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People often ask, what's the best budget/mid-priced tire? Or perhaps, what's the best brand of tires? Usually, they will get answers such as “Pirelli is a high-end brand", or "GT Radials are budget tires".
While those statements generally hold true, it misses out on the fact that each brand has a broad range of offerings, from economy to performance tires. It's like saying all Hondas are mid-range cars even if they have high-end offerings like the Pilot and Legend.
Tires generally fall in the following categories:
· Entry-level Tires: As the name implies, these are usually the cheapest variants offered by tire manufacturers. Most entry-level tires focus on longevity and fuel economy rather than grip or comfort, and are often branded as “eco-tires”.
· Touring Tires: Often considered as all-rounders, these tires strike a balance between comfort, longevity, grip, road noise, and cost. Many cars come stock with touring tires because these tires fit the needs of most drivers.
· Ultra-High Performance Tires (UHP) : These tires are best suited for those who like to drive spiritedly as they offer increased grip for better handling. Though they wear slightly quicker than touring tires, they are still suitable for daily driving.
· Extreme Performance Tires: These tires offer the highest level of grip and are best suited for track use. While they can also serve as daily tires, extreme performance tires cost more, wear out much quicker, and are noisier than street-oriented variants.
· SUV/Pickup Tires: Utility vehicles have different tires compared to passenger cars mainly because they require higher load ratings and better off-road performance. They also come in different categories depending on the terrain they’ll be driven on.
- Touring/High Performance (HP): These are similar to passenger car tires as they prioritize comfort and grip at the expense of off-roading capabilities. These are usually suited for crossovers and road-going SUVs.
- Highway Tread (H/T): These tires are suitable for the majority of SUV owners who drive mostly on paved roads, but will occasionally pass through rocky/unpaved terrain.
- All-Terrain (A/T): As the name says, these tires can handle almost anything from unpaved roads to off-road mountain trails. While they're noisier and less comfortable than H/T tires, they're still useable for the daily commute.
- Mud-Terrain (M/T): These are hardcore off-road tires with tread designs that can make it through the stickiest patches of mud and the roughest terrain. However, their inclination for off-road duties makes them unsuitable for regular use on paved roads as they are too noisy and uncomfortable.
It’s important to know the various classifications because tires are designed with different priorities in mind. An eco-tire might compare poorly to a UHP when it comes to grip, but it will most likely outlast the latter and cost much less. Similarly, an All-Terrain tire will be noisier than a Highway-tread tire on asphalt, but it will be more useful when the roads get rough.
As with most things, the saying, “you get what you pay for” usually applies. More often than not, ρrémíùm brands really have better tires compared to cheaper offerings, but these tires are often several thousands of pesos more expensive. Value-seekers can still rejoice though, as it’s not uncommon for a mid-range brand to have a better tire for the same price as a high-end brand’s entry-level offer.
Budget brands from Southeast Asia and China are becoming more and more common because obviously they cost much less. Many budget tire die-hards will claim that these low-cost offerings are as good as the ρrémíùm brands, but many tests have proven otherwise. However, for many Filipinos who only use their cars for the daily commute (read: stop and go traffic) and not for frequent runs on mountain roads or highways, the cost savings are more important than having the best-quality tires.
Ultimately, when looking for new tires, it’s best to observe the following guidelines:
1.Identify what the car/tires will be used for most of the time. No need for expensive performance tires if it will only be for low-speed, city driving duties. Conversely, you might want to skip entry-level tires and unknown brands if you’ll be carving corners and driving at triple digit speeds frequently.
2.Look for available tire models that come in the size your car needs, and list them down along with their prices. Usually, your options will include tires from different categories, which is why it’s important to know what the tires will be used for.
3.Read reviews on the specific tire models to see how they stack up against the competition. Some tires perform better than expected for their class or their price.
4.Once you have your options laid out, choose which tire best fits your needs and budget.
While those statements generally hold true, it misses out on the fact that each brand has a broad range of offerings, from economy to performance tires. It's like saying all Hondas are mid-range cars even if they have high-end offerings like the Pilot and Legend.
Tires generally fall in the following categories:
· Entry-level Tires: As the name implies, these are usually the cheapest variants offered by tire manufacturers. Most entry-level tires focus on longevity and fuel economy rather than grip or comfort, and are often branded as “eco-tires”.
· Touring Tires: Often considered as all-rounders, these tires strike a balance between comfort, longevity, grip, road noise, and cost. Many cars come stock with touring tires because these tires fit the needs of most drivers.
· Ultra-High Performance Tires (UHP) : These tires are best suited for those who like to drive spiritedly as they offer increased grip for better handling. Though they wear slightly quicker than touring tires, they are still suitable for daily driving.
· Extreme Performance Tires: These tires offer the highest level of grip and are best suited for track use. While they can also serve as daily tires, extreme performance tires cost more, wear out much quicker, and are noisier than street-oriented variants.
· SUV/Pickup Tires: Utility vehicles have different tires compared to passenger cars mainly because they require higher load ratings and better off-road performance. They also come in different categories depending on the terrain they’ll be driven on.
- Touring/High Performance (HP): These are similar to passenger car tires as they prioritize comfort and grip at the expense of off-roading capabilities. These are usually suited for crossovers and road-going SUVs.
- Highway Tread (H/T): These tires are suitable for the majority of SUV owners who drive mostly on paved roads, but will occasionally pass through rocky/unpaved terrain.
- All-Terrain (A/T): As the name says, these tires can handle almost anything from unpaved roads to off-road mountain trails. While they're noisier and less comfortable than H/T tires, they're still useable for the daily commute.
- Mud-Terrain (M/T): These are hardcore off-road tires with tread designs that can make it through the stickiest patches of mud and the roughest terrain. However, their inclination for off-road duties makes them unsuitable for regular use on paved roads as they are too noisy and uncomfortable.
It’s important to know the various classifications because tires are designed with different priorities in mind. An eco-tire might compare poorly to a UHP when it comes to grip, but it will most likely outlast the latter and cost much less. Similarly, an All-Terrain tire will be noisier than a Highway-tread tire on asphalt, but it will be more useful when the roads get rough.
As with most things, the saying, “you get what you pay for” usually applies. More often than not, ρrémíùm brands really have better tires compared to cheaper offerings, but these tires are often several thousands of pesos more expensive. Value-seekers can still rejoice though, as it’s not uncommon for a mid-range brand to have a better tire for the same price as a high-end brand’s entry-level offer.
Budget brands from Southeast Asia and China are becoming more and more common because obviously they cost much less. Many budget tire die-hards will claim that these low-cost offerings are as good as the ρrémíùm brands, but many tests have proven otherwise. However, for many Filipinos who only use their cars for the daily commute (read: stop and go traffic) and not for frequent runs on mountain roads or highways, the cost savings are more important than having the best-quality tires.
Ultimately, when looking for new tires, it’s best to observe the following guidelines:
1.Identify what the car/tires will be used for most of the time. No need for expensive performance tires if it will only be for low-speed, city driving duties. Conversely, you might want to skip entry-level tires and unknown brands if you’ll be carving corners and driving at triple digit speeds frequently.
2.Look for available tire models that come in the size your car needs, and list them down along with their prices. Usually, your options will include tires from different categories, which is why it’s important to know what the tires will be used for.
3.Read reviews on the specific tire models to see how they stack up against the competition. Some tires perform better than expected for their class or their price.
4.Once you have your options laid out, choose which tire best fits your needs and budget.
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