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The Toyota Tacoma is built to handle tough off-roading conditions. While the engine and exterior are built to withstand the wear and tear from these activities, tires need to replaced every so often. Here is our buying guide for the best Toyota Tacoma tires on the market.
Benefits of Tires for Toyota Tacoma
- Fuel efficiency. When you put tires on your Tacoma that are meant for your truck, you’ll see the fuel efficiency improve. There won’t be too much contact with the road to cause overgrip, which will make your truck work harder and use more fuel.
- Handling. Buying the best tires will ensure you have the right amount of rubber contact with the road. It will also give you a better ride as the tire works with the suspension to cushion the bumps and dips in the road.
- Traction. Buying high-quality tires will channel the water and snow away from the tire to ensure better traction. The best tires will also be wide enough to provide more grip on the road.
Types of Tires for Toyota Tacoma
Summer
If you drive somewhere where the climate is warmer, and you have a rainy season, then these are a smart buy. They have deep circumferential grooves to channel water away and give you better traction. The rubber is softer to work better in the warmer temperatures. However, the tread tends to wear faster on these tires.
Winter or Snow
If you live in an area where temperatures steadily remain under 45 degrees for the winter, then you’ll want to consider switching your tires to these for the winter months. The rubber is harder so it works better in the cold. They have deep circumferential grooves to channel slush and heavy siping to channel the snow away.
All-Season
If you don’t want to choose a specialty tire, then these are a smart daily driver tire. They have similar qualities to the summer and winter tires, but less intense. This will give you overall decent performance and handling in all driving conditions. They won’t perform as well as the seasonal tires, though.
Performance
These are the tires for the sport Tacoma drivers who love high speeds on the road or track. Here’s looking at you XRunner owners. These tires have higher speed ratings and have better handling capabilities. They’ll typically feature symmetrical tread design with circumferential grooving. You might see a set with asymmetrical tread.
All-Terrain
For the Tacoma drivers who want to get off of the paved road and onto the trails, you’ll need something with a little more tread. All-terrain tires have large tread blocks and are designed to give you traction on gravel, light mud, and sand. They’ll also perform reasonably well when driving on paved roads.
Mud Terrain
If you never plan to use your Tacoma as a daily driver and solely hit the trails with it, then mud tires are a more extreme version of all-terrain tires. The tread pattern is even more aggressive, and the tread blocks are even larger with bigger voids. This will give you the greatest amount of traction in sand and mud. The sidewalls have reinforcement to give them a more aggressive appearance.
Top Brands
Goodyear
Today, Goodyear is one of the largest tire companies in the world and the top-selling tire company in the United States. Their tires are sold to vehicle manufacturers and consumers. Founded in 1898, you can trust its long history of producing quality products. Try the Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Radial on your Tacoma.
BFGoodrich
While Michelin owns the BFGoodrich name today, the company has roots going back to 1870. It started as a rubber company and quickly grew to be an internationally known tire manufacturer. The BFGoodrich Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Tire will be ready for whatever on or off-road adventure you go on.
Michelin
While Michelin is a French company, their headquarters are in Greenville, S.C. It manufactures and produces tires for sale all over the world. It owns two other American brands, BFGoodrich and Uniroyal. The Michelin Defender LTX M/S All-Season Radial Tire is a great choice for your Tacoma.
Bridgestone
Based in Tokyo, Japan, Bridgestone is one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. The American division of the company is based in Nashville, Tenn. Other brands produced by the company include Firestone, Dayton, and Fuzion. The Bridgestone Dueler A/T 693 III All-Terrain Radial Tire will complement your Tacoma nicely.
Cooper Tires
Founded in the early 20th century, Cooper Tires is one of the independent brands producing quality tires. Based in Findlay, Ohio, it markets its tires through independent dealers and online. The Starfire, Cooper, Avon, and Mastercraft brands are all sold by Cooper. The Cooper Discoverer STT Pro All-Season Radial Tire will perform well in your Tacoma.
Dunlop
Today, Goodyear owns Dunlop as a part of their family of brands. It was originally founded in 1888 in the United States. Today Dunlop tires are sold worldwide. The Dunlop Grandtrek AT20 All-Season Tire is an example of the company’s quality products.
Continental
Based in Germany, Continental produces tires, braking systems, and several other car components. While it isn’t one of the largest tire brands in the world, it has developed a reputation for having the highest quality tires. The Continental CrossContact LX20 Radial Tire will improve the performance of your Tacoma.
Tires for Toyota Tacoma Pricing
- Under $100: These are cheap tires made of cheap rubber. You won’t find specialty rubber compounds or highly engineered groove designs.
- $100 to $200: The majority of daily driver tires fall into this category. More basic tires are at the lower end, and specialty summer and snow tires are at the higher end.
- $200 and up: These are high-end tires that are odd sizes or have a specific purpose. You’ll find racing tires and luxury sports car tires in this price range.
Key Features
Tread Pattern
This is when the type of tire becomes important. All-season tires are a good general daily driver tire that has a tread pattern with a little bit of everything. Summer tires will have more flat spots and deeper grooves to channel water better. Winter tires will have more siping to channel snow. Think about the driving conditions and match your tire tread to it.
Size
Look at the code on your current tire and find a set of tires with the same code. This will ensure you buy the right size of tire for your wheels and car. Your owner’s manual will also tell you. There should be a code that looks like this: P15/60R16 94T. This will tell you the tire’s size measurements and other ratings.
Speed Rating
This is how fast the tire can go while carrying a load. It doesn’t mean that this is how fast you should drive. You need a tire that can reasonably handle the speeds you regularly drive at. Most tires will be able to accommodate highway speeds. Performance tires will have higher speed ratings than all-season, summer, or winter tires.
Other Considerations
- Load Index. This code tells you how much weight a tire can carry. Tacomas are considered a smaller truck, so their weight shouldn’t be an issue for most people. But it’s something to consider if you haul heavy items in the bed on a regular basis. Check the tire code on your current tires to know what you need.
- Manufacture Date Code. This date tells you when the tires were manufactured. Tires are only good for so long, so a manufacture date that is several years old will indicate a tire that’s on the tail end of its useful life. It’s better to get a newer tire where the rubber is still fresh.
- Treadwear Rating. This will tell you the tread’s durability when tested against industry standards. The reference score is 100. If your tire has a score of 200, then it performs twice as well as the industry standard. Keep in mind that ratings are given to the tire by the manufacturer and not an independent third party.
Best Tires for Toyota Tacoma Reviews & Recommendations 2021
Best Overall
BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2 Radial Tire
Best Valueu0026nbsp;
Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT
Best for Rocky Terrain
Westlake All-Season Radial Tire
Most Comfortable
Firestone Destination A/T All Terrain Tire
Honorable Mention
Michelin LTX M/S All Season Radial Tire
Tips
- While most tires are advertised to be all-season, it is important to consider the primary terrain and weather condition you will be driving in. If you live in a climate where it rains a lot, consider bigger tires. Bigger tires have more traction since they have more contact with the ground.
- Consider the purpose of the tires. Are you planning to go on a road trip? Tires with thicker treads can be noisy and distracting when driving. If noise and smoothness is a concern for you, invest in smaller tires. Smaller tires have less contact with the ground and less room for noise.
- Be sure to take all measurements before buying tires. Tires are not “one size fits all.” Keep in mind that tires and rims are different from each other and are not interchangeable.
FAQs
Q: How often do I need to change my tires?
The rubber on tires deteriorate within several years and usually last up to 60,000 miles. Tires should be changed when flat or when the tread is low for safety reasons.
Q: What are the return policies on tires?
This will depend on the seller or manufacturer. Some places have a 30-day return policy on tires that are new and have not been used. Others offer mileage warranties. Check before you buy it.
Q: What are studdable tires?
Studdable tires are tires that are functional on their own but have holes so you can install studs. Studs help improve traction when driving through ice or heavy snow.
Final Thoughts
We recommend the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 Tire. These tires are great for snow and ice and have optional stud holes so they can be driven on other terrains as well.
A budget-friendly option for your vehicle is the Goodyear Wrangler TrailRunner AT.