YONKERS, N.Y. — Michelin-, General-, Cooper- and Goodyear-brand tires secured the top ratings in Consumer Reports' latest tests of all-weather tires, published in the magazine's November issue.
The latest CR rankings represented tests in five categories: all-season tires, performance all-season tires, ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tires, winter/snow tires and SUV all-season tires.
All-weather tires build on the capabilities found on performance all-season tires with additional winter talents, CR said in its article. In doing so, they bridge the gap between all-season tires and dedicated winter tires.
All-weather tires can be used all year long, and like winter tires, they have a three-peak mountain and snowflake symbol, which signifies that the tire meets an industry-defined level of snow traction.
Michelin ranked highest in the performance and UHP categories. In performance all-season tires, the Michelin CrossClimate + ranked first, followed by the Continental PureContact LS, General Altimax RT43, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady and Michelin Premier A/S.
In UHP, the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ came out first, followed by the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus, Continental ExtremeContact DWS06, BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S and Goodyear Eagle Sport All-Season.
In the November article, CR said it evaluated five all-weather tire models for best all-around all-weather tire: the CrossClimate +, Assurance WeatherReady, Nokian WRG4, Toyo Celsius and Vredestein Quatrac 5.
"The Michelin CrossClimate + shined as the top-rated all-weather tire thanks to its uncompromising grip," the article said.
The Michelin CrossClimate + retails at $171 and is sold in limited sizes by Tire Rack, according to CR. More sizes will be added this fall, it said.
Among all-season tires, the General Altimax RT43 placed first, followed by the Michelin Defender T+H, Continental TrueContact Tour, Falken Sincera SN201 A/S and Falken Sincera SN250 A/S.
The Cooper Discoverer True North was rated No. 1 among winter/snow tires, followed by the Hankook Winter I*cept iZ2, Continental WinterContact SI, Michelin X-Ice XI3 and Nokian Hakkapeliitta R3.
The Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max ranked highest among SUV all-season tires, followed by the Kumho Crugen Premium, Bridgestone Dueler H/L 422 Ecopia, Sumitomo HTR Enhance C/X and Hankook Dynapro HP2.
CR said it purchased more than 630 all-season tires, covering 63 models, for this year's testing. Each year the magazine selects different tire categories for testing and ranking.
CR tested the tires at its test track in Connecticut for wet and dry braking and handling, ride comfort and quietness, snow traction and resistance to hydroplaning, according to the article.
It evaluated each tire's grip on ice at a nearby skating rink, conducted treadwear tests on public roads in western Texas, and commissioned outside laboratories to measure rolling resistance, it said.