Motorsport Messages from Marshall

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:

• Premium price tag

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza

Pros:

• Good all-season traction
• Smooth ride
• Low road noise
• Wide array of sizes
• Moderate price point

Cons:

• Second-rated tire in our Tire Survey Results, can strive to be number one, right?

Continental CrossContact LX

Pros:

• Smooth ride
• Good noise quality
• Attractive price
• Manufacturer's road hazard included

Cons:

• Although adequate, snow traction could be improved

Michelin Latitude Tour

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza

Continental CrossContact LX

And if your SUV or crossover has AWD capabilities, be sure to read, "Matching Tires on Four-Wheel Drive and All-Wheel Drive Vehicles."