for my compact SUV. I could not be happier with these tires, especially considering the price." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2010 Toyota Prius IV

"I would give these tires a 9.5/10 on all counts. Quiet, smooth, brakes well on dry and wet surfaces. The cornering is good given the size and suspension of the car. I also put these tires on a 2009 Scion xB and the wear on both cars has been excellent. I have the tires rotated and alignment checked every oil change. I highly recommend the Ecopia tires." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review 2007 Toyota Avalon XLS

"My Jetta drives like a different car since the switch from the stock Bridgestone tires. Much quieter and more comfortable ride and feels more stable over rough surfaces. Highway fuel economy has increased from a range of 42-44 MPG to a range of 44-47 MPG. Traction in heavy traffic at 65-75 mph in a heavy downpour was impressive considering the obvious hydroplaning other vehicles were experiencing (I pulled out of traffic as soon as I found a diner and waited for the rain to let up). -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI 1.9L

Available in 32 sizes ranging from 15"-18" this tire is designed to fit the needs of most light duty passenger vehicles and select SUVs. 

While wheel choices and tastes are always subjective and allow a purchaser to create a custom look for their vehicle, certain wheel styles can certainly be more popular than others. 

One of my favorite lightweight wheels for the past few years has been the O.Z. Racing Ultraleggera. This wheel is available in a variety of fitments, widths, and bolt patterns. From Porsche to Honda to Subaru, this wheel is available in a range of colors including silver, black, and gold. 

Tire Rack is now also pleased to offer this wheel at a 15% discount while supplies last. The O.Z. Racing Ultraleggera wheel sale runs from 9/1/12 - 10/31/12 and is valid for select wheels in 15"-18" diameters. 

As with all of our gauranteed fitments, please feel free to search by vehicle for the correct fit.

Since its release last year, Kumho's Ultra High Performance All-Season Ecsta 4X has been well received by consumers and continues to make a climb through our consumer survey rankings. Having tested favorably internally on our test track, the Kumho Ecsta 4X is one of my most frequent recommendations for customers looking for value, performance and all-weather capability.

Featuring an asymmetric tread pattern, this Kumho tire is able to be rotated front-to-back and side-to-side on vehicles using a non-staggered set-up. This rotational ability is favorable as it allows the tires to wear more evenly as they age. All Kumho Ecsta 4X tires also carry a 40,000-mile treadlife warranty.

A majority of our customers have enjoyed their driving experience with the tire, take a look:

"This is the best tires that I have purchased!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Toyota RAV4 Base Model 2wd 4 Cylinder

"By far the best tire I have put on any car. I was looking for a quiet, smooth ride and I've found it. These tires make driving fun again. I will definitely get a set for my other car when the time comes." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2007 Honda Civic EX Sedan

Available in 48 sizes ranging between 15"-20", Kumho makes this product for the vast majority of passenger cars on the road today.