Customers look at various factors when buying tires, such as the brand, all-weather grip, handling, and treadwear warranty. There are so many different tires on the market when it comes to these factors.

Consumer Reports has tested various tire brands to help steer

car owners

in the right direction regarding different qualities.

Given that most brands have over four models to cater to different driving conditions and types of vehicles, the organization tested several models of the same brand against a list of factors. Let's look at the best tires and the criteria used in the testing.

How does Consumer Reports conduct tests for the best tire brand?

According to

Consumer Reports

, the tires are tested for performance in braking, handling, comfort, and hydroplaning (when there is water on the road). It also measures noise and snow traction. Part of the braking test is done on ice on a skating rink.

The test lab in

Connecticut

also checks tire resistance as it affects fuel economy. Its team also drives thousands of miles on a road course in Western Texas to evaluate the tread life. Finally, the average tire life is divided by the cost of the tire to determine the cost per 100 miles.

Thirty-two brands participated in the most recent performance tests. A brand must excel at safety and performance in various conditions to earn a recommendation, as explained above. Consumer Reports then ranks the brands according to the scores.

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Michelin tops the best tire brand list with a score of 69

Michelin emerged at the top or near the first spot in many categories where its models were tested. Consumer Reports found that most models offered a mix of good handling, grip, and long tread life. Despite the high price for most models, they provided great value when the tread value and performance were factored in.

According to

USA Today

, some of the models that stood out include the CrossClimate 2 and CrossClimate SUV for all-season performance and all-season SUV categories.

For the summer, the Pilot Sport A/S 3+ won the UHPO all season, while the Pilot Sport 4s took the UHP summer top position. The Defender T+H was rated the best all-season tire, while the X-Ice Snow scooped the top spot in the winter/snow tire category.

MORE: Lights, Camber, Action: How the Angle of Your Wheels Affects Performance

Runners up to the best tire brand

Some other brands missed the top spot by a point or two. These include the Vredestein, which had a score of 68, and both Goodyear and Continental, which scored 67 points.

Consumer Reports recommended the Vredestein Quatrac Pro for UHP all-season and the HiTrac for SUV all-season.

Five of the eight tire models offered by Continental also earned a CR recommendation. The brand came out strong in truck tires, with TerrainContact H/T recommended for all-season and TerrainContact A/T recommended for all-terrain for the best pickup trucks.

Also, three of the five Goodyear tire models got a recommendation. They included the Assurance ComfortDrive for all-season performance, Eagle Exhilarate for the ultra-high-performance class, and the WinterCommand Ultra for winter and snow.

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