Best All-Season Tires for 2023

Best All-Season Tires for 2023

All-season tires are your vehicle’s general workhorses — rain or shine, they’re constructed to provide a balance of safety and performance. If you’re looking for a comfortable drive that can handle different climates and the widest variety of driving conditions, then it’s hard to beat a good set of all-season tires.

If you live in a region with a mix of climates through the different seasons — like New England— then a set of all-season tires might be your next best purchase. Read on to see why all-season tires are a great option to keep you and your passengers safe through a wide range of conditions, and which we recommend.

What are all-season tires?

All-season tires are made of rubber compounds and feature tread patterns that are meant to function effectively across all weather conditions, including warm and dry conditions, rain, or even light snow. The size and shape of the tire’s tread blocks allows for a good grip on both wet and dry roads while also providing some biting edges for traction in snow.

However, all-season tires are not high-performance summer tires or winter tires:

• Summer tires offer the most grip and maximum handling performance of any tire, making them perfect for sportier vehicles. Summer tires also handle high temperatures better than all-season tires, allowing for better braking and handling.
• Winter tires — or snow tires — are specifically designed to handle freezing temperatures and to provide more grip on icy roads and in deeper snow. Winter tires will stay flexible in very cold conditions, improving both your vehicle’s grip and its braking.

What all-seasons do offer is a quiet ride with good handling in most weather conditions as opposed to the more specialized summer and winter tires. All-season tires are perfect for temperate areas with a variety of seasons, like New England, where you can expect a mix of muddy springs, hot summers, cooler falls, and unpredictable winters.

All-season tires vs. All-weather tires

Note that there’s a distinct difference between all-season and all-weather tires. All-season tires tend to provide better performance in dry conditions, but aren’t well suited to snowy or icy conditions. All-weather tires are a more specialized design that will offer better grip and handling in wet, snowy, and icy conditions. All-weathers are better suited for use through the entire year, though New England winters are heavy enough that we do recommend a good pair of winter tires to get you through the snowier months.

Drivers in southern New England may find that all-season tires perform well enough in mild winters where they can continue driving without having to switch out their tires when the seasons change.  But they may prefer the confidence that comes with a good all-weather or winter tire.

How do you compare all-season tires?

Every tire is different, from the rubber composition to the tread patterns. That means the different all-season designs of each brand and make of tire handles conditions differently. One brand of all-season tires may offer better traction in wet and muddy conditions, but not be as flexible in cold climates. Another brand may offer high performance in dry and wet conditions, but have a lower tread life.

Consider these factors when looking for your next set of all-season tires:

Driving Conditions — All-season tires have tread patterns designed to handle a mix of dry, wet, and snow or icy conditions. Some all-seasons may be more resistant to hydroplaning, making them perform better in wet conditions.

Comfort — Different all-season tire designs also produce different levels of noise and vibration while driving. Tires that feature larger blocks and varied patterns are more likely to produce quieter rides, which can make for a smoother and more comfortable experience.

Tread life — All tires wear out, but some wear faster than others. Expected tread life determines not just how long you can keep your tires but also how long they’ll provide you with peak performance.

Cost — Higher-end tires tend to cost more, though sometimes you’re paying an up-charge more for the brand name than an actual increase in performance. Whether a higher price is worth the investment will largely depend on what you’re looking to get out of your all-seasons.

The best all-season tire available for 2023

So, which all-season tire should you look to purchase in 2023? As stated, your specific performance, comfort, and cost needs should determine your decision. However, based on a review of different ratings, we have to say that the overall best all-season tire for this year looks to be the Michelin Defender2.

For those looking for a high-level, year-round performance tire that isn’t overly costly, we like how well the Defender2 scores across the board in different professional and consumer reviews, being tight and accurate on the road. The Defender2 is also reported to offer a smooth and quiet ride and better handle bumps compared to other tires in its class. The Defender2 works well as a tire for coupes, family sedans, minivans, and small crossover vehicles and offers a longer, 80k mile warranty.

You can expect a starting price of around $165 per tire* for the Defender2.

Other top all-season tire choices for 2023

If you’re looking for all-weather or all-season tires for trucks and SUVs, then consider the following:

Best all-season tires for trucks

BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Sport LT

Drivers of light trucks and crossover vehicles looking for year-long performance will enjoy the Advantage T/A Sport LT’s level of performance. Featuring the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol, it provides better winter traction than most all-season tires.

• XL load range
• 65K mile warranty
• Starting price of $152 per tire*

 

Continental TerrainContact H/T

For drivers of pickup trucks, Jeeps, and full-size SUVs who are looking for better highway performance with their all-season tires, TerrainContact H/T tires offer a comfortable and confident ride — even in light snow conditions.

• E/10 load range
• 60K mile warranty
• Starting price of $203 per tire*

Best all-season tires for SUVs

Vredestein Pinza AT

Drivers of pickup trucks, crossovers and full-size SUVs will be happy with this all-terrain, all-season tire that works just as well on the road as off it.

• 70K mile warranty
• Starting price of $169 per tire*

Vredestein Pinza HT

The Pinza HT model is for those looking for a little more precise handling and durability for the highway, even in wet and wintry conditions.

• 70K mile warranty
• Starting price of $161 per tire*

Comparison of highly-rated all-season tire models and prices

Here are other best performance all-season tires that we can recommend for 2023.

Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack

With its name, you’d expect the Turanza QuietTrack to deliver a smooth, quiet ride — and you’d be correct. It’s a great option for owners of luxury cars, sedans, coupes or crossovers and minivans who also are looking for a long tread life and good traction in wet conditions.

• 80K mile warranty
• Starting price of $189 per tire*

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife

The Assurance MaxLife is a great option for those looking for a long-lasting tire that can provide a quiet ride and confident all-season traction. The MaxLife features Goodyear’s Wear Gauge, which provides a convenient indication of the tire’s remaining tread life.

• 85K mile warranty
• Starting price of $152 per tire*

Continental PureContact LS

Interested in more of a responsive handling and sporty steering feel for your all-season tire?  Look no further than the PureContact LS, which also features quiet performance and strong year-round traction.

• 70K mile warranty
• Starting price of $147 per tire*

BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus

If you want a high performance all-season tire for your sports car, coupe or muscle car, then the g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus will provide you with a great mix of wet and dry traction, responsive handling and ride comfort.

• 45K mile warranty
• Starting price of $145 per tire*

Michelin Pilot Sport All Season

A high-performance all-season tire that works just as well for SUVs as it does for sports cars, the Pilot Sport All Season’s design allows it to retain more of its flexibility even in low temperatures, allowing for good winter time traction.

• 45K mile warranty
• Starting price of $182 per tire*

General Tire G-max AS-05

A good value all-season tire that offers solid wet and dry traction, the G-max AS-05 also provides responsive handling and good durability.

• 0K-50K warranty
• Starting price of $119 per tire*

 

2023 All-season Tires: At-a-glance Comparison

We hope this post provides you with some guidance for your next purchase of all-season tires. If you have any specific questions about the best tires for your vehicle — all-season or otherwise — get a free quote from VIP on tires and services.

*prices subject to change, talk to our live chat specialists for accurate pricing for your size and vehicle.

All-season tire FAQs

What are the best all-season tires?

• The best all-season tires will depend largely on your vehicle type, budget, and expected driving conditions. For 2023 the Michelin Defender2 is highly recommended.

What are the performance tires for all-season?

• If you’re looking for best overall performance in dry conditions, the BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus has excellent grip when cornering and at high speeds.

Can all-season tires be used year-round?

• Yes, all-season tires are designed to be used year-round in almost every weather condition. Extreme conditions are an exception. If you live in hot, dry climates, you’ll find that summer tires will perform better and last longer. In deep snow or icy conditions, all-season tires may not be able to provide a grip or traction. If you live in a region with heavy winter conditions, it’s recommended to change over to a set of winter/snow tires in the winter months.

What’s the best all-season tires for snow?

• If you’re looking for an all-season that is best able to handle light snow conditions, then the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season gets high marks.

What’s the difference between all-season and all-weather or snow tires?

• They’re technically the same type of tire, though all-weather tires are designed to provide better traction in very wet conditions, in deeper snow, and over ice. All-season tires will tend to perform better in dry conditions.

Should I replace all four tires?

• If the tire you need to replace is relatively new — having lost only 2/32 to 4/32 of its tread depth — then you could be okay with replacing just the one tire. Consult with your certified automotive professional to be sure. That’s because if you have an all-wheel drive vehicle, then you should replace all four tires at the same time. This minimizes the variance in the wear of the tires, which can cause performance issues, loss of traction, and may even cause damage to your drive train. If you have a two wheel drive vehicle, then it’s possible to change just the front or back tires.

What are the best affordable all-season tires?

• If you’re looking for good, solid all-season tires that you can find at a range of lower price points, then we can recommend the General Tire G-max AS-05.