Best Snow Tires for SUV

Sport utility vehicles or SUVs are a great family vehicle to own. You can get around with your family and friends on all types of terrains without having to change cars. More often than not an SUV is fitted with four-wheel drives for better grip on slippery surfaces such as wet and swampy areas. Hydroplaning with SUVs only occurs in extremely wet situations.

Frequently driving a car not designed for off-road in off-road situations will definitely wear it out. SUVs are perfectly suited for off-road use with high ground clearance and tough panels to protect against ragged rocks.

Both on and off-road snow surfaces can be a challenge and potential life-threatening road hazard for motorists.

Your average all-season tires will not do in snow and ice cities. You need tires that will maximize your traction and minimizes the likelihood of your getting stuck. Tires specifically engineered for snow will perform much better on ice surfaces because there offer better traction with the road. The weight of an SUV also greatly contributes to the traction of the tires that allows you to not slide off the road.

You are more likely to have an accident on ice and snow surfaces and if you live in the north half of the USA am sure you familiar with this risk. People in the hotter south should not spend any money on expensive winter tires as regular all-season or summer tires will do just fine. And it will be cheaper for you. But if you live in the colder north being cheap on your tires may cost you your life.

Winter tire in the snow.

In this article, we will guide you through picking the highest performance winter tires best suited for your SUV.

Best Snow Tires for SUVs for 2021 Reviewed

1. Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2

Top Pick

Michelin Latitude X-Ice Xi2

Features

• Wide tread contact
• Max Touch Construction
• Micro-Pumps and Cross Z Sipe technology for great traction
• Winter adapted

Michelin is a world leader in tire technology. Michelin Latitude is an excellent choice for snow and winter tires. The tire is able to give you enough traction for both rain and snowy days. The cutting edge technology used offers drivers unmatched extreme performance in the most severe snow conditions.

This tire is specifically designed to give your SUV prime control even in the worst ice and snow condition so that you don’t sway off the road easily. Driving at slow speeds increases traction, don’t drive too fast when you in snow or slippery situations to avoid hydroplaning.
Michelin has incorporated some of the news technologies in tire design.

One such feature is the FleX-Ice tread compound that Michelins uses to create a unique directional tread for maximum efficiency. The direction of this tread is such that it sweeps away the snow and water so that your tires have good contact with the road for maximum grip. It is this design that offers this tire some of the best traction in the business of snow tires.

Michelin also features Micro-Pumps in the tire that increases the contact with the ground in wet and dry snow.

It is a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rated tire that means it is certified for use in very severe snow conditions by the authorities.

The tire also has Cross Z sipes that sort of like a bit the road surface for stronger traction in braking and acceleration no matter the weather condition.

Poor tire designs usually have uneven tread wear and that increases the rate of tread and reduces the lifespan of your tires. With Michelin Max Touch Construction, you expect nothing but a well-balanced treadwear.

As the grooves on your tire become flatter the traction of your tires is greatly reduced. Wider grooves prevent hydroplaning by proving a space for water to collect.

The overall design of this better gives it a winter capable grip for safe driving.
The Michelin has an extremely long tread life and it’s because of that the manufacturer offers a whipping 40000 miles tire warranty.

It is very difficult to get such as warranty on winter tires and this just shows the level of confidence that the company has in its tires.

If you encounter tire damage that cannot be repaired you will get a brand new tire for FREE. All you need to do is get in touch with a local brand representative in your area and they assist you right away.

Pros

• Prevents hydroplaning in winter

Cons

• More expensive but will save your life.

2. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tire 225/65R17 102 S

Top Pick

Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tire 225/65R17 102 S

Features

• Hydroplaning resistant
• Very good handling and baking for dry surfaces
• Long lead life winter tire
• Excellent snow traction and braking

The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is specially designed to conquer the most difficult snow conditions. Whether you have a light truck or an SUV these tires offer you great power in snow and ice weather conditions.

Bridgestone is at the forefront of winter leading technologies and has one of the best winter tires research centers in the country.

Bridgestone has a unique multi-cell rubber compound with a hydrophilic coating that will push out any water or snow so that your tire tread has more contact and traction on the road. And will proper speed you should be able to confidently get through all kinds of snowstorms.

You should expect spectacular braking results with the unique grooves and bite particle on this tire,

The bite particles enable your tire to literally bit on ice for a grip so you don’t run off the road in the thickest snow.

The block edges on the Blizzak DM-V2 have a 15% increase in surface area. This allows them to sustain excellent vehicle control even at the lowest temperatures.

Rotating your tires according to the weather is a great way to save money. You can use cheaper summer tires for the rest of the year and only switch to winter tires when it’s winter. Doing so means your winter tires will take you through several years of winters. You need to store them away in a cool and dry place away from the sun and other elements.

Don’t forget to make use of Bridgestone tire certificates to secure your warranty; you will be covered up to 2/32 of an inch of wear for your warranty period. This tire will get you through a few years of winters before you can replace it.

You can always be winter-ready with Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2.

Pros

• One of the best winter tires
• Confident Stopping Power

3. Yokohama Iceguard G075

Top Pick

If you drive a crossover, SUV, Jeeps, or light trucks you will greatly benefit from using the iceGUARD winter tires by Yokohama. These tires are stud-less and built for defeating harsh ice and snow conditions. They feature Yokohama’s advanced winter technology for maximum traction on ice and snow surfaces. They will work perfectly for dry, icy, slushy, wet, and other snow-covered roads.

Sustainability and environmental awareness are one of the most important issues facing humanity this century. Yokohama BluEarth is a promise pledge to produce only tires that are environmentally friendly and achieve the highest sustainability methods in the process.

The iceGUARD G075 uses a special winter compound that is folded into unique directional patterns that maximize traction and road contact. They have wide center grooves that increase the contact with the road and ice by sweeping away some of the ice or water in the way.

The tire is made of a very high-density compound that increases tread block stability and traction on the road no matter how bad winter may get for you. The dense compound also allows for increased tire lifespan overall.

Zig-zag grooves on the tires have a circumferential direction that makes for quick water and ice evacuation. The pattern also offers edges that increase the grip and traction and offers maximum control and handling in bad snowstorms.

The tire has 3D triple sipes and micro diagonal sipes for even more traction on surfaces other ordinary tires would just slide off.

The tire is further stabilized by twin steel belts over a two-ply polyester cord for maximum durability and tire tread life. On top of all these supporting features is their strong nylon layer that helps with a performance at very high speeds especially.

You can be confident with the industry-standard three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating on this tire. This rating is only reserved for the tires that perform in severe snow conditions.

You need to install a full set of four iceGUARD tires if you want to get the best results.

This is a very important point to follow because a car only performs well when all tires have the same tread wear rate. Having all four iceGaurd tires installed gives the best handling and tire performance on the market.

Pros

• Excellent fuels consumption due to low resistance

Cons

• Winter tires are more expensive

4. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is a studless snow and ice tire.

If you own a sedan, minivan, SUV, or crossover this a great tire to have on your wheels. It will give you great control and confidence in harsh winters. With proper tracking of tread wear, you can expect the ties to perform exceptionally well in the worst winter. Winter and ice increase braking distance by reducing traction increasing the chances of a runoff.

Blizzak WS90 has a unique directional pattern that provides for increased traction in acceleration and better wear life for your tire.

Its Edge performance technology allows dipper groove designs that feature interlocking sipes for unchallenged winter road grip and performance.

An excellent tread pattern can greatly reduce the braking distance even in the most slippery conditions. This particular tire has 15% more block edges compared to its earlier models.

The tire has a world-class next-gen multi-cell compound with bite particles that can quickly push aside any water that may accumulate and cause hydroplaning. This compound allows the tire to have a very firm grip even on ice.

The compound also has some added Silica that may make the grip even firmer on snow, slushy, wet, and ice roads.

A tire is not fit for winter unless it is industry and authority certified for all kinds of winter conditions.

For a tire to be safe for use in winter it has to be rated three-peak mountain snowflake, the 3PMSF symbol will appear on the tire. Do not purchase a winter tire without that rating. The WS90 is a 3PMSF rated tire.

Sometimes it may be difficult for drivers to know their tires are worn out and need replacement. The Blizzal WS9O has winter wear bars that notify you as approach the end of your multi-cell compound tie life. If the depth reaches 3/32 of an inch it means your tires are not safe to use and cause an accident, especially in wet or dry winter conditions. You are required to regularly inspect the surfaces of your tires because at times wear is no just cause by mileage but also premature wear indicates wheel alignment problems.

To get the best results you need to always install Blizzak WS90 tires in a set of four without mixing with other tire types or models. Not only will you get the best traction and road performance, but you will also save money by increase tire life span. And if you monitor your wheel alignment you can expect to use these tires for a couple of winters.

Pros

• Excellent wet and dry road performance

Cons

5. Continental VikingContact 7

Continental VikingContact 7

Continental is a leading Tire Company that has some of the best winters focused tire segments in the United States. The VikingContact 7 is a studless tire. Drivers in the north and other snow places can enjoy the advanced tire technology employed in this model for maximum traction and the longest tread life.

It is not only SUV owners that can enjoy the high performance offered by the VikingContact 7. If you have a minivan or coupe these tires will do just as fine on your wheels without compromising your safety.

VikingContact 7 is suited for a wide variety of road conditions. YOU can use them for dry roads, icy surfaces, slush, and snow. No matter the winter condition it will guarantee you maximum traction and tread life.

The tire is made of a unique Nordic compound that uses canola oil so that the tire and pliable and more adaptive to any kind of slippery surfaces. The tire surface also has industry-leading active silica for enhanced road grip. This combination makes braking in wet conditions much safer. Provided you are not speeding you should have excellent traction even in a bad snowstorm.

Using an intelligent groove pattern, the tire is able to expel water or slush so that the tire has a larger contact area with the road for more traction.

The void ratio of this tire is optimized such that all the time there is enough rubber in contact with the road. This is particularly essential in high-speed control when the tire is taken to its performance limits.

The tread patterns on this tire provide potent drainage for water and slush. The block bridges also offer some stability to the tire as a whole. The special interlocking and solid linkages make the tire very stable.

VikingContact has special 3D sipes that are very thick and create enough biting force on its edges to work wonders for you on surfaces you would otherwise slide. The sipes form groves that act as drainage for snow and water by forming pockets of snow in the tire patterns. This behavior creates snow to snow traction for maximum grip in wet and dry snow.

The VikingContact 7 has Grip edges that increase how the tread blocks hug the road surface providing a much larger surface area for better snow and ice maneuverability.

These tires also boast of the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) tire standard for harsh winter areas, further testimony to its reliability.

As with most tires, they are used in a set of four without mixing them up with other brands.

To increase your tread life you need to make sure your tires are always properly inflated with the right pressure reading and your wheel alignment is checked to avoid uneven tread wear among the tires.

Pros Cons

• A bit noisy sometimes
• No warranty

6. Cooper Discoverer True North

Cooper Discoverer True North

Copper tires are one of the giants of the American tire industry.

The Discover True North is a stunning studless ice and snow tire that is specially designed for SUVs, sedans, crossovers, and coupes.

This tire will provide you with exceptional traction even on snowy and icy roads.

Drivers should expect very responsive steering and excellent handling control. Thus tire meets the industry-required three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) rating. it means that you expect to have safe control at reasonable speeds in severe snow and wet slippery surface conditions.

Silica is an important part of creating good tire traction. The Discover True North has the highest concentration of silica among all the copper winter tires. The high silica content allows for maximum traction in severe snow and wet conditions.

A good winter tire needs to be able to perform well in both dry and wet conditions.

A high dry surface performance is made possible by the wider tread blocks that offer better lateral grip. Wet high performance is made possible by a higher void ratio of the in the middle read. This void allows for water to clear the tread surface when in contact with the road.

The center grooves have circumferentially directed grooves with very wide lateral notches for maximum hydroplaning resistance. The winter compound used in this tire has very high density and allows for better traction in wet and snow conditions.

The Discover True North is made of a two-ply polyester casing for extra strength and durability. This also allows for very comfortable rides even at high speeds. it also has further reinforcements of steel belts and a nylon single-ply casing for better steering response at very high speeds.

For the best handling and tire performance, you need to use the Discover True North only insets in four. Using a full set also means tread wear will be uniform and fuel consumption will be optimized.

Cons

• Not the best ice traction

FAQs

1. What tire rotation and do I need to do it for winter tires?

The weight of your car is not evenly distributed on your tires. This causes the rate to wear at different rates and leads to increase tread wear if no action is taken. Rotating your tires is very important, whether all-season or winter tires. You need to rotate your tires every 4000 to 6000 miles so that they don’t wear out unevenly and reduce your tread life in the process.

2. How do I rotate my tires?

There are different techniques use in tire rotation. It involves moving the back tires to the front. But swapping the sides. SO your back right tire is moved to where your front left tire was and vice versa.

Read also: Best Tires for Drifting

3. When should I replace my winter tires?

Traction is very important for winter tires. You should replace your tires as soon as the tread depth reaches 5/32 of an inch. Failing to do will be life-threatening because of how slippery snow can get.