What is the best all-season tire for snow has plenty of answers. All answers lead to the same place, all-weather tires. But what are the best all-weather tires for snow?
All-weather tires are often indistinguishable from all-season tires. Even so, they are very similar, however, they meet different customer expectations. In this article, as a former Bridgestone engineer, I will explain everything you need to know about all-weather tires and share my ‘Top-6’ picks with you. Let’s begin!
- Michelin Crossclimate 2 – Michelin Crossclimate SUV – Highest rated tire in the market, no handicap – My Personal Crash
- Bridgestone WeatherPeak – Excellently communitive all-weather tire, great traction, no road noise, the acceptable price tag – Aggressive Drivers and SUV, CUV Owners
- Goodyear Assurance Weatherready – Slightly noisy but worth every penny –Second Best with Rebate Options
- Firestone Weathergrip – Solid for sedans and CUVs, tread life is uncertain for SUVs – Best for Budget
- Nokian WRG4 – Nokian WRG4 SUV – Go with this one if you need severe winter traction – Best for Winter Traction
- Vredestein Quatrac Pro – The most communitive all-weather tire – Best for Comfort
I highly recommend checking the below pages out before making any purchase:
- TireRack Deals:
https://www.tirerack.com/specialoffers - SimpleTire Deals:
https://simpletire.com/tire-deals - Amazon Deals
- https://www.amazon.com/Tires-Discounts-Automotive-Wheels
What are All-Weather Tires?
All-weather tires are the evolved versions of all-season tires. While all-season tires only perform over 7 degrees Celcius, all-weather tires also perfrom perfectly in winter conditions.
All-weather tires can be located somewhere between winter and all-season tires. Therefore, they have common features with both of them. For instance, they can grip like winter tires but their tread lasts longer. Well, obviously, they have high-tech and specific compounds.
The all-weather tire concept showed up with the lack of all-season tires’ winter performance. So, they should perform perfectly in winter conditions. While I was making this list, I’ve put this one also into consideration. Therefore, tires in this list are also ‘Best All-Weather Tires for Snow‘.
Note: All tires on this list have at least an 8 out of 10 rating regarding any feature(Wet, dry, etc.). So, cons don’t mean they fail but get 8 points out of 10.
Bridgestone Weatherpeak - Best for SUV
Bridgestone WeatherPeak, the latest addition to the all-weather tire lineup, is designed to cater to a wide range of vehicles, including SUVs, crossovers, sedans, coupes, and minivans. Bridgestone, a company renowned for its commitment to quality, took a patient and observant approach before introducing this innovative tire to the market. They closely monitored feedback on all-weather tires from various brands and pinpointed a common challenge: ride comfort and road noise. Now, let’s delve into the improvements they’ve made to address these issues.
| Bridgestone WeatherPeak | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Quiet & smooth highway driving, long-lasting rubber, slush and light snow traction, squishy regions, |
| Pros | Comfortable & quiet drive, Wet traction, Slush traction, Snow traction |
| Cons | Not a best tire if decent winter traction isn’t your priority |
| Vehicle | Sedans, Crossovers, SUVs, Minivans |
| Available Sizes | 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20” |
| Made In | US, Mexico, Costa Rica |
| Labels | 3PMSF |
| Warranty | 70,000 miles |
Drawing from my background as a former Bridgestone engineer, I can confidently affirm that Bridgestone WeatherPeak stands as an outstanding tire choice if you’re seeking the perfect blend of exceptional winter performance and a tranquil, smooth ride on the highway. Its design, featuring angled blocks and open shoulder blocks, makes it particularly well-suited for regions with less-than-ideal road conditions. Additionally, Bridgestone WeatherPeak boasts a robust rubber composition that significantly extends its tread life.
It’s important to note that this tire falls into the all-weather category. Compared to traditional non-3PMSF (Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake) all-season tires, you might notice a slight increase in noise levels, but this is a minor trade-off for the heightened dependability it provides in diverse weather conditions
Michelin Crossclimate2 - Stay Safe Side Pick
Crossclimate2 is Michelin’s unique all-weather tire. I gave that beast to first place due to its wide application range and its specific design that allows performing smoothly at high velocity. It can be used on coupes, sedans, SUVs, and CUVs. It’s my stay on the safe side pick for this list.
Pros
As a former Bridgestone engineer, from my standpoint, Michelin Crossclimate 2 is all-round tire that at least gets 9 out of 10 for each evaluation criteria. This reliable tire can handle wet ground with ease due to its V-shaped tread pattern. Furthermore, its solid center section decreases its steering response time. Lastly but most crucially, it’s a beast in mild even in severe winter conditions. It can almost fully contact the ground due to its very well-siped but perfectly optimized tread pattern. Hence, it can perfrom even under the hardest winter conditions like icy innercity roads or untouched packed snow.
Cons
Despite specific features, it has 2 weak points. Firstly, it’s niggardly noisy. Secondly, it might hurt your MPG a bit. These cons are caused by its huge traction and grip capability. However, I’m pretty sure that these little deficiencies won’t bother you at all. Moreover, it’s totally worth sacrificing for its massive pros.
In case you need a detailed review –> Michelin Crossclimate 2 Review
Most Common Question: I’ve received numerous inquiries from individuals struggling to make a decision between Bridgestone Weatherpeak and Michelin CrossClimate 2. In response, I’ve crafted a comprehensive comparative article titled ‘Bridgestone Weatherpeak vs. Michelin CrossClimate 2.’ These two options stand out as the top all-weather tires currently available in the market, and they come at similar price points. Both come with their own set of advantages and drawbacks. That’s why I strongly recommend consulting this comparison before making your final choice.
Nokian WRG4 - Beast
WRG 4 is a Nokian’s all-weather tire. Nokian is a manufacturer that is known for its highly successful winter tires. Well, that’s expected from a manufacturer that faces to hardest winter conditions for 10 months in a year. Due to its unique tread design and high-tech freezing durable rubber, it’s my favorite pick on this list.
Pros
Nokian WRG4 is a monster on wet due to its wide-open shoulders and asymmetric tread pattern. If you need a solid tire for pouring, I kindly ask you to stop reading now and go on with Nokian WRG4. Its unique compound helps it to grip even in slippery conditions. Moreover, this fluffy compound makes you feel like driving over cotton. Lastly, its very well-siped and asymmetric tread helps it to hold to the road even in the hardest winter conditions.
Cons
Nokian WRG4 is a perfect tire for those who need traction. Yet, if you need a fuel-efficient and long-lasting tire, it’s not suitable for you. Due to its intensely notched rubber, its rolling resistance is sky-high. Well, it’ll hurt your MPG. The other weak point is tread life. Fluffy compound brings a disadvantage this time and its compound wears a bit faster than Michelin Crossclimate2.
Vredestein Quatrac Pro
Vredestein Quatrac Pro is another all-weather tire that is built by a Dutch manufacturer. Quatrac Pro has also a wide application range like Nokian WRG4 have. This tire can be used on sedans, coupes, SUVs, and CUVs. It’s known for premium light-snow traction capability. I recommend this tire for short and not a deuce of harsh winter seasons.
Pros
Vredestein Quatrac Pro is the budget-friendly pick on this list. This tire has highly capable of griping wet and light snow. Due to its double-steel belt structure, it has solid handling ability. Quatrac Pro’s symmetric pattern makes it a good choice for low MPG lovers. This feature is hard to reach for all-season tires. Lastly, its fluffy rubber makes it one of the quietest and coziest tires on this list.
Cons
In return for a fluffy compound, Vredestein Quatrac Pro’s tread life is limited. Furthermore, its only rib-type pattern decreases its traction ability on deep snow. Its wide circumferential grooves help it to evacuate water but they’re a bit wider for massive ice performance. Even though Vredestein says it has a low void ratio, it falls short of ice. Thus, its icy surface performance is highly limited.
Firestone Weathergrip
Firestone Weathergrip(review) is another special all-weather tire. In fact, it’s my second favorite pick after Michelin Crossclimate 2. Its design is almost aggressive as winter tires. So, if you also care about aggressive appearance, here is your tire. However, this aggressive look package consists of some bad attributes for it.
Pros
Firestone Weathergrip has extremely high traction ability. Due to its lug type and asymmetric pattern, it can perform smoothly on deep snow. Moreover, its highly notched rubber perfrom perfectly in squishy conditions. Due to its solid but divided center rib, it’s massive handling capability.
Cons
Even though Firestone Weathergrip has the highest grip ability among competitors, its aggressive pattern makes it very noisy. Moreover, lug-type patterns always consume more gasoline. Therefore, it’s not fuel-efficient at all. Lastly, its void area ratio is too high for good performance on the ice. Yet, its pattern covers it up a bit. So, its icy ground performance isn’t that bad but average.
Goodyear Assurance Weatherready
Goodyear Assurance Weatherready is a grand touring tire that is dedicated to severe winter conditions. Goodyear made a small difference on their all-season tires and create this beast. When you view it closely, you can clearly see its inner ribs and shoulders pointing in other directions. That feature increases its gripping ability but what for?
Pros
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady has huge massive and wet traction. Due to its 3D TredLock Technology Blades tech, it stays stable while cornering. Unlike most tires on this list, its winter capability covers ice also. Regarding riding quality, it’s also alpha plus. Its very well optimized(between soft and stiff) compound increases its gripping ability while don’t sacrifice tread life.
Cons
There’s nothing much I can talk about cons. Well, I have to admit that its pattern design will make it a bit noisy for sure. Yet, this noise won’t be intolerable. Another weak point of this design is increasing MPG. This type of design increases the frictional force which means an increase in rolling resistance.
Specs
| Michelin Crossclimate 2 | Vredestein Quatrac Pro | Nokian WRG4 | Firestone WeatherGrip | Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Grand Touring All-Weather | Grand Touring All-Weather | Grand Touring All-Weather | Grand Touring All-Weather | Grand Touring All-Weather |
| Vehicle | Passenger Car/Minivan/SUV | Passenger Car/Minivan/SUV | Passenger Car/Minivan/SUV | Passenger Car/Minivan/SUV | Passenger Car/Minivan/SUV |
| Available Sizes (Rim) | 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20” | 17”, 18”, 19”, 20”, 21”, 22” | 14”, 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20” | 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19” | 15”, 16”, 17”, 18”, 19”, 20” |
| Made In | USA | Netherlands | Finland | USA | USA |
| Warranty | 60,000 Miles | 50,000 Miles | 65,000 Miles | 65,000 Miles | 60,000 Miles |
| Severe Snow Rated (3PMSF) | Yes (3PMSF) | Yes (3PMSF) | Yes (3PMSF) | Yes (3PMSF) | Yes (3PMSF) |
Winter vs All-Weather Tires
| Winter Tires | All-Weather Tires |
|---|---|
| Have a better grip | Have a longer wear life |
| Have a 3PMSF | Have a 3PMSF |
| Provide smoother ride | Provide better MPG |
| Wear quickly above 7 degrees Celcius | Lasts longer |
| Can handle below 7 degrees Celcius | Can handle below and above 7 degrees Celcius |
| Can perform on mild and severe winter | Can handle mild winter conditions and warm conditions |
Winter and all-weather tires are very similar to each other. However, they are different due to their built intention.
While all-weather tires can handle mild winter conditions and don’t have a handicap in warm conditions, winter tires can handle mild and severe winter conditions but have a huge deficiency in warm weather (above 7 degrees Celcius).
All-Season vs All-Weather Tires
| All-Season Tires | All-Weather Tires |
|---|---|
| Can handle above 7 degrees Celcius | Can handle below and above 7 degrees Celcius |
| Can perfrom on warm, dry and wet conditions | Can handle mild winter conditions also |
| Have a longer wear life | Have a better grip |
| Might have M+S | Have a 3PMSF |
| Provide better MPG | Provide smoother ride |
Shortly, all-season tires are built for warm, dry, and wet conditions. Substances of their compound might disintegrate under 7 degrees Celcius. For this reason, they slide and wear faster in freezing weather conditions.
All-weather tires, on the other hand, can perform in dry, wet, warm, and most crucially mild winter conditions. However, they sacrifice a couple of features while improving their winter performance. You can check the below table for detailed information.
Who Makes the Best All-Weather Tires?
In my point of view, the best all-weather tire makers are Nokian and Vredestein. These two European manufacturers have a long and successful history with all-weather tires. I have to admit that cold weather conditions in their country give them a huge advantage in that case.
If you don’t feel confident with these two then you can go with Michelin tires. They are great in this category too like any other tire category.
How Long do All-Weather Tires Last?
All-weather tires last longer than winter and less than all-season tires. While all-season tires last between 50,000 and 85,000 miles, that number decrease to 35,000 miles for a winter tire.
In summary, you might expect between 45,000 and 75,000 miles of wear life from all-weather tires.
Getting maximum wear life from a tire is related to you as well as your tire,
If you’d like to learn how to get maximum tread life:
Conclusion
These are my top 6 all-weather tires. This list can be expended with tires like Toyo Celcius(product page) or Yokohama Avid Ascend GT(product page) if you don’t care much about your comfort. However, the below list can help you to pick the best one for yourself.
A quick check list,
- XL sizes tend to carry more load and offer better handling. Hence, they might be a better pick for bigger vehicles( XL vs SL tires)
- Please pay attention to the load index and speed index. These metrics are essential if you expect decent tread life
- There isn’t a bad tire in the market right now, you should just know what to expect from tires
If you have any further questions, please leave them below. Worth reminding you that, some of the tires in this list have SUV versions. If you have a big vehicle, you should take them into the consideration.
For those who prefer to see whole market analyze:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-all-terrain-tires-for-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-1-2-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-3-4-ton-truck-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-rt-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-tires-for-snow-plowing/
- https://tireterrain.com/on-road-all-terrain-tires-highway/
A couple of popular size analyses:
- https://tireterrain.com/best-35x12-50r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-285-70r17-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-55r20-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/best-275-65r18-all-terrain-tires/
Want to learn more about all-terrain tires:
- https://tireterrain.com/highway-tires-vs-all-terrain-vs-mud-terrain/
- https://tireterrain.com/all-season-vs-all-terrain-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/tire-load-index-and-load-range/
- https://tireterrain.com/lt-tires-vs-passenger-tires/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-for-daily-driving/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-snow/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-loud/
- https://tireterrain.com/how-long-do-all-terrain-tires-last/
- https://tireterrain.com/are-all-terrain-tires-good-in-rain/
- https://tireterrain.com/off-road-tire-pressure-load-range-for-every-rig/
Have you considered Cooper Discover Enduramax for best all-weather tires for snow?
Hey Roger,
I hope you’re doing well.
So, compared to its competitors, Cooper Discoverer Enduramax has a more sectional pattern. Hence, it might be a bit noisy. Plus, in my point of view siping density of the tread is a bit low. Therefore, I do not recommend it if you see rain more than snow.
Nevertheless, if winter traction is your priority, it’s a beautiful option at an affordable price.
You can also check Cooper Endeavor Plus if you’d like to stick with Cooper and want to avoid these cons.
What’s your opinion on the Continental Extreme Contact? Trying to decide between this one and the Goodridge WeatherPeak and the Cross Climate2. I live in the midwest and see more rain than snow but typically will see a couple of ice events a year and 3-5 snows of 3-6″. I drive a lot as well being a Realtor.
Hello Cullen,
ExtremeContact is a great tire. I love it but it isn’t marked with 3PMSF, these tires aren’t suitable for winter usage. Besides that, these are performance tires, they’ll not last as long as you want.
WeatherPeak and Crosscliamte 2 are tires that perform similarly. It’s totally up to you, WeatherPeak’s winter performance probably better than Crossclimate 2. Yet, that means slightly lower handling capability and tread life.
If I were you, I’ll go with Michelin Crossclimate 2.
They are actually similar tires. Yet, I do prefer Crossclimate 2 every day.
If winter traction is your priority, you can look into Bridgestone WeatherPeak.
Hello Dalton,
I hope you’re doing well.
If your priority is harsh winter climates, these two may not help you.
These are all season tires which means that they don’t have 3PMSF. If the tire doesn’t have 3PMSF, its traction capability is generally decrease below the 7 celcius degrees.
However, if you mostly drive on the bare pavement (check the first image if you don’t know pavement types in winter), Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus is a better option because its tread is way much aggressive.
You may wanna look into;
Pirelli P7 AS Plus 3 . –> Nobody knows but it’s one of the best all-season tire ever.
Vredestein Quatrac Pro –> I personally tried couple of Vredestein tires and I know their approach to the market. In a couple of years, They’re gonna be one of the most popular tire brand.
Let me know if you need any further support.
Good afternoon. Please tell me at what negative temperature all-weather tires should be replaced with winter tires?
There’s no specific temperature requirement for changing to winter tires. It primarily depends on the type of snow and road conditions you encounter. You can reference the first photo in the article provided here: https://tireterrain.com/all-season-vs-all-terrain-tires/.
In the photo, if you notice the last two types of snow covering the road, it might be time to consider switching to winter tires. If you consistently encounter loose snow or slush for more than a couple of days in a row, it’s a clear sign that winter tires may be necessary.
Thank you for your prompt response. If I understand you correctly, then I can use all-weather tires and at -25°C if the road is dry and cleared of snow?
I apologize for the misunderstanding. Let me explain this in another way.
All-weather tires can indeed handle mild to moderate winter conditions for a few days. The decision to use them or switch to dedicated winter tires depends on your specific driving conditions and region. All-weather tires offer a convenient one-tire solution, but if you have the option of using two sets of tires, combining all-season and winter tires is often recommended for optimal performance.
However, if you experience significant temperature fluctuations between day and night, all-weather tires can be a safer choice. You are the best judge of your driving conditions, and when winter conditions become more severe, with snow accumulating for several days, it’s advisable to switch to dedicated winter tires.