Tires by Vehicle

It’s no surprise that tires are designed for specific types of driving, such as performance, winter, and off-road driving. But you may not know that you also need to shop for new auto tires by vehicle. The kind of vehicle you drive changes the kind of tires you need. Auto tires have been specially engineered for specific vehicle classes and for specific vehicle makes and models.

Auto Tires by Vehicle Class

Because different vehicle classes have different sizes, weight distributions, balance points, and intended uses, tire manufacturers have engineered their tires so that each will deliver a specific combination of safety, performance, comfort, and longevity according to the class of vehicle it's meant for.

Auto Tires for Passenger Vehicles

Tires meant for passenger vehicles including sedans, wagons, crossovers, and minivans generally come in two types: passenger and touring. Passenger tires have been designed to maximize handling and traction so that you and all of your passengers get where you’re going safely each day. Touring tires, while also providing all the important safety features of passenger tires, maximize comfort. Tread patterns, sidewall construction, and rubber compounds in touring tires have all been designed to reduce vibrations and noise as you drive.

Auto Tires for Performance Vehicles

Today’s tire manufacturers know that the pros aren’t the only people with vehicles meant for high-level performance. Owners of performance sedans, coupes, and sports cars have purchased their vehicles so that they can push them to the max. They need tires to match. Taking the technology from professional performance tires, tire manufacturers have made race-inspired technology available to the public. Aggressive tread patterns offer high traction at high speeds. Specialized compounds make these tires flexible so that they maintain a large contact area with the road. If you drive a performance vehicle, make sure that you have the right kind of tires that will allow you to get the most out of your vehicle.

Auto Tires for Light Trucks, Crossovers & SUVs

The construction of light trucks, crossovers, and SUVs is significantly different than the construction of passenger vehicles like sedans and wagons. Typically light trucks, crossovers, and SUVs are bigger, taller, and heavier. Because of the different sizes, shapes, and weights, these vehicles require different characteristics in their tires. These tires generally have bigger diameters than passenger tires in order to fit the bigger wheels of the vehicles in this class. They are wider to help keep taller and heavier vehicles balanced. Light truck, crossover, and SUV tires also have higher cargo load ratings, which means that they are ready to carry heavier cargo than passenger vehicles. Finally, depending on the type of light truck, crossover, and SUV tires, they might be designed for off-road use so that you can keep good traction on rough terrain and surfaces with loose materials like mud and gravel.

Auto Tires by Vehicle Make and Model

Not every tire can fit every vehicle. When it’s time to purchase new tires, make sure you're ready with as much information about your vehicle as possible. If that means you know the make, model, and year, great. If you go a step further and have the make, model, year, and trim level, even better. No matter how much or how little you know about your vehicle, RightTurn.com can help you pick the right tires. We recommend you get them installed by a certified, local technician who has specialized knowledge about that specific make and model.

Auto Tires for Specific Makes

Tire manufacturers and auto manufacturers develop special relationships to optimize the performances of their products. For example, Audi has listed Continental, Dunlop, Goodyear, Michelin, and Pirelli as approved tires. While other tires might fit, tires approved by Audi provide Audi owners with maximum performance. In short, auto manufacturers know which tires perform best on their vehicles. If they wouldn’t settle for anything less, why should you?

Vehicle makes serviced by RightTurn.com:

Auto Tires for Specific Models

Tire manufacturers go beyond considering vehicle makes when engineering tires. Some have partnered directly with auto manufacturers to develop tires that are ideal for a given make and model. For example, Michelin designers and Toyota engineers worked hand-in-hand to approve the Michelin Energy Saver tire for the Toyota Yaris.

When shopping for new tires, you should also consider what the original equipment (OE) was for your vehicle. OE is a term that indicates the equipment that came on a vehicle when it first rolled off the assembly line. Some vehicle makes and models have one OE tire model, while others have many. Any new tires you purchase should have the same speed rating and load index of the vehicle’s OE tires. Knowledge of specialized fitments of tires to particular vehicle models and knowledge of OE tires require a technician who is certified for service of your particular vehicle. RightTurn.com only recommends certified technicians.

You now know that particular vehicles require certain tires. Shopping for new tires based on the make and model of your vehicle is a great way to find the right tires.