When buying tires for your SUV you need to consider how you will be driving your SUV. Are you mainly driving on city roads or are you planning on driving off road or in tough terrain? Also, the type of weather conditions where you live need to be considered. Depending on where in the United States you live depends on what kind of tires you should consider. This is because if the area you live has severe winters then you need you to decide if you want to invest in either all-weather tires or winter tires. This is because only these two types of tires hold the “Three Peak Mountain Snowflake” emblem which signifies they have met required performance criteria in snow testing. This is important especially since SUV’s are larger and heavier than regular passenger cars so therefore things like grip and traction are important.
Alternatively, if living in an area with mild weather year-round then SUV all-season tires would suffice and probably the better choice. This is because they have less aggressive tread than either winter or all-weather tires which minimizes rolling resistance and thereby allows for better fuel economy. Another thing that can affect fuel efficiency is tire dimensions. It is always best to follow the manufacture’s recommended tire dimensions for your make and model SUV to assure proper braking and handling of the SUV. Dimensions of the tires also play a role in traction and hydroplaning protection. Narrower tires being better at redirecting water then wider tires whereas wider tires offer more traction. This however only holds true if your tires are of good quality and allow for a good grip on the road. If in the market for SUV all-weather tires and the recommended tire dimensions are 275/60R20 then you would need 275/60R20 all-weather tires as this assures the best handling of your SUV. All-weather tires are great for all year round driving by offering excellent handling and excellent grip and traction.
If planning on driving off road then tires with good traction are important. If doing a lot of freeway miles, then tires with the lowest rolling resistance will offer the best gas mileage. In addition, the kind of weather conditions you will be driving in needs to be considered when looking for tires at least if you are looking for a year-round tire. This is because all year-round tires like all-season tires and all-weather tires are not meant to handle the same kind of weather conditions. Keep in mind the fact that the SUV has 4-wheel drive which only is an advantage in acceleration and not in braking so if you will be driving in severe winter weather it is still important to use tires that are severe snow service-rated.
Once the decision has been made what tires to get according to what kind of driving you will be doing and what kind of weather conditions you will be encountering then it is important to find good quality tires.
For more information on which SUV tires to choose, visit www.nokiantires.com