Table of Contents
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If you drive a light or heavy-duty pickup truck, then you’ll need some durable tires that will perform competently in any weather or terrain. As much as we want to, we can’t test every single tire, so we refer to Tire Rack and Consumer Reports in order to provide fair and accurate ratings to each tire based on test results and customer feedback. Many of these truck tires can work just as well with SUV’s and vans. Here are the best truck tires for sale on Tire Rack and Discount Tire.
For a deeper dive on these tires, along with the many more that were tested, go to consumerreports.org (membership required), or tirerack.com or discounttire.com.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 20”
- 3PMSF
- Computer-aided design
- Multi-pitched pattern
This Dutch brand is a relatively new entry in the light-truck segment. It tops the comparison chart at Tire Rack, and its overall test score at CR was just one point behind the Michelin and two behind the Continental. It has a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation, meaning it qualifies as a winter traction tire. “Strikes a good balance of general performance” — and at an impressively low price.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- In-block sipes
- Two-high strength belts
- 3PMSF
Likewise, could use some added refinement on the road, but it was second only to the Vredestein in head-to-head testing, and outperformed it in the snow. “A great choice for many drivers.”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Provides year-round traction
- Quiet for an all-terrain tire
This was CR’s top-rated model, which the magazine called “impressively quiet for an all-terrain tire”. It has enough grip for a bit of off-road use, and is a solid all-terrain tire for the road. It earned a CR recommendation checkmark.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- Advanced MaxTouch Construction
- Biting Edges
- Comfort Control Technology
This Michelin was a very close second in CR testing. Testers declared it “pricey, but long-lasting wear can prove to make it good value”. (It claims a tread life of 100,000 miles, remarkable for any tire, let alone an A/T.) It got especially high marks for hydroplaning avoidance, which makes it a good choice for wet climates.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- 3D Multi-Wave Sipes
- Lateral grooves
- 3PMSF
Tire Rack says, “The alert steering feels surprisingly sporty, and the ride is very nice”. Could use some more wet grip.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 20”
- Secure Grip all-terrain pattern
- Silica-based tread compound
- Adaptive-Traction Technology
- 3PMSF
Cooper AT3 4S is another all-terrain tire that earned a winter designation — meaning it qualifies when snow traction tires are required. It’s not the only all-terrain to do that, but it’s at a nice price. Tire Rack says, “This customer favorite is a strong performer”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- Stable Trac Technology
- Aggressive Stone Blockades
- 3PMSF
The AT3 4S’s even chunkier brother has steering and ride quality that “are both satisfying for the daily drive, and it’s nice to drive in the snow”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- Traction Claw Technology
- Deep tread
- Chip and tear-resistant
This got very good marks in all areas except for a middling performance in wet braking but still earned a CR recommendation.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- ComfortBalance Technology
- Absorption layer
- 3PMSF
Consumer Reports salutes the General APT for an “outstanding resistance to hydroplaning” and says it has “few shortcomings”. It’s more of an on-road tire.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 14” to 22”
- ComfortBalance Technology
- DuraGen technology
- 3PMSF
The APT’s more ruggedly off-road country cousin is lauded for its handling and light snow traction and is considerably cheaper.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- Optimized tread design
- Aggressive upper-sidewall
- 3D Canyon Sipe Technology
This is another all-terrain tire that is both snow-rated and rugged enough for off-road use. A good all-arounder with “few shortcomings,” CR says. Tire Rack praises its noise level and wet traction: “We can see why it’s a consumer favorite”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- HydroGrip Technology Package
- Two high-strength steel belts
- 3PMSF
Well-liked overall, Tire Rack says: “It’s very good and would be great with that last bit of performance and refinement”. Offers quick and light steering response and compared well in head-to-head testing with the Continental TerrainContact A/T.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- Serrated Shoulder Design
- TriGard
- 3PMSF
Tire Rack calls this one the “benchmark” of this category, and it gets high marks in surveys from customers who’ve reported 23 million miles of driving it. Tire Rack tested this knobby Goodrich head-to-head and tread-to-tread with three “mild” on/off-road designs, and it fared surprisingly well, excelling unsurprisingly in snow traction/handling.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 24”
- Reinforced tread blocks with tapered edges
- Two unique sidewall designs
These Nitto Ridge Grappler tires are a very rugged all-terrain tire that is still capable enough for daily driving on regular roads. Tire Rack claims these tires are good for rough terrain but not so much with cornering and handling on regular roads.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 20”
- TractionGroove Technology
- Rim locking feature
- 3PMSF
The Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tire uses TractionGroove technology to enhance traction in deep mud and snow. The rim locking feature is used to prevent wheel slip and offers built-in rim protection to prevent damage on and off-road.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- Optimized geometric block layout to extend tread life
- 3D zigzag sipes to flight snow traction
- 3PMSF
Top marks for rolling resistance and noise level.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 20”
- 2-in-1 shoulder block design
- Affordable
In Consumer Report rankings typically dominated by Continentals and Michelins, here’s something different. Laufeen is a budget brand of Hankook. Its overall score was a step down from the tires that precede it on this list, but it scored well in everything save for a “fair” rating for wet braking. Yet it’s one of the lowest-price tires tested.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Noise Reduction Tuning
- 3D SipeLock
- 3PMSF
This Michelin with its unusual tread pattern “earns the highest subjective score on the road, in the wet, and in the dry” and scored well in snow also. Tire Rack’s conclusion: “We’re impressed”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- Evertread compound
- High Density 3-D Active Siper
- MaxTouch Construction
CR’s ratings chart uses green to denote a 5/5 rating, and the Defender’s scorecard shows a lot of green — top marks for rolling resistance, snow traction and a quiet ride. It does not fare so well in wet braking, where it scored a 2/5, which CR characterizes as just “fair”. An 80,000-mile tread life and it is T-rated for speeds up to 118 mph.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 15” to 22”
- Sound Barrier Ribs
- Strong Continuous Rib
Another CR salute for a General, this tire earned a top grade for rolling resistance — an important consideration given today’s gasoline prices. It scores well in other categories too, and its projected tread life is 75,000 miles.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- Armor Belt Technology
- Winter Grip Technology
- 3PMSF
Tire Rack likes this Cooper’s snow performance but it notes some road noise, and testing indicates it could be better in wet conditions.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Smooth and quiet ride comfort
- Silica-rich compound
TireRack gave this Cooper tire high marks in a comparison of economy/entry-level truck and SUV tires. Kudos for ride, steering, wet traction. A bit noisy. But “a strong new competitor in the segment”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Large and stable shoulder blocks
- Noise blockers
- Computer-Optimized Pattern Shifting
This is CR’s top-rated truck/SUV tire, with outstanding marks for its quiet demeanor on the road and exceptional traction in snow. It has an expected tread life of 95,000 miles. It’s the only one in this subset to earn a CR recommendation checkmark — at least, the only one that’s easy to find. CR recommended a few other models that are no longer easy to find, so we didn’t highlight those.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- EcoPlus+ Technology
- Comfort Ride Technology
- Reduced tread noise
Tire Rack calls this a “proven performer” with high marks in all categories, especially snow traction — “a great, do-everything option”.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 20”
- Hydroplaning resistance
- Noise cancelling features
The Geloandr CV G058 is a tire that offers hydroplaning resistance and has a quiet ride compared to its competition.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 18” to 22”
- Silica end-locked polymer
- Circumferential grooves to resist hydroplaning
The Yokohama Geolandar X-CV is competent at wet braking and hydroplaning, along with steering and handling performance. This tire is only available,e in bigger sizes.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Quiet Tracks technology reduces noise
- Great traction in torrential weather conditions
The Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra offers a comfortable and quiet ride to go along with its great performance in torrential weather.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 17” to 22”
- Sequence-tuned shoulder blocks
- 3D Sipes
This is Tire Rack’s top-rated all-season truck/SUV tire. The site describes it as refined to drive and a “worthy successor” to previous, popular Scorpion All-Season tires, and highlighted its “athletic” steering feel.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 16” to 22”
- Aggressive closed shoulder design
- 2-ply polyester sidewall
Goodyear Wrangler tires have a reputation for their off-road capabilities, but the Workhorse HT is all-season-oriented Even though it’s mainly for road use, it can still get the job done on dirt roads or less than optimal conditions.
Key Features
- Sizes range from 17” to 18”
- Chip and tear-resistant
- Enhanced performance at highway speeds
- CoolWedge shoulder insert
These BFGoodrich tires have received high praise for their performance on highways. These tires are also chip and tear resistant.
All-Weather vs All-Season Tires
The names are very similar, but there are some key differences to take note of. All-season tires offer great performance, shorter stopping distances and solid ride quality in any month of the year. On the other hand, all-weather tires are exceptional at taking on harsh weather conditions but leave a lot to be desired in dryer conditions. All-weather tires tend to not last as long and make more road noise than their all-season counterpart.
All-Terrain vs Off-Road Tires
Off-road tires are built for vehicles that spend the majority of time on rougher terrains and away from normal road conditions. All-terrain tires are meant for driving on regular roads but are no slouch on roads covered in gravel, dirt or light mud.
What is the 3PMSF?
The Three Peak Mountian Snowflake Rating is awarded to tires that have been tested has reached a threshold of maintaining traction to accelerate safely in light snow.
