Consumer Reports New Cars – November 2019

ALL-WEATHER

Appropriate for year-round

driving in varying climates, with

an emphasis on winter grip.

Average

All-Weather Tire

Dry braking 30

Wet braking 20

Snow traction 40

Ice braking 40

Handling 30

Tread life 40

Michelin

CrossClimate +

ALL-SEASON

Suited to year-round driving in

varying climates with moderate

winter driving conditions.

General

Altimax RT43

Average

All-Season Tire

Dry braking 04

Wet braking 03

Snow traction 04

Ice braking 03

Handling 03

Tread life 04

SUMMER*

Engineered for temperatures

above 45° F.

Average

Summer Tire

Dry braking 50

Wet braking 30

Snow traction NA

Ice braking NA

Handling 50

Tread life 20

Michelin Pilot

Super Sport

WINTER/SNOW

Designed to provide optimum

grip in severe winter conditions with

temperatures below 40° F.

Average

Winter/Snow Tire

Dry braking 02

Wet braking 01

Snow traction 05

Ice braking 05

Handling 02

Tread life NA

Cooper Discoverer

True North

Tire

Strategies

for Car

Buyers

When buying a car, it’s

important to consider the

tires that come with it—and

their expected performance.

(^) Make sure your new car
comes with the right type of
tire for your needs. For
example, some vehicles sold
in the snow belt may be
equipped with summer tires.
All-season tires may be a
more practical choice. They
will be marked with “M+S,”
which indicates that they
have a tread designed to
handle mud and snow.
For harsh winter weather,
consider tires that have
a mountain and snowflake
symbol on the sidewall,
which means they meet
industry standards for
snow traction.
(^) Owners should investigate
online the cost and difficulty
of replacing tires. (The tire
size is on the sidewall and a
sticker on the doorjamb on
the driver’s side.) Among other
drawbacks, tires on large
wheels with short sidewalls can
be expensive to replace and
give a rougher ride.
(^) Tires in a luxury or sports
package might be higher-
performance tires that are
typically more expensive to
replace and may wear faster.
Make sure you know what
you’re buying, and check if
there’s a less expensive option
you should consider.
36 NEW CARS CR.ORG/CARS *For summer tire ratings, readers with a Digital or All-Access membership can go to CR.org/summertires.
Ratings & Reference Top Tires