What are the Best Tires for Northern California?

Locations in Northern CA: 54
First Northern CA location opening date: CAN03 | February 12, 1991
Common vehicles: electric vehicles, hybrids, commuter-type vehicles, large SUVs and crossovers
Major regions/cities: San Jose, San Francisco, Fresno, Sacramento, Oakland, Stockton, Modesto, Santa Rosa, Redding
Road conditions: Potholes, notorious traffic, agricultural traffic, constant construction but mild weather conditions until higher elevations, fog

Frequently overshadowed by its sunnier, more famous southern counterpart, Northern California nevertheless is a region full of natural beauty, bustling cities and its fair share of driving challenges. And those challenges will change depending on if you’re driving down Market Street in San Francisco, cruising the winding, tree-lined highways of Redding or bumping along an orchard road in the San Joaquin Valley.

(Did you really mean to look for the best tires for Southern California?)

Northern California is a vast area that incorporates a number of different climates and terrain, from the snow-prone mountainous eastern rim to the rocky, dramatic coast with a wide expanse of valleys and agriculture in between. The Golden State’s notorious traffic is unfortunately a reality across the state (not just Los Angeles, we’re afraid) and is compounded by NorCal’s 15 million residents (and trending upwards) with millions of tourists annually.

So what’s the best option for you? We’ve got the scoop from our on-the-ground tire experts about the best tires for Northern California!

BEST CAR TIRES FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Most of Northern California experiences comfortable and mild weather conditions year-round with only higher elevations in the Sierras experiencing real winter conditions. That means the most ideal tire type for Northern California is largely the all-season tire.

Many Northern Californians, if not most, frequently have long commutes and therefore prioritize long service life, traction and efficiency.

(Check out our blog on EV tires for California!)

According to West Sacramento Discount Tire manager Nick Barazza, his customers tend to specifically seek out Michelin branded tires. The competition for this brand’s tires is stiff in the Sacramento area and his customers appreciate Discount Tire’s low price guarantee and price matching.

The most popular Michelin tire for Northern California must be the Michelin Defender 2, an all-season tire with touring and performance-oriented tread design. The huge 80,000-mile warranty is only one of its charms, with ultra-long tread life compounds, Michelin’s Piano™ Acoustic Tuning tech for a quiet ride and an optimized tread profile specific to each tire size for ideal performance. It also comes in a huge range of sizes to fit everything from your Chevy Malibu to your Subaru Outback.

If you prefer to stick with premium brands but want options other than Michelin, the Continental ControlContact Tour A/S Plus is an excellent choice. Scoring high marks in all categories, including tread life, safety and wet traction, the ControlContact Tour A/S Plus includes a hefty 70-80,000-mile warranty and EcoPlus™ to help you save at the gas pump, perfect for commuting. This tech uses Tg-F polymers and advanced +Silane additives for efficiency, stopping shorter distances in wet conditions and extending tread life. Customers love its quiet and soft ride, too.

But Nick’s favorite all-season tire for Northern California is definitely the Yokohama YK-GTX: “I have them on my car and my parents’ car. It’s my number one and offers the best traction, road noise and savings from higher priced brands,” he explains.

Like the Defender 2, the YK-GTX has a performance-oriented tread for controlled, tuned driving that’s accessible for nearly any vehicle (no need to only have a sports car). An advanced new high resin-based oil compound boosts tread life and its tread profile resists deformation for more control in wet and dry conditions. It’s a versatile option that performs like a dream and includes a robust 70k mile warranty to top it off!

Dan Tapia, manager of the Brentwood Discount Tire store, agrees with all these recommendations but also adds that the Arizonian Silver Edition All Season is an excellent value-minded option for NorCal. Extremely popular, Dan says: “This is a solid tire that saves you a ton of money. It offers a good mileage warranty, good reviews and in common tire sizes customers need. If a customer has tried the Silver Edition before, they will always ask for it again.” This is a Discount Tire exclusive option, too, so you won’t find it anywhere else.

This tire includes a respectable 60,000-mile warranty and features high-end characteristics at a more budget friendly price range. It offers dependable traction, a quiet and comfortable ride and confident all-season performance. You really do feel like you’re getting a steal!

Evan Pardue, assistant manager at the Roseville Discount Tire store says: “I recommend Yokohama and Falken because they’re a really good value.” He recommends the Falken Pro G5 CSV specifically for its luxurious feel, performance touring tread and all-season handling. This Discount Tire exclusive tire is perfect for your compact and luxury crossover vehicle and features a silica-enhanced tread compound for extended tread life. Interlocking sipes and wide shoulder blocks yield responsive handling and traction. Whether you need dry, wet or even light winter grip, the double siping, five-rib tread pattern and circumferential grooves have you covered. It includes a 60k mileage warranty.

Don’t have a crossover? Get the same excellent experience with the Falken Pro G5 A/S for your coupe or sedan!

Got a high-powered sports vehicle? Evan’s performance vehicle customers (think Audi and Mercedes-Benz) come in asking for the Pirelli P Zero AS Plus 3. Exhilarating handling and control in all seasons, it’s an excellent option for your coupe, sedan, crossover or even SUV. Its innovative tread pattern boosts tread life so you get more miles for your money. With tight steering, reduced risk of hydroplaning and wet weather competence and radial pile tire construction for lower rolling resistance (read: efficiency), what else could you want?

Well, how about this: The P Zero AS Plus 3 includes a rare (for a performance tire) 50,000-mile warranty!

BEST TRUCK TIRES FOR NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Northern California is home to several large cities, to be sure, but there’s also plenty of farmland, rolling hills and mountains with untouched natural reserves. Choosing the right truck or SUV tire for you in this part of the state largely depends on how you intend to use your vehicle.

The two most popular truck tires for Northern California are the all-terrain tire and the highway-terrain tire, which are more ideal for commuting and on-road use.

Manager Nick at the West Sacramento Discount Tire store notes that highway-terrain tires for trucks should prioritize all-season capability and, if you like to head up toward Lake Tahoe for a fun weekend, should make sure your tires can handle mud and snow to get up the hill.

That’s probably one of the reasons why the most popular highway-terrain tire for Northern California is the Michelin LTX M/S2. Extremely favored, this tire comes with an impressive list of wish list features for truck and SUV owners. These include a long lived and evenly wearing tread (via Michelin’s EverTread 2.0 compound) and 3D locking sipes for cornering, braking and accelerating control in both dry and slippery conditions. Michelin’s MaxTouch 2.0 Tech also means that each tire size is optimized for even stress distribution, giving you the best performance for as long as possible. It is also very efficient and works great for your electric vehicle. It comes with a 50-70,000-mile warranty.

Manager Dan Tapia at the Brentwood Discount Tire heartily agrees with the Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 but also suggests the Bridgestone Dueler LX as a possible option for your truck:

“It delivers the same great things as the Michelin as far as safety, ride and warranty but offers a ton of savings. Also, a lot of original equipment truck tires are Bridgestone so customers tend to become accustomed to them and prefer to replace like with like.”

The Dueler LX also comes with a 50-70k mile warranty with great weather performance. Its high-silica rubber mixture adapts to temperature and weather conditions so you have traction at a wide range of temperatures. This silica-enhanced tread compound also resists uneven treadwear for a longer lived tire service. With confident grip and high-end comfort with long lasting value, it’s clear to see why it’s a regional favorite.

Dan’s customers, in addition to pickup trucks, tend to favor large family SUVs like the Chevy Tahoe or Honda Pilot. The Dueler LX is also an excellent option for families!

For Northern Californians who need all-terrain capability, Nick’s truck customers by and large prefer the BFGoodrich All Terrain T/A KO2. This tire features a three-peak mountain snowflake severe weather rating (perfect for weekends up to the mountains or Lake Tahoe) and a rare (for an all-terrain tire) 50,000-mile warranty. Super tough and highly capable, the KO2 offers traction in mud, snow and over rocks, especially when aired down. Its interlocking tread elements also work together to provide stable handling on both paved and unpaved surfaces. Many KO2 purchases are repeat customers who find the tread design very appealing. The KO3 was recently released and is set to become every bit as popular and capable as its predecessor.

Some of Evan’s customers over in Roseville, CA are really drawn to the Nitto Ridge Grappler when shopping for all-terrain tires. It’s not as popular yet as other models but is gaining a devoted following. The Grappler has zigzag lateral grooves for biting edges and aggressive grip while alternating shoulder grooves clear mud from the tread so your traction stays consistent. Stone ejectors also remove debris and protect against stone drilling. Customers note how surprisingly quiet it is on the street too.

David Snouder’s Vacaville, CA Discount Tire customers also really like the Grappler; in fact, it’s his most popular truck tire. They like the look and that it’s a hybrid tread design with both street and off-road capability. His truck customers are from a diverse driving background with plenty of commuters, families, farmers and homesteaders and off-road enthusiasts.

Another good option for truck or SUV owners in Northern California who need to focus not only on off-road performance but also weather and wear should consider the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W (the A/T4W also just released to much fanfare). The three main draws of the Wildpeak? Wear, wet and winter performance! Made to last and provide service in a wide range of road and weather conditions, it’s an understandably suitable choice for a number of Northern Californians. Nick’s west Sacramento customers, especially enthusiasts driving Toyota Tundra, Tacoma or 4Runners, are especially drawn to its reliable traction and winter capability.

DO I NEED SNOW TIRES IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA?

You may need winter tires in Northern California depending on where you plan on driving.

If you live in the mountains or frequently head up to higher elevations, winter tires are probably a good idea and investment in your safety.

Winter tires (sometimes called snow tires) start performing in 45F or lower temperatures and provide traction in wet, slippery conditions like rain, snow and ice. However, their main feature is that they stay pliable and functional in low temps unlike other tire types. This is why we prefer “winter tire” over “snow tire” because snow is not a requirement.

Regular tire rubber stiffens and sees a reduction in tread element functions. So, even if your tire is rated very well for wet or light snow conditions, they may not do so well because of the temperature.

Unfortunately, all-season tires do not perform as well as winter tires, and they cannot brake as well as dedicated winter tires, either.

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. We compare all-season, all-weather and winter tires here.

We frequently hear customers say they’ll never go back to all-season tires in winter time again; the confidence and security they feel driving on a dedicated set of winter tires can’t be overstated.

Discount Tire makes your winter tire changeover easy. Some stores also offer tire storage options as well (please call to verify if your store participates) but proper tire storage is easily achieved at home, too.

The Best Winter Tires for California

If you and your vehicle need winter tires in Northern California, then you can’t go wrong with any tire from the Bridgestone Blizzak family of winter tires. Reliable, easily ordered or readily stocked and available in a huge range of sizes to fit everything from your coupe to your half-ton pickup truck, Bridgestone Blizzaks are frequently the go-to option for winter driving.

For your passenger vehicle such as sedan, minivan or crossover, we recommend the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90. With reduced braking distance on ice and incredible grip in wet, snowy and slushy conditions, you’ll immediately notice a difference in performance compared to your all-season tires.

Got a larger vehicle like a SUV or pickup? The Bridgestone Blizzak DMV2 is the way to go. Reliable winter grip lasts all winter long via large treadblocks and siping with bite particles in the tread compound for additional control and stopping ability.

ARE STUDDED TIRES AND TIRE CHAINS LEGAL IN CALIFORNIA?

Yes, tire chains and studded tires are legal in California. Tire chains may be required in some places. Studded tires are legal from November 1 to April 30 but cannot be used in lieu of tire chains when required.

Tire chain, studded tires and winter tire requirements for specific roads will be posted both on physical signs and online.

The state of California has many difficult or dangerous roadways leading up in elevation, such as to Big Bear, Yosemite, Lake Tahoe or other outdoor recreational areas. Many of these are chain control areas which require tire chains to pass, such as Interstate 5 north of Redding and Interstate 80 between Reno and Sacramento (Donner Pass).

Depending on the severity of the weather or difficulty of the road, some vehicles with 4WD that are equipped with winter tires may be exempt. Consult relevant signage and the Caltrans website for more specific information.

Other Northern California Wheel & Tire Services

According to Nick, manager of the West Sacramento Discount Tire store, the Bay area’s grading, which changes from different materials like concrete and asphalt, can wear down tires. It’s a good idea to invest in a tire guarantee like our Certificates to ensure you’re covered in case of a blowout, failure or other tire damage.

And if the road’s gotten your wheels bent out of shape, 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 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.

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!

Rain in your forecast? Check out our pick of the best winter wiper blades!

Ready to roll with the best tires for Northern California?

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

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