How to Buy the Best Rated Snow Tires

Time for snow tires....


Your life depends on the tires on your car so when snow and ice cover the ground, you will want to have the best rated tires on your car to see you safely to wherever you are going. The best way to buy snow tires is to check out their ratings to see which one is best for you and your car. Here is a list of some of the best rated snow tires to buy.

Michelin X-Ice Xi2 caught the attention of experts and users, though, as a relatively new product there hasn't been enough testing on durability. This snow tire showed lower rolling resistance than many competitors (which leads to better gas mileage) and handled extremely well in the Scandinavian tire tests. Quiet to drive on, it priced out at around $90.

The less expensive Dunlop Graspic DS2 performed well, too. And it stands up well in the durability tests. At an estimated $70 this Dunlop tire ranked very high with the Automobile Protection Association in Canada.

Pirelli Winter Carving, at an average cost of $90 got top reviews from consumers. In many ways it rated competitively with the pricier Nokian Hakkapelitta 5 (at $165). Both ranked well and will perform great where studded tires are permitted.

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-Z3 snow tire ranked tops with Consumer Search in the category of tires for light trucks, vans and SUVs. This one costs around $120.

Two more good choices, Pirelli Scorpion Ice and Snow (approximately $160) and Michelin's Latitude X-Ice (at around $150) also came in with satisfied consumer ratings.

Goodyear Ultra Grip Ice also rated in high with consumers on Tirerack.com. This one has held up well on Canada's snow and ice. It costs approximately $95.

Consumer Reports liked the Continental ContiWinterContact TS810 which costs about $80. This tire tested really well on dry and wet surfaces though some of the competition rated better in very snowy and icy conditions. It would be a good choice for a climate that has a variety of conditions during winter months.

Studded tires tend to grip better on ice than snow but they are noisier and some areas do not allow studs due to road surface damage. Do your research to buy the best rated snow tires for your vehicle and driving conditions. The above suggestions should help.