Michelin
French tire manufacturer Michelin is one of the largest in the world and it has a range of other interests outside of tires – ever heard of the Michelin Star restaurant ratings? But back to tires and the Michelin Tyre Company is one of the oldest, yet most innovative, out there. Michelin has a range of eco-focused tires, as well as some exciting performance models. The performance range is called ‘Pilot Sport’, which costs upwards of $700 per tire. Everyday drivers are not left out though, as Michelin’s ‘Energy’ range commonly costs less than $100 a tire. These tires are recognised for their impressive fuel saving and for being eco-conscious. In our latest review, Michelin earned five stars for tire life, dry weather handling, wet weather handling and overall satisfaction.

Bridgestone
Despite what the name may suggest, Bridgestone has a rich history dating back to Japan in the early 20^th century. Since then the company has become one of the leading tire manufacturers in the world, but its tires can still be pretty budget-friendly. Expect Bridgestone’s cheapest tires to come in at less than $80 each, while the most expensive performance-oriented tires cost over $800 each. So from the race track to the city streets, Bridgestone likely has you covered. Also keep an eye out for various bonus deals that Bridgestone regularly offers, including cash-back, ‘fourth tire free’, as well as a services program which entitles you to extra discounts. In our 2018 review, Bridgestone was rated four stars across every single research category.

Goodyear
Goodyear is an all-American tire manufacturer that was founded in Ohio over 100 years ago. It was one of the first manufacturers to make a tubeless tire and supplied racing tires to Henry Ford. Goodyear still sponsors many motorsports events, and this is carried over into its tire range. Goodyear’s Eagle range is performance-oriented and tyres costs up to around $800 each. Its consumer range is a lot kinder on the wallet though, with the cheapest tires costing a little under $100 each. Goodyear performed pretty well in our 2018 ratings, scoring four stars across every single research category, including both wet and dry weather handling, stopping ability and value for money.

Hankook
Based out of South Korea and founded in the mid-20^th century, Hankook is a popular tire company with both an ‘everyday driver’ and ‘performance’ focus. It provides a range of tires suited to a lot of regular drivers, with tires starting at around $75 each for cheaper, economy-focused ones with a 13 inch wheel size. Its performance range, named ‘Ventus’, is naturally a lot dearer, with the most expensive coming in at around $500 per tire. For that you can expect scintillating performance in very large wheel sizes – 20 inches and above. However, the fun doesn’t just stop there because Hankook also provides a large range of off-road tires for the popular 4WD segment, which can be had from about the $200 range. The brand performed well in our 2018 review, with five stars for tire life and value for money, plus four stars across all other research categories.

Kumho
Kumho is another South Korean tire brand, producing a range of tires for most types of vehicles and scenarios. Kumho perhaps stands out most for its budget-oriented consumer tires that can be found for less than $80 each at their absolute cheapest. But Kumho is no slacker in the ‘performance’ category, as its top-range tires can cost over $400 each for uncompromising performance. Mid-range performance tires can be had for less than $200 each and expect interesting model names like ‘Ecsta’, ‘Road Venture’ and ‘Le Sport’. Kumho had a mixed bag of results in this year’s review, with a high of five stars in terms of stopping ability and dry weather handling, but a low of three stars for tire life. It rated four stars in all other areas.

Pirelli
Premier Italian brand Pirelli is known for its racing pedigree and its sponsorship of various motor sports events. Indeed, its car tires seem to be synonymous with performance. But performance evidently does not come cheap, with its most expensive car tires costing up to and over $1,500 each! These prices are generally reserved for the most uncompromising driver on the race track, and are available in diameters of 20 inches and over. The more consumer-friendly tires can be had from about $100 each, which will likely suit many a daily commuter. No matter your pricing range, be prepared for model names including ‘Cinturato’ and ‘Scorpion’. Pirelli slipped a bit from its pole position of last year, but still earned five stars for noise levels while driving, with a mix of three and four stars in other areas.

Dunlop
Owned by American tire giant Goodyear, Dunlop provides all manner of car tires for vehicles including small, city-dwelling runarounds, right the way up to big performance behemoths born for the race track. Expect the most budget-friendly tires to come in at around $80 each, while the most expensive will set you back close to $1,400! This price is for the Grandtrek PT3 which is a serious performance tire. In fact, Dunlop also makes a variety of car tires for the enthusiast, from track tires to slick tarmac tires, to rally and kart tires! Dunlop received three stars for overall satisfaction in this year’s review, but scored four stars in most specific areas, covering stopping ability, handling and value for money.

Toyo
Toyo is a Japanese brand that makes a range of budget-oriented tires that can be had from about $70 per tire. Toyo also has a large range of SUV tires, with the most costly coming in at over $1,000 each! Also in the upper echelon of prices are various performance car tires under the ‘Proxes’ model name. These cost up to around $700 each! However, most tires are consumer-oriented and cost around $100 each, which could represent a great option when looking for a cheap tire for everyday needs. Toyo rated three stars for overall satisfaction and most other research categories, with the exception of value for money where it achieved a creditable four stars.

Yokohama
Yokohama is part of the Yokohama Rubber Company, founded about 100 years ago in conjunction with US manufacturer Goodrich. Nowadays, the brand is based in Tokyo and offers all manner of tires, from everyday tires to 4WD tires, to performance tires. Prices range from around the $100 mark all the way up to nearly $600 for the ‘Advan’ sport range. Indeed, Yokohama comes with a rich racing pedigree and sponsors various motor sports events around the world. For consumers in Australia, keep an eye out for various deals, cash-back offers and discounts when buying Yokohama tires. Yokohama was rated three stars for overall satisfaction this year, but earned a respectable four stars in areas relating to stopping ability, handling and noise levels.

Other Car Tyre Brands
Beyond the 10 leading brands listed above, there are a few other noteworthy brands that may be worth a look into the next time you’re down at the tyre shop. Brands include:

– Continental
– BF Goodrich
– Falken
– Firestone

In fact, there are so many brands out there, that the dilemma is choosing the one that’s right for you and your budget. Sticking to leading brands may be a good bet to ensure optimal performance, but it could still