| Best Choice |
|
Firestone Winterforce 2 Snow Radial Tire | CHECK LATEST PRICE | |
| Best Value |
|
Solar 4XS Plus All-Season Radial Tire | CHECK LATEST PRICE | |
| Premium Pick |
|
Michelin Premier A/S All-Season Radial Tire | CHECK LATEST PRICE |
When was the last time you took a good look at your tires? Does the tread look worn? Maybe it isn’t as deep as it once was, or perhaps its depth is uneven across the tire. There are some deep areas and some almost flat areas.
These are all signs that it’s time to replace your tires. This is a normal expense of owning a car. Continuing to drive on your old tires can put you and your vehicle at risk of losing traction and causing an accident. If you drive a Toyota Corolla, take a look at these six tires and choose the right ones that fit your budget and driving conditions.
The Best Tires for Toyota Corolla
Your best choice for your Toyota Corolla is this Winterforce 2 from Firestone. It’s a winter snow tire, but it perfectly balances price and performance. This makes it a smart choice for driving in snow. It has full-depth tread, is certified for extreme winter conditions, and is pinned for studs.
The rubber compound used performs well in extremely cold temperatures. The rubber stays flexible and pliable so that you can stay safe while driving. It also has wide shoulder slots to help channel the snow and slush from the treads and out from underneath the tire.
- 205/55R16 91S
- Full-depth tread
- Certified with 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake designation
- Pinned for studs
- Brand Firestone
- Model Winterforce 2
- Weight 19.95 pounds
Special cold weather compound
Open shoulder slots
Strong and durable
Directional tire
Does not come with studs
Wear out quickly
If you’re buying tires on a tight budget, then consider a set of these from Solar. This tire has deep lateral grooves, which makes it effective at channeling water away from the tire. It uses a technologically-advanced compound for its construction. This helps it perform well in all seasons.
You’ll appreciate the excellent traction this tire will provide. This gives it impressive handling abilities and a smooth ride.
- 195/65R 15 91H
- Deep lateral groove
- All-season traction on any surface
- Technologically advanced construction
- Brand SOLAR
- Model 4XS Plus
- Weight 18.74 pounds
Excellent traction
Smooth ride
Controlled handling
Sidewall bubbles
Skinny width
Rubber rots quickly
You can trust tires from Michelin as some of the best on the market, and you pay for that quality. The expensive price is worth the investment, as this tire has a high silica compound that gives it a long useful life with high performance in all seasonal driving conditions. The Evergrip technology ensures you have the best traction and handling capabilities.
You’ll immediately notice the smooth and quiet ride. Unlike lower quality tires, this Michelin tire maintains this performance at both low and high speeds. It also has exceptional performance in wet weather.
- 205/55R16 91H
- Evergrip technology
- High silica compound
- 60,000-mile manufacturer's treadwear limited
- Brand Michelin
- Model Premier A/S
- Weight 19.6 pounds
Smooth ride
Impressive wet weather performance
Quiet performance
Expensive
Won’t last long with rough driving
Can lower fuel economy
You’ll get the most use out of this tire thanks to the multiple rotation patterns. This lets you fully rotate the tires around your vehicle. This non-directional specific design both effectively channels water and allows for multi-directional rotation.
You’ll appreciate the smooth ride of this tire. It has excellent wet weather performance thanks to the advanced tread design. It also has a long useful life.
- 195/65R15 91H
- Multiple rotation patterns
- Non-directional tread design
- Variable shoulder tread
- Brand OHTSU
- Model FP7000
- Weight 20.1 pounds
Smooth ride
Improved wet weather performance
Even tread wear
Lots of road noise
Trouble balancing
Vibration at high speeds
This Lexani tire has a solid construction, thanks to the solid center rib. The tire has several central tread grooves to help the tire perform well in multiple seasons. You get a 40,000-mile manufacturer tread life warranty.
This tire has an optimized pitch sequence. It also has a specialized rubber compound to improve the tire’s performance. This is supposed to enhance the tire’s stability and improve its overall handling.
- 195/65R15 91V
- All-season tire
- Solid center rib
- 40,000-mile manufacturer’s tread life warranty
- Brand Lexani
- Model LXTR-203
- Weight 1 pound
Optimized pitch sequence
Tread compound improves handling
Enhanced stability and handling
Road noise at higher speeds
Feelings of no control
Sidewall can bubble
This tire is a great option for someone on a budget and looking for a dependable tire. It has variable pitch channels. This helps the tire to perform well in a wide variety of driving conditions. The four lateral grooves channel water away, while the multi-wave sipes channel slush and light snow.
You’ll be able to get the most use out of this tire thanks to its symmetrical tread design. This gives you the freedom to fully rotate them around the car. Doing this will give you even tread wear, and the greatest useful life. You will also appreciate the smooth and quiet ride.
- 195/65R15 89T
- Four wide circumferential grooves
- Variable pitch channels
- Multi-wave sipes
- Brand Toyo Tires
- Model Extensa A/S
- Weight 22 pounds
Symmetric tread design
Smooth, quiet ride
Even tread wear
Serious lack of traction
Increased road resistance
Noisy at higher speeds
Best Tires for Toyota Corolla Buying Guide
You know you need to buy new tires, but how do you know which tires to buy? You want to make sure you buy the best tires for your car that fit your wheels and will perform well in your area’s driving conditions.
This guide will help you figure out which set of tires is perfect for your Corolla. We’ll discuss the different types, what to look for, and how to care for your new tires. That way, you can confidently drive on your new tires knowing they’re safe and that you’ll get the most use out of them.
Why You Need Tires for Toyota Corolla
The number one reason why you need to buy new tires is that you can’t drive your car without them. If you don’t have tires, then you’d drive on the rims. This will cause them to bend or break, and soon you’ll be stuck.
The second reason you need to buy tires is for safety. Tires only have so many miles of useful life. After that, they become dangerous to drive on. Eventually they fail, and you’re stuck with no tires. New tires have plenty of tread that grips the road and channel water away from the contact patch.
The third reason you need to buy tires for your Corolla is performance. The best tires can give you better handling, fuel economy, and stopping power. The rubber compound is just right to perform well in your driving weather temperatures. Then the tire has the right combination of size and tread pattern to have the perfect contact patch with the road. This will make your tires grip the road, but not grip too much as to lower fuel economy.
- You’ll have better traction with the road.
- It’s safer to drive on wet roads.
- You’ll get better ride comfort and gas mileage.
Types of Tires for Toyota Corolla
There are several types of tires to choose from when buying for your Toyota Corolla. The most common are touring and all-season tires. These will give the most versatility of use and the most comfortable ride.
If you live in an area where the climate tends to be extreme, then summer or winter tires may be the way to go. They perform better than the touring and all-season tires in extreme weather conditions. However, they tend to wear out quicker when driving in non-extreme conditions. This would be cooler dry weather for summer tires and warmer dry roads for winter tires.
- Touring/All-Season
This is the most common type of tire on the market. They work well in a wide variety of driving conditions and climates. From rainy summers to cold winters, these tires will grip the road and provide you with safe traction.
You can expect these tires to last anywhere from 40,000 to 100,000 miles and be sized anywhere from 14 to 18 inches. The difference between touring tires and all-season tires is that touring is a softer ride and tend to have higher speed ratings.
The rubber compound will be a good middle ground to stay pliable through the changing seasons. The tread will have siping and channeling to handle wet or slightly snowy roads.
- Summer/Performance
These are warm and wet weather tires. You’ll immediately notice the aggressive tread design that will channel high amounts of water away from the tire. This ensures your performance summer tire has maximum contact with the road.
The rubber compound in these tires is specifically designed for hotter temperatures. This tends to make the rubber softer. One drawback to this is that the rubber wears away faster. You’ll need to replace these tires more often.
Ultra high-performance tires also tend to have higher speed ratings. This won’t be a concern for your Corolla unless you plan to boost the performance of your car.
- Winter
These tires are meant for driving in cold weather on ice and snow. The rubber compound is formulated to remain pliable when the temperature drops. You’ll find that they wear faster when you drive them on dry roads. They’ll also have slower braking on clean roads.
You’ll find that there’s heavy siping in the tread pattern to channel the slush and snow away. They may also have the ability for studs. These should only be installed if they’re legally allowed in your state. Install the studs when the snowy weather calls for it, but then immediately remove them when the roads clear.
What to Consider When Buying Tires for Your Toyota Corolla
When buying new tires for your Corolla, you need to start by looking at the code on the side of your current tires. You need to find new tires that have the same matching code. Not all Corollas require the same tires, so be sure to match the exact code on your current tires.
- Tread Width
This is the first three-digit number in the tire size code. It signifies the measurement in millimeters from one sidewall to the other. This tells you how wide the tire tread is. A wider tire will have more contact with the road, which means greater traction and stability.
However, wider isn’t always better. A wider tire will have more road resistance from the increased contact. This means your car will have to work harder to get the car to move. You’ll notice this through a drop in your fuel economy. There is also only so much space under your car for the tire. A tire that’s too wide will rub on the body and suspension components of the car.
- Rim Diameter
This is the third number in the code and is two digits. It’s typically after an “R” for radial. The rim diameter is the size of the rim that the tire will fit onto. You’ll typically see this number between 15 and 18 inches. Match the original equipment tire size to ensure your new ones fit.
This number must match the size of your wheels. If it’s too loose or too tight, then the tire won’t stay on the rim once air pressure is applied.
If you plan to replace your stock rims with aftermarket ones, then you need to pay attention to the size. Buying wheels that are a different diameter than your stock ones will require you to also buy new tires.
- Load Rating
The load rating is the last number in the tire size code. It’ll be a two or three digit number. This number will tell you how much weight the tire can safely carry. The number on the tire only tells you the load rating for that one tire. So to know the entire load rating, you need to account for all four tires. Multiply this number by four to get the maximum load capacity.
This rating starts at 75, which means the tire can handle 852 pounds. Four of these tires have a maximum load capacity of 3,408 pounds. At the top end of the scale is a load index rating of 120. These tires have a maximum load capacity of 3086 or 12,344 in total. Corolla tires typically have a load capacity of 91. This is a load capacity of 1,356 per tire or 5,414 in total.
- Speed Rating
The speed rating is the letter at the end of the tire code. The code ranges from L through Z. The later the letter is in the alphabet, the higher the speed rating. A rating of L will have a speed rating of 75 miles per hour. At the top end of the scale, a rating of Y is 186 miles per hour, and Z is open-ended. The most common ratings are T and H, which are 118 and 130 miles per hour, respectively.
It’s important to pick a tire with the right speed rating because as you travel faster, heat builds. Rubber in higher-rated tires dissipates heat more efficiently. If you drive faster than what the tire is rated, then you risk total tire failure.
Tips for Buying and Using Tires for Toyota Corolla
Take the time to shop around when buying your tires. While you can buy used tires at a discount, this isn’t a smart choice. They could come with uneven tread wear, and you won’t get the full usable life of the tread. You’ll need to replace your tires faster.
When buying new tires, you could shop locally, but you’re likely to be limited in your selection. For the best price and greatest selection, shop online for your tires. Carefully look at the price and compare it to the useful mileage life of the tire. Then look at the shipping and installation costs, which can significantly affect the total cost of the tires.
- Always buy your tires new.
- Look online for the biggest selection.
- Don’t forget to factor in shipping and installation.
Best Tires for Toyota Corolla FAQs
To make your new tires last, you need to properly care for them. This means maintaining proper air pressure, having them balanced, and getting regular rotations. This will help the tread wear evenly on all four tires. When the tread wears down to the marker, you’ll know it’s time to replace them. Having all four replaced at the same time ensures you have an even ride and tread wear on your new tires.
Always check your owner’s manual for the recommended tire pressure. It’ll likely be between 30 and 35 psi.
Tires should get rotated between 5,000 and 7,000 miles. The Corolla is front-wheel drive, so your front tires will wear quicker than your back tires.
It’s best practice to replace all four tires at once. But if you need to replace one and the other are relatively new, then you’re fine replacing one.
Our Top Pick
Our top pick for the best tire for your Toyota Corolla is the Firestone Winterforce 2 Snow Radial Tire. This tire balances price with performance. You can drive with confidence and know that you’ll have traction when you need it most. These winter tires will grip in heavy winter conditions.
