What Are The Best Tires For Arizona?

Locations in Arizona: 80
First Arizona location opening date: AZP01 | January 1, 1970
Common vehicles: Pickup trucks, electric vehicles, sports cars, high-end vehicles and crossovers
Major regions/cities: Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Prescott, Chandler, Gilbert, Glendale, Scottsdale
Road conditions: Tons of road debris from construction, rock and dust with newer but very hot roads, dust storms and infrequent rain

When the average American thinks of driving in Arizona, they probably imagine sand dunes, cactus and purple mountains in the background (and perhaps a coyote and road runner’s antics, too).

Arizonans know only some of this is true! Driving in the Grand Canyon State can be, at times, quite an adventure with mountain deep snow drifts up north, flash floods down south and hot, whipping dust storms in the middle. With a constantly increasing population stressing new roads with vehicles, traffic and construction debris, it can be a challenge to drive safely.

(Fun fact: Discount Tire is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona!)

That’s why we’ve put together a list of the best tires to help you navigate driving in Arizona, backed by real data and expert opinion. Check it out below!

Would you rather just start shopping for yourself?

BEST CAR TIRES FOR ARIZONA

Overwhelmingly, the most popular car tire in Arizona is the all-season tire.

With huge swaths of the state never experiencing extreme cold temperatures or frequent rain, this is no surprise. All-season tires typically offer performance-delivering good comfort, handling and reliable traction across a range of mild conditions.

Arizona’s notorious tendency toward extreme heat means your all-season tire needs to be robust enough to handle constant hot pavement and any sudden traction demands, like dirt, dust, sand, construction debris and loose rock. Jason Colovin, at the Norterra Phoenix Discount Tire says: “Extreme heat is harsh on tires and since we don't get much rain, accumulated oil in the roads gets quite slick.”

Plus, with tons of construction traffic and a ground quite literally made of granite, tires can experience tough conditions.

This means that the tires that work best tend to be from better quality brands. Chase Blackwell, senior assistant manager at our Grayhawk Scottsdale Discount Tire store says that 90% of his customers leave happily with a set of Michelin Defender 2s. With a huge 80k mile warranty and touring, performance and all-season combination tread, it delivers high marks in basically all categories. It uses Michelin’s EverTread 2.0, a next generation ultra-long life tread compound for even longer lasting service.

The next top seller and second most frequently recommended all-season tire in Arizona? Without a doubt, it’s the Yokohama YK-GTX. Chase’s high-end clients find the Yokohama to be a close second to the Defender 2, thanks to its sporty performance-oriented tread that’s perfect for their higher end, high-powered vehicles like Tesla, Porsche, Maserati and more. Its versatile tread delivers hydroplane resistance, traction in wet or dry conditions and wear resistance via its wide spaced grooves and high silica compound. You can expect even treadwear with minimal road noise, too, thanks to a multi-pitch design and closed outside shoulders. The 70,000-mile warranty is a great finishing touch.

If you have a crossover, you can opt for the YK-CTX which offers all the same great benefits and performance of the GTX but specifically tailored to your crossover.

Chase’s customers who are loyal to the Continental brand of tires also really like the Continental Control Contact Sport SRS+ and Continental Extreme Contact DWS06 Plus. Continental is a leading premium brand of tires, boasting high-end levels of comfort and reliable performance. Cyris agrees, stating that Continental is the top recommended tire brand for performance next to Yokohama outside of traditional UHP brands.

The SRS+ is a tire that aims for performance capability with a hefty dose of all-season reliability. It’s performance you can reasonably live with. It features easy-to-read wear indicators to make tire maintenance a breeze, plus a two-ply reinforced sidewall construction for better maneuverability and strength (great when you’re dodging this or that on the highway). They offer a cushy, sporty and well-handled ride.

The DWS06 has a touring and all-season-centric tread with boosted performance features like interlocking x-sipes with a nylon cap ply to yield a responsive ride and high-speed handling. The DWS06 is an all-season tire aimed at drivers who want a dash of sporty handling with all the comforts and all-season reliability of a premium tire. Traction grooves with a silica-enhanced rubber mixture can take care of most Arizona driving conditions and the noise reducing tread is a bonus.

Both the DWS06 and the Sport SRS+ include a 50,000-mile warranty.

If you’re a driver who likes to find a happy medium between price and performance, Cyrus Parker, senior assistant manager at the McKellips Mesa Discount Tire location says his customers routinely turn to the Arizonian Silver Edition All Season to exceed their expectations. The Silver Edition is a Discount Tire exclusive option and is manufactured by Cooper Tires under Arizonian branding. Highly rated, this mid-grade tire drives like a premium pick but without the higher price tag. It includes a 60,000-mile warranty and all-season reliability. Its advanced tire shape evenly distributes forces across the face of the tire, delivering consistent handling, extended wear and an even ride. You only need to check out its reviews!

Another popular middle-of-the-road option, Cyris says, is the Falken Pro G5 A/S. Also an exclusive Discount Tire tire, the Pro G5 A/S is one of the most popular value-minded tires for a reason with its reliable all-season design and impressive handling. It’s also available in a large range of sizes to suit a lot of vehicle models, including your Kia Optima, Ford Fusion, Toyota Camry and more. It’s a great commuter car tire because of its ample 60k mile warranty, specialized summer and light winter tread compound and confident highway drive.

Cyris also notes that the Road Hugger GTP AS/02 and Road Hugger GTZ A/S are also very popular in his Mesa store as medium-tier tire options. The GTP AS/02 offers snappy steering response, a quiet ride and a long tread life. The convex contact patch improves driving comfort while also reducing harsh impacts, a must for the occasional bumpy road in the Copper State. Its abrasion-resistant silica reinforced tread compound is optimized with a polymer coupling to deliver longer tire service, maxing out your investment. It includes a 60,000-mile warranty.

The GTZ A/S is an even sportier tread with a 45,000-mile warranty. Y-shaped siping boosts wet and dry traction and a stiff sidewall with a high hardness bead filler gives you steering precision to impress. More performance-oriented, your BMW, Audi or Ford Mustang will be well and reasonably equipped!

If you need a budget friendly tire, Jason over in Norterra recommends either Sentury or GT Radial tires. For a solid touring tire, the Sentury Touring is for you with a 40,000-mile warranty, all-season and treadwear resistant compound and strong wet weather grip. Customers exclaim about the value for this tire’s price and surprising resilience to the elements, including rough roads.

For your higher powered vehicle, the Sentury UHP is a pocket book friendly choice that gives you strong traction, responsive handling and a budget friendly price for your sporty compact car or small crossover. Designed for high speeds and constant road contact, the Sentury UHP can give your ride an ultra-high performance value.

Best All-Weather Car Tires For Arizona

Ron Stuzman, a 30 year Discount Tire veteran and manager of our S Milton Flagstaff store says that his customers overwhelmingly require a different tire type to handle northern Arizona’s climate: the all-weather tire.

All-weather tires are an emerging category, not yet regulated but increasingly present in the tire market. All-weather tires are souped up all-season tires with increased performance across a greater range of temperatures, a great benefit in places where temperature drops are expected. All-weather tires do not replace winter tires, but are intended to function for longer into a cold season than your traditional all-season.

All-weather tires are a little difficult to shop for since they’re not an official category yet, but you can usually tell what they are by their three-peak mountain snowflake extreme weather designation. They also may include “all-weather” or “AW” terminology in their model.

Check out our picks of the best all-weather tires!

Since Flagstaff is generally much cooler and receives more rain (and obviously snow) than southern regions like Phoenix and Tucson, Flagstaff residents are quite right to turn to the all-weather option.

Flagstaff’s top picks for all-weather tires? The Michelin CrossClimate2, the Nokian Encompass AW01 and Bridgestone WeatherPeak.

The Michelin CrossClimate2 is an extremely popular all-weather option with a significant 60k warranty, touring and performance-boosted tread and very effective V-formation tread design. This tread design maximizes ground contact for excellent dry stopping power but also channels water away in wet conditions for optimal wet grip. They give a luxe ride with Michelin’s PIANO noise reduction tuning system so not only are you handling whatever Mother Nature decides to throw at you that day, you’re doing it in comfort.

The Nokian Encompass AW01 builds upon Nokian’s high degree of expertise in cold weather performance. The Encompass, like its name suggests, covers a wide range of conditions with its Dual Zone asymmetrical tread design. You can stay in control on lightly dusted snow powder coated roads and bone dry streets alike with equal capability. Silent Sidewall Technology also helps cancel out bumps and reduce road noise and Aramid Strong Sidewalls (usually found on LT or SUV sizing tires) offers cut and puncture resistance. It includes a 60k mile warranty.

The Bridgestone WeatherPeak is one that Ron has to keep in stock because it’s just so popular. And no wonder with its huge 70,000-mile warranty and next level control. 3D full depth siping works in tandem with groove channels and snow vices for high speed water flow and snow traction. It comes in a huge range of available fitments to suit a variety of vehicles from your wagon, sedan, crossover and coupe. Customers gush about how safe they feel when these Bridgestones are equipped.

Ron also occasionally sells the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady, another all-weather option. It uses a soybean oil-infused rubber compound to keep extra pliable and grippy in ice and snow. An asymmetric tread pattern with Evolving Traction Grooves deliver excellent traction over wet surfaces and is hydroplaning resistant. It is backed by a 60,000-mile warranty.

The Best Ultra-High Performance Car Tires For Arizona

With warm (perhaps too warm, sometimes) and perpetually sunny days in abundance, you’ll see plenty of high-powered ponies on Arizona’s roadways. What are the best ultra-high performance car tires for Arizona, then?

Chase over at the Grayhawk Scottsdale store sees plenty of high-end performance vehicles, plus high-torque Teslas. When his customers ask his opinion, he points them to the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Luxury and Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Sport. These tires are perfect examples of why Pirelli is considered top-notch in the UHP segment with their high degrees of capability and follow-through.

The P Zero tire family is the culmination of Pirelli’s experience in driving performance and the best auto manufacturer’s industry knowledge. The P Zero PZ4 Luxury is a summer performance tire that comes in run-flat options in select sizes. This tire is aimed at a luxurious but high definition ride with its silica-enhanced tread compound for excellent wet and dry grip and superb handling. Comfortable and pretty quiet, it’s an excellent choice for your highway beauty that can ramp up on a moment’s notice.

The P Zero PZ4 Sport combines Pirelli’s motorsport history with top branded automaker expertise to create the best OEM tires possible. You’ll typically find these on heavy hitters like Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari and more. Its custom tread compound boosts warm up and wet performance while simultaneously reducing rolling resistance for better efficiency. This tire focuses on dry grip and lateral stability without sacrificing hydroplaning resistance. It also offers some run-flat sizing and Pirelli’s Noise Canceling System™.

BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR ARIZONA

A Discount Tire corporate employee once joked that, “It is required by law that, once you move to Arizona, you must purchase a pickup truck.”

It’s definitely an exaggeration but Arizona certainly has no end in sight to pickup truck ownership! In addition to those who use their trucks for work, whether for trade, land management, agriculture and so on, plenty utilize their pickups for outdoor recreation like off-roading, camping, overlanding and family travel. The Grand Canyon State, is afterall, extremely beautiful.

Chase Blackwell, at the Scottsdale Grayhawk location, sees plenty of work trucks at his store. Non-work truck customers also tend to gravitate toward that aggressive, lifted look. Regardless of how you use your truck, you must contend with the rocky terrain (even on pavement) and increased load requirements of your ride.

Naturally, that means that the most recommended truck tire is the all-terrain.

Across any region of the state, the most popular truck tire in Arizona is the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2.This all-terrain tire includes a severe weather designation and several weather-related boosters that make it ideal for nearly any driving scenario. It delivers stable handling, both on and off-road, with reliable traction in both dry, wet, loose and rocky terrain. It’s Serrated Shoulder Design provides top notch grip in mud, snow and rocks (especially when aired down). Tough and reliable with a surprise 50,000-mile warranty; it’s the all-terrain tire to beat.

And good news: the KO3 has recently been released and includes all the best of the KO2 but with even more ramped up weather features and the same excellent 50k warranty.

Jason’s Norterra truck customers are very split on their preferred equipped tires depending on their truck’s purpose. He does sell quite a few off-road centric tires, with one of the most requested being the Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT. Also sporting a severe weather designation, aggressive shoulder elements to resist punctures and damage make it an excellent trail tire. Advanced computer modeling tech with an optimized void ratio that helps self-clean the tread and reduces road noise also give it nice on-road manners.

If you like rough play and aesthetics, Cyrus from over in our McKellips Mesa store highly recommends the Nitto Ridge Grappler or Nitto Recon Grappler A/T. The Nitto brand of tires has become an increasingly prominent name in off-roading thanks to its reputation for its rugged, good quality options that sets the bar on any trail. The Nitto Ridge Grappler offers a great blend of on and off-road qualities that make it a good option for your off-road beast that also doubles as your commuter mule. Its hybrid design gives you the best of both worlds without making too many sacrifices.

The Nitto Recon Grappler A/T is great for both stock and lifted applications and comes in a huge range of fitments to suit almost any truck, from your Jeep Gladiator or Yukon XL to your RAM 3500. Zig-zag main and shoulder grooves deliver biting edges for powerful off-road grip while wet and dry on-road handling and stability are boosted with optimized siping on large shoulder and tread blocks. It’s topped with a 55-60,000-mile warranty.

Jason notes that there isn’t too much demand for a mud-terrain tire at his store, likely because of Arizona’s low rate of rain—you’ll be hard-pressed to regularly find mud.

Cyris’s older customers who want an all-terrain greatly enjoy the Michelin LTX A/T2. It delivers a combination of all-terrain and all-season capability with Michelin’s Comfort Control Technology for reduced on-road noise and vibrations plus reliable off-road traction via Michelin’s Max Touch Construction for a wider, more aggressive contact patch.

If you want to get as many features without paying premium tire prices, a mid-tier truck tire will be best for you. With tire technology only improving, middle of the road options are nearly indistinguishable from top-tier options.

Where to start, though?

Cyris recommends either the Pathfinder AT or the Cooper Discoverer ATP II. Both are exceptionally popular and always at the top of any recommended truck tire list. The Pathfinder AT is a Discount Tire exclusive brand that is manufactured by Hankook. It includes a 50-55k mile warranty and performs way beyond its price point. If you want confident on and off-road capability with a smooth, comfortable ride and an attractive price point, this is the place to start (and end) your search.

The Discoverer ATP II is a tried and true all-terrain pick with stone ejector ledges to reduce stone retention (perfect for Arizona’s rocky terrain) and formidable off-road traction via off-road shoulder tread blocks with alternating scallops for grip in both mud and sand. Across the board, this is a frequently recommended truck tire for their quiet on-road performance and stopping ability. Customers frequently cite its good looking tread and ability to tow with low roll. Cyris’s repeat ATP II customers give really good feedback, helping to contribute to its word-of-mouth popularity.

Another midgrade Cooper all-terrain option that you can consider is the Cooper Discoverer AT3 LT, says Chase. It uses all-terrain and all-season tread elements to deliver impressive degrees of versatility. Customers love how quiet and long-wearing it is too, with high levels of off-road traction in gravel and dirt. Stone ejectors and a cut-and-chip resistant compound help prolong this tire’s life, too. It is three-peak mountain snowflake designated for severe weather and includes a 60k mile warranty.

If weather is your biggest foe, though, Ron from the S Milton Flagstaff Discount Tire location highly recommends the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W. This tire excels in the three W’s: wet, wear and winter performance. Combining a wear resistant silica-enhanced tread and step down features with support ramps to yield amazing off-road durability and stone drilling resistance with its anti-weather tread, its surge in popularity is well warranted.

Wonderful news: the new Falken Wildpeak A/T4W was recently released. It includes a 65k warranty, heavy duty construction and 3-ply DURASPEC Sidewall Technology to make it an even more robust option than before. It’s an impressive combination of all-weather and all-terrain protection and capability.

If you live in northern Arizona, such as Flagstaff, Prescott, Kingman or in the eastern mountains, you’ll find extreme terrain, forest service roads, road ruts, mud and deep, wet surfaces. Many folks hang out in the wild and without adequate tires, you will certainly get stuck.

Ron’s solution? The Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac is a great answer. “It’s like a hybrid mud-terrain and all-terrain tire,” he says. Topped with a 50,000-mile warranty, its chunky all-terrain tread design with blocky sidewall is what will get you almost anywhere, whether it be the pavement, mud, sand or even snow. TractiveGroove Tech and shoulder blocks with self-cleaning features eject stones and gravel, dried or wet mud, dirt and other debris that could get stuck and gain traction. Bonus: its angled center tread blocks increase lateral stability and reduce noise at highway speeds.

Actually, this hybrid between a mud-terrain and all-terrain is an emerging tire category called the rugged-terrain tire. The Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac RT follows this formula even more closely than the standard Duratrac, and includes both M+S (mud and snow) and three-peak snowflake designation. High void shoulder blocks and bold, extended over-the-shoulder tread design delivers maxed out grip in mud, sand and other rugged off-road conditions. It’s wrapped up nicely with a 50k mile warranty.

If your budget is pretty thin, Jason’s money conscious customers turn to the Corsa All Terrain. The value of this tire can’t be overstated with its tread saving stone ejectors, cornering and handling performance and reduced hydroplaning design. It’s not designed for serious rock climbing or wallowing in mud but it will see you through light mud, dirt, sand and gravel roads without a problem. It comes with a 40k mile warranty.

The Best Highway-Terrain Truck Tires For Arizona

All-terrain tires are fine and dandy but if your truck is never leaving the pavement, they’re not necessarily the best option for you. Your truck may be used to haul and tow (people, toys, groceries, you name it) or be a comfortable commuter.

Chase’s Scottsdale customers really dig the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2. With high scores in control, weather traction, comfort and tread life, it’s frequently the top recommended tire for truck owners in Arizona. It comes in a huge range of sizes too, that include SUV fitments. It’s also EV friendly so your Ford Lightning or Rivian R1T can reap its benefits. It includes a 50-70,000-mile warranty.

Or, you can check out the Bridgestone Dueler LX, an all-season and performance-oriented truck tire ideal for the highway. Luxury comfort, dependable weather traction and long-lasting value are this tire’s top selling attributes. Your comfort and safety are at the core of this tire’s design with full-depth interlocking 3D sipes and wide shoulder blocks for solid handling and grip. Plus, it has a silica-enhanced tread compound that’s resistant to uneven treadwear. Like the Michelin Defender, it includes an appealing 50-70,000-mile warranty.

Looking for a good deal? The Corsa Highway Terrain delivers reputable on-road traction with a healthy 40,000-mile warranty. A quick steering response and all-season tread compound wrapped in an easy to maintain symmetrical tread pattern yields excellent dry and wet weather grip. Its three-ply twin steel belt construction can stand up to the miles and rigors of an Arizona road, too.

DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN ARIZONA?

Contrary to what cartoons will have you believe, it does snow in Arizona! The northern part of the state averages over 100 inches of snow per year, with most of that falling near Flagstaff and other mountainous areas. Mt. Lemmon near Tucson also regularly gets snow (an average of 180 inches per year!) and low temps.

In addition, it gets below freezing regularly in northern and mountainous regions. Winter tires' true purpose is to function in temps below 45F, one reason why we prefer to refer to them as “winter” rather than “snow” tires. Other tire types do not perform as well, even if they feature wet and light winter traction tread elements.

Most Arizonians happily roll through their year on all-season tires, but in winter experiencing regions, this can be problematic. All-season tires do not perform as well as winter tires in low temperatures. All-season tires also cannot brake as well as winter tires in winter conditions either.

According to Ron, manager of the S Milton Flagstaff store: “An all-wheel drive vehicle equipped with all-season tires will get you around (assuming you’re not in the middle of a blizzard) but a proper snow tire is preferred as it will help with stopping and going.”

Speaking of drivetrains: check out our blog on what drivetrain is best for snow. Ron, manager of one of Flagstaff’s busy stores has this to say about relying on your drive train in winter:

“4WD is not four wheels stopping! Your tires, whether they’re AWD or 4WD, are not going to stop you. Snow tires are going to give you that extra peace of mind.”

And unfortunately for our truck customers, your all-terrain or mud-terrain tires do not compete with a proper winter tire.

When it comes to safety, equipping your vehicle with proper winter tires is really important. This is especially true if you commute to work in a winter region and will be on the roadways frequently. Ron has medical professionals who depend on their winter tires to get them safely to work, for example.

Don’t worry though, we make switching between your winter and regular tire set easy with our winter/snow tire changeover service!

The Best Winter Tires For Arizona

The old adage goes: once you try snow tires, you’ll never not use them again. There’s that big difference in performance and confidence.

But what winter tires are best for Arizona?

Ron up at our S Milton Flagstaff store immediately points to the Bridgestone Blizzak family of winter tires. “These are our go-to winter tires,” he says. And no wonder with their huge range of easily available sizes and stock with blue ribbon winning wintertime performance. Check out the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 for your car, which will confidently stop, resist treadwear and deliver consistently powerful traction on snow and ice.

Got a truck or SUV? No problem, the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2 is for you with a hydrophilic coated tread (to shed water and snow) and bite particles to keep its footing on slippery surfaces.

Cyris doesn’t get many calls for winter tires at his store in Mesa, except from snowbirds and those who travel north frequently. However, from his experience living in Chicago, IL and the rough winters there, he personally recommends the Nokian Hakkapeliitta line of winter tires. “They served me very well when I lived there, with lake effect snow. They do tend to come in larger sizes so you may not be able to take advantage with a compact vehicle.”

Nokian tires were designed to handle the most difficult and severe winter weather in the world. They frequently come in studded and studdable versions, too. All Nokian winter tires offer the very highest levels of winter traction and handling, so any model that fits your vehicle would be best.

If you prefer to stick with a brand you’re more familiar with, Flagstaff customers also tend to flock to the Michelin X-Ice Snow. It carries an unusual winter tire feature: a 40,000-mile warranty. But also this premium grade tire offers superb handling and winter traction thanks to its V-shaped tread design. This design allows more biting edges to connect with the road for better grip. It also includes the M+S designation, giving this tire even more street cred.

ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN ARIZONA?

According to Ron, our Flagstaff store manager, many of his customers don’t really bother with studded tires anymore. “Non-studded winter tires have gotten so advanced that we don’t really need them anymore, though some people still like to run them. They are very good on black ice.”

His store, however, does keep a ready stock of tire chains.

Some areas in Arizona may require snow chains, such as when you hike up to the Snowbowl for some skiing.

Other Arizona Wheel & Tire Services

We can help you choose what works best for you, and not only in-store. Start with Treadwell, our smart tire buying guide that matches you with the best tires for what, where and how you drive. Treadwell will instantly deliver personalized tire recommendations in a minute or less!

And if your wheels need repair, many of our Discount Tire stores offer wheel repair services! Plus, we have the largest aftermarket wheel inventory at the lowest prices. If your ride is ready for a style upgrade, we can help you out with new rims!

It’s also a good idea to check your windshield wiper blades before you hit the road. We recommend changing wiper blades every 12 months. Need a new set? No problem. We stock a full supply of high-quality, low-priced windshield wipers, and we’ll install your new wiper blades for free during your wheel or tire service!

Check out our pick of the best winter wiper blades, too!

Ready To Roll With The Best Tires For Arizona?

We know you’re flush with good options. We can help you choose what works best for you, and not only in-store. Start with Treadwell, our smart tire buying guide that matches you with the best tires for what, where and how you drive. Treadwell will instantly deliver personalized tire recommendations in a minute or less!

Got more questions? Perfect. Just give us a ring, drop by or make an appointment online. Customers who buy their products online and book an appointment ahead of time wait less time in-store!

For more information on this and other tire and wheel services, check out our YouTube Channel or reach out to us on X, Facebook and Instagram.