Performance Tires

There are many rivalries in today's competitive world: Chevy versus Ford, Coke versus Pepsi and Burger King versus McDonald's may come to mind when thinking of two prominent companies within an industry. When it comes to tires, Goodyear and Michelin is one of the most common rivalries.

In some categories, such as the Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season, the Goodyear Assurance CS TripleTred All-Season ranks just a bit higher than Michelin's competing tire, the Latitude Tour. In other categories that include performance tires, Michelin's tires often rank higher. For example, in the Max Performance Summer category, the Michelin Pilot Super Sport is on top. I was so impressed by this particular tire that I bought a set for my own car. My experiences with the tire can be found by reading, "Michelin Pilot Super Sport Tires Installed on My Car." The Pilot Super Sport also picked up a win against Goodyear's Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 last summer during our testing. You can see how well the Michelin tire performed by taking a look at "Testing Max Performance Summer Tires."

Michelin Pilot Super Sport

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2

So, who really has the better tires? When it comes to performance tires, Michelin is tough to beat right now. However, the tire market is fast paced and new technology is constantly pushing the performance envelope further. When changes are made, you can always count on us to provide you with the best tire options for your vehicle.

If you're looking for a good performing summer tire on a budget, take a look at the latest offering from Sumitomo. Their HTR Z III features an asymmetrical pattern that provides noticeable noise reduction when compared to the directional, previous generation HTR Z II.

While this tire may not be the top-ranked option in the Max Performance Summer category, it has one of the most attractive price points in the group. Developed for sports cars, sporty coupes and high performance sedans, the HTR Z III showcases Sumitomo's technical resources by providing high speed handling stability along with traction on dry and wet roads. The inside shoulder is linked by a continuous circumferential rib that enhances wear quality to help reduce noise throughout the tire's life, especially on vehicles with independent suspensions and alignment settings that specify negative camber. Straight and wide circumferential grooves along with long, sweeping lateral grooves evacuate water from under the tire's footprint to increase hydroplaning resistance and wet traction.

Through May 31, 2013, when you purchase a set of four Sumitomo HTR Z III tires you may be eligible to receive a $50 Tire Rack Prepaid MasterCard by mail. See special offer details here.

Is it time to replace the tires on your Honda Odyssey? If so, consider the following all-season options for your minivan. My favorite tire for this vehicle continues to be the Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring. This tire certainly lives up to its name. It's a premium Grand Touring All-Season tire that provides excellent ride qualities, including superior comfort and low tread noise. In addition to a great ride, the tire offers fantastic all-season traction and long treadwear with a 70,000- or 80,000-mile treadlife warranty depending on speed rating.

Another great option for the Odyssey is the Michelin Defender. Although it is only made in the 235/65R16 size for this van, it's still a very popular choice. The Defender is currently the top-ranked Standard Touring All-Season tire in our customer survey results. This tire also has superior all-season traction and comes with a 90,000-mile treadlife warranty. Designed to help enhance fuel efficiency, Defender tires meet Michelin's Green-X low rolling resistance objectives.

Finally, the Firestone Precision Touring is a good value priced option for Odyssey owners. This tire performed very well in our testing with good grades in wet traction and stable handling. Customers really enjoy the tire, as it sits is second place in its category, only behind the aforementioned Michelin Defender.

Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring

Michelin Defender

Firestone Precision Touring

To view all tire options for your Honda Odyssey, shop by vehicle.

Since 2005, the primary size found on the Honda Odyssey has been 235/65R16. Due to the overall size ,weight and higher center of gravity than a car, the Odyssey's tire wear can be disappointing to some. The following popular options can help deliver better performance, ride quality and longevity than the Original Equipment.

Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring

Continental Cross Contact LX20 with EcoPlusTechnology

Michelin Defender

Goodyear's Assurance ComforTred Touring has been a favorite with our customers for a few years. Sitting solidly in third place in the Grand Touring All-Season category, the tire carries an 80,000-mile treadlife warranty. The Assurance ComforTred Touring features a mildly asymmetric tread design that combines indepedent shoulder blocks with notched intermediate ribs to blend dry and wet road traction and handling. Four circumferential grooves evacuate water from under the tread to enhance wet traction while the grooves, notches and sipes form biting edges to deliver all-season traction in light snow.

"I have had these Goodyear tires on my van for 31,000 miles now (90,000 currently), have balanced them every 5,000 miles and they are in excellent condition! No cupping, no road noise, plenty of treadlife left!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2007 Honda Odyssey

The Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology is a newer entry to the market that quickly became a best seller. Designed to enhance driving pleasure, save fuel and maintain grip when braking on wet surfaces, this Continental tire provides long wear and all-season traction.

"I drive the family van quite hard and the grip and handling of these Continentals is far better than the O.E. Michelins." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2010 Honda Odyssey

Michelin's Defender is the latest high mileage tire entry from the manufacturer and carries a 90,000-mile treadlife warranty. Currently ranked number one in its category by our customers, it appears Michelin has hit another home run with this offering. Defender tires enhance vehicle fuel economy by meeting Michelin's Green-X low rolling resistance objectives.

"This is the best tire I have ever purchased. Hands down!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Honda Odyssey

The Hoosier A6 and R6 are two of the most successful DOT-legal racing tires in recent years. A6 and R6 tires look identical, but are designed for different types of competition. How do you know which is best for your vehicle?

The Hoosier A6 was developed with autocross competition in mind. It uses a softer compound for maximum grip and comes up to temperature more quickly to reach optimal grip between 110 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. A6 tires deliver more traction, but give up longevity to do so. In autocross, where runs are extremely short, this lack of longevity is not a problem and allows a set of A6 tires to last for multiple events. Though the tires are generally ready to run when brand new, a light scuff-in can be beneficial.

Hoosier R6 tires are designed for roadrace competition. They have a more durable compound that's better able to hold up to multiple lapping sessions, higher speeds and larger race courses. The R6 should be heat cycled before competition use for the most consistent performance. Tire Rack offers heat cycling service for competition tires. With this service, the tires arrive ready to use.

Hoosier A6

Hoosier R6

Some drivers will also use the A6 on road courses for sprint races or qualifying sessions where a few fast laps are of the utmost importance. Used in this way, the A6 will often be used up in one session. Using the A6 in a roadrace setting is only recommended for experienced drivers who know exactly what they need and are willing to go through a set of tires in one event. Lightweight vehicles with moderate horsepower may also use the A6 in cooler weather when they're not able to get the R6 up to the optimal temperature range of 180-200 degrees Fahrenheit .

Drivers preparing to run Hoosier tires on the track should also read Hoosier's care and feeding document.

Unfortunately, not all days can be sunny and dry. While we all experience varying weather patterns, some people see more wet weather than others. If you live in Florida, or another state known for heavy and frequent rains, you may choose a tire that performs well in the wet above all else.

If this sounds like the conditions you experience, take a look at my favorite Max Performance Summer tires that feature wet weather performance, yet make no compromises in the dry.

The Continental ExtremeContact DW features a large amount of tread void that does extremely well in the wet. Looking at its pattern will display a large amount of water channels to aid in hydroplane resistance. While one of our strongest tires in the wet, the ExtremeContact DW can also hold its own in the dry and has long since been a favorite amongst consumers looking for performance and value.

Michelin's Pilot Super Sport has been a standout in nearly every test we've done since it was released last year. This tire tends to be one of the fastest Max Performance Summer tires in the dry, and also has exceptional balance when the going gets slippery. While the tire doesn't quite have as much tread void as the Continental, it's an exceptional performer and is very composed at the traction limit.

Continental ExtremeContact DW

Michelin Pilot Super Sport

Take a look at all Max Performance Summer options and find the one that works best for you.

Arguably, one of the best bang-for-the-buck performance cars available on the market today is the fifth-generation Corvette. While it doesn't have the power figures of the C6 or the magazine coverage of the new seventh-generation Stingray, this car and its popular LS1 engine is capable of excellent power.

C5 Corvettes from the factory (non-Z06 models) use a 245/45R17 front tire and 275/40R18 rear. For those looking to step away from run-flat tires, your options are numerous. However, if you wish to keep the car equipped with run-flats, there are not as many choices. Our most popular sellers in the aforementioned sizes are:

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus ZP is designed to last considerably longer than a dedicated summer tire. This Ultra High Performance All-Season tire has a speed rating up to 186 mph and features a responsive sidewall with a harder tread compound than the Original Equipment offering. Buyers will notice sharp turn-in response that is commonly associated with high speed rated tires, but will give up some ultimate lateral grip when compared to a softer compounded summer tire. While these tires aren't intended for track use, they are more than capable for aggressive street driving.

Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP has long been a front runner in the Max Performance Summer category. The PS2 is offered in a run-flat fitment for the C5 Corvette and is a great choice for a driver looking for a premium tire with excellent performance attributes. While the PS2 will sacrifice some wear compared to the A/S Plus ZP, its grip limit is exceptional. This tire has been well reviewed for its great performance and excellent road manners.

Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus ZP

Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 ZP

Shop by vehicle to view all tire options for your C5 Corvette.

Many enthusiasts have separate winter / snow tires for the colder months. They do this because they want the benefit of extra snow and ice traction. Drivers realize that all-season tires aren't nearly as good in snow and on ice as a dedicated snow tire. 

Using this same logic when it comes time to replace non-winter tires, many customers ask specifically for summer tires. Makes sense, right?  Well, this isn't the case for everyone. For someone who isn't an aggressive driver or does not drive a sporty vehicle, the benefits of all-season tires may be worth considering.

Any vehicle can benefit from the increased dry grip and faster steering response of a summer performance tire. However, here are some reasons why an all-season tire may make sense for you:

1. Longer treadwear - Most all-season tires are designed for longer treadwear than summer tires. Many drivers will see their all-season tires last two to three times longer.
2. Quiet ride - You might be thinking that all-season tires would be louder than summer tires, but this is a common misconception. While one can find relatively quiet summer tires, today's summer performance tires focus more on grip and handling performance. 
3. Smoother and softer ride - Most modern summer tires have a stiffer sidewall for better handling compared to most all-season tires. 
4. Lower price point - Many of today's summer tires are packed with the latest tire technology and are typically more expensive than all-season tires in most sizes.
5. Longer warranty - Depending on the size, all-season tires can have wear warranties as high as 90,000 miles. Very few summer tires offer a treadwear warranty.

Regardless if you have summer or all-season tires, you need to know the right time to put them on. To find out when the best time is, read "When Should I Take Off My Winter / Snow Tires?". 

Very few of the pickup trucks and SUVs on the road today will venture off-road. However, many vehicles are still designed with tough off-road suspensions and come equipped with knobby tread tires. If you want to give your truck better on-road manners, consider a set of Michelin LTX M/S2 tires.

Michelin has built a reputation for providing quiet and comfortable tires for passenger cars, as well as durable tires for commercial vehicles. They have used this experience to combine both attributes into their light truck tires, including their newest Highway All-Season tire, the LTX M/S2.

The LTX M/S2 features a symmetric tread design and a long wearing, silica-enhanced, all-season compound to provide a smooth, quiet ride with year-round traction in dry, wet and light snow conditions. With over seven million miles of reported use by our customers, the M/S2 has received high marks for ride and noise comfort. Currently, the tire is ranked second in our Tire Survey Results.

Take a look at what some of our customers are saying about their experience with the Michelin LTX M/S2:

"Best tires ever purchased. On my third set and would buy again whenever possible." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2004 GMC Yukon Denali

"As I write this review, I am in the process of ordering a second set of the Michelin LTX M/S2, P275/65R-18 for my Tundra Crewmax. I have 56,000 miles on my old set and probably have another 5,000 or more on the tires (I drive a great deal of highway miles for work). Proper tire rotation has left me with very even wear. They are getting down there, so I want to stage the next set for replacement. Highly recommended tire!" -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2008 Toyota Tundra

"This is the best set of tires we have ever owned. These Michelins are on my wife's Honda Pilot and I must say, I am thoroughly impressed. They effortlessly handle our winter and the treadlife is outstanding. After witnessing the performance of these tires, I switched the tires on my Toyota to Michelins as well." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2004 Honda Pilot EX

For the quietest and most durable light truck tire on the market, it's tough to beat Michelin's LTX M/S2. Shop by vehicle to see if the LTX M/S2 is available for your application.