What are the best tires for New Mexico?

Locations in New Mexico: 19
First New Mexico location opening date: NMA01 | March 1, 1982
Common vehicles: Crossovers, SUVs, pickup trucks
Major regions/cities: Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, Santa Fe, Roswell, Farmington, Clovis, Hobbs, Alamogordo, Carlsbad
Road conditions: Generally very dry with bursts of seasonal monsoon rain, tons of unpaved roads and potholes

New Mexico is rightfully named “the Land of Enchantment” thanks to its beautiful variety of natural wonders, cuisine, cultures and exploratory science background. Although not the most populous state (there are just above two million New Mexican residents), natural and man-made sights like the Carlsbad Caverns, Taos, White Sands National Park, and the Very Large Array (VLA) mean that New Mexico saw over 40 million visitors in 2022 alone. That’s a lot of vehicles on the roadways.

(Not to mention you do come across very interesting characters near Roswell!)

Plus with its dry, temperate climate (with surprising winter regions) and varied, expansive terrain, driving in New Mexico can be an interesting experience. So what tires should New Mexicans choose?

Our on-the-ground experts have weighed in on the best tires for New Mexico, check them out!

BEST CAR TIRES FOR NEW MEXICO

Your New Mexico driving experience will really depend on where you drive. The state has an arid, dry climate that experiences a rainy monsoon season that varies in strength depending on your elevation. Also, higher elevation cities like Santa Fe experience more significant winter weather with snow, ice and low temperatures. Typically, New Mexicans gravitate toward all-season tires because they offer long-lasting performance in a variety of weather conditions.

(You can also check out our blog on the best all-season tires for 2024!)

Armando Avila (Mondo), senior manager at the Rio Rancho Discount Tire store says his customers largely prefer the Michelin Defender 2. It’s his number one selling tire for passenger cars. It’s perfect for in-town driving and features touring, performance and all-season tread components. It’s rounded off with a huge 80,000-mile warranty too. It’s a great option for New Mexicans with long commutes and highway drives.

Thomas Padilla, manager at the Coors Albuquerque Discount Tire store, agrees: “It’s a great tire. It’s the smoothest, quietest, longest lasting and has great safety ratings.”

Another great option? The Yokohama YK-GTX is an all-season tire with a spiffy, performance-oriented tread and 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. An ideal commuter tire, it delivers a quiet, comfortable ride with a long-lasting tread compound. Orlando Dominguez, manager of the Candelaria Albuquerque Discount Tire store, says it holds up for New Mexico’s weather conditions. “The orange oil in the tread helps fight against ozone cracking due to our hot to cold weather changes and extreme sun,” he explains.

Ozone cracking (or tire rot) is a concern for New Mexico drivers. If you notice this type of damage, for your safety we highly encourage you to seek our help in making repairs or replacements.

Thomas’s personal pick for the best tire for New Mexico is the Continental ControlContact Sport SRS+. He has them on his personal vehicle and so do many of his employees. “It doesn’t crack; it drives smooth and well,” he notes. This tire is designed for stellar performance without sacrificing comfort or weather-related traction. Continental’s patented +Silane tread compound keeps it flexible, even in colder conditions while offering boosted wet road grip. Sporty with two-ply reinforced sidewall construction makes it a breeze to handle. The 50k mile warranty is a nice cherry on top, too.

Do you have a long commute? Mondo in Rio Rancho recommends the Goodyear Assurance Maxlife. It features a long expected service life and is a great freeway and commuter tire. With all-season reliability, easy-to-read wear gauges and both dry and wet confidence are just some appealing features. The hefty 85,000-mile treadwear warranty is one of the largest on the market.

If you live in northern New Mexico where the weather plays a much larger role in your tire buying choice, don’t sweat. Michael Parham, from the Cerrillos Santa Fe Discount Tire store, says his customers prefer all-weather tires due to northern New Mexico’s climate, which tends to be cooler, with more frequent rain and snow. “We have lots of winding streets and curves to contend with compared to further south. And we get lots more snow and many of our customers live near the base of the mountains, so they are looking for severe weather rated tires.”

All-weather tires are an emerging tire category that offer extended performance in cooler temperatures than all-season tires can. They frequently are badged with severe weather designations, like the three-peak mountain snowflake rating. Drivers in northern New Mexico typically keep two sets of tires, a winter and an all-weather set.

Enter the Michelin CrossClimate2. This all-weather tire is stacked with dry, wet and snow features like a V-formation tread for confident wet traction and Michelin’s Thermal Adaptive Tread Compound for flexible performance in a wide range of temperatures. It’s rated for severe weather and includes a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty.

Michael’s Subaru and other crossover customers really gravitate towards the Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail if they’re looking for something robust to stand up to gravel, dirt or otherwise rough roads. They’re perfect for the outdoor enthusiast or New Mexican resident who lives a bit further away from paved surfaces. Michael notes the ice and snow traction capabilities. The Wildpeak A/T Trail is an all-terrain tire with crossover-specific construction and exceptional wet and dry grip via 3D Canyon Sipe Technology. Rugged upper sidewall lugs offer great protection against rocks and debris. It’s severe weather rated and includes a 50-65,000-mile warranty.

Looking for tires on a strict budget? Thomas, manager of the Coors Albuquerque Discount Tire store (“Come see me for tires!”) says there’s plenty of affordably priced options that don’t compromise on safety. For example, the Arizonian Silver Edition All Season is a Discount Tire exclusive product with a loyal customer following. Packed with high-end features like a silica-enhanced tread, precision steering response, quiet comfort and dependable traction, it is rounded off nicely with a solid 60,000-mile warranty.

The Falken Pro G5 A/S is also a popular mid-level option that many customers turn to, especially as the Falken brand of tires comes into its own. Also with a 60,000-mile warranty, it utilizes a specialized tread compound for confident performance in both warm and cooler weather. It comes in a huge range of sizes too, to fit everything from your Ford Fusion to your Toyota Camry.

Another possibility for those looking to truly max out their pocketbook is the Road Hugger GTP AS/02. Snappy steering response, improved tread life and a quiet ride make for a pleasant budget option. It has a sporty asymmetric tread pattern for balanced all-season grip and handling with zig-zag all-weather siping for wet and light winter weather traction. It also has low rolling resistance for better fuel efficiency.

BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR NEW MEXICO

There are plenty of pickup trucks and large SUVs driving on New Mexican roads, both paved and unpaved. While the majority of residents live in cities and large towns, many New Mexicans live in mountains, foothills and expansive wilderness that require AWD or 4x4 capability. Also, there’s a strong outdoor recreational culture in New Mexico that drives residents to the great outdoors regularly, such as hunting, hiking in national parks, camping and outdoor motorsports.

(Learn about what wheel base is best in snow here!)

Most pickup and SUV drivers want, need or prefer all-terrain tires, though a few may opt for mud terrain if they need seriously heavy duty traction and little on-road consideration. Check out our pros and cons of mud terrain tires here. In general, mud terrain tires provide higher degrees of traction but at a cost of on-road comfort.

According to Orlando in the Candelaria Albuquerque store, the tried and true truck and large SUV tire in New Mexico is the BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2. This all-terrain tire instantly delivers on-demand traction in off-road environments with a complex interlocking group of tread elements and BFG’s signature Serrated Shoulder Design for maxed out grip in mud, snow and over rocks (especially when aired down). Thanks to its three-peak mountain snowflake rating, it’s an excellent choice for when the weather does not cooperate. Considering the temperamental weather of northern New Mexico, it’s easy to see why many prefer this weather capable all-terrain. Orlando’s truck customers like this tire because it has everything they need and they don’t need to switch out to a winter tire. It includes a rare (for an all-terrain tire) 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. The KO3 was also just released and it promises to supplant its predecessor in popularity.

Mondo’s Rio Rancho customers like the Toyo Open Country A/T III due to its combination of weather, all-terrain, all-season and performance based features. It includes a 50-65k mile warranty with a new tread compound that offers better damage resistance (while also increasing off-road grip and on-road driving comfort). 3D multi-wave sipes also reduce tire wear irregularities so your tire remains usable and consistent for longer.

But perhaps the second most popular truck tire at Mondo’s store (besides the BFG KO2), is the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W (the A/T4W was also recently released). The three main focuses of this tire are wear, wet and winter performance, making it an ideal option for northern regions of the Land of Enchantment. With its severe weather rating, heat diffuser in the lower sidewall to keep the tire at a safe temperature (to deter premature wear), an aggressive sidewall design and increased puncture resistance via an outer apex sidewall, it’s a serious contender for New Mexico’s favorite truck tire. It includes a 55k mile warranty.

Mondo personally recommends the Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T. He loves them due to their aggressive look that rides really smooth. “My father-in-law loves them too. They do really well in the sand. A customer recommended them to me and now I don’t put anything else on my truck. I’m glad our customers can share their success stories with us.” The Baja Boss A/T is severe weather rated, includes a 50-60,000-mile warranty and offers premium levels of traction, rugged durability and rough-n-tumble aesthetics.

Thomas Padilla’s Albuquerque (Coors location) customers strongly favor Nitto branded tires. They like the Nitto Ridge Grappler or the Nitto Nomad Grappler. The Ridge Grappler is a rugged-terrain type tire that gives you the best aspects of an aggressive mud terrain tire with the wonderful on-road manners of a well-behaved all-terrain. Stone ejectors and alternating shoulder grooves clear mud from the tread pattern and remove debris, protecting against stone drilling.

The Nomad Grappler is aimed more at crossovers and SUVs to deliver wet, snow and light off-road grip. Zig-zag lateral grooves maintain consistent traction for the life of the tire for reliable, long-lasting grip. It features a full silica tread compound with excellent light snow and wet condition braking with triangular shaped siping for both on and off-road traction. It’s a great fit for your Honda CR-V, Ford Bronco Sport and more.

Many of Orlando’s Albuquerque SUV and some pickup truck customers, however, tend to drive higher-end vehicles that never see anything other than pavement. “A big bread and butter tire for us is the Michelin LTX M/S2. It’s for everybody from soccer moms to trucks that tow.” Comfortable, safe, with long-lasting traction and a quiet ride, it’s an appealing highway-terrain tire with light snow, wet and dry capability. It comes with a 70,000-mile warranty too.

DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN NEW MEXICO?

Discount Tire highly recommends switching to winter tires if you live in or regularly drive in regions that experience true winter conditions. Winter tires may also be required to drive on certain roads and mountain passes. Your safety is the priority.

If you are heading north into Colorado, Raton Pass may require tire chains or winter tires if the weather is very severe.

Northern New Mexico frequently experiences rain, snow and temperatures regularly below 45F and residents frequently rely on winter tires to keep them safe. Winter tires start performing in temperatures 45F and lower. Unlike regular tires, they remain pliable and can offer traction in these low temperatures. All-season tires do not perform as well as winter tires (and they cannot brake as well as dedicated winter tires, either) because they stiffen up in the cold.

Unfortunately for our SUV, 4x4 and truck owners: all-terrain and mud terrain tires are not as effective as dedicated winter tires. Many of these tire types have severe weather designations but still doesn't quite match a proper winter tire.

You can see our comparison between all-weather, all-season and winter tires here.

If you’re worried about the hassle of installation or proper tire storage, no worries: Discount Tire makes winter tire changeovers easy.

The Best Winter Tires for New Mexico

Those in northern New Mexico, such as Santa Fe, or residing in the foothills or mountains will need winter tires to help them safely navigate their commute.

You can’t go wrong with the Bridgestone Blizzak family of winter tires. Available in a huge range of sizes, most stores have these safely in stock. For your passenger car, check out the WS90, which features reduced braking speed on ice and superior grip in wet, snowy and slushy conditions. You’ll never bother trying to “make do” on all-season tires again!

For your SUV or pickup truck, choose the Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2. It offers long-lasting and reliable winter grip using large treadblocks, siping and bite particles in the tread compound for boosted control and stopping capability.

Michael, manager of the Santa Fe Discount Tire store, also recommends the Michelin X-Ice Snow. Its highlights include powerful traction in frigid temperatures, full-depth interlocking sipes for thousands of extra biting edges and Michelin’s Flex-Ice 2.0™ tread compound to maintain flexibility in freezing temps. Unusually, this winter tire is topped off with a 40,000-mile warranty!

ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN NEW MEXICO?

Yes, studded tires and tire chains are legal in New Mexico.

Tire chains are allowed when required for safety during snow, ice or other conditions that might cause slippery highways.

New Mexico does not have any restrictions on studded tires. However, most drivers opt for regular snow tires.

Other New Mexico Wheel & Tire Services

There’s nothing worse than a tire failure, whether you’re on the road to some great adventure like Carlsbad Caverns or simply heading to the market for some groceries. That’s why we encourage you to add our Certificates to your tire purchase. These are our tire buying guarantee that replaces your tire for free in the event of tire damage (either due to a road hazard or manufacturer’s defect) that we can’t safely repair.

Our stores also offer wheel repair services. And we have the largest aftermarket wheel inventory at the lowest prices. If your ride is ready for a style upgrade or needs a wheel fix, we can help you out with new rims!

Still not sure what tire works best for you? Use Treadwell, our smart tire buying guide that matches you with the best tires for your vehicle in less than a minute. It takes into account what, where and how you drive so you’re sure that you’re choosing the best tire possible.

“Treadwell also now has customizable options to make sure you can choose what features are most important for you so you get even better results,” says Thomas.

Don’t forget 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!

Heading up to the mountains or Colorado? Check out our pick of the best winter wiper blades!

Ready to roll with the best tires for New Mexico?

We don’t just sell tires and wheels, we also take care of them, too.

According to Thomas in Albuquerque, “I-40 and New Mexico is littered with potholes! Tire and wheel wear and damage can be significant.”

Let us help you keep you and your vehicle as safe as possible with our suite of tire services, including flat repair, rotation and balancing, tire air pressure checks and more!

We advise drivers to check their air pressure frequently. Correct air pressure is an important factor in the safety of your vehicle and your passengers. Tire air pressure also affects fuel efficiency and treadwear. Air pressure is also affected by temperature.

Also, if a dented rim has you down, don’t be: we’ve got the largest stock of affordable aftermarket rims on around!

We are eager to answer your questions or address concerns. 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.