# of Locations in Pennsylvania: 4 (and counting!)
First Pennsylvania location/opening date: Pittsburgh, February 12, 2020
Common vehicles: Cars like the Toyota Camry, Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza, Tesla Model 3 and Pickups/SUVs like the Toyota Tacoma, 4Runner, Nissan Rogue, Jeep Wrangler and Ram 1500
Major regions/cities: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Lancaster, Scranton, Erie, Allentown
Road conditions: Potholes on surface streets and highways, with wet roads in summer and icy, snowy roads in winter
When people think of Pennsylvania, they often think of the Liberty Bell and Benjamin Franklin, but there's a lot more to this historic state than that (although we do agree with Ben, a penny saved IS a penny earned).
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania can be divided up into six distinct regions and features flat lowlands, rolling hills and even the Appalachian mountains. That's where you'll find the Allegheny National Forest, as well as the Pocono and Catskill Mountains. (Fun fact: more than half of Pennsylvania is forested!) Mixed in with its concentration of major metropolitan areas and changing seasons, drivers in PA face a variety of driving conditions and challenges that makes knowing a thing or two about the right tires for commuting around the state a must.
Even though we're a little new to the state, we're so excited to have our first store here that we put together this guide on tires for all drivers in Pennsylvania.
DRIVING IN PENNSYLVANIA
It may surprise you to learn that the Keystone State is one of the top 10 most densely-populated states in the U.S., with approximately 283.9 people per square mile. Philadelphia has the largest population, but Pittsburgh has a pretty sizable population of its own, followed closely by Allentown, Erie and Reading.
Suffice to say: one of the biggest driving concerns might be traffic! While Pennsylvania roads are generally well maintained, severe winter weather can lead to some pretty big potholes.
Pennsylvania summers are known to be relatively mild, but they do come with a decent amount of rain. And of course, Pennsylvania is a four-season state, which means one of the toughest things drivers can face: winter weather! But don't worry, we'll cover the best winter tires for Pennsylvania too.
BEST CAR TIRES FOR PENNSYLVANIA
Some of the most common vehicles on the road in PA are passenger cars and crossovers. So whether your commute is into Pittsburgh, Philly, or even New York City, there's a good chance you'll want a set of quiet, comfortable all-season tires that will get you through more than a winter or two.
Luckily for you, we have the best all-season tires on the market. To make sure we're recommending the right ones, we got input from Zach Ratliff, our Pittsburgh store manager!
Continental ControlContact Tour AS Plus
Longevity and all-season dependability meet in Zach's first recommendation, an all-season offering from our German tire-building brothers: the Continental ControlContact Tour AS Plus.
Designed for all-season traction, the ControlContact has a five-rib tread pattern with wide circumferential grooves and full-depth interlocking sipes.
Worried about comfort on your commute? This touring tire addresses that with its proprietary comfort band technology, which absorbs bumps and noise, so you can enjoy the ride, whether you're headed to the office or going on a tour of the countryside.
Michelin Defender 2
Long a favorite all-season tire, the Michelin Defender 2 is backed by Michelin's decades of experience designing premium tires that keep you safe on the road.
Featuring an asymmetric design, this tire grips the road in almost any weather condition. Plus, with its full-depth 3D sipes and lateral grooves, you can count on premium all-season performance, all year long.
And like all Michelin products, this tire boasts a luxury ride to match its high-end performance. That's why it incorporates Comfort Control Technology, giving you a ride that's as quiet and comfortable as it is reliable. Add in its lengthy mileage warranty, and you can see why customers choose this tire.
Nokian Tyres Encompass AW01
Zach's final passenger tire recommendation for Pennsylvania drivers is one of our exclusives, the Nokian Encompass AW01. A true all-weather tire, it has the winter chops to stay on your ride all year long!
Designed in Scandinavia, the AW01 provides safe traction and controlled handling year-round, even when the forecast promises freezing temps and snowy roads.
With features like snow claws, centipede sipes and zigzag grooves, this tire grips the roads even in light snow and low temps. Plus, its Aramid Strong sidewalls resists cuts and punctures, so you can take on challenging roads without worrying about a flat.
According to Zach, "Customers love the AW01 because it delivers confident winter performance without requiring a changeover to a set of winter tires.
"If blizzard conditions hit, a set of winter tires is the better choice. But because it's backed by the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating, this all-weather tire option provides plenty of winter grip otherwise."
BEST TRUCK AND SUV TIRES FOR PENNSYLVANIA
While sedans are more common in PA, many drivers prefer to drive pickups and SUVs. For you, we have our top all-terrain and highway tires, so whether you're maxing out your adventure or topping off your commuter comforts, we've got you covered!
We went back to Zach Ratliff to find out which truck tires he recommends for Pennsylvania drivers. Zach immediately had a couple of great options that we think you'll love.
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
First up on Zach's recommendations is one of the top highway tires of all time: the Michelin Defender LTX M/S.
This highway tire is designed to give you the best of every world. Controlled highway handling. All-season performance. Luxurious ride comfort. Long-lasting tread life. If this tire covered any more bases, it would cook and clean too.
With an Evertread rubber mixture and its staple five-rib tread pattern with interlocking 3D sipes, the LTX M/S grips the road no matter the weather, all without compromising tread life. Its design even provides shorter stopping distances in winter weather, perfect for those drivers who use their pickup or SUV year round.
Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain A/T
Up next is Zach's top tire pick for drivers who want all-terrain performance that can handle the miles of pavement to and from the trails: the Goodyear Wrangler UltraTerrain AT.
This tire is particularly popular for Jeep drivers who participate in the annual Bantam Jeep Festival up in Butler, PA. (Fun fact: Butler, PA is the birthplace of the modern Jeep we all know and love!)
Available exclusively at Discount Tire, the UltraTerrain AT is designed to provide the perfect balance of on-road manners and off-road performance.
With a high-void tread pattern, alternating shoulder scallops and large shoulder lugs, the UltraTerrain digs into soft surfaces. And with the closely packed interior tread design, the UltraTerrain ensures a smooth, quiet ride on the blacktop.
Plus, it's backed by the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol, meaning it's rated for severe winter weather performance. Just because the seasons change doesn't mean your tires have to as well!
Whether you roll in a Jeep or a Tacoma or any other off-road ready vehicle, the Wrangler UltraTerrain AT is the tire for you.
Best Winter Tires for Pennsylvania
Do you need snow tires in Pennsylvania?
Winter in PA isn't as extreme as in Michigan or Minnesota, but the Keystone state still sees plenty of visits from Jack Frost.
To keep you safe on those winter roads, try swapping to a set of winter tires when the mercury dips consistently below 45-degrees. Rigging up your ride with snow tires early will help you stay safe while avoiding the long lines caused by the first snowstorm. Plus, you can store your tires at our McKnight Road Discount Tire location when you do a winter tire swap, saving you valuable garage space.
With that, what are the best snow tires for Pennsylvania?
Of course, we have our favorites, but to make sure we got it right, we went back to our Pittsburgh store manager, Zach Ratliff.
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
Zach's first winter tire recommendation was pulled straight from our Blizzak buyer's guide: the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90.
Designed for peace of mind, the WS90 has 15% more block edges than previous iterations of this tire. What does that mean for you? Relentless grip on winter roads, even when they're blanketed in snow or coated in ice.
Bridgestone also designed the WS90 with 30% more tread block stiffness, ensuring responsive handling and cornering control on winter roads, whether they're dry or iced over. In short, if you want winter traction, you want the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 on your ride.
Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10
Next is the Nokian Hakkapeliitta 10 Studded, a winter tire that can handle anything winter weather throws its way.
Built from the ground up to go toe-to-toe with the worst winter weather, the Hakkapeliitta 10 features a canola-oil and silica-enhanced rubber mixture. That means glue-like grip even in sub-zero temps. Facing rain, slush or snow? No worries. Its directional tread pattern works to slice through wintry debris, so you can keep rolling no matter the forecast.
Even icy roads aren't a problem when you've got this tire on your ride thanks to its innovative stud design. And it may be armed to the teeth, but that doesn't mean the Hakkapeliitta 10 will ride like a tank. Thanks to its Eco Stud design, its studs bite into ice while cushioning the impact so you can count on ice cold grip and a comfortable ride.
Drive a SUV? Check out the studdable Hakkapeliitta 10SUV!
While we're still new to the area, it turns out that drivers in Pennsylvania really seem to enjoy what we have to offer. In fact, according to Zach, many members of local car clubs love our store because of our road force balancing!
And it turns out that peace of mind is a popular thing around here as well, because, as Zach puts it, "Many drivers in the Pittsburgh area opt to protect their tire purchase with our exclusive, industry-leading Certificates."
No matter what you drive or how you drive it, you can find the best tires for your needs at Discount Tire in Pittsburgh. And if you need help finding the right tires for you, let Treadwell guide you to your next set of tires!
When you're ready for your upgrade, be sure to buy and book online to wait less time in-store!
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