When you think about Louisiana, your mind probably jumps to Mardis Gras, delicious fried food, parties, swampy bayous teeming with alligators and a unique southern charm. It certainly is a fun, busy state!
Its local population of four million swells annually with eager tourists (41 million visitors swamped the Bayou State in 2021 alone). And with its thriving movie industry, major trade port and booming agricultural backbone, there’s a lot going on!
Louisianians must deal with their home state’s humid, rainstorm prone subtropical climate and low-lying geography (at or barely above sea level) with tons of waterways—all while dealing with notably poor roads and tourist traffic.
This leads many natives to wonder: what are the best tires for Louisiana?
We’ve asked our experts in the field for their tire recommendations for the best car and truck tires for driving in Louisiana. Check them out!
BEST CAR TIRES FOR LOUISIANA
Thanks to its generally mild (though drenching) climate, the tire du jour for Louisiana drivers is the all-season tire. This is because it offers year-round grip and capability across a wide range of temperatures, as long as things don’t get too cold, icy or snowy.
When it comes to what is recommended, Clay Logan in the Prairieville Discount Tire store says: “Our customers think of tread life first, but we want them to seriously think about wet weather traction, too.”
Adam’s Shreveport store can’t do without the Yokohama YK-GTX. All other stores in the Pelican State agree: it’s a top all-season tire choice for Louisiana drivers. And it’s all due to its generous 70k-mile warranty and sophisticated siping system that can handle inclement weather with ease. Its price point is affordable, and it features high quality construction and dependable performance. Aaron DelGrosso’s customers at Discount Tire store in Bossier City also prefer Yokohama brand tires.
Clay’s customers prefer the Michelin Defender 2 which offers leveled up performance and a luxurious ride. Backed by the same mileage warranty as the Defender T+H, The Defender 2 also includes Michelin’s Piano™ Acoustic Tuning tech and a host of sipes, giving you a quiet, smooth ride that stays planted even in the worst of deluges.
Adam over in Shreveport agrees with the popularity of the Michelin tire brand, noting that once a Michelin tire buyer, always a Michelin tire buyer. “It’s hard to talk a Michelin customer out of the brand. They expect the same high levels of quality and aren’t going to be satisfied with anything else.”
Thanks to Louisiana's bad roads, Clay’s customers are frequently looking for a tire that can last as long as possible. That’s why the Goodyear Assurance MaxLife is so popular. Clay says it’s the longest lasting tire in the market, and the lengthy 85k mile warranty confirms that. Its all-season reliability and easy to read tread-depth gauges seal the deal.
Nick’s customers at the Broadmoor Baton Rouge Discount Tire often drive imported sedans, crossovers and SUVs.They tend to want tires that match the premium performance and luxury of their vehicles. He recommends the Continental Control Contact Tour A/S Plus. This Discount Tire exclusive features ECO Plus™ tech to improve fuel efficiency, full depth siping and traction grooves for inclement weather. And it’s all backed by an impressive 70 to 80k-mile warranty.
Got a performance vehicle that you like to push to its limits? Try the Continental Control Contact Sport SRS+! It pairs ultra high performance control with unshakeable all-season grip.
Do you have an electric vehicle? Nick’s Tesla customers keep going back to the Pirelli P Zero AS Plus ELECT again and again! This UHP all-season tire is made specifically for EVs. It features a 50k-mile warranty with low unsprung weight for more efficiency. Plus, its interior lining of foam helps dampen road noise, giving you a quiet, enjoyable ride in-cabin.
On a budget? No problem! Adam’s customers love the Arizonian Silver Edition All Season for its premium all-season handling, high end features and strong construction at an amazing price point.
Both Adam and Clay agree the Road Hugger GTP AS 02 is a great value. This Discount Tire exclusive tire features a robust 60k-mile warranty, a long-wearing tread, abrasion and impact resistant design and amazing wet stopping distance.
Nick’s customers like the Falken Pro G5 A/S. This tire also has a 60k-mile warranty, confident highway performance and secure all-season handling. It’s a great option if you’re looking for a trustworthy brand name with the ideal combination of performance and value.
Clay always points to the Sentury brand of tires for budget buyers. They’re economical with a surprising number of premium features, such as noise reducing tech and long tread life. The Sentury Touring is a great option for your commuter vehicles, while the Sentury UHP is ideal for your performance car.
BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR LOUISIANA
There are a fair few trucks out on Louisiana’s roads (and lease roads, too). You can’t ignore all the mid-size SUVs, either. Whether your truck or SUV is your personal vehicle, a company ride or a weekend warrior, you’ll need the right tires to make sure it works the way you need.
The most common type of truck tires in Louisiana are all-terrain tires. These can handle the rough ‘n tough nature of pothole-dotted roadways or dirt and gravel side roads.
Across the state, probably the most popular all-terrain truck tire is the Nitto Ridge Grappler. It’s easy to see why when you check out its aggressive tread, stone ejectors, dual sidewall design and multi-terrain capability. Clay notes that the Ridge Grappler offers a hybrid experience, with the best characteristics of both a mud terrain and an all-terrain tire. His customers also love that they’re relatively quiet and smooth rolling on the road—for a rugged off-road tire.
Adam’s customers are also starting to feel out the Nitto Recon Grappler A/T. This newcomer to the all-terrain community includes a rare 55 to 65,000 mile warranty and comes in a wide range of SUV and light truck sizes. Bold, assertive with performance in both dry and wet conditions, it can tackle both on-road and off-road challenges with flair.
At Aaron’s store in Bossier City, he recommends the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. One of the most well known off-roading tires, it instantly transforms any pickup or SUV into a capable off-road machine. This AT offers year-round, bulletproof performance and capability in a variety of terrains—even in rain and snow.
Nick points customers to the Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT, a tire that has a great mix of on-road manners and off-road prowess. Backed by the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, this durable tire offers traction and performance when the weather and terrain get tough. And with its optimized void ratio that self-cleans while reducing road noise, you can commute to your job without losing your hearing.
If you’re thinking with your wallet, then any Discount Tire store manager will tell you to look at the Pathfinder AT. This affordable tire works as hard as you do while offering long-lasting tread and an aggressive all-terrain design. It features zigzag siping and circumferential grooves to handle wet weather, while its interconnected tread blocks offer responsive handling. Plus, it comes with a great 50 to 55,000-mile warranty to boot!
If going off-road isn’t your thing, then your truck or SUV will need highway terrain tires.
Nick suggests the Bridgestone Dueler LX. Its robust 50 to 70,000-mile warranty is only the icing on this luxurious all-season cake (we do mean tire). Exclusively available at Discount Tire, the LX is all about comfort and safety. With full depth, interlocking sipes for all-season grip, a silica-enhanced wear-resistant compound and controlled highway handling, it’s a premium pick for your pickup.
If you prefer Michelin products, the Michelin Defender LTX M/S is a popular choice in Louisiana for its well rounded, high-end features and 50 to 70k-mile warranty. Well liked for its reliability and year-around capability, you’ll like the addition of Michelin’s MaxTouch Construction which reduces noise, improves ride comfort and enhances fuel efficiency!
If you’re looking for affordable bells and whistles, Nick offers the Cooper Discoverer HTP II for your SUV or truck. Its 55 to 60k-mile warranty is appealing, but so is its superior Wet Grip Technology. Plus, it offers improved fuel economy and an Enduraguard design, which stabilizes the tire, maintaining its shape while tackling uneven or harsh surfaces.
Budget buyers will like either the Pathfinder HT or the Rocky Mountain HT. The Rocky Mountain HT is backed by a 50,000-mile warranty and offers quiet, capable highway handling with excellent wet weather grip. This low rolling resistance tire also helps you save at the fuel pump. The Pathfinder HT includes a 45 to 60k-mile warranty and is an ideal all-season tire with plenty of wet weather features. It’s also strong enough for towing and hauling.
Speaking of trailer tires: Clay wants to remind drivers to be mindful of theirs!
Trailer tires also need their upkeep, and maintenance is key. We recommend replacing them every four years, even if they have good tread you have to take them off!
Shop Trailer TiresDO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN LOUISIANA?
You don’t need winter tires in Louisiana as the state does not experience a true winter.
If you live in an area that experiences a true winter, you’ll want to install your winter tires when the temps consistently drop below 45F.
Although some northern parts of the state experience near freezing temps on occasion, it doesn’t consistently drop below 45F. Nor does Louisiana see much in the way of snowfall. Because of this, winter tires would definitely be overkill.
However, if you’re concerned about driving in foul weather, you can equip your vehicle with all-weather tires.
While all-season tires can handle a wide range of weather conditions, they aren’t typically designed for the extremes.
All-weather tires take all-season grip and amp it up enough to receive severe weather certification from USTMA. Their rubber compounds are designed to stay flexible across a wider range of temperatures, and can handle drops or jumps in temp. This means more reliability, particularly in winter.
This tire group is very new but includes some great options to choose from!
Check out the Michelin CrossClimate2! It comes with a 60k-mile warranty, a severe weather rating, a foul weather-optimized V-formation tread design and PIANO noise reduction tuning system.
Another crowd favorite that ticks all the boxes: the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady. It includes a 60k-mile warranty, severe weather rated compound that keeps pliable, even in ice and snow, wet weather grooves and an asymmetric tread pattern that’s got traction for miles to come.
If you’re worried about the weather or intend to travel north where things get a little frosty, then head to the winter weather experts at Nokian Tyres. They offer the Nokian Encompass AW01, which is built with a Dual Zone asymmetrical tread design. Its snow-focused interior helps you stay in control in light snow. The AW01 offers great wet weather grip too, thanks to its zigzag circumferential grooves and 3D centipede siping pattern. Top it off with a 60k-mile warranty and you’re ready to roll.
WHEELS & SPARE TIRES IN LOUISIANA
Shreveport Discount Tire store manager Adam Franks: “You know you’ve crossed the state line by the roads!”
This means Louisianians often contend with damaged, bent or broken wheels. Don’t worry, we have the largest selection of the best priced aftermarket wheels in the industry. And many of our stores offer wheel repair services!
Also, Adam says: don’t forget about your spare tire!
“A lot of people forget about their spare tire and never check its condition. We do the best we can to inspect drivers’ spares during their service, but a lot of people neglect them. Most drivers don’t worry about their spare tire until they need it, and that can put you in an unsafe predicament. Many vehicles don't come with spares anymore, either!”
Check out our resource on spare tire maintenance to learn how to properly take care of your spare tire.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed with too many good options, try Treadwell. It’s our smart tire buying guide that’s designed to help you find the right tire based on your unique driving needs.
Is the stormy Louisiana weather getting you down? See through the storm with our supply of windshield wipers!
If you have other questions or want to upgrade your wheels or tires, 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!
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