Which Tires Really Keep Their Mileage Promise? : Ever wonder if your tires will really last as long as they say? For drivers across North America, getting the most mileage out of their tires is a big deal. But here’s the thing: sometimes, those treadwear warranties don’t mean much. So, who’s actually telling the truth about how long their tires will last? Stay tuned as we dive deep into the world of tires and uncover the real deal behind those mileage promises. Get ready for some surprising truths!
Table of Contents
Results
Our findings come straight from the rigorous testing done by Consumer Reports, where the actual mileage of various tire brands was put to the test. Conducting tire mileage tests is not only costly but requires a significant investment in time and resources, making it a commendable effort by Consumer Reports. Their dedication to providing transparent, real-world results helps drivers make informed decisions, underlining the immense value and integrity of their work in the automotive industry.
Tested Tread Life vs Mileage Warranty
The graph below shows the actual tested mileage vs the mileage warranty given by the tire manufacturer. Let’s simplify this chart for a better understanding. The side of the chart (the Y axis) shows the actual miles tires can last according to tests. Across the bottom (the X axis), we see the miles that tire companies claim their tires will last, based on the warranty. There’s a purple line on the chart that represents a perfect match between the claimed mileage and the actual mileage. If a tire’s real-life mileage matches its warranty claim, it will be right on this line. Tires that last longer than their warranty claims are shown above this line.
Out of the entire dataset, here’s how the tire products stack up based on their performance against their mileage warranty:
- Outperforming their Mileage Warranty: 17 products not only met but exceeded their mileage warranty, with the largest positive difference being a whopping +35,000 miles by the Michelin CrossClimate 2.
- Meeting their Mileage Warranty: 24 products perfectly met their promised mileage warranties, showcasing reliable performance as advertised.
- Falling Short of their Mileage Warranty: 46 products did not meet their mileage warranty, with the greatest shortfall being -25,000 miles for the Falken Wildpeak H/T HT02.
This summary highlights a significant variance in how different tire products live up to their mileage promises, from greatly surpassing expectations to falling notably short. The Michelin CrossClimate2 stands out for its superior performance, vastly outliving its warranty, while the Falken Wildpeak H/T HT02 demonstrates the largest discrepancy in the opposite direction. Check out the full data list at the end of the article !
Which Brand Keeps Their Promise ?
Based on the average difference between the promised mileage warranties and the actual tested mileage, Michelin stands out as the top performer, exceeding its promises by an average of 20,000 miles across all tested products. This shows Michelin is not just meeting expectations but significantly surpassing them, making it a leader in reliability and trustworthiness regarding tread life.
| Brand | Average Difference (Miles) |
|---|---|
| Michelin | +20,000 |
| Atlas | +15,000 |
| Continental | +1,000 |
| Pirelli | 0 |
| Goodyear | 0 |
| Firestone | -2,000 |
| Sumitomo | -2,500 |
| Kumho | -2,500 |
| Nitto | -3,333 |
| Hankook | -3,750 |
| Yokohama | -5,000 |
| Vredestein | -5,000 |
| Toyo | -5,000 |
| General | -5,000 |
| GT | -8,333 |
| Uniroyal | -10,000 |
| Mickey | -10,000 |
| Maxxis | -10,000 |
| Nexen | -12,500 |
| Bridgestone | -13,333 |
| Falken | -13,750 |
| Nokian | -15,000 |
| Sailun | -20,000 |
| BFGoodrich | -20,000 |
Atlas follows as a strong contender, with its tires lasting an average of 15,000 miles more than what’s promised. This indicates that Atlas also tends to underpromise and overdeliver, making it another reliable choice for consumers looking for durable tires. Continental shows a modest positive difference, averaging +1000 miles more than its warranty claims, suggesting a slight tendency to exceed their mileage warranties, albeit not as dramatically as Michelin or Atlas.
Pirelli and Goodyear both stand at a zero difference, indicating on average, their tires meet the mileage promises exactly. This means you can expect these brands’ tires to last as long as they say, but they might not exceed those expectations.
On the other end of the spectrum, several brands have negative averages, indicating their tires do not meet the promised mileage on average. Notably, Sailun and BFGoodrich have the largest negative discrepancies, with averages of -20,000 miles, suggesting their tires fall significantly short of their mileage promises more often than other brands. This highlights the importance of considering these differences when selecting a tire brand, especially for those prioritizing longevity and value over the life of their tires.
Tested Tread Life vs UTQG Treadwear
The graph below shows how long tires last in real life against their UTQG treadwear rating, which is supposed to tell us how durable a tire is. You’d think that the higher the treadwear rating, the longer the tire should last, right? We’d expect to see a straight line going up (let’s call this the green line), showing that as the rating increases, so does the tire’s lifespan. But, in reality, this isn’t what happens. The actual results don’t always follow this green line. This means that just because a tire has a high treadwear rating doesn’t guarantee it will last longer than one with a lower rating. The relationship between the treadwear rating and how long the tire actually lasts isn’t as straightforward as we’d hope.
From the graph above, several tires with a UTQG treadwear rating of 800: the Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3, Continental TrueContact Tour, Continental TerrainContact H/T, and Yokohama Avid Ascend LX all boast this high rating. Yet, their tested tread life spans from 85,000 miles for the Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 to a lower 70,000 miles for the Continental TrueContact Tour and even further down to 55,000 miles for the Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HT. This showcases a wide range of actual performances despite sharing the same treadwear rating.
Even within the same treadwear rating, the mileage warranty provided by the manufacturers can vary greatly, underscoring the disconnect between the UTQG rating and the real-world tire durability. The variance in actual tested tread life across tires with the same UTQG rating highlights the limitation of relying solely on this metric for predicting tire mileage. It shows that a higher UTQG rating does not guarantee a longer-lasting tire, indicating that the UTQG system, while helpful in some respects, is not a definitive measure of tire longevity.
Conclusion
As a tire expert delving deep into the world of tire longevity and promises, I’ve come to some interesting conclusions about which brands and products truly lead in the mileage game. From comprehensive testing and analysis, it’s clear that Michelin, with its Michelin CrossClimate2, not only promises but delivers, exceeding expectations by the largest margin in our study.
What we’ve learned is profound. Despite the allure of treadwear warranties and UTQG ratings suggesting longevity, these numbers don’t always paint the full picture. The reality is that some tires, despite high ratings, fall short of their promises, while others surprisingly exceed them. Michelin emerges as a standout, consistently overdelivering on its mileage warranties, solidifying its reputation for reliability and durability.
The lesson here is clear: while UTQG treadwear ratings and mileage warranties offer a starting point, they shouldn’t be the sole factors in choosing a tire. Real-world performance, as shown through rigorous testing, reveals the true champions of tread life. Michelin, with its unmatched average overperformance, leads the pack, offering not just tires but a promise of longevity and value.
In summary, when it comes to selecting tires, look beyond the numbers. Consider proven performance and real-world results. As we’ve seen, some brands like Michelin truly keep their word, offering peace of mind and real value to drivers prioritizing tire longevity.
Dr Edwin Pang
Appendix
The data used in the article is provided in the table below.
| Tire Product | Tested Tread Life (Miles) | Mileage Warranty (Miles) | Difference | UTQG Treadwear |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michelin CrossClimate2 | 95,000 | 60,000 | +35,000 | 640 |
| Michelin LTX A/T2 | 80,000 | 60,000 | +20,000 | 500 |
| Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 | 85,000 | 70,000 | +15,000 | 800 |
| Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive | 75,000 | 60,000 | +15,000 | 700 |
| Vredestein Quatrac Pro | 65,000 | 50,000 | +15,000 | 400 |
| Atlas Force HP | 65,000 | 50,000 | +15,000 | 700 |
| Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady | 70,000 | 60,000 | +10,000 | 700 |
| Michelin Defender T+H | 85,000 | 80,000 | +5,000 | 820 |
| Continental CrossContact LX25 | 75,000 | 70,000 | +5,000 | 740 |
| Continental PureContact LS | 75,000 | 70,000 | +5,000 | 700 |
| Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 | 70,000 | 65,000 | +5,000 | 740 |
| Nitto Dura Grappler | 65,000 | 60,000 | +5,000 | 600 |
| Continental TerrainContact A/T | 65,000 | 60,000 | +5,000 | 680 |
| Sumitomo Encounter HT2 | 65,000 | 60,000 | +5,000 | 640 |
| Firestone Destination A/T2 | 60,000 | 55,000 | +5,000 | 540 |
| Kumho Road Venture AT52 | 60,000 | 55,000 | +5,000 | 680 |
| Firestone Firehawk AS | 55,000 | 50,000 | +5,000 | 480 |
| Continental TerrainContact H/T | 70,000 | 70,000 | 0 | 800 |
| Hankook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme | 70,000 | 70,000 | 0 | 600 |
| Firestone All Season | 65,000 | 65,000 | 0 | 560 |
| Toyo Open Country A/T III | 65,000 | 65,000 | 0 | 600 |
| Yokohama Avid Ascend GT | 65,000 | 65,000 | 0 | 740 |
| General Altimax 365 AW | 60,000 | 60,000 | 0 | 540 |
| GT Radial Adventuro ATX | 50,000 | 50,000 | 0 | 520 |
| Hankook Kinergy PT | 85,000 | 90,000 | -5,000 | 860 |
| General Altimax RT43 | 70,000 | 75,000 | -5,000 | 700 |
| Hankook Dynapro HT | 65,000 | 70,000 | -5,000 | 700 |
| Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056 | 65,000 | 70,000 | -5,000 | 720 |
| Nitto Terra Grappler G2 | 60,000 | 65,000 | -5,000 | 600 |
| Falken Ziex CT60 A/S | 60,000 | 65,000 | -5,000 | 740 |
| GT Radial Adventuro HT | 55,000 | 60,000 | -5,000 | 600 |
| Maxxis Bravo HPM3 | 55,000 | 60,000 | -5,000 | 700 |
| Hankook Kinergy 4s2 | 55,000 | 60,000 | -5,000 | 500 |
| Pirelli Scorpion All Terrain Plus | 45,000 | 50,000 | -5,000 | 640 |
| Continental TrueContact Tour | 70,000 | 80,000 | -10,000 | 800 |
| Toyo Extensa A/S II | 65,000 | 75,000 | -10,000 | 620 |
| Nitto NT421Q | 65,000 | 75,000 | -10,000 | 640 |
| Firestone Destination LE3 | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Nexen Roadian HTX2 | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Kumho Crugen HT51 | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 720 |
| Maxxis RAZR HT | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Vredestein Pinza AT | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 650 |
| Vredestein HiTrac | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Bridgestone WeatherPeak | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus II | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Sumitomo HTR Enhance LX2 | 60,000 | 70,000 | -10,000 | 660 |
| Firestone WeatherGrip | 55,000 | 65,000 | -10,000 | 640 |
| General Grabber HTS60 | 55,000 | 65,000 | -10,000 | 680 |
| Nexen Roadian ATX | 55,000 | 65,000 | -10,000 | 600 |
| Nexen N5000 Platinum | 55,000 | 65,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring A/S | 55,000 | 65,000 | -10,000 | 600 |
| Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 640 |
| Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revo 3 | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 540 |
| Nokian Outpost AT | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 700 |
| Yokohama Geolandar A/T G015 | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 600 |
| Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 600 |
| Nokian WRG4 | 50,000 | 60,000 | -10,000 | 500 |
| Falken Wildpeak A/T3W | 45,000 | 55,000 | -10,000 | 660 |
| Yokohama Avid Ascend LX | 70,000 | 85,000 | -15,000 | 800 |
| Vredestein Pinza HT | 55,000 | 70,000 | -15,000 | 700 |
| Goodyear Wrangler Steadfast HT | 55,000 | 70,000 | -15,000 | 800 |
| Falken Ziex ZE960 A/S | 50,000 | 65,000 | -15,000 | 640 |
| Maxxis RAZR AT | 45,000 | 60,000 | -15,000 | 600 |
| Nokian One | 60,000 | 80,000 | -20,000 | 720 |
| Bridgestone Alenza AS Ultra | 60,000 | 80,000 | -20,000 | 800 |
| BFGoodrich Advantage Control All Season | 55,000 | 75,000 | -20,000 | 700 |
| Nokian One HT | 50,000 | 70,000 | -20,000 | 720 |
| Nexen Roadian GTX | 50,000 | 70,000 | -20,000 | 680 |
| GT Radial Maxtour LX | 50,000 | 70,000 | -20,000 | 600 |
| Sailun Inspire | 50,000 | 70,000 | -20,000 | 520 |
| Falken Wildpeak H/T HT02 | 45,000 | 70,000 | -25,000 | 700 |