Are you an average SUV or crossover driving hoping to spice up the performance of your car? How reliable are your tires throughout the year? Most drivers have to deal with confusing options when choosing tires for their vehicles. The tire market contains a variety of brands, but how do you differentiate the best touring all-season tires for SUVs from the rest?
Crossover/ SUV all-season tires are all about blending traction, comfort and durability. The powerful engines of SUVs and Crossovers are only as good as their tires. You need sets of tires that will complement the capabilities of the car without costing you a fortune.
Every driver prefers sets of tires that provide sufficient safety levels irrespective of the weather conditions. Tire changes are not only tedious but also costly. Manufacturers leverage appropriate designs and material choices to produce versatile Crossover/SUV touring tires that provide exceptional all-weather traction.
Is traction the only thing to look for in a tire? What other qualities does one have to evaluate before making a purchase? We compile all the information to help average SUV drivers make better choices regarding tire purchases. We understand that Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires underperform in certain situations. That is why we go further to provide unbiased comparisons and offer valuable tire purchasing tips.
| Tire name | Competitors beaten | Rating | Wet performance | Hydroplaning resistance | Wet traction | Dry performance | Cornering stability | Dry traction | Steering response | Winter/snow performance | Comfort performance | Ride quality | Noise score | Treadwear performance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental CrossContact LX25 | 100% | 9 | 9.4 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 9.4 | 9.3 | 9.5 | 9.3 | 8.7 | 9.1 | 9.3 | 8.8 | 9.5 |
| Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II | 99% | 9 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.4 | 9.2 | 8.5 | 9.3 | 9.2 | 9.3 | 9.2 |
| Michelin CrossClimate SUV | 99% | 9 | 9.6 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.5 | 9.6 | 9.4 | 8.7 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.8 |
| Cooper Evolution H/T | 98% | 9 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.2 | 8.3 | 9.2 | 9.4 | 9.1 | 9.2 |
| BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT | 96% | 9 | 9 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.2 | 9 | 9.5 | 9.1 | 8.7 | 8.5 | 8.8 | 8.1 | 8.8 |
| Kumho Crugen HP71 | 94% | 9 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 8.9 | 9.3 | 8.9 | 8 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 8.8 | 8.8 |
| Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus | 93% | 9 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 8.8 | 9.1 | 9 | 9.3 | 9 | 7.6 | 8.6 | 8.8 | 8.4 | 8.7 |
| Michelin Latitude Tour HP ZP | 91% | 7 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 7.6 | 8.2 | 8.1 | 8.5 | 8 | 5.2 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 6.8 | 6.6 |
| Cooper Discoverer SRX | 90% | 8 | 8.9 | 9 | 8.9 | 9.1 | 9 | 9.3 | 9 | 7.3 | 8.3 | 8.4 | 8.1 | 7.8 |
| Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology | 89% | 8 | 8.7 | 8.6 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 8.6 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 7.5 | 8.4 | 8.4 | 8.5 | 7.8 |
What defines the best touring all-season tires for SUVs?
The urge to conquer uncharted territories looks like a common trait with SUV owners. That explains why most Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires have appealing physical appearances and admirable durability. Everything goes down to meticulous tire designs and selection of manufacturing materials. Let’s see how these tires suit their purposes.
All-season tread compounds
These tires are an all-in-one package. Whether you are looking for dependable snow traction or extended durability for long-distance traveling in summer, then they present themselves as the real deal. But how can one set of tires balance winter and summer performance? Isn’t the norm for tires to stiffen when cold and deteriorate (wear) faster when temperatures increase?
As an industry standard, manufacturers use rubber containing high content of silica. They then blend the rubber with advanced additives to enhance the summer and winter resilience of the tires. That way, the tires remain flexible under freezing temperatures and stable when summer heat peaks. The material gives the tires superb traction to enhance handling and responsiveness throughout the year.
Manufacturers mold these all-season compounds into unique tread patterns. Manufacturers optimize tread patterns, with a focus on balancing wet, dry and snow traction.
Attractive tread life warranties
Manufacturers trust Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires to deliver beyond expectations. They fine-tune every performance feature for drivers to gain real value for money. Since these tires rank closer or even better than performance tires, it is easy to pass them as non-durable.
Surprisingly, these tires have attractive tread life warranties. The warranties are within or above the average tire industry ratings (over 50,000 miles). Some manufacturers offer up to 70,000 miles tread life warranties. In simple words, drivers can enjoy up to 5 years of uninterrupted service.
Superior all-season comfort
What is the point of spending several dollars on tires, yet all you receive is a noisy and uncomfortable ride? Well, manufacturers work round the clock to improve the comfort levels of the best touring all-season tires for SUVs. Tire noises are inevitable but controlling their intensity is crucial. That is why manufacturers use sleek tread patterns and superbly-engineered shock absorbing layers beneath the treads.
The treads take care of noise cancellation and suppression on the road surface. The shock-absorbing layers soak up disturbances generated when tires hit bumps or irregular surfaces. Usually, the shock-absorbing layer contains well-jointed nylon or polyester plies. The best touring all-season tires for SUVs need to provide adequate protection against tramlining.
Adequate defense against hydroplaning
At one point, you have to take the SUV or Crossover for a ride in the rainy seasons. There are many uncertainties for drivers to deal with when the roads turn slippery. Think of uneven acceleration, swerving, momentary loss of traction and unimpressive braking characteristics.
To protect vehicles from hydroplaning, manufacturers incorporate deep circumferential grooves on the tire’s tread. They guarantee adequate evacuation of water for tires to retain traction on slippery roads.
How do the best touring all-season tires for SUVs compare to other tire categories?
In terms of all-season performance, touring all-season tires for SUVs exhibit exemplary performances. They are appropriate for long-distance driving and provide dependable traction and handling for a quality all-weather ride. It does not mean that they lack shortcomings. There are driving conditions that will pose enormous challenges for the tires.
First off, the design of the tires focuses on highway driving. They have relatively thin, non-aggressive sidewalls and may not provide satisfactory performances when driving off-road. It is preferable to use all-season all-terrain tires for better off-road experiences. Should you focus on muddy roads, consider using mud-terrain tires. Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires will guarantee modest performances over hardpacked roads and some loosely-packed roads.
The best touring all-season tires for SUVs have moderate to high-speed ratings. You can practically test the quality of the vehicle’s acceleration on approved racing tracks. However, handling will not be as apt as you’d expect. The best choice for such situations is the street or sports tires.
Finally, if you haul trailers around, then you might have to select another tire alternative. Touring all-season tires for SUVs have lower load ratings and cannot sustain heavier loads. Highway tires provide superior capabilities.
Verdict
Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires are the perfect choice for drivers anticipating balanced performances throughout the year. They are affordable, durable and offer excellent all-weather traction. Drivers enjoy predictable and safe rides all year round.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tires can I buy for a crossover?
Crossovers/SUVs have powerful engines that enable them to cruise at high speed. To match the engine capabilities, you need a tire that provides all-weather traction. We recommend purchasing Crossover/SUV touring all-season tires.
Are crossover/SUV touring all-season tires good for winter driving?
The tires provide dependable winter traction. However, drivers have to be careful on snow-covered roads since tire performance drops with increasing snow depth. The tires may struggle in extreme winter.
