Tire Promotion

The General G-MAX AS-03 is an all-season tire with a strong balance of dry, wet and light snow capabilities. This is a great tire for those finely-tuned performance machines that may have come with a summer tire as Original Equipment. In addition to light snow traction, it offers longer life, more performance versatility in real-world conditions and great handling on wet and dry roads.

Using a patented 3-D sipe technology for snow traction keeps the tread at an optimal stiffness range throughout the life of the tire. The side of sipes have male/female interlocking elements that lock together under load for more rigidity resulting in precise steering response, outstanding grip and even promotes even wear. The tire also uses locking elements in the tread pattern to lock in snow to increase the much needed snow-on-snow adhesion. The result is enhanced traction on snowy and slippery roads giving the driver peace of mind.

Hydroplaning results when more water is present than the tire can evacuate. The G-MAX features large channels to smoothly direct high volumes of water from underneath the tire without creating disturbances that slow that critical evacuation. Less hydroplaning + better wet grip = more driver satisfaction. For more information on hydroplaning, read "Hydroplaning: The Role Tires Play."

This Ultra High Performance All-Season tire from General also features VAI and RTM technology that we have seen on other General tires. VAI (Visual Alignment Indicators) technology is a system of sipes on each tread shoulder consisting of two shallow sipes and one deep sipe. If your vehicle becomes out of alignment you will see one shoulder wear faster than the other after only a couple hundred miles. The VAI's short depth sipes can alert you to this uneven wear if the sipes on one side disappear before the other side. Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) is when the letters in "Replacement Tire Monitor" wear off and change to "Replace Tire" as the tire reaches the end of its life cycle.

The General G-MAX AS-03 is offered in a wide variety of sizes including fitments for the Chevrolet Camaro, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, Nissan 370Z and many others.

Take a look at what customers are saying about their experience with the General G-MAX AS-03:

"Put these on my 2009 A5. The car has a better response in the corners and feels really connected to the road. I feel a ton more control on wet roads with hydroplaning a distant memory. They also come at a great price!" -- Tire Rack Consumer, 2009 Audi A5 3.2

"Amazingly quiet and smooth - almost eerie. Steering response, tracking and ride are great. Wet performance is phenomenal. Almost as much grip on wet roads as dry!" -- Tire Rack Consumer, 2008 Ford Mustang GT Convertible

Shop by vehicle to find the tire that works best for your vehicle.

I recently had the opportunity to test the new Michelin Pilot Super Sport on our test track and on the road. The Pilot Super Sport is Michelin's newest Max Performance Summer tire; however after the test drive, I can tell you this tire is definitely going to push the limits of the category. Developed for the world's most sophisticated performance vehicles and as a direct replacement to the venerable Pilot Sport PS2, the Pilot Super Sport exceeds the PS2 in wet and dry traction, handling, durability and tread life.
 
Michelin has always had a great reputation for building tires with excellent road manners. The Pilot Super Sport continues this tradition. It features a polyester cord body to promote a comfortable ride and responsive handling. Smooth and quiet are the order of the day, kind of like Clark Kent. Clark Kent was a mild-mannered reporter for the "Daily Planet," but as his alter ego, Superman, he was "faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound."

I like to describe to my customers the great combination of road manners and handling characteristics of the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 as "a wolf in sheep's clothing." The Pilot Super Sport is the like PS2 on steroids.

The Pilot Super Sport was a direct result of technology developed in the demanding world of endurance racing. By building longer wearing racing tires without sacrificing performance, Michelin's tires allowed teams to run record race paces while converting some of the time previously spent changing tires in the pits into productive time covering more miles on the track. Ultimately resulting in bringing home race victories at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 12 Hours of Sebring and Road Atlanta's Petit Lemans, just to name a few. 

These race victories also led to the development of the Variable Contact Patch 2.0 to improve footprint pressure distribution, which in turn aids handling and improves treadlife. A tire's contact patch is the only connection between the road and the vehicle. The size and shape of the contact patch, as well as the pressure distribution within the contact patch are important to the ride qualities and handling characteristics of a vehicle. Because pneumatic tires are flexible, the contact patch is different when the vehicle is in motion from when it is static.

What I liked best about the tire was the crisp steering response, its wet and dry grip and great on-center feel. These factors were very evident as I was coaching young drivers during the Tire Rack Street Survival Teen Driving School. One of the participants, driving his father's car, just happened to have the Pilot Super Sports installed. We have the students drive on our test track around several obstacles and on the skid pad to get a feel for the limits of the car and their tires. One of the techniques we employ late in the day, when confidence has been building, is to induce a little oversteer on the wet skid pad to see how well the students react. No matter how hard I tried I could not induce oversteer in this car on these tires.

While the Pilot Super Sport may not be faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive or able to leap tall buildings in a single bound, it is fast, it is strong and it is every bit the super tire Michelin said it would be.

• Better handling - Inspired by the same engineering that has powered 13 consecutive victories at 24 Hours of Le Mans.
• Longer lasting - Optimized through technology of Variable Contact Patch 2.0 and Twaron belt package for long, even wear.
• Better braking - Bi-compound delivers excellent dry braking using LeMans-inspired compound on the outer shoulder and the latest generation of wet-oriented elastomers on the inner portion of the tread.
• Lighter weight - Pilot Super Sport tires are comparatively light, with weight savings of up to 10% compared to other tires of similar dimensions. This reduces unsprung weight to improve handling.

At the 2011 Tire Rack One Lap of America. The overall champion and the winner of  both the wet and dry skidpad challenge were riding on Michelin Pilot Super Sport tires. Born from endurance racing, Michelin Pilot Super Sport gives you the exhilaration of driving the best performing street tire in the world. It truly is a super tire. No phone booth required.

BFGoodrich continues its success in off-road racing by winning the 2011 Baja 500. Bryce Menzies was the winning driver with an average speed of just under 50 mph. He joins a list of famous winners including Ivan Stewart, Mickey Thompson and Parnelli Jones. 

The race takes place on Mexico's Baja Peninsula on a loop circuit that runs around 500 miles. Even though the course varies from year-to-year, this is arguably the most grueling off-road desert event in the world. There have been instances of the spectators building jumps and bumps on the course for their own entertainment.

This was BFGoodrich's 28th win in the past 31 years and 72nd overall. They take this winning knowledge from the race and apply it to their off-road product line. 

BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO

BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2

The All-Terrain T/A KO has been a favorite with off-roaders for years. The tough look is more than equaled in off-road prowess. It is also one of the longest wearing all-terrains. Listed below are some comments from customers about this On-/Off-Road All-Terrain tire:

"...why buy a different tire, they are awesome." - Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2001 Toyota Tundra

"...from wet city streets, to desert sand, to snow covered mountain passes in Colorado, I have never been let down by my BFGs." - Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2001 Dodge Ram

If you are looking for a more aggressive look with even more off-road capabilities, then take a look at the Mud-Terrain T/A KM2. Providing lots of bite, large void areas and independent blocks to promote self cleaning, and multiple construction features that result in a chip-resistant and strong sidewall, this tire is ready for the most demanding off-road situations. Read what some of our customers had to say about their experience with the BFGoodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM2:

"...great traction in mud and slop. I am mostly impressed by the mileage I have gotten out of them." - Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2006 Dodge Ram 2500

"...hands down the best tire I've ever owned." - Tire Rack Consumer Review, 2003 Ford F250

The Yokohama AVID ENVigor continues to be one of the top High Performance All-Season tires on the market.The tire is designed for serious sports car and coupe enthusiasts looking to satisfy their year-round driving needs. By providing traction in dry, wet and wintry conditions, the tire is a favorite amongst drivers of the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Honda Civic and various other applications.

The AVID ENVigor radial's all-season silica tread compound is molded into a contact patch featuring a directional tread pattern that blends performance with all-season traction. It also features linked shoulder blocks and a continuous tapered center rib to increase tread rigidity and handling. Independent intermediate blocks and angled grooves enhance wet traction, help resist hydroplaning and promote traction in light snow.

Shop by vehicle to see which tires work best for your vehicle.

It is easy to overlook the importance of new wiper blades, but Tire Rack offers the latest models from PIAA that will provide cleaner windshields resulting in better visibility.

PIAA Super Silicone
The silicone insert ensured greater visibility by coating the windshield with silicone to promote continuous water beading in wet conditions.


PIAA Super Sporza Silicone w/Spoiler
The addition of a spoiler keeps the wiper blades in contact with the windshield at higher speeds.



PIAA Forza Hybrid Silicone
Features a frame that provides even and optimal pressure throughout the blade. 

Don't get caught in the rain without a new pair of PIAA wiper blades.

Tire manufacturers are now expanding their role in helping lower a tire's impact on the environment by developing technologies that help reduce fuel consumption. New compounds offering lower rolling resistance, new manufacturing methods and the use of more eco-friendly raw materials all contribute to a more eco-friendly tire. Our Tire Rack team has recently compared four of the new generation of tires in order to determine what the impact on mileage really is.  See comparison results.

Michelin HydroEdge with Green X (Passenger All-Season)
The HydroEdge with Green X was designed to combine long tread wear and low rolling resistance with hydroplaning resistance and year-round traction. The HydroEdge with Green X radial features Michelin’s Energysaver Construction technology, resulting in a low-rolling resistance silica-based tread compound molded into a directional tread design blending dry and wet road traction with long wear.



Continental ProContact with EcoPlus Technology (Standard Touring All-Season

The ProContact EcoPlus is designed to promote driving pleasure, fuel savings and maintain wet braking grip while providing long wear and all-season traction. The ProContact EcoPlus tire's all-season tread compound features Continental's Tg-F Polymers and +Silane additives improving treadwear, fuel efficiency and traction on slippery roads.




Goodyear Assurance featuring Fuel Max Technology (Passenger All-Season)

The Assurance Fuel Max is designed to lower rolling resistance to enhance fuel economy over the tire’s lifetime and provide year-round traction in wet, dry and wintry weather conditions. The Assurance Fuel Max molds a low rolling resistance all-season compound into a tread design featuring distinct zones. Inboard and outboard Dry Tread Zones feature strong shoulder blocks to enhance handling in dry conditions, while a central Wet Tread Zone features Dual Aquachannel grooves that provide hydroplaning resistance.

Kumho eco Solus HM KR22 (Standard Touring All-Season)

The eco Solus HM KR22 offers extra long wear, low noise and good ride with competent handling and all-season traction. The eco Solus HM features Kumho's traction-enhancing carbon compound molded into a symmetric tread pattern to provide predictable handling, straight-line tracking and low noise.

Looking for a good value in an all-season tire? Put the Hankook Optimo H727 on your list for consideration. It is currently ranked number 1 in our Standard Touring All-Season consumer survey results.

It's offered in 24 different sizes from 14- to 18-inch, all in a T-speed rating. This tire is suitable for  the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and Dodge Grand Caravan as well as other similar models.

It features a symmetrical tread design, with multiple lateral and circumferential grooves to promote excellent all-season traction with a smooth and comfortable ride. It is also offered with a 4-year or 100,000 mile tread life warranty.

Michelin has just come out with a new winter tire called the LTX Winter. 

The LTX Winter is a Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow tire combining snow and ice traction with commercial light truck load carrying capacity. Designed for the drivers of most medium-duty, heavy-duty and commercial vans, pickups and sport utility vehicles, Michelin's LTX Winter is available in Load Range E (10-ply rated) sizes.  

The tread features MaxTouch Construction to produce a contact patch that promotes reliable traction and long wear by evenly distributing acceleration, braking and cornering forces.  The design promotes water evacuation in order to enhance wet driving capabilities. 

It is branded with the snowflake-on-the-mountain symbol as well. Read more.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 GS continues to be one of the top Ultra High Performance Summer tires on the market. It is designed for serious sports car and sports coupe enthusiasts looking for race tire-like traction on the street or for use in aggressive street driving and track events. This tire is a favorite amongst the drivers of cars like the Audi A4, BMW 3 Series, Honda Civic and various other applications. Read more about this great tire!

The Eagle F1 GS shapes Goodyear's AATRAX tread compound into a directional tread design. Large shoulder blocks with center ribs and a multi-radius profile offer tight steering and uniform wear. Dual Aquachannels help provide efficient water evacuation to promote wet traction. The tire's internal structure includes twin steel belts and an angled ply carcass which combines disturbance-free operation with high-speed durability.

Get yours today!

Michelin has introduced a winter tire to their LTX. The Michelin LTX Winter has an appearance similar to the LTX M/S all-season tire, but that's where the likeness ends. The Michelin LTX Winter was designed using Michelin's state-of-the-art, cold-weather W/Max tread compound. This Light Truck/SUV Studless Ice & Snow tire available in seven sizes for 16-18 inch wheels used on 3/4-ton and 1-ton trucks and commercial vans in load range E (10 ply rated).

The Michelin LTX Winter's tread design features high-density 3-D Active Sipes with over 1,000 biting edges to enhance traction in snow and on ice. Its four circumferential grooves combined with lateral grooves and open shoulder slots promote lateral water evacuation to enhance wet traction and stopping performance.

These tires meet Michelin's Green X standard for low rolling resistance that confirms the tire's contribution to reducing vehicle fuel consumption and emissions of CO2 gases.

The new Michelin LTX Winter is branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol and meets the requirements for severe snow service. As with any winter / snow tire, Michelin recommends using LTX Winter tires in all wheel positions to provide the best handling characteristics and tire performance.

I'm always on the lookout for tires that satisfy the needs of older cars and are available in less popular sizes. Dunlop has produced a strong performer for winter driving and made it available in many sizes for 18" through 13" wheels. If your vehicle still has 14" or even 13" wheels, you need to check out the Dunlop Graspic DS-3.
 
The Graspic DS-3 features a silica-based tread compound reinforced by glass fiber molded into a symmetric tread design and provides grip in snow and on ice without metal studs. The unique tread pattern helps stiffen the tread blocks to promote steering feel and even tread wear.

The first 55% of the Graspic DS-3's tread depth features Dunlop's high-grip, silica-enhanced compound. When the tread is worn down where the tread depth no longer supports snow traction, the remaining 45% features an all-season tread compound.

Graspic DS-3 winter / snow tires meet the industry's severe snow service requirements and are branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol.

Thinking about winter tires? Wondering what the difference is between a winter / snow tire and an all-season tire, and whether of not you will need them?

The first thing to understand is that it is never really too soon to be thinking about winter weather. While it may still be warm outside, fall is on its way, and with it the first shipment of winter tires comes along. Why look this early? Winter tires are usually only produced once a year, and that's it. Unlike all-season tires, or even summer tires, we will usually only receive a set amount of winter tire applications; then after that it will be another year until we get more. Not a year goes by that someone looking for a specific winter tire has to settle for something different in November because the sales volume for that tire exceeded that of our received shipment. 

Does a winter tire really work that much better than an all-season tire in wintery conditions? Plain and simple, yes. Winter conditions are a complete culmination of freezing temperatures, snow, slush and ice, usually mixed with some blend of unpleasantness that makes road conditions a possible hazard for any driver, no matter the skill. A typical all-season tire will have a rubber compound meant to be a jack-of-all-trades style and formula, thus giving the driver the ability to drive in all temperatures and all conditions, albeit not with optimum traction in each. Its design incorporates some siping (all the little lines located on the tread) that help assist with biting in slick conditions, but these are minimal as winter grip is not the all-season tire's primary concern. Dedicated winter tires, however, incorporate a rubber compound that stays soft in the most freezing conditions. That, along with an exceptional amount of siping throughout the tire, allows it to have many more biting edges than any all-season tire would. 

So, you may be asking yourself, "What kind of winter tires do I need?" That really depends on the vehicle, its size and how you choose to drive. For many vehicles, we offer a choice between Performance Winter / Snow tires, Studless Ice and Snow and maybe a few Studdable tires as well.

While studded tires are only allowed in some states, people looking for studded tire-like grip without studs will go into a Studless Ice and Snow tire. These tires promote features like squared shoulder blocks, deep tread and extra-heavy siping to give the absolute best possible grip for wintertime. They are available in low-speed rated designs as their primary concern is the best possible traction in the worst possible conditions. 

Many of the most popular Studless Ice and Snow winter tires are:

• Bridgestone Blizzak WS60
• Bridgestone Blizzak WS70
• Michelin X-Ice Xi2
• Continental ExtremeWinterContact

These models will shift slightly for light truck and SUV applications, but will adhere to the same primary functions.

The most popular Performance Winter tires are:

• Dunlop SP Winter Sport 3D
• Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3
• Michelin Pilot Alpin PA3
• Bridgestone Blizzak LM-25
• Pirelli Winter 210 Sottozero

The difference in performance on all of these selections comes down to what you want most out of the tire itself. Each has its own emphasis, which may include traction, longevity, handling and feel, that will cause one selection to be a better choice for the way you drive than another.

Reading survey results and checking out consumer reviews will help you make these decisions and ensure that you will get the best possible fit for your vehicle.

Do you have a sport utility vehicle that you drive a bit more spiritedly? Guess what, Firestone has you taken care of. The Destination S/T is Firestone's new Street/Sport Truck All-Season tire designed with you in mind.

If you're looking to spice up a Ford Mustang with some aftermarket wheels, consider KMC wheels—they're "like no other." Point proven in the image at right, where we've chosen to install the Nova style. They feature a machined finish with black accents, and they're mounted on a set of Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval Indy 500 tires. These Ultra High Performance Summer tires promote excellent steering on dry roads. Together with the KMC Nova wheels, they make one pretty (literally) impressive tire and wheel package.

Click here to start building one for your Mustang. Or, you can start by shopping our entire collection of KMC aftermarket wheels. And if you're feeling really adventurous, enter our Upgrade Garage and find an entire list of aftermarket products—like Mustang brake pads and Mustang suspension components, even Mustang shocks—for your vehicle.

One brand that has consistently been a best-seller at Tire Rack has been Kumho Tires. Let's take a look at a few of the brand's newer tires (Solus KL21 and Road Venture SAT KL 61) and a few that have been tried and true (Road Venture APT KL51, Road Venture AT KL78 and Road Venture KL71).

• Kumho Solus KL21
  • Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season
  • 23 sizes available in 16-20 inch sizes
  • The KL21 features Kumho's High Dispersable Silica tread compound that strengthens the rubber to promote even wear and vehicle fuel-efficiency
• Kumho Road Venture SAT KL61
  • On/Off Road All-Terrain
  • 25 sizes available in 15-18 inch sizes
  • The Road Venture SAT (Stylish All-Terrain) is designed to combine long wear, comfortable ride and traction in dry, wet and wintry conditions. Branded with the Alpine Snow Flake for winter traction
• Kumho Road Venture APT KL51
  • Highway All-Season
  • 49 sizes available in 15-20 inch sizes
  • Designed to enhance ride comfort road noise and driving stability along with year round traction even in light snow.
• Kumho Road Venture AT KL78
  • On/Off Road All-Terrain
  • 60 sizes available in 15-20 inch sizes
  • Designed to combine on-road handling with off-road traction.
• Kumho Road Venture KL71
  • Off Road Maximum Traction
  • 27 sizes available in 15-24 inch sizes
  • Combines exotic looks, large rim diameter sizes and off road capability, the Road Venture MT is a home in mild to wild off-road conditions.

Shop by vehicle to see if these Kumbo Tires will fit yours, then click on individual tires to view tire pictures, tire test results and survey results.

I recently purchased a set of General Tire's new Grabber HTS Highway all-season tire for my Chevrolet Blazer, and have bee very pleased with the results !

The HTS features features General Tire’s Eco-Ride tread compound to improve fuel economy and three types of sipes promote traction in dry, wet and wintry weather.  I felt the ride was smooth, and there was very little road noise on the highway when we did our last test. (Click here to read the full report and see the video).  The HTS model has always been very well reviewed in our consumer surveys as well.

The HTS comes in a variety of sizes for most SUV and crossover vehicles, as well as some 10-ply sizes for heavy duty (1 ton) pickup trucks.

I'd encourage you to take a look at the General Grabber HTS as an option for your vehicle!

In a word, NO. Don't get me wrong; it is a very good tire and an outstanding performer. But at the end of the day, it is still just a tire. Despite what you may have read or heard, it will not give you superpowers, it will not get you a promotion at work and it will not make your kids do what you ask the first time you ask.

I had the unique opportunity to test the ExtremeContact DWS at Continental's Uvalde, Texas proving grounds. I was very impressed with the level of dry and wet grip the tire provided. For an all-season tire I would say it was very similar to a summer tire. Uvalde is only 30 miles or so from Mexico so there was no snow for me to test the tire in. Because of this, I cannot comment on the tire’s snow performance. However, if the tire performs anywhere near as good as the older model (ExtremeContact) did in the snow, the new DWS will be an all-around winner for sure. 

If you are looking for a rock solid all-season performer, the ExtremeContact DWS should be at the top of your list. If you are looking to bend steel with your bare hands, become CEO of the company you work for, or be voted parent of the year, I don't think the ExtremeContact DWS will help you.
                                          

 The Michelin LTX M/S 2 is designed to combine a quiet comfortable ride with long tread life, year-round traction and all-season capabilities in dry, wet and wintry conditions, including light snow.

It is available for vehicles using light truck tire sizes (vans, pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles). The rubber compound is silica-enhanced to improve wet traction and the tread profile features Michelin’s MaxTouch construction to produce a contact patch that promotes reliable traction by evenly distributing braking, acceleration and cornering stability. The symmetric tread design features 3-D active sipes to improve snow traction and four wide circumferential grooves and multiple lateral channels for good hydroplaning resistance. They carry a six-year or 70,000-mile warranty.

That would be the new Firestone Destination ST Street/Sport Truck All-Season tire.

While this tire may look a bit awkward to some, its unique asymmetrical tread design provides outstanding performance.

The Firestone Destination ST is designed with large stable outboard shoulders that turn into independent tread blocks. These blocks are separated by large, water evacuating crisscrossing grooves that provide multiple biting edges to promote good all-season performance. The inboard shoulder has a wide circumferential groove and independent shoulder blocks. This helps with water evacuation and promotes hydroplaning resistance as well as aids in inclement weather traction.

During my test drive on this tire I found it to be very nimble, responsive and crisp for a large Street/Sport Truck All-Season tire. And at the same time, I found it to be a very comfortable and quiet tire. Way to go Firestone!