Consumer Reports Test Results Show That These Winter/Snow Tires Have The Best Grip

Here’s the latest from Consumer Reports on what they found from extensive testing the best winter/snow tires that you can buy in 2021 that have the most grip for improved stopping distance and reliability under a wide range of winter driving conditions.

NOW IS THE TIME TO GET YOUR WINTER/SNOW TIRES

With winter approaching and tire shops, dealerships, and big-box stores are now stocked with winter/snow tires, the time is right to get this winter-prep chore out of the way before complications due to the pandemic could lead to a winter/snow tire shortage for your particular model of vehicle.

Related article: Consumer Reports Car Experts Explain and Compare 2WD vs. AWD vs. 4WD

CR Tire Tests

Rather than take for granted what tire manufacturers claim with their tires uses and performance, Consumer Reports analysts road test a wide selection of tires on closed tracks, snow-traction tests in New York state; and yes---even sometimes on hockey rinks to provide a controlled test surface to compare tires under identical ice conditions.

Related article: Consumer Reports Treadwear Testing Reveals How Long Some Tire Types Really Do Last

As such, CR analysts have recently released the latest test results on dozens of tires especially engineered to provide cold-weather traction using special tread features to provide sure-footed grip for ice and snow. The vehicle model tire types tested included:

• Sixteen winter/snow tires for cars and crossover vehicles

• Eight performance winter/snow tires for sporty cars

• Eight specifically designed for pickups and SUVs.

All of these tires are designed for seasonal use with tread features to provide sure-footed grip for ice and snow. The tread features include a specialized tread compound that helps the rubber stay pliable in the cold with numerous biting edges for gripping snow and ice. To identify these tires you will want to look for those tires that have the mountain and snowflake symbol on the sidewall, indicating they meet snow traction requirements of winter/snow tires.

CR TIRE LIST

That said, listed below is a summary of their top-scoring winter/snow tires, as well as all-season models that have good grip on snowy roads.

• Best Winter/Snow Tire: Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 (Price: $131)

• Best Performance Winter/Snow Tire: Vredestein Wintrac Pro (Price: $187.54)

• Best Winter/Snow Truck Tire: Michelin Latitude X-Ice XI2 (Price: $308.96)

• Best All-Season Tire: General Altimax RT43(T) (Price: $115.99 - $118.01)

• Best Performance All-Season & All-Weather Tire: Michelin CrossClimate2 (Price: $175.99 - $186.00)

• Best All-Season SUV Tire: Michelin CrossClimate SUV (Price: $236.96 - $241.99)

• Best All-Season Truck Tire: Continental TerrainContact H/T (Price: $191.99 - $195.93)

• Best All-Terrain Truck Tire: Continental TerrainContact A/T (Price: $219.99 - $220.00)

And finally…

For additional tire-related articles, be sure to check out these selected two: “Everything You Need To Know About Buying Car and Truck Tires” and “The Best Rated High Performance Car Tires of 2021 Including Winter Swap Outs.”

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Timothy Boyer is Torque News Tesla and EV reporter based in Cincinnati. Experienced with early car restorations, he regularly restores older vehicles with engine modifications for improved performance. Follow Tim on Twitter at @TimBoyerWrites for daily Tesla and electric vehicle news.