Best snow tires of 2024
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Depending on where you live, winter tires can be crucial for commuting in tough winter conditions. Winter tires use sipes and grooves to move snow away and provide better traction, acceleration and grip to the tires. There are snow tires for regular passenger cars, trucks, SUVs and vans. Every tire option that will be listed will have a three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) for winter performance and include a warranty up to a certain mileage. In budgeting for this purchase, keep in mind that it's highly recommended you run a full set of four matched snow tires. The olden days when your grandpa would put on just two are long gone. Here are the best snow tires that are currently available for sale online.
Passenger cars
Studless
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 - Starts at $112.99
Key features
Sizes range from 14” to 19”
EdgePerformance Technology Package
15% more block edges
Multi-cell compound with bite articles
The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is a great winter tire for sedans, coupes, crossovers and minivans. It uses an EdgePerformance Technology Package and has interlocking sipes to keep the performance consistent throughout the life of the tire. It also has one of the best stopping distances out of every winter tire that has been tested by Tire Rack.
Continental VikingContact 7 - Starts at $116.99
Key features
Specialized Nordic compound
3D sipes
Interlocked block bridges
The Continental VikingContact 7 has a specialized Nordic compound that uses canola oil to help the tires adapt to icy or snowy conditions. This tire provides a quiet ride but can be a bit noisy on rough surfaces.
Michelin X-Ice SNOW - Starts at $132.99
Key features
Sizes range from 15” to 20”
FleX-Ice 2.0 compound
Increased groove widths
Full-depth sipes
This Michelin X-Ice SNOW uses a FleX-Ice 2.0 compound that can create micro-roughness on the tread surface to improve grip. Tire Rack testers say this tire has "Excellent road manners combined with balanced traction for all road conditions".
Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra - Starts at $148.99
Key features
Sizes range from 16” to 18”
Cryo-Adaptive compound
V-tread pattern
Hydrodynamic grooves
This Goodyear WinterCommand Ultra has a Cryo-Adaptive compound that’s molded into the tread pattern to increase snow traction and performance. The V-tread pattern uses hydrodynamic grooves that evacuate water and snow from the contact patch to maintain stability.
Yokohama iceGUARD iG52c - Starts at $168.03
Key features
Advanced winter tire technology
Resin-Coated Shelled Microbubbles
BluEarth branding
This Yokohama iceGUARD iG52c uses advanced winter tire technology and resin-coated microbubbles to make them proficient in snowy and icy conditions.
Studdable
Firestone Winterforce 2 - Starts at $79.36
Key features
Sizes range from 14” to 18”
Special cold weather compound
High sipe density tread pattern
These Firestone Winterforce 2 tires have a special cold-weather compound with wide lateral notches, deep circumferential grooves and open shoulder slots. These are a good bargain buy if you are looking for studded tires for the winter.
General AltiMAX Arctic 12 - Starts at $108.99
Key features
Sizes range from 15” to 18”
Highly directional tread pattern
Serrated sipes and angled tread blocks
The General AltiMAX Artic 12 has a directional tread pattern and an arrow-shaped central rib that improves steering response and handling.
Cooper Evolution Winter - Starts at $119.99
Key features
Sizes range from 15” to 19”
Deep starting tread depths
Two-ply side wall
These Cooper Evolution Winter tires have a very deep starting tread depth and a two-ply sidewall. This tire currently has a 100% rating from customers on Tire Rack.
Winter performance
Vredestein Wintrac Pro - Starts at $155.62
Key features
Sizes range from 17” to 22”
Resin- and silica-enhanced tread pattern
Resistant to hydroplaning
The Vredestein Wintrac Pro uses a resin and silica-enhanced tread pattern to increase performance and traction. These tires can be a bit noisy but have great ride quality.