7 Quietest SUV Tires for All Season and All Terrain

In the bustling world of SUVs, we often prioritize comfort, performance, and safety, but one crucial element tends to get overlooked – the tires. That’s right, the rubber that meets the road can make a significant difference in your driving experience, especially regarding noise. If you value a quiet and peaceful ride, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, I will explore the quietest SUV tires for all seasons and all terrains. Let’s get started.

Factors Affecting Tire Noise

To truly appreciate the quest for the quietest SUV tires, we must understand the complex interplay of factors contributing to tire noise. From the rubber’s composition to the patterns etched on the tread, it’s a symphony of engineering designed to reduce the auditory chaos of the road.

Tread Pattern and Design

Tire manufacturers have spent years perfecting the art of creating patterns that minimize noise. The science behind this is fascinating.

Tire treads are like the musical notes of your SUV’s journey. They are carefully designed to disperse water, grip the road, and, most importantly, reduce noise. Tread patterns directly impact the level of road noise your tires produce.

Tire Composition and Materials

It’s not just the pattern; the materials used in constructing tires also play a pivotal role in determining their quietness. Modern tire technology has introduced a variety of innovative materials and compounds to reduce noise.

Terms like “acoustic foam inserts” and “sound-absorbing rubber compounds” are becoming increasingly common in the tire industry. These materials are like the soundproofing elements in your car, but they’re embedded within the tires themselves. This innovation is where science meets silence.

Tire Size and Profile

Lastly, the size and profile of your tires can significantly influence the noise they generate. Larger, wider tires might offer better grip but can be noisier.

In the world of tire jargon, terms like “aspect ratio” and “rim size” come into play. These describe the size and profile of your tires and can impact noise levels. Understanding how size and profile contribute to road noise is crucial when seeking the quietest SUV tires for your journey.

• How to reduce road noise from tires

Best SUV Tires for Quiet Ride

1. Michelin Primacy MXV4 All Season

Specifications

• Size: 215/55R17 94V
• Season: All-Season
• Noise Level: Low
• Manufacturer’s Treadwear Limited Warranty: 55,000 miles
• Standard Limited Warranty: 6 years

The Luxury Performance Touring radial car tire is designed for year-round use, ensuring a comfortable and smooth driving experience while maintaining excellent control. This tire excels in various aspects, including impressive wet braking, precise handling, refined ride quality, and all-season safety, making it a top choice for luxury vehicle owners.

Michelin, known for its tire quality, has crafted this tire to operate at a low noise level, providing a serene and quiet ride. It meets the stringent standards of the world’s leading luxury car manufacturers, reflecting its high-end performance and reliability.

One remarkable feature of this tire is its ability to stop up to 29 feet shorter in wet and cold conditions than its competitors. This outstanding performance is possible by including a sunflower oil additive in the tire’s tread compound.

Additionally, buyers can have peace of mind with a 55,000-mile manufacturer’s treadwear limited warranty and a standard limited warranty that spans six years. The specific size of this tire is 215/55R17 94V.

Pros and Cons:

• All-season radial SUV tire
• Comes with a year standard limited warranty
• Stops 29 feet shorter in cold and wet conditions
• Low noise level tire

2. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack All-Season

Specifications:

• Size: 215/55R17
• Tread Type: Asymmetrical
• Tire Diameter: 26.3
• LxWxH:3 x 8.9 x 26.3 inches
• Load Capacity: 3256.2 Pounds
• Section Width: 215 Millimeters

This tire is nothing short of a masterpiece when it comes to impressing with its quiet performance. It offers exceptional control even in wet and snowy conditions, making it a reliable choice for year-round use. What’s more, it doesn’t just deliver on performance; it’s designed to last, promising an impressive 80,000 miles of dependable service.

One of this tire’s standout features is its comfort during your drive. It ensures a tranquil and peaceful ride, enhancing your overall driving experience.

For those who face snowy winters, the 3D full-depth sipes on all ribs play a vital role. They enhance snow traction and contribute to improved wear throughout the tire’s limited mileage warranty period. So you can confidently tackle winter roads.

In-groove ridges are thoughtfully integrated into the tire’s design to combat high-frequency noise and ensure optimal snow traction. This improves performance and provides a quiet ride, making every journey enjoyable.

The QuietTrack Technology Package is the icing on the cake, combining precisely tuned and tested enhancements in the tire’s tread to effectively dampen road noise, providing you with an exceptionally serene driving experience.

Moreover, the tire features open shoulder slots, which enhance water evacuation from the contact patch under wet conditions. This feature adds extra safety and control when roads get wet.

Pros and Cons

• Moderately quiet with well-managed noise levels
• Highly assured performance on dry roads
• Impressive wet traction
• Moderate snow traction; disappointing performance on icy surfaces
• Subpar treadwear durability

3. Pirelli Scorpion Weatheractive

Specifications:

• Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season
• Size: 285/45R22
• Tread Type: Directional
• Maximum Pressure: 50 Pound per Square Inch
• Tire Diameter: 32.09
• Seasons: Year Round

The Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive tire stands out as one of the quietest SUV tires compared to its competitors.

The tire’s design features long, narrow footprints and a three-rib block pattern, enhancing stability and lateral traction. Additionally, trumpet-shaped and central zigzag grooves are incorporated to resist hydroplaning and improve wet handling. The ample shoulder notches further support the block sipes, ensuring excellent 3PMSF-certified snow traction.

As a result, you can enjoy a relatively noise-free driving experience during your daily commute. The aggressive three-rib blocks minimize tire slapping sounds even on paved grooves and rugged patches, offering a quieter ride. At speeds ranging from 40 to 55 MPH and even higher, the increase in noise is notably subdued compared to competing tires.

Driving on deep, waterlogged road sections also proves to be hassle-free. The tire’s performance surpasses the usual rolling noises associated with SUV tires, with minimal side-to-side shakes. You can confidently navigate tight bends and carousels without experiencing squeaky or jittery humming along the tire’s flanks.

Dry and road grip are excellent, as expected from robust SUV tires. The tire doesn’t disappoint in the snow, either. While it may initially show some hesitation, the Pirelli Scorpion WeatherActive quickly adapts and provides nearly the same confidence on light snow as on wet surfaces.

The tire handles deeper snow and icy roads with finesse, overcoming minor hesitations when dealing with constant switchbacks. The interlocking sipes effectively redirect snow packs and ice buildups, ensuring a smooth and drama-free ride.

Pros and Cons:

• Outstanding Traction in Various Conditions – Dry, Wet, and Winter
• Impressive Tread Life
• Slightly Less Adaptability to Surface Variations

4. Yokohama Geolandar X-CV 

Specifications:

• Size: 285/45R20
• Seasons: Year Round
• Rim Width: 9.5 Inches
• Tread Type: Symmetrical
• Load Capacity: 2469 Pounds
• Section Width: 11.22 Inches
• Ply Rating: 4-Ply

Yokohama’s Geolandar X-CV model takes on the challenge of minimizing airborne noise by employing a 5-pitch block variation strategy, which results in a quieter and more comfortable riding experience. Using Silica Polymer compounds ensures even dispersion of micro silica throughout the rubber, enhancing confidence in wet and snowy conditions with the support of 3D and 2D sipes. Simultaneously, the two intermediate ribs and outboard shoulders prioritize dry grip performance. The presence of four circumferential grooves effectively reduces the risk of hydroplaning and improves wet braking capabilities.

During our tests, the Geolandar X-CV impressively suppressed skidding noises when subjected to sudden turns or tight S-curves. These were the only noticeable sounds, and they were relatively mild, especially during our non-dramatic travels at speeds of 55 MPH. Since daily driving with vans and SUVs rarely involves rates higher than 55 MPH, you can expect a similarly serene and peaceful driving experience even on uneven surfaces like cobblestone paths or brick pavers.

The Geolandar X-CV also performs commendably on slippery pavements, maintaining a reasonably quiet demeanor. The tire’s grooves efficiently manage water, ensuring a firm grip on the road even when the contact patch experiences slack. This translates to solid footholds and minimal slippage noises, while heavy, dragging thuds caused by trapped water are highly unlikely. As a result, you can confidently navigate wide-radius corners with a touch of adventure while maintaining a consistent and reliable connection between the tire and the road.

Pros and Cons:

• Quiet- minimal tire noise when driving on the highways
• Efficient handling in wet conditions
• Handles perfectly on dry surfaces
• Struggles in icy conditions
• Caves a bit on icy conditions

5. Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Specifications

• Size: 265/70R16 112T
• Load Capacity: 2469 Pounds
• LxWxH:4 x 10.43 x 30.4 inches
• Tire Diameter: 30.4
• Seasons: Year Round
• Section Width: 265 Millimeters
• Speed Rating: 130-118mph
• Rim Width: 9 Inches

This radial car tire is designed for use with light trucks, SUVs, and crossovers, offering all-season versatility. Its standout feature is its exceptional grip, resulting in shorter braking distances on wet roads, enhancing safety.

What’s truly impressive is the tire’s longevity, thanks to the MICHELIN EverTread Compound. It delivers a 10% increase in tire life, even in severe conditions, compared to its predecessor. This means you can expect more miles from your investment.

Additionally, the tire significantly reduces the risk of hydroplaning, ensuring outstanding grip for improved braking performance on wet roads and better traction on snow compared to leading competitors. This enhances your vehicle’s performance and safety in various weather conditions.

Moreover, the tire is designed to be fuel-efficient and eco-friendly, featuring MICHELIN MaxTouch Construction. This technology can save up to 65 gallons of fuel over the tire’s lifespan, reducing your carbon footprint and operating costs.

For added peace of mind, the tire comes with a 70,000-mile manufacturer’s treadwear limited warranty and a standard 6-year limited warranty. The specific size for this tire is 235/55R18 100T, making it a reliable choice for a wide range of vehicles and driving needs.

Pros and Cons:

• Offers a quiet ride
• Handles well in wet conditions
• Good treadwear
• Handles well off-road, though it’s designed for highway use
• Poor grip in icy conditions
• Struggles in muddy conditions

6. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+

Specifications:

• Size: 225/45R17
• Load Capacity: 1477 Pounds
• Ply Rating: EXTRA LOAD
• Rim Width: 7.5 Inches
• Section Width: 225 Millimeters
• Tire Diameter: 25.00
• Load Index: 94.0
• Tire Aspect Ratio: 45.0

The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+ takes a unique approach to optimize its performance, combining an innovative compound with asymmetric patterns designed to achieve a balance between wet and dry stability while ensuring a noiseless and comfortable ride. This tire features lateral slots with chamfered edges that enhance dry braking and contact with the road. The full-depth, 3D sipes and open shoulders also work together to extend the tread life and effectively disperse water.

One of the standout features of the RE980AS+ is its ability to maintain a low level of tire humming even during aggressive driving. While many high-performance tires tend to produce loud squeals when pushed to their limits, the RE980AS+ pleasantly surprised us with its infrequent instances of tire noise. These slight noises mainly surfaced during speed changes or directional adjustments, such as transitioning from 45 to 60 MPH, and they quickly quieted down as the tire adapted to the new conditions.

During testing on challenging road segments like doglegs, carousels, and low-angled turns, where tread noise often becomes noticeable, the Potenza RE980AS+ easily handled the situations. Even with minimal input, you can expect a smooth and controlled driving experience, making it unlikely that you’ll struggle to manage tire squeals during aggressive cornering attempts.

On regular road surfaces, the RE980AS+ provides excellent steering response and grip. However, it’s worth noting that, considering this is a high-performance tire, the feedback it offers may feel somewhat muted compared to some standard touring tires. While this might be a minor downside for some drivers, it doesn’t diminish the tire’s overall performance capabilities.

Regarding snow performance, the RE980AS+ delivers satisfactory results, although it doesn’t top the list in this category. The tire’s limitations become more evident on icy roads, where it tends to exhibit hiccups and coughs, even at relatively low speeds as low as 20 MPH. The RE980AS+ may not be the best choice in such conditions, and caution is advised.

Pros and Cons:

• Handles well in wet and dry conditions
• Quiet and comfortable riding experience
• Good treadwear
• Runs poorly in icy conditions

Final Thoughts

In summary, when it comes to choosing the quietest SUV tires for all seasons, it’s clear that several excellent options are available to enhance your driving experience.

By prioritizing factors like noise reduction, tread design, and performance in various weather conditions, you can find the perfect set of tires to keep your rides peaceful and enjoyable year-round. From top-tier brands to innovative technologies, the market offers a variety of choices that cater to your specific needs.

As you make your final decision, remember to consider your geographical location and the typical weather conditions you encounter. Whether you’re dealing with rain, snow, or just the everyday hustle and bustle of city streets, there’s a tire out there designed to provide the quiet, smooth ride you desire.