Auto & Bike Blog: 5 Best Cheap Tires of 2020

We compiled the top five cheap tire brands.
The best cheap tires may not be the least expensive.
Consider your tires’ longevity when you consider the cost.

Affiliate disclosure: Automoblog and its partners may be compensated when you purchase the products below.

Buying cheap tires can be a gamble. While a low-price option may be the best for your wallet initially, you could end up needing to purchase replacements more frequently. In this article, we’ll discuss the best cheap tires that don’t compromise on quality or performance. We’ll also review what factors affect a tire’s price tag as well as the long-term costs of tires.

Our review team thoroughly researched the tire industry and compiled a list of the best tires and brands in 2020. It’s a good idea to shop around before deciding on a new set of tires. To start comparing the best tires on the market from a variety of brands, visit DiscountTire.com.

What Are the Best Cheap Tires?

Based on our research, the top five cheap tire brands currently available are:

Cooper
Kumho
Hankook
Toyo
General

These tire companies provide tires that are both affordable and quality products. As you can see in the table below, you can find tires for as little as $43.

Tire Brand	Year Started	Price Range Per Tire*	Longest Tread-Life Warranty
Cooper	1914	$65 to $478	80,000 miles
Kumho	1960	$43 to $320	75,000 miles
Hankook	1941	$60 to $480	100,000 miles
Toyo	1945	$61 to $789	75,000 miles
General	1915	$68 to $473	75,000 miles

*Based on data from DiscountTire.com.

Cooper Tires

In our 2020 review of the industry’s best tires, we named Cooper tires the Most Affordable tire brand. While Coopers aren’t the lowest-priced tires on the market, they are a cost-effective option with similar quality to big-name brands like Michelin and Goodyear. The tire company operates as an independent manufacturer, which makes it easiest to purchase models online.

We particularly like the Cooper CS5 Grand Touring tire for all-season traction and its 80,000-mile tread-life warranty. This model costs between $85 to $154 per tire.

Kumho Tires

A South Korean tire company with a U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, Kumho offers tire models for as low as $43 per tire. The tire company produces original equipment (OE) tires as well as replacement tires for passenger cars, light trucks, and SUVs. While its tread-life warranties aren’t the longest in the industry, they’re long enough considering the low price.

We like the Kumho Solus models, an agile grand touring all-season tire with low noise and high comfort. This model costs between $72 and $184, depending on the size and speed grade.

Hankook Tires

Boasting one of the longest tread life warranties in the tire industry, Hankook is a relatively new tire company offering cheap tires. The manufacturer is based in Seoul, Korea, and accounted for 3.5 percent of North American tire sales in 2019. Hankook produces both OE and replacement tires, even signing a contract with Audi in 2019 to supply the newest Audi Q8’s OE tires.

We’re impressed by the Hankook Kinergy PT H737. This highly rated all-season model offers a 90,000-mile tread-life warranty as well as excellent traction in dry and wet conditions. The model costs between $74 and $150 per tire.

Toyo Tires

Toyo is a Japanese tire manufacturer with a U.S. headquarters in Cypress, California, that’s known for its all-terrain tires and traction. It also developed fuel-efficient Nano Balance technology that changes Toyo rubber at a molecular level. The tire company, though smaller than competitors like Bridgestone, Goodyear, and Michelin, made up 3.4 percent of North American tire sales in 2019.

For off-roading enthusiasts, we like the Toyo Open Country A/T II, a flexible all-terrain tire capable of navigating asphalt, mud, and snow. The tire comes with a 65,000-mile tread-life warranty and costs between $119 and $551.

General Tires

Purchased by Continental in 1995, General is a German tire brand with a number of cheap tires. Offering both OE and replacement tires, General tires are a cost-effective option for many drivers. The company offers a variety of options, including performance, all-terrain, and winter tires.

We like the General AltiMAX RT43 model, a grand touring all-season tire with a 75,000-mile tread-life warranty. These tires cost anywhere from $68 to $181 each.

What Affects the Cost of Tires?

The cost of tires can easily range from $50 to more than $500, depending on a few different factors, including:

Tire type: More specialized tires are more costly due to their technology, designs, and tread. All-season tires tend to be cheaper since they don’t have all the bells and whistles of performance tires or all-terrain tires.
Tire size: Tire size can impact both the comfort of your drive and your tire’s price point. Smaller tires are often less expensive than larger tires – just increasing one inch in tire size can add upwards of $100 to your bill.
Vehicle: Hand-in-hand with tire size, the type of vehicle you drive also plays a role in tire cost. Truck tires for a Ford F-150 will typically be more expensive than tires for a smaller vehicle such as a Toyota Camry based on tire size and specific vehicle needs.

The Cost of Tires and Longevity

Just because a tire has a low sticker price doesn’t mean it’ll be the least expensive option in the long run. As low-quality discount tires need to be replaced more frequently, it’s important to consider tire longevity along with the initial cost.

Often, tire models with a higher tread life – the estimated number of miles you can drive before needing to replace the tire – come with a higher price tag. In the long term, however, these tires may be the more cost-effective option, as they will need to be replaced less often.

In a 2016 study, Consumer Reports compared all-season tire models based on their initial cost versus their cost per tread life mile. Here are the top five cheap tires using data from the study:

Tire Model	Initial Price	Tread Life Warranty	Cents per Mile
Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus	$100	90,000 miles	0.10
Yokohama Avid Ascend (T)	$93	85,000 miles	0.10
Sumitomo HTR Enhance L/X (T)	$78	90,000 miles	0.11
Cooper CS5 Grand Touring	$92	80,000 miles	0.13
Toyo Extensa A/S	$80	65,000 miles	0.13

Our Top Recommendations for Tires

Shopping for tires can be difficult, especially with such a large number of brands to choose from. It’s best to compare different tire models available to your vehicle before committing to a purchase. That way, you ensure you’re getting the best deal as well as the best tires.

For top-notch quality tires, we recommend Michelin and Goodyear.

Michelin: Best Tires Overall

In our 2020 review of the industry’s best tires, we named Michelin tires best overall. The tire manufacturer produces quality tires across the board, specialty tires included. The Michelin Defender is a budget-friendly option for car owners looking to save on their next set of tires. This model retails as low as $105 and comes with a 90,000-mile tread-life warranty.

Compare Michelin tires online at DiscountTire.com.

Goodyear: Best for Durability

Goodyear tires are built to last. While its tires are pricier than most other brands, they may be the smarter financial investment in the long run. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, Goodyear is world-renowned for its quality tire products. The company’s Wrangler series is a strong all-terrain option.

Compare Goodyear tires online at DiscountTire.com.

Original article: 5 Best Cheap Tires of 2020