There are plenty of highly ranked cheap tires that you can buy online in Canada. Every year Consumer Reports publishes their ratings for car and SUV tires. Their comprehensive testing shows the best of the best on various tire performance parameters including tread-life, handling, braking and snow traction. It is no surprise that the more premium brands such as Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone and Pirelli hold many of the top spots, but usually there are one or two budget tire brands that make the top 5. We take the top recommendations from Consumer Reports, and add the dimension of price in order to identify the most affordable tire, with the best overall value, in each testing group.
Where To Buy The Most Affordable Top Rated All-Season Tires in Canada
All of the top-rated tires are readily available to anyone who is buying tires online in Canada. At Tires-easy.ca we ship directly to Canadian online tire buyers from a local warehouse. This option costs much less than what you will pay buying tires from brick and mortar, or chain tire retailers. Also, be aware websites that ship from the US to Canada will be adding shipping costs and brokerage fees. Unlike US based tire businesses, Canadian based websites like tires-easy.ca have no extra costs for international shipping or duties because the tires only come from local, Canadian owned tire warehouses.
So, if you want a tire that gives you the best bang for your buck, consider buying one of the following. These are the least expensive brands on the top-rated tire list from the latest Consumer Reports all-season tire study (Fall 2018).
Top Rated Cheap All-Season Tires
Falken Sincera SN201 A/S
Michelin Defender T+H
In 2018, Consumer Reports tested over 68 models of all-season tires. The Falken Sincera SN201 A/S was #4, and represented by far the best value. It is 40% cheaper than the Michelin Defender T+H and 20% cheaper than the Continental TrueContact Tour which came in at #2 and #3 respectively. #1 was the General AltiMAX RT43 tire.
The General AltiMAX RT43 excelled at the dry braking, handling, hydroplaning resistance, noise and snow traction tests. The Falken Sincera SN201 A/S was also very strong on these same tests, and for this reason, we recommend either of these tires.
Top Value in Performance All-Season Tires
The General AltiMAX RT43
To be included in the performance all-season tire category test, the tire must carry a V-rating or higher. As expected, the Michelin, Continental and Goodyear brands made the top 5, however once again the General AltiMAX RT43 beat out many more expensive tires. The General AltiMAX RT43 received top marks in all but the wet handling and ride test. What is even more remarkable is the price point compared to the Michelin. As of the end of March 2019, the #5 ranked Michelin Premier A/S 225/45R17 was $204 before shipping and taxes. The General AltiMAX RT43 was $142 in that same size. That’s a full 30% cheaper with comparable performance according to Consumer Reports testing results.
Ultra High Performance All-Season Tires
The Yokohama Advan Sport A/S
To find exceptional value in an ultra high performance tire, you don’t have to go far down the Consumer Reports top rated list.
The least expensive tire is the BFGoodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S. With this tire, you will save as least $10/tire compared to any of the other top 5 and it has one of the best mileage warranties (100,000 km). It is very comparable to the top Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli and Continental tires in all performance attributes, except noise. If you want a quieter ride, a better option at around the same price point would be the Yokohama Advan Sport A/S. This tire came in at #6, but has the same excellent mileage warranty as the BFG.
Top Rated Affordable All-Season SUV
The Kumho Crugen Premium tire
According to the 2018 Consumer Reports tests, there is one surprising stand out in the top 5. Kumho is not a tire brand that many people would associate as first tier, but the test results put the Kumho Crugen Premium tire in the number 2 spot, just behind the much more expensive Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max. The Kumho was top rated for snow traction and had the best mileage warranty in the top 5, so a very good pick for Canadians who don’t have a second set of winter tires. Considering the great all-round performance and low price, the Kumho Crugen Premium is the best pick for value. For example, the #1 rated Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max in 235/65R17 had a retail price on tires-easy.ca of $190. The Kumho Crugen Premium had a price of $150 which translates into a $160 savings on a set of 4 SUV all-season tires.
This latest Consumer Reports study shows that you don’t have to pay a premium to get the best all-season tires in Canada.