Last updated on January 16th, 2024 at 10:52 am
Highway touring tires are quite different from grand touring and standard touring tires; they are more geared toward highway heavy-load driving. Also, highway tires are a little more capable of driving off terrains while maintaining the tread level intact.
Usually, highway tires are installed on big vehicles like SUVs and light trucks, so they are not a great choice with performance sedans and luxury coupes.
Not that they will perform badly with these vehicles, but they won’t be able to fulfill their main objective which is to carry heavy weight and deliver stable rides.
Usually, the tire diameter in this category is from 16 inches to 22 inches in passenger cars and light truck variants.
When it comes to performance and durability, they are quite similar in performance to grand touring tires and similar to standard touring tires in durability. This is the best category of tires if you drive in different seasons with your pickup or light truck, carry weight, and prefer the durability of tread.
If you want to be further informed about highway tires, then head on to the buyer’s guide section; otherwise, continue reading this article and find out the best all-season highway touring tire in 2024 by comparing the top tires in the category.
Table of Contents
Overall Best In Category
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
The most consistent and prominent tire in this category is this Michelin Defender LTX M/S, it is the first choice of everyday pickup truck drivers if they are looking for perfect overall performance. Unlike other tires in this category, this tire handles the weights properly in a variety of different conditions and terrains.
It is not a newly launched tire but still, it is the most expensive tire in this category even more expensive than tires that launched after 10 years of its launch. The reason for that is it’s fantastic on and off-road performance with durable treadwear, The tire comes with a 70K miles treadwear warranty and is capable of easily covering more than 100K miles with proper care.
So if you want the performance that beats other highway touring tires, with the most durable treadwear in this category, then this should be the best choice for your light trucks, pickup trucks, and SUVs.
Pros
- Perfect for on and off-road performance
- 3PMSF-certified tire for extreme winter rides as well
- The comfort of the grand touring tire with peaceful and quiet rides
- One of the most durable tires in the market to this date
- Reliable, safe, and smooth rides in wet, dry, mud, snow, and highways
- Heavyweight carrying ability with uniform wear
Cons
- Lack of response on fast tracks
- Less absorbent to sharp materials
Continental TerrainContact H/T
A new Continental tire that has taken the market by storm due to its versatile performance and the comfort of a luxurious ride. The Continental TerrianContact HT is another great tire for highway heavy load rides, on and off-road reliable performance, and responsive rides on fast tracks.
As of our research, both Michelin Defender and this tire have quite similar treadwear durability, on-road performance, and ride quality however, when it comes to off-road rides, the Michelin tire delivers more impressive rides in those conditions.
If you don’t want the most phenomenal off-road rides and want to save some money on same-size tires, then Continental TerrainContact HT tire won’t disappoint you at all.
Pros
- A new tire with advanced technology to deliver a modern ride experience
- Heavy load-carrying ability on highways with smooth and reliable rides
- Comfortable and quiet experience in city streets and off roads as well
- Proper traction, grip, and response in wet and dry road conditions
- Reliable performance in light snow conditions, not for extreme winter terrains
Cons
- Not the best choice for harsh winter terrains
- Early wear-off in extreme off-road situations
Firestone Destination LE3
If you want to save around 50 to 60 bucks on a single tire compared to the Michelin Defender, then this Firestone Destination LE3 will be the right choice for your vehicle. Even though it is a lot less expensive than the previous two tires, the performance difference is not that much bigger. It is a little behind in extreme winter terrain; otherwise, it is a very competitive tire against Continental and Michelin Defender.
The treadwear durability is also not in question in this tire; it is very similar to a Continental tire. The on and off-road performance is also great, even it is a better performer in off-terrains compared to TerrainContact HT. It is also an old tire and is somewhat famous in the light truck tires market.
So if you want a budget-friendly, high-class tire, then this Firestone Destination LE3 is a perfect choice for your car.
Pros
- A reliable tire with durable treadwear for stable rides off and on roads
- Peaceful cabin experience due to comfortable and noseless tread
- Proper handling, brakes, and grip in wet, dry, winter, and mud terrains
- Perfect with pickup trucks for heavy load lifting
Cons
- Not the greatest in extreme winter terrains
- Balancing issues
Most Comfortable Highway Tires
Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse HT
Goodyear Wrangler WorkHorse HT is a new tire in the highway touring category, which is great for achieving the most comfortable and peaceful rides on highways. The tire is great with light trucks and pickup trucks to carry heavy loads without wearing off unevenly due to the balance tread contact.
With great on and off-road performance, the tire is also great when it comes to durable treadwear performance; It is backed by a 60K miles treadwear warranty, which is lower than the upper-mentioned tires; however, the tread performance is fairly similar to all these tires.
With great performance and reliable and safer rides, it is also less expensive than Michelin Defender which can be a great choice for drivers looking for budget-friendly quality new tires.
Pros
- One of the most comfortable and quietest tires in highway touring tires
- Durable tread and reliable performance in on and off-road situations
- Heavy load tires for pickup trucks to lift maximum weights
- Wear off uniformly by distributing the contact evenly
- Safe ride on light snow conditions, not for extreme winter terrains
Cons
- Not a 3PMSF-certified tire, so no extreme winter rides
- Lose traction at a fast pace in wet conditions
Kumho Crugen HT51
Very similar tire to the Goodyear Wrangler in performance and durability, with quite a lower price. As Kumho is not as renowned a brand as Goodyear, the price of their tires is always somewhat more affordable.
Kumho Crugen HT51 is also one of the most comfortable tires at the start however, as time goes by and the tire wears off, the performance drops, unlike the Goodyear tire. So if you want to save some money and can compromise with simultaneous performance drop then this tire can also be a great option.
This tire has a 10K more treadwear warranty compared to the Goodyear Wrangler at a far lower price and the performance difference is not quite wide among these two tires. So pick the tire that best fits your ride to achieve quiet and comfortable rides all year round.
Pros
- Good tires to match luxurious trucks and SUVs for smooth and comfortable rides
- Reliable and safe rides with durable treadwear
- On and off-road fair rides with heavy weight-lifting capabilities
- Proper traction and grip on wet and dry city roads and highway situations
Cons
- Irrespective drive at a fast pace
- Performance drops as the tread wears off
Most Affordable Highway Tires
GENERAL GRABBER HTS 60
Now if you are looking for relevant performance at lower rates, then this General Grabber HTS 60 can be a fine choice for your vehicle. The tire comes with a 65K miles treadwear warranty, which is great considering its price range. With that, the performance on and off-road is great as well.
With reliable, durable, and quality performance, the tire is also comfortable to drive while avoiding listening to the humming noise of the tread. Overall, it is an excellent tire that is great for heavy-load rides on highways and city streets.
It is a little weak in extreme conditions off roads, other than that, it is a completely reliable tire to achieve longer miles with uniform tread performance all year round.
Pros
- Affordable tire for heavy-duty trucks and pickup trucks
- Great overall on and off-road performance with maximum weights
- Proper traction and grip in wet, dry, and light snow conditions
- Durable treadwear performance with a safe and sound ride all year round
Cons
- Low road feedback in mud terrains
- Low performance in off-terrain situations
Yokohama Geolandar HT G056
Another great option for budget-friendly drivers, this Yokohama Geolandar is an exact copy of General Grabber, with some odds. The tire has a 5K extra treadwear warranty compared to a General tire and a little low performance in off-road situations.
Both of these tires are not as good in off terrains as the top tires are, but if someone doesn’t want to drive roughly off roads, then both of these will save a lot of money.
The tire is great with heavy weight and maintains tread level balance while wearing uniformly. The city and highway performance is also great, responsive brakes and handling make it somewhat joyful to drive. It is a great choice for long-rank highway daily drivers due to its peaceful ride and reliable heavy weights performance.
Pros
- Inexpensive and proper tire for achieving proper all-season and all-terrain rides
- Fair performance in extreme winter and mud terrains
- Quiet and comfortable rides with heavy weights
- Responsive rides on city streets and highways
Cons
- Hydroplane a little and lose response at deep standing water
- Lose traction in off-terrains
Specific Light Truck Tires
Toyo Open Country HT-D
The light truck tires are designed to perform just what light truck drivers need. This Toyo Open Country HT-D is a highway touring tire that comes in only light truck sizes, it is capable of handling the maximum weight properly on highways and city streets.
With that, the performance on off-terrains and winter terrains is fair as well, and the tire wear performance is also fair. Even though the tire does not come with any treadwear warranty, it can run for more than the warranty-oriented tires with proper care and maintenance.
With durability, reliability, and high-quality performance, this tire is one of the least expensive tires among any of these tires. So pick this tire to save some money and achieve great performance all year round.
Pros
- Balance performance in on and off-terrains
- Durable treadwear for longer miles driven on highways with heavy weights
- Quiet and comfortable cabin experience
- Even wear and great road feedback on fast tracks
- Perfect for everyday light truck drivers
Cons
- No treadwear warranty
- Lacks in slippery conditions
- Only one size availability
Michelin Agilis CrossClimate
The number one choice of light truck highway driver, this Michelin Agilis CrossClimate is a rigid build tire that achieves greater miles with the maximum weight carrying ability. The tire is great in on and off terrains with comfortable and smooth rides on highways as well.
It is one of the finest and most durable tires in the highway touring category, however, the sizes of this tire only match with light trucks. The tire contacts the ground evenly, which provides better response and grip in wet and dry road conditions.
At the start, the tire is one of the best in this category however, after wearing off around 6/32, the performance does not remain the same. So, if you want to achieve proper rides for 40-50K miles and then adjust with tread noise, then this tire is also a fine option for you.
Pros
- Overall perfect performer of mud, dry, wet, and winter terrains
- Reliable performance with durable treadwear for longer miles
- High load index tire for carrying the weight and towing RVs and boats
- Proper traction and grip in wet and dry conditions
Cons
- Responsive rides on highways and off-road mud terrains
- No treadwear warranty
- Lose wet performance after wearing off
Cooper Discoverer HT3
On;y light truck tire with a treadwear warranty, this Cooper Discvoverer HT3 is also a new tire made for light truck highway rides. It is a great option for the drivers of light trucks to achieve durable and reliable all-terrain rides with a comfortable and quiet experience.
Even though the tire is not perfect for off-road rides but for highway heavy-weight rides, this tire can be a great asset to accompany you on your long routes. It wears off uniformly, even in extreme conditions.
With the proper city streets performance and reliable and safe light snow performance, this tire can also be a great option if you are looking for smooth and confident highway city heavy load rides.
Pros
- Durable tire with 50K miles treadwear warranty
- Great tire for carrying heavy weights
- Fits perfectly with any light truck
- Responsive, smooth, and comfortable all-year-round ride
- Proper hydroplaning resistance in wet conditions
Cons
- Not the best performer in off-roads
- Lack of performance in extreme winter terrains
Compared to Michelin Defender LTX M/S
| Dry Conditions | TerrainContact HT | Destination LE3 | Wrangler Workhorse | Crugen HT51 | Grabber HTS60 | Geolandar H/T G056 | Open Country | Agilis CrossClimate | Discoverer HT3 |
| Steering Response & Feedback | -2.15% | -1.08% | 0.00% | -3.23% | -4.30% | -4.30% | -4.30% | -1.08% | -4.30% |
| Cornering Stability on Curves | -1.08% | -2.15% | 0.00% | -3.23% | -5.38% | -4.30% | -5.38% | -2.15% | -3.23% |
| Dry Traction & Grip | -1.05% | -1.05% | -1.05% | -2.11% | -2.11% | -4.21% | -3.16% | -1.05% | -1.05% |
| Results | -4.28% | -4.28% | -1.05% | -8.56% | -11.78% | -12.81% | -12.84% | -4.28% | -8.58% |
| Wet Conditions | |||||||||
| Wet Traction & Grip | 1.09% | -2.17% | -3.26% | -3.26% | -5.43% | -10.87% | -8.70% | -1.09% | -3.26% |
| Hydroplaning resistence | 0.00% | -3.26% | -5.43% | -3.26% | -5.43% | -8.70% | -8.70% | -1.09% | -2.17% |
| Results | 1.09% | -5.43% | -8.70% | -6.52% | -10.87% | -19.57% | -17.39% | -2.17% | -5.43% |
| Off-Road Performance | |||||||||
| Dirt Performacne | -3.45% | -2.30% | -8.05% | -2.30% | -5.75% | -6.90% | 0.00% | -3.45% | -1.15% |
| Mud Terrains | -2.50% | -5.00% | -15.00% | -2.50% | -3.75% | -13.75% | -1.25% | -6.25% | -1.25% |
| Gravel Roads | -2.35% | -4.71% | -17.65% | -4.71% | -4.71% | -9.41% | -3.53% | -3.53% | -5.88% |
| Results | -8.30% | -12.00% | -40.69% | -9.50% | -14.20% | -30.06% | -4.78% | -13.23% | -8.28% |
| Winter Conditions | |||||||||
| Deep Snow Traction | -2.38% | -3.57% | -3.57% | -1.19% | -11.90% | -21.43% | -1.19% | -1.19% | -8.33% |
| Light Snow Traction | -3.37% | -3.37% | -4.49% | -1.12% | -6.74% | -16.85% | -6.74% | -1.12% | -10.11% |
| Thick Ice Traction | 1.27% | -3.80% | -13.92% | -1.27% | -11.39% | -26.58% | 5.06% | 0.00% | -21.52% |
| Results | -4.49% | -10.74% | -21.99% | -3.58% | -30.04% | -64.86% | -2.87% | -2.31% | -39.96% |
| Ride Quality | |||||||||
| Cabin Comfort | -3.23% | -2.15% | -2.15% | -4.30% | -6.45% | -3.23% | -9.68% | -4.30% | -7.53% |
| Road Noise | 0.00% | -1.10% | 1.10% | -4.40% | -5.49% | -4.40% | -4.40% | -3.30% | -5.49% |
| Results | -3.23% | -3.25% | -1.05% | -8.70% | -11.95% | -7.62% | -14.07% | -7.60% | -13.02% |
| 275/65R20 (126R) | |||||||||
| Price | -12.97% | -29.73% | -15.41% | -29.73% | -17.30% | -13.24% | -37.30% | -2.16% | -12.16% |
Buyers Guide for Best All-season Highway Touring Tires
If you are unaware of what highway touring tires are and how they are different from other touring tires, then this section will help you a lot in finding out whether highway tires should be a choice or if you should go with other types of tires. We will also explain the features and advantages of highway tires and how they make such a great companion with light trucks and SUVs for highway roads. So make sure to read this section even though you are familiar with different categories of tires; it will help a lot.
Things to look into when buying highway tires
First of all, as most highway tire drivers want to carry weight, they should look into whether the tire is capable of handling heavy weights. After that, comfort, all-terrain performance, and durability should also be considered to achieve the most reliable and peaceful ride year-round. If the tire is great in all these things then it will definitely serve the purpose of heavy load, durable, and smooth performance.
Highway Or standard touring tires
Usually, highway touring tires come in wider sizes that can only fit SUVs and trucks; on the other hand, standard touring tires come in SUV, truck, and sedan sizes. The main difference between these two categories is that all-season standard touring tires are not as great on off-road roads as highway touring tires. They are unreliable in extreme conditions and wear off far earlier in extreme off-road situations compared to highway tires. However, on city rides, the standard touring tires are more comfortable and more durable compared to highway tires.
Performance VS Durability
It depends on what type of driver you are; if you are someone who does not care about silent noiseless tires and wants to achieve more miles with the same price tires, then durable tires will make more sense. The performance is also important because if the tire doesn’t provide the traction and grip that are necessary for any tire, then no matter how durable the tire will be, it won’t satisfy the driver. That is why choose the tire that has both of these things, and all of these above-mentioned tires are both reliable and high performers as well.
Highway tires on off-roads
Compared to all-terrain and off-road tires, highway tires are not so great in off-road situations; however, compared to any other category of all-season tires, highway touring tires are far better and safer tires to drive in off-road conditions. They are great for extreme mud terrains and safari rides, and some of these tires also come with a 3PMSF certificate, which makes them great for extreme winter terrain as well.
Best Highway Touring tire
As we mentioned above, the best highway touring tire to this date is the Michelin Defender LTX M/S, even so many years after its launch. Even though the tire is the most expensive, the performance is also greater than other tires as well. It is the only 3PMSF certificate tire among top-quality highway tires. Its performance in different weather and conditions is also far superior to other tires. With that, the durability and every other thing are just perfect for this tire.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoy reading this article and make up your mind on which tire you pick as the best highway touring tires for your vehicle. All of these mentioned tires are great and high-quality tires that achieve smoother and quality rides all year round. If you are still confused, then comment below your query, and we will try to help you find the right choice for your vehicle.
