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Best 225 45r17 tires

Best 225 45r17 tires: There are a few sizes which are huge volume drivers in the tire industry, for example the classic 205/55R16 which is hugely popular for B segment cars. On the other side, we have another popular low aspect ratio size of 225/45 R17 as it is used in a whole range of different cars like Volvo S60 n & BMW 3 Series. This got us wondering, what is the best all season tire out there for this size?

Best 225 45r17 tires

Ultra High Performance(UHP) Summer

Even though all season tires have dominated the American market, the 225/45R17 is nonetheless a classic summer UHP tire. Summer tires focusses purely on wet & dry performances and usually perform badly in winter conditions. Hence if you live in an area which experienced cold weather situations, UHP summer tires are definitely not a wise choice. However, if you have summer all year long 🙂 aka Florida, UHP summer tires are definitely something which suits your climate. Below are the best 225 45r17 tires for UHP summer tires in the size 225/45R17 size.

1. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+

Pilot Sport 4S is an outright legend in the UHP realm since its launch in 2017 with countless test wins under its belt and a wide range of accolades obtained throughout the years. It is also one of the most covered tires with over 12 one to one comparisons as listed below.

Based on the head to head results below, Pilot Sport 4S is an absolute beast when it comes to dry handling, however it lacks the wet performance of its main rivals. Nonetheless being a summer tire, Pilot Sport 4S showed the best dry handling in terms of subjective & lap time among the rest of the competition and it’s our number 1 choice in this ultra high performance segment ! It is definitely UHP summer best 225 45r17 tires.

  • Pilot Sport 4S
    • Launch: 2017
    • Press test wins: 8/17
    • Strength: Dry handling.

Check out our head to head comparison of Pilot Sport 4S against its competitors.

Pilot Sport 4S vs

2. Continental ExtremeContact Sport

Continental’s ExtremeContact Sport was launched in 2016 and it serves the max performance segment which is directly in competition with the Pilot Sport 4S. With the recent launch of Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02, the new edition managed to improve dry handling but has a slight drawback in dry handling. All in all, ExtremeContact Sport has a solid performance with clear strengths in wet braking.

  • ExtremeContact Sport
    • Launch: 2016
    • Press test wins: 0/3
    • Strength: Strong in wet.

Check our head to head comparison of ExtremeContact Sport against its competitors.

ExtremeContact Sport vs

3. Bridgestone Potenza Sport

Bridgestone Potenza Sport was recently launched in 2021 with the hopes of competing with the likes of Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4S. Based on the head to head results, Potenza Sport lacks the fire power in both wet & dry compartment with a glimmer of hope with great subjective wet handling.

  • Potenza Sport
    • Launch: 2021
    • Press test wins: 1/12
    • Strength: Wet handling.

Check our head to head comparison of Potenza Sport against its competitors.

Potenza Sport vs

4. Pirelli P Zero (PZ4)

Pirelli P Zero is an multi continent product which covers North America, Europe & Asia. It was launched in 2016 with an unique proposition of having used its motor sport (F1) experience to develop this tire. Based on the head to head comparison below, P Zero excels in wet braking & rolling resistance while was weak in aquaplaning.

  • P Zero
    • Launch: 2016
    • Press test wins: 3/17
    • Strength: Wet braking & rolling resistance.

Check our head to head comparison of P Zero against its competitors.

P Zero vs

All season 3 peak mountain

3 peak mountain logo

All season tires have always been the go to tires for the American market and this segment has been well established across the years. There are 2 types of all season tires, one with 3 peak mountain & one with only M+S. We have covered these 2 types of tire head to head with Michelin’s Defender T+H (M+S) vs Cross Climate 2 (3 peak mountain) and the M+S all season tires usually are worst in winter performances but excel much better in mileage.

If you are in an area which snows quite heavily, 3 peak mountain all season tires would be definitely a good choice. Based on the current tire size list, most of the 225/45R17 size is only available in 3 peak mountain certified all season sizes. Below are the best 225 45r17 tires 3 peak mountain tires rank based on a compilation of test results.

Grand Touring All Season tires (3 peak mountain)

1. Michelin Cross Climate 2

Michelin once again shows its innovation by revolutionizing the all season segment with its highly successful 3 peak mountain certified Cross Climate in 2015. At that time, all season markets were predominantly sold in America with poor winter performances. Cross Climate showed that it is possible to be marginally worse in summer performances while being extremely dominant in winter performances. After the initial success of Cross Climate, every tire manufacturer scramble to launch their own similar segment products but none are still as well balanced as the latest Cross Climate 2 !

  • Cross Climate 2
    • Launch: 2020
    • Press test wins: 3/6
    • Strength: Well balanced summer & winter performances. Excellent wear.

Check out our head to head comparison of Cross Climate 2 against its competitors.

Cross Climate 2 vs

2. Bridgestone Weatherpeak

Bridgestone’s answer towards Michelin’s Cross Climate 2 is a new product called WeatherPeak. This is Bridgestone’s first foray into America’s all season product with a 3 peak mountain certified tire. WeatherPeak was launched in 2022 and boosted a comprehensive line up covering most A to C segment cars in the replacement market. Based on the latest tire rack results, WeatherPeak excels on comfort but still lacks the top contenders in terms of wet & dry performances.

  • WeatherPeak
    • Launch: 2022
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Good comfort.

Check our head to head comparison of WeatherPeak against its competitors.

WeatherPeak vs

3. General AltiMAX 365 AW

With many competitors yearning to become the best all season tire, General Tires recently announced their latest touring all season tireline called AltiMAX 365 AW. This tireline slightly differs to its previous all season line up as the AltiMAX 365 AW comes with a certified 3 peak mountain label which makes them effectively a legal snow tire. AltiMAX 365 AW was launched in 2021 while serving the grand touring all season segment consisting of 15″-20″ sizes.

Based on the test results, AltiMAX 365 AW fared well in terms of dry braking & handling but still lacked the wet traction needed against competitors.

  • AltiMAX 365 AW
    • Launch: 2021
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Strong dry performer

Check out our head to head comparison of AltiMAX 365 AW against its competitors.

AltiMAX 365 AW vs

4. Firestone WeatherGrip

Firestone WeatherGrip was launched in 2019 and covers mostly passenger cars, minivans, SUVs and crossovers sizes from 15″-19″. Based on the test results, WeatherGrip was moderately ok in dry braking & handling but did not perform well in wet.

  • WeatherGrip
    • Launch: 2019
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Acceptable dry performance

Check out our head to head comparison of WeatherGrip against its competitors.

WeatherGrip vs

Ultra High Performance All Season tires (3 peak mountain)

As the aspect ratio of 45 is considered as an ultra high performance tire, 225/45R17 has the luxury to choose the popular ultra high performance all season tire segment. These are the all season counterpart which rivals the ultra high performance summer segments. If handling is your ultimate desire and you need an all season tire, the selection below would be what you should be looking for. Below are the best 225 45r17 tires for the UHP all season segment.

1. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+

Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+

Bridgestone’s Potenza RE980AS+ is a dedicated region tireline specific to the North America market. It was launched in 2021 and covers most of the 17-20″ popular sizes. Based on the head to head results below, Potenza RE980AS+ showed strong ice & noise performance but lacked in wet, dry & snow performance. Nonetheless being an all season tire, Potenza RE980AS+ showed the best balance among the rest of the competition and it’s our number 1 choice in this ultra high performance segment !

  • Potenza RE980AS+
    • Launch: 2021
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Ice & noise.

Check out our head to head comparison of Potenza RE980AS+ against its competitors.

Potenza RE980AS+ vs

2. Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus

ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus was launched in 2021 to succeed the popular ExtremeContact DWS 06 with a compound upgrade which promised to deliver enhanced braking & handling performance. Based on the head to head results below, ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus showed clear dominance on wet & dry surfaces while performing relatively well in winter performances. Surely a tire to consider before your next purchase !

  • ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus
    • Launch: 2021
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Good wet & dry.

Check our head to head comparison of ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus against its competitors.

ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus vs

3. Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate

Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate is a dedicated region tireline specific to the North America market. It was launched in 2019 and covers most of the 17-20″ popular sizes. . Based on the head to head comparison below, it has strong showing in dry/wet handling & comfort while lacking in winter performances. Nonetheless a solid ultra high performance all season tire.

  • Eagle Exhilarate
    • Launch: 2019
    • Press test wins: 1/2
    • Strength: Dry & wet handling.

Check our head to head comparison of Eagle Exhilarate against its competitors.

Eagle Exhilarate vs

4. Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4

Similar to the other top competitors, Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a dedicated North America region tireline and it was launched in 2020 with sizes primarily above 16″ Based on the head to head comparison below, Pilot Sport All Season 4, excels in snow & and dry while slightly losses out in wet, comfort & ice. Overall Pilot Sport All Season 4 has a well rounded balance package.

  • Pilot Sport All Season 4
    • Launch: 2020
    • Press test wins: 0/1
    • Strength: Snow & dry.

Check our head to head comparison of Pilot Sport All Season 4 against its competitors.

Pilot Sport All Season 4 vs

5. Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus

Pirelli’s P Zero All Season Plus is a dedicated region tireline specific to the North America market. It was launched in 2016 and covers most of the 17-20″ popular sizes.. Based on the head to head comparison below, P Zero All Season Plus has strong showing in dry handling & noise but lacks the firepower in other areas.

  • P Zero All Season Plus
    • Launch: 2016
    • Press test wins: 0/2
    • Strength: Dry handling & noise.

Check our head to head comparison of P Zero All Season Plus against its competitors.

P Zero All Season Plus vs

Summary

When it comes to buying your next set of tires, do remind yourself what you need and try to match your requirements to tire. For a 225/45R17 tire size user, you have the luxury to choose between the UHP summer, UHP all season or Grand Touring all season segments. Ensure that you choose these tires based on your local climate conditions. We hope that with our best 225 45r17 tires list, you will be able to make a wise tire decision!


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