When wintertime strikes, you may think those all-season tires (not to mention your SUV’s all-wheel drive (AWD) or four-wheel drive (4WD) are enough to get you through the season. But with Canada’s wild winter weather, filled with big snowfalls and plenty of icy conditions, a dedicated winter and snow tire is likely the better option.
But what are the best winter tires for SUVs specifically? We created a list of the top 11 to help you decide.
1. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
When you think of winter tires, Bridgestone’s Blizzaks are some of the first to come to mind. The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is a studless ice and snow tire that delivers confident control in various winter weather conditions.
Blizzak WS90’s directional pattern features increased block stiffness that enhances steering response and improves treadwear, while the EdgePerformance Technology Package includes interlocking sipes — tiny slices across the tire tread — that run the full depth of the tread for top-notch performance longer into the tire's life.
The tread pattern also boasts enhanced block edges to increase ice traction and reduce braking distances in slippery conditions.
Last but not least, the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is made from a next-generation multi-cell compound with bite particles that allow it to remove the thin layer of water between the tread and icy surfaces. This allows the tire to grip the ice better while the rubber compound’s enhanced silica improves grip in snow and ice.
2. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is optimized for driving in slush, snow, and ice, but its primary focus is ice driving and stopping. This is thanks to its microscopic bite particles and 15% more aggressive block edges that enhance its grip in icy conditions. Its numerous small sipes also open and close to provide additional traction in snow and ice.
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 is also great in wet conditions, thanks to its water-loving hydrophilic coating and adaptive NanoPro Tech Multicell compound. It also features wide grooves to help channel snow and water away from the tread.
The tire’s Multicell compound also remains flexible in freezing conditions, ensuring optimal handling on dry roads and a smooth ride. This Multicell compound makes up 50% of the tire’s tread, giving it a long life.
3. Continental VikingContact 7
What better way to deal with frigid temperatures than with a Viking helping you along the way? Well, a Continental Viking, that is...
The VikingContact 7’s specialized Nordic compound uses canola oil to remain flexible to adapt to snowy or icy conditions while active grip silica improves its wet performance and braking. Continental molded the compound into a tread pattern with grooves that create a direct path to guide water and slush from the contact patch, ensuring the tire is contacting asphalt and not snow or slush.
This SUV tire’s optimized void ratio ensures a high volume of rubber always contacts the road, allowing it to deliver confident tracking and control at high speeds as well as while cornering. Stabilizing the tread pattern are solid linkages and special interlocked block bridges that also hold the grooves open so water and slush can drain as needed.
The 3D sipes have varying thicknesses, creating biting edges for enhanced traction in slippery conditions. The wider sipes create snow pockets to collect snow and hold it in the pattern. This action creates snow-to-snow traction. On the outside of the tread blocks are Continental Grip Edges that grab snow and increase the tire’s contact area, which enhances traction in snowy and icy conditions.
4. Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV
This non-studded tire from Michelin is specifically designed for the extra weight of light trucks and SUVs.
The Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV starts with the FleX-Ice™ 2.0 compound with micro-roughness on the tread surface, which enhances grip in snow and ice. This proprietary rubber compound contains high levels of silica so the tire maintains flexibility, even in severe Canadian winter conditions.
This snow tire is molded into a continuous V-shape and features a directional tread pattern with broad groove widths. This pattern is engineered to decrease hydroplaning and enhance slush performance while increasing snow-to-snow traction in Canada’s deep snow.
The X-Ice Snow SUV's tread features two types of full-depth sipes that have complementary traction effects. The notched sipes give this tire biting edges to enhance traction in poor road conditions while the variable-thickness sipes further aid traction and support the tread elements to maintain efficient contact on packed snow and clear roads.
5. Cooper Evolution Winter Studdable
Do you deal with really bad conditions and need severe weather tires to handle it? The Cooper Evolution Winter is a studdable tire designed to handle just that.
The Evolution Winter’s rubber compound is formed into a directional pattern that helps with acceleration and braking in snowy or icy winter conditions. The center rib features wide, rigid tread blocks that enhance stability on a dry road and improve steering response, and firm shoulders aid with lateral grip.
The Cooper Evolution Winter’s deep initial tread depths, wide circumferential grooves, and open shoulder notches flush out standing water and slush. Plus, its high-density, multi-angle siping gives this tire the biting edges it needs to provide ample traction in wet, snowy and icy conditions.
The Evolution Winter’s internal construction features a one-ply polyester casing with a high-ply turn-up that creates a two-ply sidewall that’s more durable and impact resistant.
6. Pirelli Scorpion Winter
Got a performance crossover and need winter tires that can handle the snow and ice along with more aggressive driving? The Pirelli Scorpion Winter is the tire for you. Scorpion Winter tires deliver low-temperature driving performance that combines predictable handling on dry and wet roads with traction in snow and ice.
The Scorpion Winter features a rubber compound with a new polymer blend and a higher silica content for enhanced grip and handling in winter driving conditions.
The directional tread compound features a rounded tread profile, modular center block geometry, and stable shoulders for superior dry-road handling. Plus, circumferential grooves allow these tires to maintain good traction on wet and slush-covered roads, and snow-biting ridges and multi-directional sipes grip hard into snow and on ice for extra control.
7. Goodyear Ultra Grip Winter
The Goodyear Ultra Grip Winter is a studdable winter and snow tire that offers a smooth ride and superior traction for all types of vehicles, including coupes, sedans, minivans, crossovers, SUVs, and even some light-duty pickup trucks.
Ultra Grip Winter radials’ winter rubber compound is molded into a directional tread design with superior cold-weather flexibility and efficient water and slush evacuation. Its strong shoulder blocks enhance stability and promote even treadwear on dry roads.
When conditions deteriorate, the Ultra Grip Winter’s wide tread grooves flush out loose snow and slush, enhancing traction. Plus, multiple sipes give it numerous biting edges that enhance grip on ice and snow.
When severe road conditions hit, you can add alternating rows of metal studs in the shoulder and intermediate tread blocks. These studs will help increase traction on hard-packed snow and icy roads.
8. Yokohama iceGuard IG51V
The Yokohama iceGuard IG51V is a studless winter tire optimized for cold, wet, slushy, snowy, and icy conditions without the need for aggressive studs. Central Zigzag Circumferential Grooves with 3D-shaped walls pack and expel snow, while lateral slush grooves channel out water, slush, and snow. Small, horizontal sipes enhance this tire’s bite in the snow and ice.
Dry conditions are no issue thanks to a directional tread design with a variable angle center rib around the tire's circumference.
9. Toyo Observe GSi-6
The Toyo Observe GSi-6 is a studless performance winter tire designed for all types of vehicles, including CUVs and SUVs, and offers superior traction, cornering, and braking performance in winter conditions and dry conditions alike. Its silica compound and aggressive tread design with advanced sipe technology deliver confident handling in snowy, icy, wet, and dry conditions.
The tread compound features an absorbent carbonic powder that offers better contact and increased grip on icy roads. This carbonic powder, which is derived from bamboo, absorbs the thin moisture film on winter roads to help enhance traction. Further improving traction is its MicroBit technology, which are made from ground walnut shells and help bite into packed snow and ice.
10. Firestone Winterforce 2 UV
Firestone’s studdable snow tire, the Winterforce 2 UV, is designed to help crossovers, minivans, light trucks, and SUVs tackle dry, wet, and snow-covered roads in the wintertime.
Firestone Winterforce 2 UV snow tires feature a cold-weather compound in a directional tread pattern that allows for a smooth ride in even the coldest conditions. Its deep circumferential grooves, wide notches, and open shoulder slots expel slush and standing water from the tread to help minimize the risk of hydroplaning while their high sipe density gives these tires thousands of biting edges for optimal snow and ice grip.
11. BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2
Are you looking for an off-road-capable tire that can also handle snow and ice? The BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO2 is an on- and off-road all-terrain light-truck and SUV tire that delivers go-anywhere traction and outstanding durability year-round.
All-Terrain T/A KO2 tires have a cut-, chip- and tear-resistant tread compound that delivers longer life and is molded into an aggressive, high-void all-terrain pattern. This tread pattern features interlocking tread blocks, advanced siping, and loose-object-ejection that combine to deliver superior off-road durability and traction, and confident on-road handling and acceptable noise.
Sidewall armor gives this tire a tough sidewall rubber compound for enhanced durability, and a serrated shoulder design has a clawing action that delivers additional traction and steering control in deep dirt, sand, or on rocks.
While this tire doesn’t look like the typical winter and snow tire, it meets the industry's severe snow service requirements and features the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol indicating this. Some All-Terrain T/A KO2 are labeled “DT,” and these are not rated for severe snow service, so look closely before choosing these tires.
Find Your Winter-Ready SUV at Clutch
Now that you know the best winter tires for SUVs, why not look into a quality used SUV that is up to handling Canada’s winter? At Clutch, we have a huge selection of quality used SUVs ready for you. Head to Clutch’s 100% online showroom and find the perfect used SUV without having to set foot in a dealership.
Are you worried about buying an SUV 100% online? You can put your mind at ease knowing that every Clutch SUV has passed a 210-point inspection performed by trained Clutch professionals, ensuring they’re ready for winter. We also add a 90-Day Protection Plan and nationwide roadside assistance for additional peace of mind.
Want even more protection? You can opt for a nationwide Extended Warranty and enjoy even more coverage.
Plus, Clutch’s 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee has you covered. If you don’t love your used SUV, you can exchange it for a new one or return it for a no-questions-asked refund.
Check out our inventory of quality used SUVs today and choose a model that suits you this winter—then get it delivered to your door. You can even set up financing and get your trade-in vehicle appraised entirely online.
