We all know that a car’s performance is only as good as its tires, and choosing the right ones is as important as making sure the brakes work! The all-season tire is one of the best tire choices for the everyday driver. With the best all-season tires, you’ll be ready to take on sun, rain, and even some snow. All-season tires are true superheroes of the tire world—providing a well-rounded performance in various weather conditions, from warm summer days to frosty winter mornings. Below we’ll share with you the ins and outs of these tires and recommend our top picks for the best all-season tires for sedans.
All-season tires are designed for dry and wet performance in mild weather conditions
Understanding the all-season tire
All-season tires, as the name suggests, are designed to provide balanced dry and wet performance in all weather conditions, including light winter driving. They’re the jack of all trades in the tire universe—offering a comfortable ride, good fuel economy, decent tread life, and a good grip on both dry and wet roads.
However, keep in mind that while all-season tires are good at many things, they’re not fine-tuned for extreme conditions. For heavy winter weather or sporty driving, you’d want to switch to winter or summer performance tires.
Our picks for the best all-season tires for sedans
Let’s dive into the best all-season tires for your car. We’ve looked at a few of the most important factors when making our selections. The tires should have a balanced tread pattern that will work well in a wide range of situations. They should give a comfortable and quiet ride with good fuel economy. And finally, they should be affordable and hard-wearing. All prices are for a 2020 Honda Accord.
Vredestein Quatrac Pro
The Vredestein Quatrac Pro is a good all-rounder, giving a pleasant driving experience in both dry and wet conditions and even some light snow. However, it shines brightest in the rain.
One of its most distinguishing features is its superior handling in wet conditions, which gives it unmatched handling and very short braking distances in wet conditions, making it an ideal tire for areas with lots of regular rainfall.
Comfort and noise levels are also pretty decent, making for a smooth and quiet ride. If I had to pick a downside, it would be that while it handles light snow well, it’s not quite up to par with some of the other tires we review here in snow or icy conditions.
Overall, if you’re looking for a tire that provides balanced performance throughout the year, with a particular knack for wet conditions, the Vredestein Quatrac Pro is a great choice. It’s also one of the most affordable all-season tires we looked at.
Guide price: $220 Warranty: 8 years/50,000 miles Load range: XL Snow rating: 3 Peaks—severe snow service rated
Michelin CrossClimate 2
Michelin’s CrossClimate 2 is a great tire—strong, reliable, and versatile. It boasts superb dry and wet traction and has some of the best snow performance of all the all-season tires we’ve looked at, making it a reliable companion for all seasons.
What sets this tire apart from the other tires we reviewed is its impressive performance in snowy conditions. Thanks to its unique V-formation tread pattern and high silica content tread compound, it manages to provide very good snow traction. Of course, it’s not quite a match for a dedicated winter tire in deep snow, but for light to moderate snow, it’s one of the best all-season options out there.
In other areas, it offers strong, steady, but not outstanding performance. Ride comfort and noise, as well as wet and dry handling, are all reasonable, but there are other tires that excel in each of these areas. But if you’re likely to encounter snow on a regular basis, this is a great choice.
Guide price: $270 Warranty: 60,000 miles Load range: XL Snow rating: 3 Peaks—severe snow service rated
Continental TrueContact Tour
Continental’s TrueContact Tour has an impressively long tread life and offers balanced performance in various conditions. Plus, it’s the most affordable all-season tire we looked at.
This tire definitely deserves some praise in the all-season category. It gives a great balance of performance in dry and wet and can handle light snow fairly well. But one of the TrueContact Tour’s standout features is its fuel efficiency and long lifespan. Thanks to Continental’s EcoPlus technology, these tires will last longer (80,000-mile warranty!) and save you money on gas.
So this tire is a great all-around choice for the budget-conscious driver who still wants a safe and comfortable ride!
If comfort and quietness are your top priorities, the Turanza QuietTrack is the tire for you. It offers a supremely comfortable ride and solid grip on dry and wet surfaces, making it a great all-around performer.
As the name suggests, this tire is designed with noise reduction in mind, offering one of the quietest rides in the all-season category. But the Turanza QuietTrack isn’t just about quietness. It also offers solid performance in a variety of conditions. Dry and wet traction are both commendable, but you wouldn’t want to drive it in any more than light snow.
What really makes this tire stand out from other all-season options, aside from its quietness, is its comfort. The ride quality is exceptional, making it a great choice for long trips or daily commutes where comfort is a priority.
This tire also has an impressive 80,000-mile warranty. So, if your priorities are comfort and noise reduction, the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack is the tire for you.
Guide price: $270 Warranty: 80,000 miles Load range: XL Snow rating: 3 Peaks—Severe snow service rated
Firestone WeatherGrip
For those looking for a tire to handle all sorts of weather conditions, the Firestone WeatherGrip delivers. It offers reliable performance in various conditions and a comfortable ride.
One of the standout features of the WeatherGrip is its wet performance. Its tread design efficiently evacuates water and reduces the risk of hydroplaning. It’s also to be commended for its performance in snow, with great light snow traction. While it’s not our top tire in either the wet or snowy weather categories, it offers great performance in both conditions, unlike its competition.
The Firestone WeatherGrip is a solid choice for those seeking a reliable all-season tire that performs well across various conditions.
Guide price: $230 Warranty: 65,000 miles Load range: XL Snow rating: 3 Peaks—Severe snow service rated
Tires side by side
Let’s compare these tires side by side:
The Vredestein Quatrac Pro is the champ in wet conditions and offers a good balance of price, comfort, and performance.
The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is an excellent all-rounder and stands out for its ability to handle snow.
The Continental TrueContact Tour is our budget-friendly winner with exceptional tread life and fuel efficiency as well as being the most affordable tire we looked at.
The Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack takes the crown for a quiet and comfortable ride, offering an almost zen-like driving experience.
The Firestone WeatherGrip offers a great balance of wet, dry, and snowy weather performance.
Remember, the best all-season tire for your car depends on your specific needs, driving style, and where you usually drive.
4 things to consider when choosing the right tires for your car
When deciding which best all-season tire, from our list to buy for your car, there are a few things you should look out for:
Tire size: Check your vehicle’s manual or the driver’s side door jamb to find the right tire size. It’s a code that should look something like this: 235/40R19. Each part of this code tells you something about the tire’s size and capabilities. For example, the first number, 235, is the tire’s width in millimeters, and the last number, 19, is the tire’s diameter in inches.
Driving conditions: Do you often drive on wet roads? Or do you live in an area where winters can be harsh? Take these conditions into account. All-season tires should handle most conditions, but you might want to consider a second set of tires if you live somewhere with harsh winters.
Tread life: Your tire will come with a tread life warranty which indicates how long it will last. A tire will also have a UTQG number which indicates tread life, and the higher, the better. For example, a tire with a UTQG of 800 will last twice as long as one with a UTQG of 400. A higher tread life means the tire should last longer, but remember, your driving habits also impact tread life.
Price: When buying new tires, you should always budget for at least two new tires, but ideally, a full set of four. So price is an important factor to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tire brand is the best for all seasons?
Several brands stand out as the best for all-season tires, with Michelin, Bridgestone, and Continental offering great options in the all-season tire category. However, the ‘best’ tire for you will vary based on your specific needs, driving style, and the typical weather conditions where you live. We’ve recommended some of the best all-season tire brands and tires in this article, but some other options you might want to consider are the Michelin Pilot Sport, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady, and the Pirelli Scorpion Strada All-Season.
What are 2 disadvantages to using all-season tires?
All-season tires have a few disadvantages, including their handling in winter weather and lack of responsiveness when driving on a track. First, while they perform adequately in many conditions, they aren’t specialists in any particular one. This means that they can’t match the superior traction of winter tires on snowy or icy surfaces. And secondly, as they are made to handle many types of roads well, they lack the grip of a specific summer or performance tire, so they are not recommended for racing.
Despite these potential drawbacks, all-season tires can still be a fantastic choice for many drivers, especially if you live in a moderate climate and want a good balance of performance and convenience.
Are all-season tires as good as all-weather tires?
Yes, all-season tires are as good as all-weather tires for the specific conditions they are designed for. All-season tires are designed to handle a variety of conditions, from dry to wet and even light snow. They offer a good balance of performance and can be a great choice for drivers in moderate climates.
All-weather tires are somewhat of a hybrid. They have snow and ice capabilities close to winter tires but can be used year-round like all-season tires, which is why they carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol indicating their suitability for heavier snow conditions. However, they don’t perform quite so well in hot weather as all-season tires. So, whether all-season or all-weather tires are “better” really depends on your driving conditions, needs, and preferences.
Should I use just all-season tires or summer tires and winter tires?
If you live in an area with extreme weather, you’re better off with specialist summer and winter tires, but if you live somewhere with moderate weather, the all-season tire is probably the best choice for you. So as you can see, the answer really depends on your specific driving needs and the climate where you live.
If you live in an area with mild winters and summers, all-season tires could be an excellent choice for you. They offer a good balance of performance characteristics and can handle a variety of conditions reasonably well. However, if you live in an area that experiences severe winters with heavy snow and ice, or very hot summers, it might be beneficial to have two sets of tires: winter tires for the colder months and summer or all-season tires for the warmer months. Winter tires offer superior traction in snow and ice, while summer tires provide optimal performance and handling in hot weather and wet conditions.
What are the best all-season tires for snow?
From our testing, the best all-season tires for snow are the Michelin CrossClimate 2, which has a unique tread design that provides good traction in cold and somewhat snowy conditions. While it’s essential to remember that no all-season tire can match a winter tire’s performance in snow, these are a great option if you live somewhere that rarely gets snow or only ever has light snow.
However, if you’re frequently driving in heavy snow or icy conditions, you might want to consider investing in a set of winter tires for optimal safety and performance. These tires are specifically designed to provide superior traction and control in winter weather.
How long do all-season tires last?
On average, you can expect an all-season tire to last anywhere from 50,000 to 80,000 miles or up to about 5 years of average driving. The tires we tested all have warranties in this range. But in order for your tires to reach their maximum lifespan, regular maintenance is important. This includes proper inflation, tire rotation, and alignment. It’s also important to regularly inspect your tires for any signs of damage or excessive wear and replace them when necessary.
What are all-season tires best for?
All-season tires are designed to work well in a range of weather conditions, from wet or dry, to a smattering of snow. An all-season tire is best suited for drivers living in regions with moderate weather conditions — those places where winters aren’t too severe and summers aren’t scorching hot. They offer a balance of good performance in dry and wet conditions, comfortable ride quality, and decent tread life. All-season car tires also provide some winter traction, but keep in mind that they aren’t designed for heavy snow or ice — that’s a job for your winter treads.
By Yens Svayder|2024-05-03T09:21:53+00:00June 7th, 2023|Tire guides, Tires|Comments Off on Revealing the Best All-Season Tires for Your Sedan: the Complete Guide
Yens manages all operations at the GoTire warehouse — from inventory distribution to logistics, from leading the warehouse team to the equipment upgrade. Having worked in the tire industry for five years and over a decade — in the customer-service management, Yens knows exactly what to offer the drivers. His area of expertise is new tires and everything from choosing to installing and maintaining them. In his spare time, Yens enjoys history books, good movies, and riding his bike. By the way, one of the topics he covers in the blog: “Is it possible to inflate a car tire with a bike pump?” All of his articles are based on personal experience. Write to Yens or comment on a post if you have a tire-related question!
