Tire

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:

• Standard Touring All-Season
• Passenger All-Sean
• 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:

Michelin Defender

Hankook Optimo H727

Goodyear Assurance ComforTred

Michelin Energy Saver A/S

Bridgestone Turanza Serenity Plus

Michelin Primacy MXV4

Tire Rack is proud to have continued our title sponsorship of this year's One Lap of America event. One Lap consists of 17 timed events over 8 days. In total, competitors traveled over 3,400 in just over a week. It is a true test of endurance and performance

For the third year in a row, the overall winner's vehicle was equipped with the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. The Super Sport has been on the winning vehicle since it was introduced to the market in the spring of 2011. As the 30th running of this extreme challenge for driving enthusiasts, this year's competition featured many of America's fastest street-legal cars. View results for the 2013 event here.

If you're in the market for the best of the best in wet and dry traction performance, check out the Pilot Super Sport. It has proven its worth not only in the One Lap competition, but also in our testing and feedback from customers. The tire is the top-ranked option in the Max Performance Summer category. After reading a few of our customers' comments, you'll understand why:

"Quite honestly the BEST tire I have ever had on my cars." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX.

"These tires have oooogles of mega grip, even wet. I am going to need a new seat with harness just to stay in the seat." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2005 Subaru Impreza WRX STI

Also, when you buy a set of four Michelin Pilot Super Sports before June 18, 2013, you can receive a $70 MasterCard Reward Card.

Many tire buyers know Goodyear and Michelin as two nameplates synonymous with quality, but it can be difficult to compare these premium brands head to head. The Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring and Michelin Primacy MXV4 are one such case as both tires are considered benchmarks of being the smoothest, quietest and longest wearing Grand Touring All-Season tires on the market today. Choosing between the two can be a daunting task. Both the options have been perennial favorites among our customers.

Goodyear Assurance ComforTred Touring

Michelin Primacy MXV4

The Assurance ComforTred Touring features a mildly asymmetric tread design that combines independent shoulder blocks with notched intermediate and center ribs to blend dry and wet road traction and handling. Four wide circumferential grooves evacuate water from under the tread to enhance wet traction while the tread grooves, notches and sipes form biting edges that deliver all-season traction in light snow.

Its internal construction includes a super shock absorbent Comfort Layer of rubber sandwiched between the tread and steel belts (that provides on average, 20% more cushion than standard auto tires) to insulate vibration and impacts with expansion joints, potholes and bumps. The tire also features Goodyear's dual-layer ComfortEdge sidewall to provide a balance of ride comfort and handling.

Primacy MXV4 tires feature an all-season tread compound molded into a symmetric design that combines notched shoulders, independent intermediate tread blocks and continuous center ribs. Michelin's Active Sipes alternately lock together and open as needed to provide increased biting edges that grip the road to provide all-season handling, especially in rain and snow.

Advanced MaxTouch Construction results in a tuned footprint shape that allows for long-lasting, even treadwear while their Comfort Control Technology uses computer-optimized design and precision manufacturing to reduce vibrations and road noise to deliver a comfortable ride. The tire's internal structure includes twin steel belts reinforced with Michelin's BAZ Technology (spirally wrapped polyamide, Banded At Zero degrees) to reinforce the Primacy MXV4's twin steel belts and provide high-speed durability while enhancing ride comfort.

In our most recent Tire Test Results, we said the Assurance ComforTred Touring was, "A good choice for drivers wanting to blend responsive handling with good road manners" and the Primacy MXV4 was, "A Grand Touring All-Season tire that is a pleasure to drive every day." Before you decide between a Goodyear or Michelin tire, be sure to view our Tire Test Results, Tire Survey Results and Tire Reviews on both tires to see which one will best suit your driving needs.

Researching for the right tire can be a challenge for some. Here at Tire Rack, we make it simple by providing you helpful information when you're shopping for tires.

We provide expert, unbiased tire performance comparisons with our Tire Test Results. Our Performance Test Track Drives and Real World Road Rides provide us with feedback on the ride, noise and handling qualities of a tire across a variety of conditions our customers experience on a daily basis. Our team follows consistent procedures designed to minimize variables that could influence results. And because many of our customers live in the Snowbelt region, we also test the wintertime traction of all-season and winter tires on the ice and in the snow.

In addition to our tire tests, we maintain independent consumer surveys to help drivers help each other by sharing their long term tire experiences. At the time of this post, we have information on 445 different tire models, as well as 2,783,445,686 miles reported on over 150,000 surveys. You can view tires based on their performance category and see how customers rank their performance on categories, such as hydroplaning resistance, cornering stability, dry traction, ride comfort and more.

We try to post all reviews as written to give you insight into each responder's experience with the tire for better or worse. Just like movie reviews, different people have different opinions and reference points, so it's always important to read as many reviews as possible to gain a better perspective. You can look at reviews by vehicle or by tire brand. This is helpful because you can see what owners of your same vehicle are saying about tires!

With the help of our Tire Test Results, Tire Survey Results and Tire Reviews, you have the information you need to find the tire that's right for your application.

Upgrading the wheels on a car is one of the most popular modifications drivers like to make. It allows you to add a personal touch, while also helping it stand out in a crowd.

What wheels will fit on your car? Simple. Just use our shop by vehicle feature and we'll show options that are guaranteed to fit your vehicle. In some situations, our site will also let you know if a modification to the vehicle is needed for the wheel to fit. This message will appear under the "Important Notes" section. Situations like this are likely to occur with trucks where a lift kit is used. To ensure the wheel is a perfect match for your vehicle, we measure or verify many items, including:

• Bolt Pattern
• Centerbore Diameter
• Hub Diameter
• Load Capacity
• Lug Hardware
• Suspension Components Clearance

Once you have selected your wheel, the next step is choosing a set of tires that's best for how and where you drive. If you select a wheel diameter that's different than the Original Equipment, you may need a new set of tires. You can shop by size to help you find the tires that are right for your application.

For more information on selecting the proper wheel, read "What is Wheel Offset and Backspace?"

Recently, Kazera has been adding some very unique finishes to their line-up. Traditional finishes like silver, black and chrome will always have their place in the market, but sometimes you need a wheel that stands out from the crowd. Whether the reason is to draw some extra attention, to horrify traditionalists or just because you want to, it can be a lot of fun to do something unusual with your wheels. So, be adventurous and try something a little bit off the beaten path. A wheel change is not permanent, so if you get tired of them after a few years, you can always put the stock wheels back on or try something else.

The Kazera KZ-Y is the wheel that inspired this post. A black with green face accent is definitely something you don't see every day. But on the right car, it could be a great addition. It could also be a good option for the track. Besides the black with green face accent, Kazera's KZ-Y is available in the following finishes:

• Black with Green Accent
• Black with Orange Accent
• Black with White Face

If you're looking for something with a similar design, but fewer spokes, take a look at the KZ-P with a bright PVD with blue stripe finish. Bright PVD gives much of the same shine as chrome, but with greater durability. The two-tone finish also adds a unique touch.

Regardless of the look you desire, shop by vehicle to find all options that are a match for your car.

Michelin, one of the most respected names in the business, has always been a brand that's associated with excellent wear and long treadlife. While the company previously offered the Harmony and HydroEdge with Green X with 80,000-mile or higher treadwear warranties, these products have been consolidated and replaced with the Defender. Like its predecessors, the Defender has been extremely well received in regards to excellent treadlife, low noise and a good ride.

The Defender is available in 38 sizes to fit many of today's passenger cars and light-duty crossover vehicles. It features a 90,000-mile treadlife warranty and has proven itself as a capable all-season option. Currently ranked as the top tire in the Standard Touring All-Season category, the Defender receives high marks in the following areas:

• Dry Traction
• Steering Response
• Ride Comfort
• Treadwear
• Hydroplaning Resistance
• Cornering Stability
• Wet Traction
• Noise Comfort

Take a look at what some of our customers are saying about their experience with the Michelin Defender:

"These are the best tires I have ever purchased. They run quiet and have a soft ride. There is no slipping or sliding on turns and they feel like they are glued to the road." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2010 Toyota Prius IV

"Fantastic tire. Definitely the best tire I have ever had. Extremely quiet, stable and a great ride." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2003 Pontiac Vibe

"The Defenders are quiet and have amazing traction in Oregon rain. No hydroplaning and I get 36 mpg on the freeway. They are on our 2009 Toyota Camry XLE. I'm now buying them for our Cadillac! I have never been more pleased with a tire purchase." -- Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2009 Toyota Camry XLE

Deciding what size wheels fit a car isn't a simple process. You must consider details, such as bolt pattern, offset, width and diameter. We have made the process easy by already taking these factors into account. When you shop for wheels by vehicle on our site, you'll be able to see all options that fit. Tire Rack's website only shows sizes we know will safely work on the vehicle. We also let users know important information, including the fitment may be aggressive and may require fender modifications for a proper fit. 

To ensure a match for your car, we measure your vehicle's critical components with sophisticated electronic tools that allows our fitment engineers to create extremely accurate drawings of these parts. We do the same for the wheels that we offer and then use Computer Aided Design (CAD) programs to match the wheels to a vehicle. Using these electronic tools helps us verify the numerous different critical areas before a wheel can be listed for a vehicle. The items we measure or verify include:

• Bolt Pattern
• Centerbore
• Hub Interference
• Load Capacity
• Lug Hardware
• Suspension Components

When viewing wheels in our Upgrade Garage, you can filter options by diameter, price, finish, brand and even weight. Some vehicles come from the factory with a staggered wheel size fitment and our fitment listings will indicate if we have larger rear wheels for your car. Even if your car originally came with larger rear wheels, you can elect to use the same size in the front and rear if you don't want to stay with a staggered set-up. This will allow you to rotate your tires. Also in our Upgrade Garage, you can select the option that allows you to view the wheels on your vehicle.

For more information on choosing the right wheel for your car, read "Why Shop for Wheels by First Selecting a Vehicle?"