6 Best Tire Rack Tires and Rims

Tires and rims, or wheels as they’re also known, are just about the most important parts of your car. You need to consider a lot when choosing tires and rims for your vehicle, and it’s not a decision you can make lightly. Not only are they expensive, but also they’re the key to getting you where you need to go, and safely, at that. In fact, dropping money on the wrong tires will hurt in more ways than just on the road. The best Tire Rack tires and rims focus on eliminating all those issues. Not only do they enhance the car and ride handling, but they also help keep you safe. And good all-season tires and rims are extremely important in today’s day and date, with people commuting more than ever. To that end, here are the 6 best Tire Rack tires and rims.

Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4

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The Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 is an excellent tire for those who live in colder places. People who don’t take their your sports cars off the road for the winter need a good tire for when the weather turns, and the PA4 is just that. This tire delivers superior performance and cold-weather traction and even has the 3PMSF symbol for severe snow service. It blends winter weather performance with comfort for good traction and a quiet and smooth ride in everything from ice to light snow. Since this tire is part of Michelin’s Green X lineup, it has an eco-friendly manufacturing process and better fuel economy. Besides being flexible in cold weather, the tread around the shoulder improves braking and handling when driving at high speeds. Wrapping up the features is the 30,000-mile tread life or 6-year warranty.

Along with this tire, you can go for the Motegi Racing 127 Traklite wheels. This set from Motegi boasts brushed aluminum and a contrasting black layout. While it’s lightweight, it’s made from aluminum and is durable and not rigid. It comes in 2 diameters, 17 and 18 inches. Finally, it comes in just one shade – bedazzling gloss black.

Continental VikingContact 7

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The Continental VikingContact 7 is one of the best Tire Rack tires and rims, but it’s also one of the best winter tires on Tire Rack. The Contact 7 outperforms in just about every performance test, sometimes scoring even over studded tires. These tires are expensive – they cost more than 500 USD for a set of four – but they’re the best objective choice in terms of an extreme winter option. What’s more, they don’t produce much noise and remain flexible, even in freezing temperatures. This is thanks to the tire compound that contains rapeseed oil. Thus, the tires move safely on the snow as well. Wrapping up the features are excellent stability, good performance on wet roads, and water-resistant open grooves.

With this tire, you can pair the Enkei Phantom Wheels. These wheels are available in three diameters, 18, 19, and 20 inches, and have a signature look that’s still very popular in the Japanese tuner scene. Plus, this elaborate style also has a gunmetal alternative. Finally, the center cap is included for no extra charge.

Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

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Those who live in severe winter conditions need dedicated winter tires, and the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is just that. This tire is highly rated for its performance on snowy, dry, and wet roads, as indicated by the 3PMSF symbol on the sidewall. Besides the high comfort ratings, the tread pattern ensures responsive steering and improves tread life too. Plus, the contact patch has many block edges for reduced stopping distances when the roads are slick and better ice traction. Besides the silica in the compound enhancing overall traction, the tire also has wear bars to make it easier to see when the tire needs to be replaced or when the tread is too low.

This tire pairs well with the iconic Enkei Raijin wheels, which are all-rounders that work well for daily and occasional aggressive driving. Besides coming in two diameters, 18 and 19-inches, they also come in 4 colors and widths each.

Pirelli Cinturato P7 All-Season Run-Flat Tire

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The Pirelli Cinturato P7 All-Season Run-Flat Tire is one of the best Tire Rack tires and rims combinations you’ll find. This run-flat tire temporarily holds enough air to let you continue driving during damage, allowing you to find a safe place to find a repair shop sans risking damage to your car. What’s more, these self-supporting run-flat tires can go about 50 miles at speeds of up to 50 miles/hour. Moreover, it even has a low rolling resistance compound that helps improve grip on dry and wet roads and reduce fuel consumption while improving grip on wet and dry roads. Wrapping up the features are the polyester cord body, twin steel belts, and the fact that it offers smooth rides at reduced noise levels.

This tire pairs excellently with the amazing BBS CH-R wheels, one of the most iconic aftermarket wheels ever. What’s more, these flow-formed wheels are from BBS’ performance series, making them lighter and stronger than cast wheels with impeccable quality. Furthermore, it comes in 3 diameters, 18, 19, and 20 inches, as well as 8 widths. Finally, it comes in four dapper colors and hues.

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

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The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is yet another amazing tire that’s designed specifically for performance sedans and sports cars. While it’s not intended for winter driving, the tire offers strong performance in dry and wet conditions. It offers especially good performance on dry roads, high marks for wet traction and hydroplane resistance, and a comfortable ride with minimal noise. Besides all of the above, the circumferential grooves keep water away from the contact patches to reduce hydroplaning. Meanwhile, the strong shoulder blocks improve corner handling.

When it comes to wheels for this one, we’d recommend the TSW Sebring. This wheel is especially common among high-rollers thanks to its amazing performance and classy design appeal. What’s more, the two-split five-spoke design boasts a mesmerizing 3D pattern with a trippy appeal. Finally, it comes in two shades, mystic matte black, and titanium silver, and comes in two diameters, 17 and 18-inches.

Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus

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The Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus is one of the best Tire Rack tires and rims you can find. There’s a lot to love about this tire, including the combination of dry and wet performance. What’s more, the tire offers a comfy ride and good tread wear too. Moreover, it’s affordable, has a wide range of sizes, and delivers the high-speed handling performance that drivers want. This is in addition to its ability to handle wet roads and even light snow roads. Besides the above, the compound in the tire can handle enhanced braking and handling, while the circumferential grooves and traction grooves push water and snow away from the contact patch. Wrapping up the features is the alignment verification system that helps show when the tires are out of alignment.

Finally, this tire pairs well with the Asanti ABL-14, which is a far cry from the brand’s excessively gaudy rims from the 2000s. Instead, this 14-spoke wheel has a pleasing style and is elegant to boot. Plus, it’s available in 20-inch rim diameter.

How To Choose The Best Tires and Rims from Tire Rack?

Tires

Types of tires

• Run-flat tires: They remain inflated for a short time, even when punctured. While it won’t run like that forever, it’ll get you to the nearest repair shop.
• Winter/summer tires: These season-specific tires provide peak performance in cold and hot weather. Summer tires won’t get too soft, while winter ones don’t get too brittle or cold.
• Highway: These focus on highway driving, providing cornering, high-speed traction, and comfort.
• Grand Touring/touring: These are all-around tires that suit most cars. Grand touring ones focus on reduced harshness, vibration, and noise, thus delivering a quieter and smoother ride.

Size/width

The size of light truck/car tires is usually written as a short number and letter series, such as 245/40-R18. The first number is the maximum tire width in mm. The number after the slash is the aspect ratio, which is the sidewall height as a percentage of the width. Usually, muscle and sports car tires have aspect ratios of around 30–40. SUVs and family sedans, on the other hand, are in the 45-60 range or more. The last number is the wheel diameter (in inches) the tire needs to mount. Finally, the “R” indicates a radial tire, which is virtually all tires today.

Speed rating

Finally, you need to check out the tire’s speed rating, indicating its overall performance potential and how safe and fast it can go for an extended period. High-performance car tires have higher speed ratings than even SUVs and family sedan tires.

Rims/Aftermarket Wheels

Diameter

One of the first things you need to check when looking for wheels or rims is the “rolling diameter,” which is the overall height of the tire, the wheel, and the distance it travels. Many odometers and speedometers use the wheels’ rotation to determine how far and fast the car is traveling. So, the readings assume that the tire’s circumference aligns with the manufacturer’s original specifications. Using larger wheels lowers the speedometer reading, so you need to take care of the diameter.

Size

You need to choose the size of the rims modestly and not go overboard. The larger a tire and wheel combination gets, the heavier it becomes. It weighs down your suspension, leads to a rougher ride, and can even pull the steering wheel out of your hands. So, you also need to check the wheel weight, along with the size.

Offset

Finally, you need to mind the offset, which is the distance between the centerline and the mounting hub. If the mounting hub sits “inside” the wheel barrel, it’s a negative offset and vice-versa. Offset (measured as “ET”) changes affect the wheel’s look and how the suspension reacts to wheel movements. 

Here are some of the other best Tire Rack tires and wheels for road trips that you can check out.

What brand’s tires last the longest?

Currently, the most durable tire is the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ All Season Performance Radial Tire, which provides superior control and grip.

Which tire is better, Michelin or Bridgestone?

Michelin and Bridgestone tires are the best of the lot, with both excelling in terms of performance. The only noticeable difference is their dry road performance, whereas Michelin tires are much more responsive.

What is the strongest type of wheels?

Forged aluminum wheels are some of the strongest wheels on the market.

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