Tires are just like your cat’s feet. They must support the entire vehicle’s structure and help the car grip the road. The only thing connecting your vehicle and the road are the tires – Therefore, it’s very wise to invest in a good pair of tires for everyone’s safety.
If you have low-quality tires, the risk of losing control of your vehicle is much greater, which can lead to an accident or even death. You will probably also experience a lot of road noise, which can be quite annoying. To top it off, you need to buy new tires a few thousand miles apart because cheaper tires wear out faster.
There are hundreds of tire-manufacturing brands out there but not every brand makes good tires, unfortunately. Some tires are very cheap, but their low price often means they are not reliable.
Therefore, it is important not to be fooled by flashy tire offers and attractive prices. Only buy tires from well-known manufacturers. Let’s check out some of the worst tire brands on the market!
All of these tire brands are just our own opinion from many years of experience. These tire brands may have improved since then and we would love to be proven wrong, for the safety of us all.
What are the Worst Tire Brands?
There are thousands of different tire brands to choose from out there. Some of these brands have already been recalled and are no longer on the US market, but they could still be sold in other countries or imported so be aware. The worst tire brands you should avoid buying:
- Goodride
- Westlake
- Chaoyang
- Compass Tires
- Telluride
- YKS
- AKS Tires
A lot of Chinese manufacturers are developing a lot of brand names for almost the same tires. One big manufacturer from China is Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company. They are selling many cheaper tires without good safety checks or tests before they leave the factory.
Cheap Chinese Tires
China exports 65 million tires out to the world each year. Therefore, most of the cheap tires you will find on markets will be Chinese-made, often the worst tire brands to avoid at all costs.
Without good safety checks and bad materials before leaving the factory, it’s already set up for a disaster.
If you take a look at them, you probably won’t be able to differentiate them from more expensive branded tires made by Michelin or Dunlop. But that’s the thing. These tires look good to an untrained eye but are often not good in quality, safety, or durability.
However, there are also some reliable Chinese tire manufacturers out there. But unfortunately from our experience, we found out that the majority do not perform well.
Why you should not buy cheap tires
If you think you should save some money by buying cheap tires or continuing driving with old tires, you should consider some things.
1. Safety
The biggest concern with cheap tires is safety. What happens if your tire explodes just by a small nail in your tire while driving at 75 mph? It can cause a serious accident and nothing you want to happen, even though this is much more likely with cheap tires than more quality tires.
2. Longer Brake Distance
The braking distance and the grip between good and bad tires are very different, which can be the difference between life and death. This is something you should really think about before buying cheap tires.
3. Durability
Another aspect to look for is quality with durability. Cheaper tires will most likely have a much shorter life so if you buy cheap tires, you need to replace them more often than quality tires. Therefore, you may actually not save as much money as you think buying a cheaper set.
Cheap tires often also have weaker sidewalls, and if you get sidewall tire damage it’s not repairable and you will have to replace the whole tire.
4. Environment
Cheaper tires are often bad for the environment. This does both apply to the manufacturer environment and the road wear environment. Tires that wear out more quickly release more particles into the air, eventually destroying the environment.
What tires should you buy instead?
When you know which are the worst tire brands to avoid on the market, you probably also want to know which brands are a better choice. We do usually recommend buying tires from known brands, often made in the US or Japan.
Here is a list of the best performance tire brands we do recommend to buy instead:
- Michelin
- Goodyear
- Continental
- BF Goodrich
- Bridgestone
- Cooper
- Nokian
- Pirelli
- Toyo
- Yokohama
You can also check out our other posts if you want to find good and high-quality tire brands and want to learn a little bit more about what to look for before buying tires: 5 Best All-Season Tires or 8 Best Performance Tires.
Michael
Some significant errors and red flags in this "article". Yes, many Chinese tires are junk - the majority are not so much "unsafe" as they are short-life throwaways. I have found that the biggest issue is that they never last even close to their "treadwear" rating. And good luck getting any kind of warranty - it won't happen. But - to dismiss them due to environmental damage due to faster wear and "releasing more particles in the air, destroying the environment" is an insane statement that is both false and plays the ecco-game (poorly). But then I get to the supposed "good" brands... and see Goodyear (or as my friends in the tire business often call them "good for a year". Goodyear manufactures some of the worst tires on the market in both longevity and in wear life. In fact, I have serious concerns for Cooper's quality after being acquired by Goodyear.
Jim
I have used Goodyear almost exclusively for 50 years now, and all have exceeded the manufacturer's stated tread life, sometimes by 20-25%. Quality? I know that Goodyear has the lowest failure rate in the industry. Not sure what you are talking about. I have no idea why Goodyear bought Cooper, but I would rather ride on Goodyear than Cooper any day of the week.
Pablo
There is no consumer protection in China for food bought in restaurants. The meat is old and dangerous to eat. The tires do not have standards to pass either. Be careful purchasing.
Stephen Galloway
Terrible - Run from Goodride. Less than 3k miles and two out of four blew out. I travel at a rated safe speed, daily inflation checks and wheel torque always. These things are downright dangerous. Saved one blow out and am trying to get it tested by a reputable agency.
DANIEL chobot
The worse tires anybody could buy are hankook Had these the tires since the car was new and to changed them four times. Went straight to the car dealership to change them it seemed like they didn't want to be bothered.
david
Sorry to hear you had bad luck with your HKs, however, to date, I've had 3 sets of HKs and they have been great and value for money, relatively (optimo, ventus z14s and rs4s). I had a bf goodrich comp 2 blow out on me at speed with low miles on them, so I'd hesitate to make blanket statements like that. I also have had 3 different sets of sumitomos that have a somewhat "cheap price" rep however, again, my experience has been outstanding. On the other side of the coin, my experiences with Michelin, Continental, General, Goodyear and Toyo have generally been very good.
Mustaq Yusuf
I have been of offered ROMAN tyres manufactured in China - do you know of them? Regards
Robert Mazlin
Have always run Goodyear Wranglers Durotrac tyres 265.75 R 16. All were made in America. They were brilliant tyres made in USA. Last lot made in CHINA and found after 30000km multiple leaking points showing signs of drlaminating. Dealer doesn’t want to know. Has anyone else had similar problems? Dealers attitude was awful .
Muzza
Your advice on Sailun Terramax HLT tires. I have found very little reviews on them, but all the reviews I have found were good reviews. Some say it’s very comparable to higher brand expensive tires. You thoughts please..
Dennis
I have a 2011 BMW 335i convertible base with 225/45/17 run flats. What tire do you suggest. I prefer non run flats. I would also like an opinion on going to the 18 Staggered set up they use on the 335i Sport
Greg Sudduth
I had 3 blow outs on my 40 ft toy Hauler tires were on trailer about 3 years and still looked new. I put 70 pounds in and they were rated at 80PSI. The tires were original Castle Rock. I am sure a China tire. ST235/80r16. what would you use? Several people are running GoodYear Endurance on trailers. I have several say run LT ties instead of ST what are your thoughts on this. I purchased 4 new tires to get me home but am willing to swap to feel safe. I am now gun shy of pulling my camper anywhere!!!!
Natascha Mennell
Hi I own a Audi A4 v6 supercharged 4x4 333hp, I do drive this car hard especially when cornering, so as you can imagine, I go through tyres, the size tyre is 255/35 R19 96W can you recommend a good wearing brand, Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you.
Laurel J. Matchie
I purchased Cooper Tires because they come highly recommended and that is what had been on my car. Within a few months one tire blew out from the side. It was obvious there was no puncture and the tire dealership replaced it for free. Today a different cooper tire blew out again from the side and just shattered to the rim within seconds. I am over1K miles from my home and my tire dealership. The tread looks like new. What are the odds of my purchasing 2 lemons? Two male relatives in the car business still tell me Coopers are great and these mishaps are not a reason to switch brands. (And yes, both love me and have always given good advice) So what are your thoughts?
Kevin
I would avoid Kelly Tires (owned by GoodYear). Their tires are cheap and don't meet the specifications on their own web site. Bought from PepBoys and GoodYear will not fix the issue. They acknowledge their may be an issue but are not willing to resolve.
HT
I am thinking to order a set of 4 Kumho HA31 tires since their prices are very cheap and have good reviews. It seems to be too good to be true so i am kind of hesitating to order them. I dont want to put my life at risk over saving a couple of hundred dollars. Any comments ? Thanks.
Ann
Looking for a good all weather good riding low noise good in hydroplane or rain..For 2013 Honda Fit..
Steve R
Yokohama AVID has to be the best tire for the money. I put them on all 3 of my cars and would recommend them for low noise and wet conditions. Check out the tread design, it is impressive.
Stu
A couple of friends are running Goodyear Vector 4 season tyres, apparently very good. #3 in the autobild tyre test last year.
Maree
I'm looking at getting new tyres has anyone heard or had ilink brand tyres how did you find then
Jeffery Batts
Avoid Chinese made tires like the Corona virus. If in doubt , simply " Google " the tires' name and it will reveal their birthplace. BRAKES, TIRES and SUSPENSION and the most important parts of your vehicle. Don't compromise your safety and the safety of others just to save some $$$. American, Japanese, Korean or European tires are the way to go with tires !!!
John Ray Cabrera
What's you through on Michelin Primacy 3 XL vs Cooper Evolution Tour. What do you think is better in terms of wet and dry braking, hydroplaning, and tread life
Ann
Car manufacturers don't install cheap Chinese brand tires on their cars even though it would increase their profits. That's an indicator of how bad these tires must be.
Scott Janzen
Like comparing Cadillac to Volkswagen. I finally decided to try one Cooper last year. After 7000 (yes seven thousand) miles, half of the tread is gone. I didn't even wait--I replaced it and the other three on the car with Michelin Defender--which I know from experience will actually almost achieve that promised 90,000 miles. Same price as the Cooper..
Shawn Covey
That is bullshit I used to drift race and I've seen cheap Chinese tires out proform American tires it really is just the luck of the draw tip don't just believe everything you read base it off experience every redneck full blooded "American" wants to believe just because it has made in usa on it that it is the best and that's just not true anymore we have some of the laziest highest paid workers in the world who probably dont even have a GED working in these factories I've seen a 100$ pair of Chinese made boots outlast a pair of 380$ therogood boots bought at the same time both were same style of boot
Chesty Puller
Shawn - Nice straw man argument. He is not claiming that only American made tires are good. He is claiming that most Chinese made tires are bad, and that good tires are also available from Japan and Europe. He is also not discussing performance in the course of drifting - a practice that does not replicate ordinary driving wear in any form and is not a testament to Chinese tire quality. Nobody is discussing boots except you. Meanwhile, it is a fact that most Chinese manufactured goods are poorly engineered and poorly constructed from lower grade materials. You can wank all you want to your Chinese products, but the days of being "good enough" because they are inexpensive are over. Chinese products are now over priced for their quality, and tires for highway driving in pouring rain are not good candidates for a Chinese, substandard product just to save a minimal amount of cash. I agree with your statement regarding lazy, highly paid workers with poor educations. I will add that unions have destroyed American manufacturing since I was a kid long ago. Fortunately, tires, as a whole, have improved, as have batteries, transmissions, engines, and crash survival. The value of a dollar, however, has suffered greatly, and a mid-range automobile now costs more than a house used to cost. I'm going back to riding a horse.
JJ
Do you have any technical document or test proof to support your statement in regarding to the quality of tyre chinese made. or only business purposes.
Bernard
Exactly, I call BS! Go buy the expensive tires if your tracking your car etc.. All these name brand tires companies are just mad cause these Chnease & Indonesian tires are liek 1/2 the cost lol.. I've had 215/45R17 Westlake SA-07 tires on my commuter car & they ride very well.. No issues whats so ever with the tires! Still lots of treawear after 2 years & I'm in Hot Arizona!
Elijah Jenkins
Best tires to purchase for SUV. Looking for a high performance tire summer for Audi Q5 2017. Any recommendations from you.
patrick m brown
you buy cheap tires you may end up as dead as the presidents on the money your saving
Bernard
Keep spending that $$$ on tires that pretty much perform the same on daily driving lol.. Rubber is rubber & the composites all wear down the same! I can buy Jordans & you can by Converse don't mean you can run faster or jump higher lol
Doug.A
It’s worth checking out the Tire Rack site, they have extensive tests and ownership ratings for many many tires and this advice is impartial.
Dave C
Gotta disagree here. Experience with Goodride tires has been excellent for the average commuter. Six years and they are still going strong. Great grip, even in wet, never had any issues with them whatsoever. And I know others that have fitted them and couldn't be happier. They used to say the same about Bridgestone and Yokohama tyres, then the Korean brands. Now they're elite.
Bernard
I agree with you DAVE! I've had more than a few sets of inexpensive Chinease & Indonesian tires & never had an issue period! This article is SUSPECT
Gerald
Plain and simple, DO NOT BUY CHINESE TIRES. Their manufacturing is horrible. The warranties are also impossible to claim, let alone finding shops that even sell those tires. Trust me, you will waste your money on junk and end up having to buy another set anyways. Everyone wants everything cheap these days. Maybe if you can’t afford tires don’t have a car? Public transportation is an answer too.
cedric
sorry did not check before i sent old man doing this tire size 225 45 sr 18 xl 95 w again good but cheap with 50k to 70k miles
andile
do yo recommend double star tyres for kia sportage?
Randy Jones
I'd like to comment on your tire on your site. ANY tire run flat such as the one pictured will shred without air. Even run flats can do this with excessive speed/heat. I'm not against your comments on Chinese tires as they really don't compare to most European/ Japanese/ North American. Even Michelin has had their dog designs over the years. The Chinese have come a long way in the last 20 years just as the Koreans had to years ago. Even Hankook and Kumho are now tier 2. I would suggest a tire with an obvious manufacturing flaw for demonstration purposes.
TengFu
Hello. This is a Very helpful article for beginners like us wishing to change our tires. Im using city 2018 with old tires and Im still deciding which of the two brands i should get, Sailun or Thunderer? Im currently using dunlop tires but since im planning to sell my car i might as well get the budget friendly but still reputable brands. Thanks and more power to you guys.
Alan Coleman
How about Eternity tyres? For my Trailer it’s only possible to get Chinese tyres 195/55 R10C
Jack Brown
Are Reino make tyres safe and reliable.
Morad
What is your recommendation for winter tires in Canada? I have Toyota Corolla 2015 LE, Please give me an idea about winter tires and rims. Which brand of Chinese tier is safe?
Zoe
I wouldn’t consider buying chines tires, their quality is not good as European, Japanese, or North American made tires. Make sure it’s the correct size, check manufacturing date and it’s warranty. Tires loose rubber composition resiliency the longer it’s been sitting on the rack. But if your just looking to get cheaper tires then go with Chinese brands. But the quality control and wear & tear in them are very low and you’ll be replacing them more often... so buyer beware!!
Anne Hodgdon
How are kumba tires? Safe? Thanks!
Alexander Duke
Do you mean Kumo? They are good tires.
Julie
Greentrac all seasons?
Willie
I have a 2016 chrysler TnC and would like to replace the TPMS with ones that I can monitor on my iPhone what would be your suggestion?
Magnus Sellén
Check out the "FOBO Tire". Haven't tried a lot of these Bluetooth sensors, but I heard that these are working well!
Dov
Hello Magnus, Could you comment on Hilo 215/60R17 84S?
Janet
Hello. I was wondering what is a good all season tire and brake pads for a 2010 Honda Accord? Thanks
Susan Hall
I am looking for a good and safe tires for my 2017 GMC Terrain. I have found a new set of 4 reasonably priced but I do not know if these are in fact a good tire they are a 235 55 R18 brand name Hilo Annaite sport all season XVI tire with a load and speed range of 104 WXL??? I have no idea what any of this means can you help me understand what I am looking at and is this in fact a good and safe tire?? I do a lot of highway driving as well as dirt roads because we live on an acreage.
Rodney Black
I have had very good results with Firestone tires as far as Break pads Wagner or Bendix are a good option
Zubair Ahmed
I have Nissan Xtrail 2018 already milage 105000.. Please advice when I need to change tries or also for which brand. I am travelling alot outside city. Thanks
Gulam Murtuza
Goodyear, Bridgestone and Michelin brands are good.