These Are The Best Performing Tires To Consider In 2026, According To Consumer Reports

Like it or not, buying new tires is part and parcel of owning a vehicle. Thankfully, there are a lot of tires to choose from, no matter your budget. There are cheap but high-quality tires that'll do a good job for not a lot of money, perfect for owners seeking a good-value purchase. Conversely, those with more cash to splash may want the best-performing tires money can buy, regardless of price.

Even if you count yourself among the latter group, though, choosing the right tires still isn't straightforward due to the sheer choice. Thankfully, we have the next best thing: Consumer Reports testing. Consumer Reports has done the work for us, testing a wide range of tires and identifying a handful of products that it considers the best choices in several categories. These selections, mostly available from major retailers such as Discount Tire and Tire Rack, include the best tires for SUVs, passenger cars, trucks, and even sports cars. So, if you're planning to equip your vehicle with a fresh set of rubber in 2026, this is the list for you.

If you're one of the many mid-size SUV owners in America looking for a tire upgrade, the tire you'll want to check out first is the Michelin CrossClimate2. This all-season tire is marketed for a wide range of vehicles, but CR's pick is for mid-size SUVs.

The main appeal of the CrossClimate2, according to CR, is that it's a genuine year-round tire. It's almost as capable as a winter tire in the snow, but still offers above-average performance in other conditions. The dry-weather braking is great, as is its ability to resist hydroplaning on wet roads. Owners feel similarly, with many really liking the CrossClimate2's all-weather performance and durability.

This means the tire offers solid value overall, even at prices ranging from $170 to $490 each at Discount Tire. After all, whatever extra you pay up front compared to cheaper alternatives may well pay for itself when you realize you won't need a dedicated set of winter tires. Buyers also get a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, a 6-year warranty, and a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty.

Consumer Reports' pick for top truck tire is the Continental TerrainContact H/T. Marketed as a high-end, all-season tire for trucks and full-size SUVs, the TerrainContact H/T notably excels at braking in both dry and icy conditions, according to CR. Continental, for its part, also claims that the H/T outperforms rivals in wet braking and snow traction. Owners generally love these tires, with the majority of reviews on Continental's website being 5-star reviews. Highlights include the ride quality, low noise, and great traction in poor weather. 

CR also recommends another Continental TerrainContact tire, the TerrainContact A/T, for off-road driving. It was a solid overall performer in the outlet's tests, with its expected 65,000-mile tread life a notable highlight. Owners are similarly positive about the A/T, praising its grip in poor conditions while noting that it's also good on the highway despite the all-terrain marketing.

Both Continental TerrainContact tires are on the pricey side, though: On SimpleTire, for example, prices for the TerrainContact H/T start at $215 and can climb to $355 or so, depending on the tire size and load rating. Similarly, Discount Tire sells the A/T for $190 to $441 each. Both tires qualify for Continental's Total Confidence Plan, which includes a 12-month warranty and a 60-day customer satisfaction guarantee that allows buyers to swap for a different set of Continental tires.

Michelin's Defender2, an all-season tire that boasts greater durability than many rivals, is CR's choice for small SUVs and passenger cars. While there are cheaper options out there for small passenger vehicles, the Defender2's price — between $169 to $322 per tire at Discount Tire — does get you a tire that'll last longer than most.

The Defender2's longevity — Michelin claims two extra years of use vs. competitors — isn't just marketing, either. CR's testing predicted a tread life of 100,000 miles for the Defender2, making it the longest-lived tire the non-profit has tested thus far. Owner opinions echo this expected durability, with one owner claiming that they've put 150,000 km (roughly 93,000 miles) on a set of Defender2 tires without issue.

Even if you're not necessarily aiming to run your tires for years and years, though, the Defender2 is worth considering thanks to its dry-weather braking and hydroplaning performance in CR's testing. The tire also rides very well according to owners, with low noise and good comfort. Michelin backs the Defender2 with a 60-day guarantee, a 6-year warranty, and an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty.

If you want a sporty, high-performance tire for your performance vehicle, CR recommends the Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4. This premium tire — it'll set you back anywhere from $195 to $797 per tire at Discount Tire — is an all-weather version of the standard Michelin Pilot Sport, designed primarily for summer use.

The Pilot Sport A/S 4 tire is still performance-oriented (it is, after all, the standard tire on the excellent Chevrolet C8 Corvette), but offers better wet and snow grip than the summer Pilot Sport. This is primarily thanks to a different tread pattern featuring 360-degree sipes, arranged to create biting edges that provide better grip in wet and snowy conditions — as CR's praise for the tire's ability to avoid hydroplaning attests. Michelin also claims that the Pilot Sport All-Season 4's Helio+ compound can grip the road even when the weather's freezing, further improving its all-weather credentials.

Despite being a sporty tire, the Pilot Sport All-Season 4 is, by most accounts, an easy tire to live with. CR and owners praise the tire's quiet and comfortable ride, for example. The Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 is supported by Michelin's Promise Plan, which includes a 60-day satisfaction guarantee, 30,000 or 45,000-mile treadwear warranties (depending on the speed index), and a 6-year limited warranty.

Nokian's Hakkapeliitta R5 is CR's pick for a specialist winter and cold-weather tire. Finnish-owned Nokian makes a range of winter and all-season tires for cars, SUVs, and cargo vehicles, with its winter tires especially well-received by automotive outlets and testers. One of these tires is the Hakkapeliitta R5, which KBB named as one of the best winter tires for 2025.

Available in passenger-car and SUV variants, the Hakkapeliitta R5 is a non-studded winter tire that relies on what the company calls "Arctic Grip Crystals" embedded in the rubber to provide traction on ice and snow. They function similarly to studs, with the crystals' sharp edges improving grip and eventually compensating for any loss of traction once the tire rubber wears down. The crystals aren't just a gimmick, either, with reviewers and owners alike praising the tires' overall grip and braking performance in slippery winter conditions.

Retailers such as Discount Tire sell this Nokian tire for anywhere between $114 and $449 each. In addition to competitive pricing, Nokian is confident in its tires and offers a 30-day guarantee, allowing buyers who've purchased a complete set of tires to return them for a full refund.