Are Falken Tires Better Than Goodyear? What Consumer Reports Data Says

SlashGear released our rankings of major tire brands for 2025 in April of that year but we're not the only ones to evaluate tires on a regular basis. Consumer Reports compiles an annual ranking of tire manufacturers, and released its 2026 rankings on the first day of the year. Michelin topped our 2025 rankings as well as being best for customer satisfaction according to Consumer Reports. There are some surprises in the 2026 report, such as Kumho Tires being ranked higher than Goodyear. Goodyear ranked seventh overall this year between Hankook and Nokian, and Falken slotted in the 12th spot between Pirelli and three brands locked in a tie: Nexen, Sumitomo, and Firestone.

Falken is owned by Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which also oversees the Sumitomo and Dunlop brands. Dunlop wasn't one of the 18 tire brands tested this year, but Consumer Reports evaluates at least four tires from each manufacturer in categories like handling, braking, hydroplaning resistance, and tread wear. Since a brand's many tire offerings can perform differently according to each of these benchmarks, it's best to do a head-to-head comparison of the specific tires you're considering. Which brand and tire you ultimately choose will depend on the vehicle you drive and the conditions you typically face, so let's take a closer look.

JD Power's 2025 OEM (original equipment manufacturer) tire customer satisfaction survey sheds some additional light how Falken and Goodyear tires stack up against each other. Both brands are rated above the segment average for satisfaction in the passenger tire category: Goodyear took the top spot while Falken is ranked fifth between Pirelli and Kumho. Goodyear and Falken straddle the industry average in the truck and utility category, with Goodyear in fifth place and Falken beating out only Firestone in this segment.

Tire Rack's long-running customer survey singles out a few Goodyear and Falken tire models as being particularly highly rated. In the grand touring all-season category, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2 takes best in class honors alongside competing tires from Michelin and Pirelli, and the Falken Aklimate earns "excellent" ratings for performance in dry and wet conditions. 

Matching your tire choice with expected conditions and driving style is important. For example, choosing between winter and all-season tires can affect ride comfort and gas mileage. Goodyear's WinterCommand Ultra challenged for the top spot among studless winter and snow tires, and the Falken Azenis RT615K was one of the highest-rated extreme performance summer tires among the 12 models tested. Goodyear and Falken each make some great tires alongside some less-desirable ones, so always research tires of the type and size you need before buying.