These All-Season SUV Tires Offer Year-Round Traction

All-season SUV tires may very well be the hottest-selling rubber on the market, as it’s not some industry secret that SUVs and crossovers are dominating the American car market and enveloping the rest of the globe. Go peek at your neighbor’s driveway. Heck, go peek at your own. We know even the most high-octane-blooded enthusiasts can’t deny the allure of such well-rounded practicality and all-season tires are arguably the most important ingredients for getting the most out of your daily driver, and The Drive is here to help.

We’ve stitched together real-world experience, tedious research, and consumer and professional feedback to deliver this nifty guide to the crowded catalog of SUV all-seasons. Take a gander and fret not, as we’ve made sure that we’ve covered your niches.

The best journalists always aim to provide the most factual yet honest reviews, and that’s what the team at The Drive sets out to deliver on every buyer's guide. While we usually can’t get our hands on a dozen sets of tires to test in a million scenarios, we still manage to pair stringent, in-depth research with our personal experiences to provide concise takes on each product. 

Our knowledge is further expanded upon with that of industry experts and average consumers alike from credible retailers such as Tire Rack which has proven to be an invaluable encyclopedia. Products with little to no test data or consumer feedback were ignored as we often steer towards products with real-world backing. 

And so there goes our gathering of the best SUV all-seasons on the market today. The multi-talented, ultra-capable Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus II takes top marks for its high quality and well-rounded performance in nearly all conditions. Sumitomo Touring LX T represents fantastic performance-per-dollar at a palatable price point, albeit only in a small selection of sizes. And Bridgestone’s handy Dueler H/P Sport AS stands as a usable touring all-season with a splash of sporty flare. Don’t hesitate to let us know of any similar or better tires from your experiences as we always look forward to expanding our knowledge with you.

All-seasons all have the same core goal: get you from A to B everyday of the year through every season. From low-slung performance weapons to hulking heavy-duty trucks, all-seasons must strive to be the do-it-all choice, but that doesn’t mean some variations can’t do certain tasks better than others. Here are some unique disciplines through which an all-season tire can distinguish itself to better fit your SUV or crossover.

Marked by this symbol, all-seasons graced with a “3PMSF” will often have greater winter capabilities than standard touring all-seasons. High-silica rubber compounds, larger tread blocks, and an excess of siping work together to better resist hardening in the cold, evacuate moisture, and can grab at snow. They’re often marketed as choices for those who tread snow but not enough to require a far more dedicated winter tire. Know that winter rubber can essentially do what 3PMSF all-seasons do but to greater effect for thicker snow and colder temperatures. This comes at the expense of being less refined and durable in warmer weather as the rubber gets too soft and, therefore, becomes less desirable to use year-round.

Touring all-seasons focus on long life, efficiency, and highway cruising. Some may offer higher speed ratings and are built with stability in mind for highway driving. They’re what you often see equipped on most standard passenger cars from the factory and often have zero pretense to enhanced off-road, high-performance, or snow driving. They may feature reinforced sidewalls and tread blocks for added life and reduced rolling resistance for better gas mileage. Premium brands may employ unique technologies to deliver these promises with reduced road noise or softer ride quality. Dry and wet weather traction is often middling which is to say totally acceptable for most drivers in fair weather. While some tires perform better than others, generally exercise caution if you insist on using these in the snow. For these, we would personally recommend having winter rubber available or consider searching for 3PMSF all-seasons.

In an age where utility vehicles can be had with leviathan V8s or twin-turbocharged works of whimsy paired with handling to shame sport sedans, it only makes sense for companies to develop tires to match. Most commonly arising from premium brands, performance all-seasons will exercise the best of tire technology to continue delivering commendable year-round traction with the dry grip of a sports car. They will still feature revised rubber compounds and added siping to aid in light snow to ensure enthusiasts can still enjoy their hot-hatch-on-stilts in cold climates. Also expect the thinnest sidewalls which may aid steering response but sacrifice some ride quality. As a reflection of their performance and technology, they’ll often be the most expensive of the bunch. 

This is that pretty pattern carved into the surface that dictates how your tire performs. All those cuts and grooves mean something, and so you must see how each tread pattern is constructed. How deep are the channels? How wide are these grooves which run the circumference of the tire? Are they directional?

Heavily siped (those tiny, thin cuts) tires with deep grooves and channels will often evacuate moisture better to resist hydroplaning as well as grab at the snow to maintain traction in the winter. Directional tires can evacuate moisture faster but may inhibit your ability to rotate them as they function best when rolling in a specific direction.

Rubber composition is crucial in how your tires grip. Softer compounds like in winter or some high-performance tires create extra traction but generally at the expense of more frictional drag which therefore reduces fuel economy and increases road noise. Firmer compounds may generate less rolling resistance to increase economy but may suffer from slightly firmer ride quality and less grip.

A special filler material known as silica is favored in most all-seasons and winter tires for its unique ability to create a “just right” compound for inclimate weather. Combined with traditional fillers in the rubber, it slightly softens the overall compound to maintain usable traction as temperatures begin to drop. The material is also implemented in some premium touring tires to aid in delivering a more compliant ride.

Another important factor in determining a tire’s performance, the construction of the sidewall affects everything from durability to ride quality and even steering feel. Sidewalls can be reinforced to resist tearing, a plus in off-road tires, or resist flexing in hard cornering, a win in the sports car books. Stronger sidewalls can also better support higher air pressures which may benefit large SUVs looking to haul some furniture or even a trailer from time to time.

Shorter sidewalls or those with a firm construction will typically create a harsher ride but the reduced flex can also aid in steering response and help transmit added steering feel. Taller sidewalls can almost act like an extension of the suspension system and further dampen out harsh bumps in the road.

Many of the tires on our list land between $900 to $1,100 for a set on some mid-size to full-size crossovers and SUVs. Think mostly 18-inch to 20-inch wheels. A set of specialized models from premium brands such as the Pirelli Scorpion Zero All Season Plus starts at nearly $900 for the smallest set and can easily inflate to over $1,500. A set of less extravagant tires for most compact to mid-size crossovers can be had for well under $800. In the case of our Best Value-winning Sumitomo Touring LX T, knock that down to well under $700 for a set. In those price ranges, you will easily be able to snag some rubber for most 16-inch to 18-inch wheels.

You’ve got questions. The Drive has answers.