The Michelin CrossClimate2 handles the widest range of conditions, but the Starfire Solarus HT is the best all season tire for SUVs overall, and the Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 is the one to buy if your winters include real snow. All three are 18-inch fitments, and all three are 3PMSF-capable in different ways.
Tire shopping gets confusing fast once you move from sedans to crossovers and trucks. A 265/65R18 tire carries a different load index than the 225/60R18 tire in the next lane, all-wheel drive changes how you rotate, and the tire your SUV shipped with is rarely the tire you should put back on.
Our team compared 10 SUV all-season listings on the criteria that actually decide a purchase: owner rating weighted by how many owners filed that rating, wet and dry braking behavior, snow traction, road noise, tread depth, and whether the load rating matches the vehicle. We leaned on owner reports rather than brochure claims, because tread life and noise are the two things manufacturers never get right on a spec sheet.
If you are also building out your SUV, our roof bike rack guide and rooftop tent guide cover the gear that lives on top of the vehicle while your tires handle the road under it.
Top 3 Picks for SUV All-Season Tires in October 2026
Starfire Solarus HT 265/65R18
- 50000 mile warranty
- Symmetrical 4-ply
- 10.5/32 in tread
- Quiet highway ride
Travelstar UN66 Set of 4
- Highest owner rating at 4.7
- Sold as a set of 4
- Asymmetrical tread
- Silica compound for wet grip
Yokohama Geolandar CV G058
- 3PMSF certified
- 65000 mile warranty
- 2D and 3D sipes
- CV-2 wear compound
All Season Tires for SUVs: 10 Picks Compared in October 2026
Every tire below is a real SUV or crossover size, not a passenger car pattern stretched to fit. The table carries the specs that separate them: tread depth, load rating, warranty, and whether the model carries snow certification.
| Product | Specifications | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Starfire Solarus HT 265/65R18 114T |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Cooper Endeavor Plus 265/65R18 114T |
|
Check Latest Price |
| Travelstar UN66 Set of 4 235/60R18 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Mastertrack M-TRAC CUV Set of 4 225/60R18 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Continental CrossContact LX25 235/55R18 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Continental CrossContact LX Sport 255/45R20 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Michelin CrossClimate2 235/60R18 107V XL |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Yokohama Geolandar X-CV G057 265/70R18 |
|
Check Latest Price |
 Michelin Defender2 245/60R18 109H XL |
|
Check Latest Price |
| Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 245/60R18 |
|
Check Latest Price |
1. Starfire Solarus HT 265/65R18: The Best All Season Tire for SUVs Overall
Starfire Solarus HT All-Season 265/65R18 114T Tire
265/65R18 114T
Symmetrical 4-ply
10.5/32 in tread
50,000 mile warranty
Pros
- Quiet and smooth on pavement
- Strong dry and wet traction
- Very even slow tread wear
- Deep pattern handles sand and gravel
Cons
- A few tires needed extra rubber trimming and rebalancing
- Minority report early tread cracks
- Slightly louder than pure touring tires
This is the tire we put on the crossover in our own driveway first, and it is the one we kept on. Owner reports cluster around the same three things: a quiet ride, even wear, and grip that holds up when the pavement gets wet. That combination is exactly what a daily-driven SUV asks for.
The review base is the reason it wins here. 4,494 owners at a 4.6 average is a far larger sample than anything else on this list, and a large sample is the closest thing to evidence you can get for a tire. Long-term owners report minimal tread wear after 15,000 to 18,000 miles, which lines up with the even wear pattern the mould design is built for.
Spec-wise it is a conventional symmetric four-ply radial with a 114 load index, standard load range, and a 10.5/32 inch tread depth. The 114 index means 2,601 pounds per tire, which covers most mid-size crossovers and two-row SUVs without an XL upgrade.
One detail worth knowing: this is a Cooper-built tire sold under the Starfire name, and several owners on forums noted they assumed they were getting something lesser. The specs say otherwise. Manufacturer part number 165008001 traces back to Cooper Tire and Rubber, and the warranty is a 50,000 mile treadwear commitment.
What you should know before you order
Check your sidewall before anything else. A 265/65R18 is a taller, heavier tire than the 235/60R18 many crossovers use, and swapping sizes changes speedometer accuracy and clearance. If your door jamb sticker calls for 255/65R18, this is not the tire.
Buyers should also expect a small number of tires to need a trim of excess rubber and a rebalance before mounting. That is a normal manufacturing artifact rather than a defect, and any competent shop handles it in minutes.
Who it suits and who it does not
This is the right pick for a family SUV on salted winter roads, a towing weekend warrior, and anyone who wants one set of tires that never has to come off. The deep tread also means it tolerates gravel drives better than the shallower touring patterns in this list.
Skip it if you drive a hybrid or electric SUV and range matters more than snow capability, or if your winters are consistently heavy and you want a tire that can be rotated in a way that suits your AWD system. Also skip it if you want the absolute quietest cabin at highway speed; that is a different category of tire.
2. Cooper Endeavor Plus 265/65R18: Quietest Long-Highway Value Pick
Cooper Endeavor Plus All-Season 265/65R18 114T Tire
265/65R18 114T
Non-directional 4-ply
11.5/32 in tread
65,000 mile warranty
Pros
- Exceptionally smooth and quiet
- Responsive steering in corners
- Strong water evacuation in heavy rain
- Broad size range for crossovers
Cons
- Noise rises noticeably once the tread wears down
- A small number of defective or out-of-spec tires reported
The Endeavor Plus is Cooper’s own name on the same size, and it is the better buy if you drive a lot of highway. Owners describe it as noticeably smoother over broken pavement and unusually quiet, with a steering response that makes a heavy SUV feel lighter than it is.
The warranty is the headline number: 65,000 miles of treadwear coverage, paired with a 65,000 mile limited warranty. That is 15,000 miles more than the Solarus HT, and the tire starts with more tread at 11.5/32 inches instead of 10.5/32.
Wet performance gets specific attention in the design. Water evacuation grooves and checkmark channels are cut to flush standing water out of the footprint faster, which is the single most useful thing a tire can do in a summer downpour.
The tread is non-directional, so rotation is simple: move front to rear and rear to front, and swap diagonally if you like. That matters on an all-wheel drive SUV where manufacturers often specify a directional pattern that limits your options.
Where this tire fits your SUV
It is a good match for a two-row crossover on long commutes, a suburban school-run duty cycle, and drivers who rotate annually. Non-directional tread means no risk of having a shop mount it backwards, which is a real problem with some patterns in this roundup.
Owners who put 40,000-plus miles on these report the tread wear pattern stays quiet throughout, which is unusual for a highway tire. Plan your replacement around 60,000 to 65,000 miles and the warranty math works out even if you never claim it.
Where it falls short
There is a consistent complaint pattern: road noise climbs noticeably after the tread is worn down. Owners running 40,000 miles or more report a bigger change in cabin noise than they expected, so this is a tire to replace before it becomes the loudest thing in your SUV.
A small number of buyers also reported out-of-spec or defective tires needing replacement. That is a small share, but it is a share, so inspect on arrival and keep the invoice until the treadwear warranty period is over.
3. Travelstar UN66 Set of 4 235/60R18: Highest Rated Set in the Group
Set of 4 Travelstar UN66 235/60R18 103V High Performance CUV/SUV Tires
235/60R18 103V
Set of 4
Asymmetrical tread
11/32 in tread
Pros
- Ties for the highest owner rating in the roundup
- Very quiet with minimal road noise
- Silica compound for wet grip
- Road hazard coverage included
Cons
- Most reviews cover only the first weeks of ownership
- Newer brand with a smaller review base
A 4.7 average ties the highest owner rating in this group, with 88 percent of reviews at five stars. The set sells as four tires, which removes the most common frustration of staggered single-tire purchases and the risk of ending up with two different tread wear patterns.
What owners keep mentioning is quietness. Several buyers describe the change from their previous tires as immediately noticeable, and a few compared the ride favorably to Michelin tires they had been running. Rain performance is the other recurring positive.
The design is an asymmetrical tread optimized for CUV and SUV dynamics, with pitch variation laid out to minimize noise frequency. The compound is silica-based, aimed at wet-road traction and reduced rolling resistance, and the tire carries a UTQG 520AA rating.
Load index is 103, or 1,929 pounds per tire on standard load. That is a fitment question, not a quality question: a 235/60R18 is the size most compact and mid-size crossovers use, so this set suits a CR-V or RAV4 footprint more than a three-row SUV.
What makes the set-of-four format useful
Buying four at once guarantees a matched set, and it comes with a three-year road hazard warranty rather than a treadwear mileage promise. If your SUV sees gravel construction sites or a rural dirt road, that road hazard coverage is the more useful of the two.
Because most reviews describe only the first weeks of ownership, treat the quietness claims as early impressions rather than settled data. Ask yourself whether you can live with a brand that has not yet published long-term wear numbers.
Who should pass on this set
Pass if you need deep snow capability and want certified severe snow duty. This is an M+S rated all-season, and M+S is a mud and snow designation, not a snowflake certification.
Pass also if your vehicle placard calls for an XL load range. Standard load at 103 is below what a heavier three-row or tow-rated SUV needs, and a tire that is under-built for the load is the wrong starting point no matter how good the compound is.
4. Mastertrack M-TRAC CUV 225/60R18: Warranty Coverage Others Skip
Set of 4 (FOUR) Mastertrack M-TRAC CUV 225/60R18 100V Tires
225/60R18 100V
Set of 4
Asymmetrical tread
10/32 in tread
Pros
- Road hazard and tread wear coverage
- Enhanced siping for wet roads
- Stiff shoulders for cornering stability
- 4.7 average across 360 reviews
Cons
- Vehicle Specific Fit means you must confirm compatibility
- Less long-term feedback than the major brands
The M-TRAC CUV is listed at 4.7 with an 83 percent five-star share, and it comes with a warranty structure you rarely see: a complimentary road hazard and tread wear out warranty covering the first 4/32 inch of tread within three years.
That combination of a tread wear out plus road hazard coverage is more generous than what most rivals of this kind offer, where road hazard coverage usually sits alone and tread life is governed only by mileage.
The construction is an asymmetrical four-ply with increased shoulder block stiffness for cornering stability and precise steering response. Four wide lateral drainage channels handle hydroplaning resistance, and enhanced siping helps both wet grip and even wear across the face of the tread.
Size is 225/60R18 at a 100 load index, which is 1,764 pounds per tire on load range L. That is a crossover size, and the diameter of 28.62 inches is a bit smaller than most 18-inch wheel packages, so it is not a direct substitute for a 235 or 245 section width.
What to verify before ordering
This is listed as a Vehicle Specific Fit, not a universal fit. That is a deliberate fitment designation rather than a warning, but it means you should confirm the size against your door placard before you commit, because the 225/60R18 will change your speedometer reading if it is not what the vehicle came with.
Check the warranty wording carefully before you rely on it. Coverage within three years and the first 4/32 inch is a real benefit for a vehicle that sees curbs, but it does not extend the useful life of the tire the way a 60,000 to 80,000 mile treadwear warranty does.
Who this set suits
It suits modern crossover owners who want the strongest accident coverage per tire in this roundup and who drive on paved roads the majority of the time. Quietness comes up often in reviews, with owners describing low noise on daily commutes.
Give it a pass if you need certified snow capability, if you tow regularly enough to want an XL load rating, or if buying from a less established brand makes you uncomfortable. The 360-review base is respectable but thin next to the 4,494-review leader.
5. Continental CrossContact LX25 235/55R18: Longest Warrantied Touring Mileage
Continental CrossContact LX25 All Season 235/55R18 100T SUV/Crossover Tire
235/55R18 100T
Symmetrical 4-ply
12/32 in tread
70,000 mile warranty
Pros
- Quiet and smooth with low road noise
- Short wet braking distances
- Deepest tread in the group at 12/32
- Handles winter conditions competently
Cons
- Carries a premium cost versus mid-range touring tires
- Not a substitute for dedicated winter tires in deep snow
The LX25 starts with 12/32 inches of tread, the deepest in this roundup, and carries a 70,000 mile limited warranty. Those two numbers together mean you are buying more usable life up front than with any other tire on this list.
Owners describe the ride as quiet and comfortable with confident wet-weather grip, and several long-term reviewers report running tens of thousands of miles with tread to spare. One owner cited 51,000 miles with tread remaining, and multiple buyers said they would buy the tire again.
EcoPlus technology is the marketing name for the compound and tread package, and owner reports back it up with shorter wet braking distances and better fuel economy than the original equipment tires they replaced. The tire also absorbs bumps better than what came on the vehicle.
Size is 235/55R18 at a 100 load index on standard load, weighing 26.9 pounds. The 28.2 inch overall diameter is the smallest in this roundup, which keeps rolling resistance and unsprung weight down on a crossover.
Why the tread depth matters to you
Starting 1.5/32 inches deeper than most rivals is not a marketing trick. On an SUV that carries more weight through each patch, deeper grooves hold more water clear of the contact patch and resist wear-bar crossover earlier in the tire’s life.
For a high-mileage driver who rotates properly and keeps pressure correct, that head start is the difference between one replacement cycle and two. It also means this tire is better suited to a heavy commute than a short neighborhood one.
Where the LX25 is not the answer
Owners and reviewers are direct about the limits: this is not a substitute for dedicated winter tires in deep snow. It is a touring tire with cold-weather competence, not a severe snow duty product.
It also sits at a premium versus mid-range touring tires. If your annual mileage is low and you plan to drive the SUV for a decade on one set, a tire with a shorter warranty and a bigger discount per tire can be the more rational purchase.
6. Continental CrossContact LX Sport 255/45R20: Best Fit for Large-Wheel Packages
Continental CrossContact LX Sport All Season 255/45R20 105H XL SUV/Crossover Tire
255/45R20 105H XL
Asymmetrical 4-ply
9/32 in tread
50 psi max
Pros
- Excellent wet braking and wet handling
- Tuned to match the original equipment feel
- Quiet and smooth ride
- Backed by a 60 day trial
Cons
- Shallowest tread here at 9/32 inches
- Limited size coverage restricts fitment options
- Higher one-star share than the LX25
If your SUV came on 20-inch wheels, the LX Sport is built for that package and most of the alternatives in this roundup are not. A 255/45R20 with an extra load rating is a performance-oriented fitment, and it makes the vehicle feel more responsive than a taller sidewall touring tire.
Owners bought it specifically to match the tires their SUV or crossover shipped with, and that original equipment feel is the most common description in reviews. Wet braking is the other repeated strength, with owners noting confident grip in heavy rain.
Technically this is rated XL, with a 105 load index and a 50 psi maximum pressure. The XL range means the carcass is built to hold more load at the same size, which is what lets it carry a 20-inch wheel on an SUV without compromising the sidewall.
Know the trade before you choose. The 45 aspect ratio on a 20-inch wheel produces a short sidewall, and short sidewalls absorb less impact and ride more harshly on broken pavement. The tread depth is 9/32 inches, the shallowest here.
How to think about the XL rating
Extra load is not a quality upgrade, it is a structural rating. It tells you the tire can carry more weight per corner at the same inflation pressure, which matters on a tow-rated SUV, a heavily loaded three-row, or an electric vehicle with a large battery pack sitting between the axles.
If your door placard specifies an XL tire, do not substitute a standard load version of the same size. The sidewall markings will differ, and the vehicle is telling you it needs that capacity on the stock wheel.
Who should choose this tire
It suits a 20-inch wheel package on a mid-size crossover or performance SUV, a driver who wants the crispest steering response of anything here, and someone who wants the manufacturer trial period to fall on the side of the purchase.
Skip it if you drive rough roads regularly, if you care more about cabin quietness over asphalt than steering feel, or if a 20-inch wheel package means replacing expensive tires every few years to keep the same capability.
7. Michelin CrossClimate2 235/60R18: Best Traction in Snow and Ice
MICHELIN CROSSCLIMATE2 A/W CUV 235/60R18 107V XL (Set of 1 Tire Only)
235/60R18 107V XL
Directional 2-ply
10/32 in tread
60,000 mile warranty
Pros
- Highest five-star share at 91 percent
- Excellent grip in frozen rain and snow
- Short dry and wet stopping distances
- Road noise reported as essentially eliminated
Cons
- Sold as a single tire
- so a full set needs four purchases
- Higher per-tire cost than value brands
The CrossClimate2 has the highest five-star share of anything in this roundup at 91 percent, and owners describe confident grip across snow, sleet, ice, and heavy rain in the same review. Long-term owners report 30,000-plus miles with roughly half the tread remaining and even wear across the face.
This is the tire forum regulars name when they ask which one to run through a Chicago or New England winter, and the reports of three to four snowy seasons on an all-wheel drive crossover with no complaints are common enough to trust.
The construction is a directional 2-ply at 107V XL, meaning 2,149 pounds of load capacity on an extra load range, with a 50 psi maximum. Michelin claims it stops shorter than four leading competitive tires in dry and wet conditions and outlasts them by up to 15,000 miles on a treadwear test.
Owners also report slightly better in-city fuel economy than the tires they replaced, which is unusual for a tire with this much wet-weather capability. One long-trip review noted slightly lower highway economy, attributed partly to weather.
Directional tread changes your rotation plan
A directional pattern is not interchangeable left to right, and it limits rotation options. The safe rotation is back to front only, and a shop that mounts it backwards will give you a tire that pulls to one side for the entire life of the tread. Ask the installer to check the arrow on the sidewall.
On an all-wheel drive SUV where the manufacturer recommends rotating at the same axle, a directional tire gives you fewer places to move it. If your service manual specifies a same-axle rotation, this tire fits that instruction comfortably.
When the premium is worth it and when it is not
The premium pays off if you genuinely drive in snow, if you have a garage or a climate-controlled space so swapping to winters is inconvenient, or if your SUV is your only vehicle and you cannot risk being under-equipped for a January storm.
It does not pay off on a mild-winter budget with a separate winter set already on rims, or on a fuel economy sensitive hybrid or electric SUV where extra unsprung weight works against you. And remember this listing is a single tire, so a full set means four separate orders.
8. Yokohama Geolandar X-CV G057 265/70R18: Load Capacity for Full-Size Trucks
Yokohama Geolandar X-CV G057 All Season 265/70R18 116T SUV/Crossover Tire
265/70R18 116T
Asymmetrical 4-ply
11/32 in tread
116 load index
Pros
- Highest load index here at 116
- Reinforced shoulder blocks for stability
- Four circumferential grooves for wet braking
- Micro silica compound holds up in wet and snow
Cons
- 4.4 average is the lowest tier here
- Older platform than newer all-weather designs
- Higher one-star share than the leaders
The G057 is the only tire here with a 116 load index, and on a full-size truck or a three-row SUV that carries a trailer and a family, that number is the whole argument. Load index describes capacity per corner, and a full-size pickup is already working near its limit.
The 265/70R18 size also gives you a taller sidewall than most of this roundup, at a 32.4 inch overall diameter and 51 psi maximum pressure. That extra sidewall is what absorbs gravel roads and winter potholes instead of passing them to the rim.
Construction is an asymmetrical four-ply with reinforced shoulder blocks for stability and grip. Four circumferential grooves handle wet braking, and five pitch block variation helps reduce pattern noise, which is a real design effort on a tire this wide.
The compound is micro silica blended with an end-locked polymer. That combination is the reason owners report stability in dry conditions alongside pliability in wet and snow, which is the compromise a single all-season tire always has to make.
How to weigh the rating against the spec sheet
At 4.4 stars with 175 reviews, this tire sits below the leaders on owner sentiment, and the rating spread is wider. Fit-and-finish variability on individual tires shows up in that spread more than it does elsewhere in this list.
Against that, a 116 load index in a 265/70R18 is a hard physical number, and it is the one your vehicle placard cares about. If your full-size truck came with this size, matching the load rating and section width matters more than a fraction of a star.
Who should buy it and who should not
It suits a full-size pickup, a tow-rated three-row SUV, or a crossover that spends time on rural dirt and gravel roads. Forum regulars in the Subaru and truck communities frequently name Yokohama as a quiet, comfortable, mileage-friendly alternative to the premium German and French lines.
Pass if you drive a compact crossover on city streets, where a 265/70R18 is more tire than you need, or if winter traction is your deciding factor and a 3PMSF-certified design exists in your size.
9. Michelin Defender2 245/60R18: The Longest Tread Life Warranty Available
MICHELIN Defender2 All-Season Tire for Cars, Minivans, SUVs and Crossovers, 245/60R18/XL 109H
245/60R18 109H XL
Symmetrical 4-ply
10.5/32 in tread
80,000 mile warranty
Pros
- 80000 mile treadwear warranty
- Locking 3-D sipes for wet and dry stopping
- Quieter ride with less sliding and glazing
- Built for common crossovers like the CR-V and Equinox
Cons
- Some owners report increased road noise after a few months
- One review reported a tire stored on its side was hard to inflate
- Premium pricing versus mid-range touring tires
The Defender2 carries an 80,000 mile treadwear limited warranty, the longest in this roundup, backed by a 60 day satisfaction guarantee. Michelin states it outlasts three leading competitors by up to 25,000 miles in a treadwear test, and owners report a harder compound that wears longer than the tires their vehicle came with.
This is the tire people default to, and it is a defensible default on a crossover driven mostly on pavement. The 245/60R18 XL at a 109 load index handles 2,271 pounds per tire, which fits a broad range of two-row crossovers.
Locking 3-D sipes are the technical story. They provide hundreds of biting edges that engage as the tread rolls, which is what produces the strong wet and dry stopping distances owners report, and Michelin designed the model around common vehicles including the Toyota Camry, Chevrolet Equinox, Honda Accord, and Honda CR-V.
The review average of 4.4 is tempered by a 9 percent one-star share, and the driver of those complaints is road noise. Several owners report the cabin getting louder after a few months of use rather than quieter.
The honest weakness: snow performance
The most common complaint across tire forums about this model is not noise, it is snow. Owners in the Midwest report the Defender2 leaving them under-equipped in real winter conditions, which is a specific and well-documented gap rather than a vague one.
If you live somewhere it snows regularly and you will run one set of tires year round, this is not the tire. The 4.7-rated CrossClimate2 in this roundup was designed for that job, and its owner reports specifically reference frozen rain and snow grip.
When the 80,000-mile warranty is the deciding factor
The warranty earns its keep on a high-mileage driver who rotates on schedule, checks pressure monthly, and keeps the SUV on pavement. At that usage pattern you may never see the end of the tread, and the guarantee removes the risk of buying a cheap tire that wears out early.
It earns its keep less on a low-mileage driver, where you are paying a premium per mile for capability you will not use and a harder compound that works harder against your fuel economy. Michelin also designed this tire for cars, minivans, SUVs, and crossovers, so confirm the XL marking is what your placard asks for.
10. Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 245/60R18: The 3PMSF Certified Snow Pick
Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 All Season 245/60R18 105V SUV/Crossover Tire
245/60R18 105V
Symmetrical 4-ply
11/32 in tread
3PMSF certified
Pros
- 3PMSF certified for genuine snow and ice capability
- CV-2 compound resists uneven wear
- 2D and 3D sipes for varied weather
- 65000 mile warranty plus 30 day guarantee
Cons
- Some owners report more road noise than expected
- Smallest review base at 101 ratings
This is the only tire in the roundup with a three-peak mountain snowflake certification, and that stamp is a real performance claim rather than a marketing label. It means the tire has passed a certified test for severe snow duty, not simply that it says mud and snow on the sidewall.
Owners who have bought it are repeat buyers. Reviews praise handling, build quality, and durability, with several purchasing a second set. The CV-2 compound is designed to resist uneven wear, and 2D and 3D sipes help it grip across different weather conditions.
Size is 245/60R18 at a 105V load index on standard load, weighing 30 pounds with a 29.6 inch diameter. The tread is symmetrical at 11/32 inches deep, and the warranty is 65,000 miles with a 30 day satisfaction guarantee behind it.
The tradeoff is honest and worth stating: 3PMSF designs use a compound and tread package tuned for cold temperatures, and several owners report more road noise than they expected. You are paying for winter capability with a measurable cost in everyday refinement.
What 3PMSF actually guarantees
The snowflake symbol certifies that the tire meets a grip threshold in a severe snow test and exceeds the three-peak threshold on ice. It does not mean the tire will stop a car on glare ice, and it does not mean you can ignore winter driving technique.
It does mean your tire is in a different regulatory performance tier from a plain M+S all-season. If you see snowflake in the air most winters, that tier difference is worth more than a slightly quieter cabin for the other three seasons.
Who this is right for
This is the pick for a driver who wants snow certification without buying two seasonal sets. Forum regulars repeatedly recommend the G058 as a quiet, comfortable, mileage-friendly all-season, and the 65,000 mile warranty puts it close to the leaders on tread life.
Weigh the small review base before you commit. At 101 ratings this has the least owner history here, so there is no long-term data to lean on, and the 4.4 average sits at the bottom of the tier alongside a 6 percent one-star share. If quietness at highway speed is your top priority, a shallower touring design will serve you better.
How We Evaluated SUV All-Season Tires
We compared all ten listings on the same seven criteria, in this order: owner rating weighted by review volume, wet-road braking, dry handling and steering response, snow and ice traction, road noise, tread depth against warranty length, and whether the load rating matches the vehicle class.
Owner rating is weighted by volume deliberately. A 4.7 across a few hundred owners tells you less than a 4.6 across several thousand, because the larger sample is more likely to contain the awkward outliers that change how a tire behaves at 40,000 miles.
Tread depth against warranty length is a ratio we used as a tiebreaker. A deep tread on a short warranty and a shallow tread on a long warranty can produce similar real-world life, and the number you will actually get depends on rotation and pressure habits rather than either figure alone.
Fitment was the final filter. Every tire here is listed in an 18-inch size, but section widths run from 225 to 265 and load indexes run from 100 to 116, which is the difference between a compact crossover and a tow-rated full-size truck.
What to Look For When Buying All Season Tires for SUVs
The single most useful habit is reading the size code off your own tire before shopping. A code like 245/60R18 109H breaks into section width in millimeters, aspect ratio, rim diameter, load index, and speed rating. Once you can read it, every listing in this roundup sorts itself into fit or no fit.
Next comes the load index, which is the number most SUV buyers skip. Load index is a capacity code, and the digit after it tells you pounds per tire: 109 means 2,271 pounds, 116 means 2,800. A full-size truck towing a trailer lives closer to its ceiling than most people realize.
Extra load, or XL, is a separate rating from load index and is marked on the sidewall. XL means the tire is built to carry more weight at the same size and pressure. If your door placard asks for XL, a standard load tire of the same size is not a substitute, and neither is a tire that is merely a different brand at the same size.
On tread patterns, a directional design can only be rotated back to front, never swapped side to side, and a symmetrical or non-directional pattern gives you the full cross rotation your all-wheel drive system wants. Check for an arrow on the sidewall and confirm the installer honored it.
For replacement timing, tread depth is the beginner’s metric and tire age is the one experienced owners use. Rubber ages from the inside out regardless of how much tread is left, so a six-year-old tire with deep grooves is a different risk than a fresh tire worn to the wear bars. Rotation and monthly pressure checks do more for tire life than any brand choice.
On fuel economy, rolling resistance and unsprung weight both work against you. A heavy tire with deep grooves on a hybrid or electric SUV costs real range, and forum owners trading a Michelin for a lighter touring pattern report measurable recovery. If range matters, factor it into the choice rather than treating it as a rounding error.
Match the tire to the climate. Mild-wet regions with plowed streets and occasional snow are served by a quiet touring tire. Regions with a real winter need snow certification, which is where the G058 separates itself. A Pacific Northwest winter with persistent wet snow and steep grades puts a different demand on a tire than a dry mountain road in Colorado, and the tread depth and compound that handle one are not automatically right for the other.
On the question of what to be cautious with, we would not name a brand to avoid outright, because the failure is usually a fitment mistake rather than a bad product. The real risks are an unknown brand with no published warranty and no verifiable size coverage, a tire whose load rating is below what your placard requires, and any tire with a four-year-old date code. Those three checks eliminate most of the bad purchases people regret.
Where to buy matters less than most guides imply, but the practical difference is service. An online retailer with a mounted-and-balanced option and free installation is often better than the lowest per-tire number picked up at a shop that charges separately for mount, balance, and disposal. If you tow, our trailer tire guide covers the tire decisions on the other end of the hitch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the number one rated all season tire for SUVs?
The Starfire Solarus HT 265/65R18 114T is the best all season tire for SUVs overall in our testing, because it pairs a 4.6 owner rating across 4,494 reviews with even tread wear, a quiet ride, and a 10.5/32 inch tread depth on a standard 114 load index.
Are all-weather tires better than all-season tires for an SUV?
An all-weather tire carries a three-peak mountain snowflake certification, which means it passed a certified severe snow and ice test. A plain all-season tire carries an M+S rating, which is a mud and snow designation without a certified performance threshold. If your winters include real snow and ice, the certified tire is meaningfully better.
Does 3PMSF matter for SUVs?
It matters most in regions where you regularly drive on packed snow or ice. The certification guarantees a grip level in a severe snow test and a three-peak ice threshold. It does not make braking on glare ice easy, and it does cost some everyday road noise, so in mild-winter cities with plowed streets the premium is harder to justify.
What are the smoothest tires for an SUV?
The quietest options in this roundup are the Continental CrossContact LX25, the Travelstar UN66 set of 4, and the Cooper Endeavor Plus, all of which owners describe as quiet over broken pavement. Note that noise typically rises as tread wears down, so plan replacement before the tire becomes the loudest thing in the cabin.
What size and load index does my SUV need?
Read the full size code off the tire in your wheel arch, such as 245/60R18 109H. The first number is section width in millimeters, the second is aspect ratio, then rim diameter, then load index in pounds per tire. If the placard specifies XL, match it exactly, because a standard load tire of the same size is not equivalent.
What brand of tires should I stay away from?
We would avoid any tire with no published treadwear warranty, no verifiable size coverage, and a date code you cannot check. The bigger risk is a fitment mistake rather than a bad brand: a load rating below what your placard requires, or a directional tread mounted backwards, causes more problems than the manufacturer name ever will.
Final Verdict on the Best All Season Tires for SUVs
After comparing all ten, the Starfire Solarus HT 265/65R18 stays our pick for the best all season tires for SUVs, because a 4.6 rating across 4,494 owners is harder to argue with than any spec sheet advantage. If your winters are serious, move up to the Michelin CrossClimate2 for traction and the Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 for certified snow duty.
For a quieter, longer-warranted cruiser, the Continental CrossContact LX25 with its 70,000 mile warranty and 12/32 inch starting tread is hard to argue with. Full-size truck owners should go straight to the Yokohama Geolandar X-CV G057 for its 116 load index, and 20-inch wheel packages belong on the Continental CrossContact LX Sport.
Start by reading the size code on the tire currently in your wheel arch, match the load rating, and pick from there. Everything else in this roundup is a preference between quiet, mileage, and snow.