What is the Best Tyre Brand?

Tyres are an essential part of every vehicle, and without them, your car simply won’t go anywhere. However, not all tyres are created equal, and not all cars can use all types of tyres. Several items impact what the best tyre brand for your car is. In general, the best advice is to buy the best tyres you can afford.

That doesn’t necessarily mean that the most expensive tyres are the best. Use common sense and ask for specialist advice when choosing the next set of tyres for your vehicle. In general, replacing tyres with the same brand of tyres as those that the factory fitted is the safest bet. Here is a list of the best tyre brands available in the market today.

The list is in no particular order and is not intended to promote one tyre brand over another:

• Pirelli

• Michelin

• Continental

• Bridgestone

• Goodyear

• Dunlop

• Yokohama

• Hankook

• BFGoodrich

• Cooper

Pirelli

Probably best known as the current tyre supplier of choice to Formula 1 and other vehicle races, Pirelli is an Italian tyre brand that manufactures tyres for all types of vehicles, including high-performance racing cars and everyday people movers. The brand is considered a premium tyre brand, and you can find both winter and summer tyres in the manufacturer’s product range. In 2015, Pirelli was bought by a Chinese business that still retains most of the company's ownership today.

Michelin

Michelin is another one of the global tyre industry heavyweights. The company was established in France in 1889 and has been creating industry firsts ever since. The first Michelin branded tyres were made for bicycles and had the (at the time) revolutionary property of not needing to be glued to the rim. Since then, the company has continued their legacy of firsts with the radial tyre, which greatly increased the safety of tyres. Michelin manufactures tyres for almost anything that moves.

The company makes tyres for passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, aeroplanes and space shuttles. Another interesting fact about Michelin is that they are the company behind the famous star-rating system for restaurants.

Continental

No list of the best tyre brands would be complete without mentioning Continental. However, Continental doesn’t just manufacture tyres — they are one of the key companies in the modern automotive industry and manufacture other items such as braking systems, powertrains, auto electronics and other crucial vehicle components.

The company was established more than 150-years ago in Germany, and they manufacture tyres for a wide range of vehicles. Continental is also the OEM partner for many of the world’s leading car brands.

Bridgestone

Bridgestone is a Japanese tyre manufacturer with a very rich and long history in the tyre manufacturing industry. The company is also the world's largest tyre manufacturer by a good margin. Bridgestone covers a variety of different tyre types that range from high-strength industrial tyres to lightweight and economical tyres for small cars. The company often sponsors racing events, and they have been a designated supplier to some of the most prestigious vehicle racing events in the world, including Formula One. In 2019, Bridgestone was voted the Reader's Digest Most Trusted Tyre Brand. Bridgestone has several subsidiary companies, including Firestone. They also have factories or R&D facilities in more than 150 countries.

Goodyear

Goodyear is another well-established tyre brand that has its origins in the USA, where it is also the best-selling tyre brand. The company started by manufacturing tyres for bicycles and carriages and later expanded into other areas such as passenger car tyre production. Today, Goodyear manufactures tyres for almost every vehicle class, and they frequently supply tyres to global motorsport events.

In fact, Goodyear still lays claim to the title of the World's most successful F1 tyre manufacturer, even despite not having supplied tyres to the Formula One event since 1998. The company invests heavily in research and development, and they often introduce industry firsts as a result. In addition to this, Goodyear is also the OEM partner for many leading automakers.

Dunlop

Dunlop is one of the world's largest tyre companies and is majority-owned by none other than Goodyear. However, the company structure is a tad complicated and whilst the majority of Dunlop's US and Europe activities are owned and operated by Goodyear, Dunlop Asia is owned by a separate company called Sumitomo Rubber Industries. The company has a reputation as a manufacturer of high-quality tyres and is the preferred brand in many countries.

Much of the premium technology found in Goodyear tyres can also be seen in Dunlop's tyres, making Dunlop a solid option for affordable but high-quality tyres. Dunlop operates in almost every country, and they manufacture tyres for a wide range of vehicles, including passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles.

Yokohama

Yokohama is a Japanese tyre manufacturer that places a special emphasis on performance tyres. The manufacturer has several subdivisions, but they often use their ADVAN brand for premium, high-performance tyres. Yokohama was the first company to introduce specialised tyres for snowy conditions to the Japanese market, and they were also the first company to introduce radial tyres and tubeless radial tyres in several markets worldwide.

The company has another special range of tyres that they branded as BluEarth. BluEarth tyres are aimed at drivers who want more efficient and environmentally friendly tyres, and these tyres use technology designed to reduce fuel consumption.

Hankook

Hankook was founded in 1941, and its headquarters are located in Seoul, South Korea. The company has been steadily gaining ground in the tyre industry and, as one of the "younger" tyre manufacturers on this list, has shown significant growth since selling its first tyre. Hankook manufactures both economy and premium tyres, and they are the OEM supplier of choice for a wide range of vehicle manufacturers.

Hankook has set its sights firmly on becoming the new sole provider for Formula One, but it hasn't been successful at replacing Pirelli in this area so far.

BFGoodrich

BFGoodrich is an American tyre manufacturer owned by Michelin. The company specialises in creating tyres for special purposes, such as off-road driving. They often act as a sponsor or tyre provider for sporting events, such as the Paris-Dakar rally and the Baja California Contest. The company has a reputation for producing some of the best all-road tyres in the world, and many four-by-four enthusiasts swear by BFGoodrich tyres.

As a premium tyre manufacturer, their products are placed at the higher end of the market. BFGoodrich tyres are sold worldwide, and they manufacture tyres for every type of vehicle. If you are looking for a tyre that provides maximum traction in snowy or muddy conditions, BFGoodrich will likely have what you need.

Cooper

The Cooper Tire and Rubber Company, first established in Findlay, Ohio, has been producing excellent tyres since 1914. The company produces tires for almost every application and every type of vehicle, and they are one of the USA's oldest and largest tyre manufacturers. Cooper owns several other smaller brands that provide high-quality tyres at more affordable prices.

The company is especially well-known for its industrial tyres designed for trucks and other heavy machinery, but they are also well established in the passenger vehicle tyre segment.

What are the benefits of buying tyres from the best tyre brand?

The best tyre brands offer a combination of superior performance, excellent quality and, above all, safety. Tyres are the only part of your car that makes contact with the ground, so having the best tyres fitted to your car doesn’t just make sense — it is the responsible thing to do. Some of the benefits of fitting tyres from the best tyre brands include the following:

• Increased safety: car tyres are a critical component of every vehicle, and if something goes wrong with them, the consequences can be grave. It is especially true when problems occur at motorway speeds. Premium tyre brands invest a lot of time and effort into research and development, which generally means they are safer than lesser-known brands.

• Better fuel economy: premium tyre brands are well known for developing tyres with lower rolling resistance, resulting in vastly improved fuel consumption.

• Better fit: in many cases, premium vehicles use specific OEM tyres. Refitting the same tyres to your car when it comes time to replace your tyres ensures that your vehicle performs as it should exactly.

Conclusion

The best tyre brands offer safety, good design and enhanced traction. These aspects are critical for the safe operation of any vehicle, so it only makes sense to fit tyres from the best tyre brands to your vehicle. In many cases, premium tyres are not much more expensive than other brands, so shopping around for the best deal is well worth your while.