As soon as the mercury starts to drop, you might begin thinking about the upcoming winter season with its cooler temps and driving challenges, like rain, snow, or ice. Many drivers eke by during winter with their all-season tires to get the most out of their investment, but there’s another (safer) solution! Have you heard of all-weather tires?
All-weather tires help you get more out of a single set of tires for a longer portion of the year. They offer boosted protection in most conditions, except heavy winter weather. But which ones are worth your time?
(Were you actually looking for all-season or winter tires?)
WHAT ARE ALL-WEATHER TIRES?
We get it: tire categories can be a little confusing. All-season, all-weather—what’s the difference? Let us break it down for you.
All-weather tires are a hybrid tire that functions in all seasons, including mild and non-extreme winter conditions. Think of them as Olympic-level all-season athletes. You can learn more about the differences between all-season, summer and winter tires here.
Compared to all-season tires, you‘ll see superior handling in wet conditions and noticeably better traction in snow, ice and slush. All-weather tires offer better performance in cooler temperatures than all-season tires because their tread doesn’t stiffen. This allows tread elements to combat undesirable road conditions.
A slight trade-off: you may notice compromises in ride comfort, noise and handling sharpness.
Unfortunately, while all-weather tires perform better than all-season tires in winter, all-weather tires do not replace a dedicated set of winter tires.
They can be used further into the colder season for winter regions, or year-round in places with mild winter weather that see only intermittent snow, ice or low temps. States in the south or southwest may consider this a perfect year-round option!
If you live in an area with a true winter season and severe weather, like heavy snow, slick ice and temperatures consistently below 45F, a set of the best winter tires is the way to go.
Still have questions? Check out our page on all-weather tires!
THE TOP ALL-WEATHER TIRES
Unfortunately, there’s no official all-weather tire category. It’s a relatively new tire type, and manufacturers are still working on defining requirements to qualify as an all-weather tire. That also means there’s no standardized naming convention yet. This makes shopping for these tires a little challenging, but here are a few clues you might be looking at an all-weather tire:
“AW” in the name
Heavy snow and ice tread features
If you need help finding the right all-weather tire for you, you can always ask a Discount Tire associate. To get you started, we’ve made a list of the top performing and most popular all-weather tires around!
Nokian Encompass AW01
Popular for all the right reasons, we’re starting off our list of the best all-weather car tires with the Nokian Encompass AW01. Specifically, this is our pick for the best crossover all-weather tire.
Turning all-season performance up a dozen notches, the Encompass is a groundbreaking tire with Dual Zone asymmetrical tread design with a snow-focused inside zone and wet-focused outer tread area. So, whether it's lightly dusted powder or late autumn puddles, you’re rolling fine.
You can see why it’s been badged with a severe weather designation when you look at its checklist of inclement weather related features, including Snow Claw tread design (for biting into deep snow), 3D Centipede Sipes and zig-zag circumferential grooves.
This tough tire (built with Aramid sidewalls) offers LT/SUV tire strength and puncture resistance, too!
SHOP NOKIAN ENCOMPASS AW01 TIRESMichelin CrossClimate2
If you prefer to shop the Michelin brand, then you’re in luck. The Michelin CrossClimate2 is a touring and performance all-weather tire with a robust 60,000-mile warranty and a dedicated following.
The CrossClimate2 builds upon two very popular all-season designs to deliver industry-leading results and all-weather capability. Its adaptive performance yields a flexible, year-round tire option that keeps safety at the forefront. Dry, wet or light snowy weather? No problem with its V-formation tread design and hundreds of biting edges for enhanced traction.
Plus, unlike many other all-weather tread designs, a PIANO noise reducing tuning system allows for a nice, quiet ride. The CrossClimate2 comes in a huge array of sizes, perfect for a range of vehicles from sedans and crossovers to minivans and SUVs. It definitely checks all the boxes for the best all-weather SUV tire!
SHOP MICHELIN CROSSCLIMATE2 TIRESGoodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2
The Assurance is the backbone of Goodyear’s all-season lineup, so it makes sense their all-weather option is heading the pack with improved wet and winter grip.
Whether a sudden downpour takes you by surprise or you're driving through continuous wet weather, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2 will maintain its grip thanks to AquaTred Technology, designed to sweep water away from the contact patch. And additional Evolving Traction Grooves help displace water on the road to reduce the chances of hydroplaning.
There’s also an integrated Wear Gauge to make it easy to monitor tread depth and know when it’s time to replace your tires. But given their generous 60k-mile warranty, you won’t need to concern yourself with that for quite some time.
SHOP GOODYEAR ASSURANCE WEATHERREADY 2 TIRESThis tire is a great option for a wide range of vehicles, fitting everything from your Toyota Prius to your Dodge Grand Caravan.
Bridgestone WeatherPeak
The Bridgestone WeatherPeak delivers a long-lasting, luxurious and quiet ride with impressive all-weather capability.
This grand touring tire is a great option for a range of vehicles, available in sizes to fit coupes, sedans, crossovers, SUVs, and minivans. Open shoulder slots offer better grip and control in both wet and dry conditions. And it boasts an impressive braking distance, even in winter. Its all-weather tread design features full-depth 3D siping, snow vices and groove channels, meaning you don’t need to cringe at the weather alerts every morning.
Evolving sipes deliver boosted wet and snow performance, high-speed water evacuation and better snow compaction. If you’re ready for year-round confidence and dependable foul-weather capability, this should be a contender for you!
This tire can be the year-round solution for your vehicle with its impressive 70,000-mile warranty.
SHOP BRIDGESTONE WEATHERPEAK TIRESGeneral Altimax 365 AW
The General Altimax 365 AW is a beautiful blend of all-weather capability and value. It’s an excellent budget option for those looking to maximize performance and cost.
Dependable and versatile, the Altimax 365 AW combines the considerable all-season touring features of the RT with the winter prowess of the Arctic 12.
This tire takes a bite out of winter weather with a sinusoidal siping system and traction teeth for deep slush and snow. Waved longitudinal grooves offer hydroplaning resistance and additional coverage in fresh powder snow, so no need to cancel your travel plans at the last minute.
Lateral grooves and a semi-solid center rib with minimal siping give you straight line stability with confident handling in dry weather, even if it’s quite cold. The handy visual alignment indicators make keeping an eye on your tire’s wear and maintenance schedule a breeze.
SHOP GENERAL ALTIMAX 365 AWTHE BEST ALL-WEATHER TIRES FOR SNOW
While many all-weather tires carry the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMSF) or an M+S (mud and snow) rating, that doesn’t mean they’re a substitute for winter tires in climates that experience prolonged periods of snow, ice, or true winter weather.
In these areas, you’ll want a winter tire with a tread compound formulated to stay flexible and maintain its grip in temperatures consistently at or below 45F.
But, if you’re primarily driving in a moderate climate that has occasional snow or you’re taking a ski trip or vacation to experience a snowy winter wonderland, most all-weather tires will be up to the task. We recommend stopping by your nearest Discount Tire for a free air check before you head out on a road trip (in rain, shine or snow)!
SEE DISCOUNT TIRE SERVICESTHE BEST ALL-WEATHER TRUCK TIRE
As of now, all-weather tires seem to be largely marketed towards passenger cars, CUVs and smaller SUVs.
That said, there are a couple of larger SUV and pickup all-weather options.
Check out the Michelin Agilis CrossClimate, a super-strong commercial grade tire with excellent tread life and SipeLock™ tech for rain and snow grip. Its symmetrical tread pattern makes it a breeze to maintain while offering reliable braking and great heavy load handling. The Agilis CrossClimate is great for both commercial and passenger vehicles, including vans, SUVs and trucks.
There’s also the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive, which includes a 60k-mile warranty. Trumpet-shaped lateral grooves work in tandem with zig-zag central grooves and 3D siping to deliver amazing wet handling, traction and braking in both rainy and light snow conditions. A special polymer in the tread keeps it flexible when temps drop, too. And as you can expect from a Pirelli tire, its three rib tread block design offers spirited, dependable performance.
The lack of true all-weather options for trucks is probably because drivers of trucks and larger SUVs tend to naturally prefer other tire types, such as all-terrain tires or mud-terrain tires. Many of them include severe weather specific features and tread badging. Meaning? Plenty of all-terrain tires can be considered for double-duty, AKA they work as all-weather tires, too!
What then is the best all-weather truck tire? We like the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. It’s three-peak mountain snowflake rated and has an M+S designation. The Serrated Shoulder Design maxes out your traction in soft surfaces like mud and snow but also over rocks (especially when aired down).
It’s a popular all-terrain tire due to its extreme capability and popularity in the off-road community. Its reinforced construction and aggressive tread pattern are other commonly cited features our customers love.
Also, the KO3 has recently rolled out and includes all your favorite features paired with ramped up performance.
Ready to roll?
These are just our favorite all-weather tires, but if they’re not what you’re looking for, feel free to check out more of our other options. Feeling lost? Try Treadwell, our smart tire finder which will match you with the best tires for you and your vehicle in less than a minute! You can even filter by tire type if you’re looking for something specific!
START WITH TREADWELLIf you’re still not sure, give us a ring or drop in and we’ll help you get the best option possible for you and your vehicle.
Walk-ins are always welcome but we encourage you to buy and make your appointment online first. Customers who buy and book online wait less time in-store!
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