" "
Our review compares car tyres on customer satisfaction, so you can find out what other Aussies think about the compared brands before you go ahead with a purchase. Think of it as like asking hundreds of your closest mates which car tyre they think is best!
Canstar Blue surveyed 765 Australians for their feedback on the new car tyre(s) they’ve purchased in the last two years.
The winning brand is the one that receives the highest Overall satisfaction rating once all the scores from the Overall satisfaction criteria are combined and averaged.
Brands must have received at least 30 responses to be included, so not all brands available in the market have been compared in this survey. The brands rated in this survey are listed below in order of best overall satisfaction.
Find more detailed information on our Most Satisfied Customer methodology.
Michelin was rated five stars for durability, wet weather handling, stopping ability, noise whilst driving and overall satisfaction, with four stars for value for money and dry weather handling.
French tyre manufacturer Michelin is one of the largest in the world and it has a range of other interests outside of tyres – ever heard of the Michelin Star restaurant ratings? When it comes to tyres, the Michelin Tyre Company is one of the oldest – and among the most popular – out there, with dealers across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth. You can browse its tyre range by vehicle type, driving experience or product family, with a tyre selector tool also available online, allowing you to enter either your car model or specific tyre size to find a suitable match.
Michelin provides a wide range of eco-focused tyres, as well as some performance models. The performance range is called ‘Pilot Sport’, while everyday drivers may look towards Michelin’s ‘Energy’ range.
Kumho was rated five stars for value for money, wet weather handling and stopping ability, with four stars for noise whilst driving, dry weather handling, durability and overall satisfaction.
South Korean car tyre brand Kumho produces a wide selection of tyres for most types of vehicles and scenarios, with tyres for passenger, 4X4, SUV, light commercial, trucks, busses and racing cars available. Kumho boasts its ESCOT (Excellent & Smart Contour Optimisation Theory) technology, which is claimed to maximise tyre performance by optimising braking capabilities and improving steering. This is said to maintain the tyre shape throughout the speed range, plus retain the tyre’s ground contact pressure distribution.
Kumho does offer one of the more affordable ranges on the market, but can still make a dent in your budget if you’re looking for more of a performance tyre, with no shortage of options available. You can further filter your tyre preference with categories such as Comfort, ECO, Performance, Sports and High Mileage, helping you to find something ideal for your car, and your wallet.
Pirelli was rated five stars for wet weather handling, stopping ability and dry weather handling, with four stars for durability and overall satisfaction, and three stars for noise whilst driving and value for money.
Premier Italian brand Pirelli is known for its racing pedigree and its sponsorship of various motorsports events. Its tyres feature Pirelli’s Noise Cancelling System (PNCS), claimed to reduce noise inside the vehicle. In addition, they’re boasted for Pirelli’s Seal-Inside Technology which allows you to continue to drive your car in case of a puncture.
While one of the more expensive brands available, Pirelli does break its range down further into ‘Experiences’, such as All-Terrain, City, Highway and Performance tyres to help you find a better tyre for your usual driving route, with even the ELECT range available to help boost battery range for those who get behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
Bridgestone was rated four stars for noise whilst driving, dry weather handling, stopping ability, wet weather handling, durability and overall satisfaction, with three stars for value for money.
Well-known within the market, Bridgestone has a history dating back to Japan in the early 20th century. Since then, the company has become one of the leading tyre manufacturers in the world, but its tyres can still be budget friendly. Some of the technology behind its tyres include Bridgestone’s Run Flat Tyre system, which is claimed to incorporate a reinforced, thicker sidewall to safely carry the weight of the car for a short period with no loss of driving control.
You’ll also find its Ecopia fuel-saving tyres with lower rolling resistance boasted to deliver a fuel saving of supposedly 4.2% compared to a conventional tyre. If you’re not sure what you’re after, you can also search by vehicle, rego or by tyre size, allowing you to find something that fits your preferences and driving style.
Goodyear was rated three stars for value for money, dry weather handling and noise whilst driving, with four stars for stopping ability, wet weather handling, durability and overall satisfaction.
Goodyear is an American tyre manufacturer that was founded in Ohio over 100 years ago. It’s claimed to be one of the first manufacturers to make tubeless tyres and supply racing tyres to Henry Ford, with the brand still sponsoring motorsports events. Some of the technologies that accompany Goodyear tyres are 3D-BIS Technology, claimed to improve tyre stiffness and stability, SoundComfort Technology to reduce interior noise, Run On Flat to keep you on the road even after a blowout, and Active Braking for supposedly better handling.
Goodyear’s Eagle range is performance-oriented, with a price tag to match, with its consumer range a lot kinder on the wallet. You can search Goodyear’s tyres by vehicle type and tyre size, or by specific characteristics such as ‘all-terrain’ and ‘wet dry performance’.
Bob Jane was rated four stars for durability, wet weather handling and stopping ability, with three stars for noise whilst driving, dry weather handling, value for money and overall satisfaction.
Family-owned tyre company Bob Jane is claimed to be Australia’s largest independent tyre retailer. Named after motorsports legend Bob Jane, motorists can expect plenty of budget-friendly car tyres, with the brand also one of few not associated with selling re-tread tyres. As Bob Jane covers a wide variety of vehicle services, you can also purchase Road Hazard Warranty, which covers you for punctures, accidental cuts, accidental curb damage, impact breaks, staking, or other damages from unforeseen road hazards.
Bob Jane provides a range of its own tyres in addition to stocking other brands, with its own range including the All-Rounder, Xenon, J-Trax and Moto Sportx, looking to cover all bases when it comes to drivers.
Hankook was rated three stars across all ratings categories, including durability, value for money, wet weather handling, stopping ability, dry weather handling, noise whilst driving and overall satisfaction.
Based out of South Korea, Hankook is a tyre company with both an ‘everyday driver’ and ‘performance’ focus. With its tyre design, Hankook boasts an optimum proportion of Dyna-ProFET rubber and silica for reducing rotational resistance and the amount of fuel used for driving. In addition, its tyres feature Hankook’s 3-Dimensional groove pattern for improved performance on dry or wet roads. Hankook also provides tyres for SUV, 4WD, vans, buses and trucks, helping you to keep your business running smoothly as well.
Those looking for a bit more performance may be interested in Hankook’s Ventus range, while the everyday driver might be swayed by the Kinergy Eco range. Those who drive an EV might be interested in Hankook’s EV-specific iON range, which looks to increase battery range and driving stability.
Not all brands in the market qualify for our ratings (based on minimum survey sample size), but that doesn’t mean they’re not worth considering. Here are several more brands to check out before making a purchase decision.
With many brands out there, picking the best car tyres will be a daunting task for many, particularly if it’s your first time! To help you better-understand your wheels, we’ve outlined some key areas that you should take special notice of.
The tyres you need for your car can be determined by the tyre specifications detailed in your owner’s manual, or on the sidewall of your tyre. The specs will be a series of numbers and letters, for example: 245/40R18 93W.
This code relates to several requirements that are necessary to know when choosing tyres. To explain this in detail, here’s the breakdown:
To help maintain speed capability, and the handling characteristics of your car, it’s important to replace your tyres with a speed rating equal to or greater than that of the original tyres. Keep in mind that other tyres will also fit your car, but it’s recommended to closely follow the specifications provided by your car manufacturer.
To find out what tyre pressure your car tyres should be at, check your vehicle’s tyre placard. This can typically be found in the driver’s door jamb, otherwise, it might be located under your bonnet, in the glove box or behind the fuel filler flap. Your car’s handbook may also include the tyre pressure. Here’s an example:
Source: Toyo
It’s recommended by tyre retailers to check tyre pressure every two to four weeks. Poor tyre pressure maintenance can jeopardise your car’s performance and in turn, your safety. As tyre pressure naturally decreases over time, it’s important to check it regularly to help optimise tyre life and fuel consumption. Tyre pressure checks can also help identify any damage or punctures in your tyres.
How long car tyres should last will be dependent on a number of factors, such as the brand, tyre type, type of driving your doing as well as the temperature and climate you live in. Most retailers recommend at least replacing tyres every 10 years, but if you’re regularly driving, you’ll likely be replacing it before then, as the wear and tear will whither down how much tread you have on your tyre, which ultimately affects its handling, and its safety.
As a result, it’s recommended to continuously check the tread depth of your tyres, and look to thoroughly inspect them on a more regular basis once they hit the five-year mark.
While you’d generally look to replace all of your tyres at around the same time, sometimes life just doesn’t let that happen, with a flat tyre, or a fender-bender prompting thoughts of rolling down to the shops for a replacement tyre (if you don’t already have a spare in the boot).
From a legal perspective, there is no law or regulation in Australia against replacing just one tyre on your vehicle, although it isn’t recommended. Neither is mixing and matching the tyre brands you have on a vehicle (i.e. don’t use more than one tyre brand at a single time). The reason being is that replacing all four tyres at the same time ensures that the vehicle is evenly balanced as all four tyres behave the same way, allowing the vehicle to move as it should when accelerating, braking and turning.
Replacing just one tyre can also cause a difference in traction due to the different levels of tread on the tyres. Putting one brand new tyre – with a full tread – on a car where the other three tyres have a far lower tread, can make the car feel different, and potentially perform differently, particularly in vehicles with AWD.
If you do purchase just one new tyre, many retailers and tyre manufacturers look at ‘shaving’ the tyre so that the tread length is similar to prevent any difference in traction or control, although this may cost you a bit extra. Alternatively, online forums are full of recommendations of buying two tyres and rotating your old tyres to keep your vehicle balanced, although this will depend on if your car is a front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive or AWD.
In Australia, the legal tyre tread depth is 1.5mm, with a tread depth between 1.5 and 1.6mm. However, 1.6mm is considered worn out and must be replaced. A new tyre typically has a tread depth close to 8.0mm. NRMA recommends you should start searching for new tyres once the tread depth hits 3.0mm.
All car tyres have tread wear indicators in the tread grooves. The tyre’s tread grooves are designed to disperse water away from the tyre’s contact patch when roads are wet. Once they wear out, the tyre should be replaced.
Depending on the tyre size, brand and car type, tyres can cost from $70 to $800+. However, most car tyre brands and retailers offer deals such as ‘buy three get one free’, allowing you to potentially save when replacing your tyres.
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s Site Editor, Dean Heckscher. He’s our resident expert on all things automotive, health & fitness, streaming and more. Dean is also one of Canstar Blue’s customer research report producers, helping to turn complicated subjects into easily-digestible information for our readers. He’s passionate about helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services.
Samantha Howse is Canstar Blue’s Consumer Research Specialist, coordinating the consumer research program behind our customer satisfaction awards across Canstar and Canstar Blue in Australia and New Zealand. Sam has earned a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) from Griffith University and, with seven years in market research and 2 years in marketing, she is experienced in survey design, implementation and analysis, coupled with an understanding of marketing principles and best practice.
LOAD INDEX | LOAD AT MAX PSI (Kg) | LOAD INDEX | LOAD AT MAX PSI (Kg) | LOAD INDEX | LOAD AT MAX PSI (Kg) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
70 | 335 | 92 | 630 | 114 | 1,180 |
71 | 345 | 93 | 650 | 115 | 1,215 |
72 | 355 | 94 | 670 | 116 | 1,250 |
73 | 365 | 95 | 690 | 117 | 1,285 |
74 | 375 | 96 | 710 | 118 | 1,320 |
75 | 387 | 97 | 730 | 119 | 1,360 |
76 | 400 | 98 | 750 | 120 | 1,400 |
77 | 412 | 99 | 775 | 121 | 1,450 |
78 | 425 | 100 | 800 | 122 | 1,500 |
79 | 437 | 101 | 825 | 123 | 1,550 |
80 | 450 | 102 | 850 | 124 | 1,600 |
81 | 462 | 103 | 875 | 125 | 1,650 |
82 | 475 | 104 | 900 | 126 | 1,700 |
83 | 487 | 105 | 925 | 127 | 1,750 |
84 | 500 | 106 | 950 | 128 | 1,800 |
85 | 515 | 107 | 975 | 129 | 1,850 |
86 | 530 | 108 | 1,000 | 130 | 1,900 |
87 | 545 | 109 | 1,030 | 131 | 1,950 |
88 | 560 | 110 | 1,060 | 132 | 2,000 |
89 | 580 | 111 | 1,090 | 133 | 2,060 |
90 | 600 | 112 | 1,120 | 134 | 2,120 |
91 | 615 | 113 | 1,150 | 135 | 2,180 |
SPEED SYMBOL | SPEED (KM/H) |
---|---|
G | up to 90 |
J | up to 100 |
K | up to 110 |
L | up to 120 |
M | up to 130 |
N | up to 140 |
P | up to 150 |
Q | up to 160 |
R | up to 170 |
S | up to 180 |
T | up to 190 |
U | up to 200 |
H | up to 210 |
V | up to 240 |
W | up to 270 |
Y | up to 300 |
ZR | >240 |
(Y) | >300 |
Here are the past winners from Canstar Blue’s car tyre ratings:
4WD Reviews Australia - April 6th
Petrol comes in E10, E85, 91, 95 and 98 Octane blends. Most cars can get by with E10 or 91, but some cars need higher. Find out which fuel your car needs at Canstar Blue.
– Read more4WD Reviews Australia - March 15th
What are the cheapest car tyres you can buy? Is buying cheap tyres a good idea? Find out everything you need to know at Canstar Blue.
– Read moreBest-Rated Car Servicing Chains - April 20th
They are two iconic car tyre brands, but which one comes out on top? Read our review of Bob Jane and Goodyear at Canstar Blue.
– Read moreBest-Rated Car Servicing Chains - March 23rd
Two tyre heavyweights battle for supremacy. Which manufacturer reigns supreme? Find out at Canstar Blue.
– Read more4WD Reviews Australia - March 20th
Michelin and Bridgestone are both kings of the racing circuit, but which is the best on our city roads? Find out at Canstar Blue.
– Read more^By clicking on a shop online, compare now, buy online, more details, go to site or check latest prices button, you may leave Canstar Blue and be taken to a referral partner to compare. Canstar Blue may be paid for this referral. You agree that Canstar Blue’s terms and conditions apply to this referral. If you click on a brand that is not a referral partner, you will be taken to a brand page on Canstar Blue.
Canstar Blue may earn a fee for referrals from its website tables, and from sponsorship of certain products. Fees payable by product providers for referrals and sponsorship may vary between providers. Generally, sponsorship fees are payable in addition to referral fees. Sponsored products are clearly disclosed as such on website pages. They may appear in a number of areas of the website such as in comparison tables, on hub pages and in articles. Sponsored products may be displayed in a fixed position in a table, regardless of the product's rating, price or other attributes. The table position of a Sponsored product does not indicate any ranking or rating by Canstar. The table position of a Sponsored product does not change when a consumer changes the sort order of the table. For more information please see How Are We Funded.
*Prices correct as of publication date.