Locations in Illinois: 33
First Illinois location opening date: ILC01 | March 21, 1995
Common vehicles: Tons of sedans and crossovers with growing EV popularity; pickup trucks in more rural areas
Major regions/cities: Chicago, Aurora, Joliet, Naperville, Rockford, Elgin, Springfield, Peoria, Waukegan, Champaign
Road conditions: Mix of rural, suburban and urban roads with traffic, congestion, constant construction, potholes and four-season driving challenges like rain, ice and snow
Illinois, Illinois! The Land of Lincoln offers a wide variety of driving challenges, from seemingly endless prairies and farmlands to robust suburbs and an iconic lake-front city with a strong personality (Windy City, we’re looking at you).
That’s not even mentioning the notorious four-season weather with tons of snow, ice, rain and severe thunderstorms (you’ve heard of Tornado Alley, of course)! With a high population, tons of traffic and never ending construction, Illinoisans have their work cut out for them when it comes to zipping around. Staying safe, sticking to a workable budget and answering the needs of your vehicle are all important factors Illinois drivers consider when it comes to the tires they put on the Illinois-registered vehicles.
And what tire will answer all of your needs? We’ve asked the experts to come up with the best tires for driving in Illinois.
Already know what tires you want for your Illinois adventure? Check out our entire catalog!
BEST CAR TIRES FOR ILLINOIS
Most drivers in Illinois principally drive on all-season tires to maximize their traction throughout the year.
According to Homer Glen’s Discount Tire manager, Justin Beckefeld, his customers prefer Michelin tires.
The Michelin Defender 2 is a very popular option, and no wonder. This all-season champ comes with a huge 80k-mile warranty and an impressive pedigree. Its EverTread 2.0 tread compound leads to an ultra-long tread life for long-lasting service. And Michelin’s MaxTouch 2.0 design customizes each tire profile to its size, optimizing its performance. Surefooted and quiet in any weather, the Defender 2 is available in a huge range of sizes and is a great pick for most drivers.
Further south in our Springfield Discount Tire, Juan sees his fair share of EVs, like Teslas, Rivian vehicles and the Ford Mustang Mach-E. He says the Michelin Defender 2 is an excellent electric vehicle option because it’s durable enough to handle the extra weight of an electric vehicle’s battery pack.
Over at the La Grange Discount Tire, manager Jeremy Osuch offers the Continental Contact Tour AS Plus as another all-season option for your car. This dependable tire offers fuel savings thanks to its EcoPlus™ tech, making it an in-demand tire. It’s perfect for sedans, crossovers and minivans. Full-depth siping, low rolling resistance and a comfort band make it a smooth, fuel efficient and weather-ready tire. It also includes a generous 80,000-mile Limited Warranty with a 60-day trial and three-year roadside assistance support.
Justin agrees, but if you have a vehicle with a little more pep in its step, the Continental ControlContact Sport SRS+ will do you wonders. Also an all-season tire, the SRS+ has a performance oriented tread with a 50k-mile warranty to boot. You don’t need to sacrifice ultra-high performance fun for all-season traction and reliability because the SRS+ gives you both. Its +Silane tread compound keeps it flexible, even in lower temps while also providing more traction in wet conditions. Sun, rain and even light snow are all in this tire’s wheelhouse.
Looking to max out your next tire’s performance without maxing out your budget, too? Juan suggests the Falken Pro G5 A/S. This Discount Tire exclusive is one of our most popular tires for value-minded customers. A specialized tread compound with interlocking sipes allows for confident performance and responsive handling in both wet and dry conditions. It’s a great tire for commuters thanks to its on-demand steering and reliable highway ride. It comes in a wide range of sizes, fitting everything from a Ford Fusion to a Toyota Camry. Plus, it comes with a 60,000-mile warranty!
Over in La Grange, Jeremy’s most popular economical tire is the Arizonian Silver Edition All Season, another Discount Tire exclusive with impressive specs and a loyal customer following. This all-season tire has performance features that set it apart from the pack. It’s designed for a quiet, comfortable ride with a Low Noise Tread Pattern that works together with an advanced tire shape for impressive highway handling. With a long-lasting tread life and dependable all-season grip, it’s an excellent tire choice for Illinoisans looking to get the most bang for their buck.
BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR ILLINOIS
According to iSeeCars.com, Illinois has some of the lowest percentages of pickup ownership in the U.S. That said, there are still plenty of pickup truck drivers in Illinois looking for truck tires, especially for agricultural and industrial work.
If you need highway-terrain truck tires, Jeremy recommends the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2. Happily, this hugely popular tire comes in a wide range of sizes, making it a perfect fit for many crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks! Built for robust use, this durable tire delivers top marks in all-season performance, towing capacity and ride comfort. Plus, it’s designed to wear evenly throughout its life, so you get a consistent drive mile after mile. Thanks to its reduced wet and dry stopping distances, you’ll confidently traverse both dry and wet roads.
However, according to our on-the-ground tire experts, truck drivers in Illinois largely prefer to get the job done with all-terrain tires.
All managers agree that the most popular is the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. A favorite across the country, this all-terrain tire carries dual perks of a 50k-mile warranty and a three-peak mountain snowflake severe weather rating. Its stabilized tread center, interlocking tread blocks and serrated shoulders ensure gritty traction both on and off-road—especially in mud and snow, as well as on rocks. Bonus: it’s backed by a 50,000-mile warranty. Justin says his roofing customers often choose the KO2.
For the second most popular truck tire, Jeremy’s La Grange customers are drawn to the Nitto Ridge Grappler. Its aggressive tread is iconic, unique, and extremely impressive in its off-road handling. Rugged, staggered shoulder lugs offer unyielding grip in soft and challenging terrains, while the reinforced block foundation delivers a comfortable, controlled on-road driving experience. And there’s no need for concern if you often encounter mud or rocks, because the stone ejectors and alternating shoulder grooves rapidly clear debris from the tread.
Down in Springfield, IL, Juan’s pickup-driving customers like the Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac for its 3PMS severe weather rating, all-terrain performance and lengthy 50k-mile treadwear warranty. With this tire, you’ll enjoy muscled grip in mud and snow via TractiveGroove Tech with self-cleaning shoulder blocks, perfect for dirt, gravel, mud and foul weather. Although southern Illinois isn’t known for its snowstorms, the on-road manners and extra protection in inclement weather are an absolute confidence booster!
Juan’s customers often inquire about Michelin truck tires but increasingly have come in curious about the Toyo Open Country A/T II. Backed by a 50k-mile warranty, it comes in a wide range of sizes for CUVs, SUVs and trucks, including Xtreme “XT” sizing that makes it a popular option for larger wheels. Its main draw? A deep-scalloped shoulder design for locked-in grip with deep tread grooves perfect for handling snow and mud while spitting out rocks.
DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN ILLINOIS?
Yes, you need snow tires in Illinois.
With its infamous four-season weather that brings Arctic temps and often dumps inches of snow and coats roads in ice, Illinois’ climate demands winter tires for safe performance.
You should equip your vehicle with winter tires when the temperature consistently dips and stays below 45F, regardless of the presence of snow, ice or other winter conditions.
It seems obvious that you should use winter (or snow, if you prefer) tires up north near the Wisconsin border, but southern Illinois experiences conditions consistently cold enough to warrant making the switch.
Many Illinois drivers try to make due with all-season tires, likely due to cost. This is understandable but all-season tires don’t perform as well as winter tires. They don’t brake as well, either. It’s playing on hard mode to try to hobble through the cold season with inadequate traction! Plus, you can actually get more mileage out of both your winter tires and your all-season or summer tires by changing over during the off-seasons. That means saving money in the long run!
For SUV, truck and 4x4 drivers, it’s important to note that all-terrain and mud-terrain tires aren’t as good in winter as dedicated winter tires either.
The confidence that winter tires offer can’t be overstated. According to Jeremy: “If you put on one set of winter tires, you’ll never go back!”
And we make switching between your winter and regular tire set easy with our winter/snow tire changeover service!
The Best Winter Tires for Illinois
Now that we’ve established that winter tires (AKA snow tires) are an absolute must in IL, we know what you’re wondering. What are the best winter tires for Illinois?
All of our experts agree, you can’t go wrong with any tire from the Bridgestone Blizzak or Nokian Hakkapeliitta tire families.
Wildly popular and considered one of the most reliable winter tire lines available, Bridgestone Blizzaks are consistently on the top of our most recommended winter options. They offer tons of studdless models and sizes that fit nearly any vehicle size, and they often come with Multi-Cell tech, for flexibility and bite in wintry debris.
For your sedan, minivan or crossover, we recommend the Blizzak WS90. It checks every box for enhanced treadwear, reduced braking distance on ice and incredible grip in wet, snowy and slushy conditions. The best part? They’re priced about the same as your typical mid-level touring or passenger car tire!
For your light truck, SUV or crossover, choose the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2. With large treadblocks and dense sipes, it’s perfect for ice, snow and slush, so you can expect reliable grip all winter long. Bite particles in the tread compound add additional control and stopping power.
You can’t talk about winter weather performance without mentioning the formidable Hakkapelitta line of tires from Nokian. Designed to handle the roughest winter weather in the world, they set the bar high for winter traction. Our recommendations?
As studded tires are not legal in Illinois, we recommend the Hakkapeliitta R3 for your passenger vehicles and the R3 SUV for your pickup or SUV. Both offer comfortable safety in winter conditions while maxing out efficiency. These low rolling resistance tires help you save at the pump or increase your EV’s battery range. These tires utilize a rubber compound with specialized “grip particles” and siping to give you a controlled, quiet drive. And you’ll love the “Snow Claw” tread design that claws through snow with ease.
ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN ILLINOIS?
No, studded tires are not legal in Illinois, although there are a few exceptions, including rural mail carriers or disabled persons living in unincorporated areas, who may use studded tires from November 15th to April 1st.
Tire chains are legal in Illinois and are permitted for hazardous weather only. They may not damage highway surfaces.
Typically, tire chains are best suited for use in mountain passes and on roads in high elevation where driving surfaces are snow packed. Most Illinoisans won’t want or need them.
Want to learn more? Check out our deep dive on tire chains!
Other Illinois Wheel & Tire Services
Still not sure what tires are the best bet for your Illinois-based ride? No problem. Try Treadwell, our smart tire buying guide that matches you with the best tires for what, where and how you drive. Get 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!
Justin says: “We’re here if people need us. We’ll get you taken care of, no matter what.”
If there’s one thing you can count on, it’s Illinois weather bringing some serious challenges. That’s why it’s a good idea to check your windshield wiper blades before you hit the road. We recommend changing wiper blades every 12 months. Need new wiper blades? You’re in luck. 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?
Juan in Springfield wants to remind customers that they can: “Come down and take advantage of our free services, like air checks and tire safety inspections to make sure they’re ready for any season. Even a little bit of time is a great time for an air check!”
We’re happy to answer any questions you have! 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.