Top Snow Tire Brands for Ultimate Winter Traction

As the winter months approach, ensuring your vehicle is equipped with the best snow tires is crucial for safe driving in icy and snowy conditions. A reliable set of snow tires can significantly enhance traction, handling, and braking performance on slippery roads. With a wide array of options available, selecting the right brand can make all the difference in safety and comfort during harsh weather. Below, explore our comprehensive list of the top snow tire brands that combine quality, durability, and outstanding performance.

Illustration of snow tires

Best brands of snow tires in 2025

Michelin

Michelin is a leading producer of snow tires, renowned for its advanced technologies and high-performance products. The company's winter tires are designed with a flexible tread rubber compound to maintain grip, traction, and braking qualities in cold, icy, and slippery conditions. Michelin's winter tires are marked with the severe snow marking (3 peak mountain with snowflake) and M+S marking, ensuring they meet stringent snow traction standards. The company advocates using four identical tires of the same brand, model, and specifications to optimize performance and safety. Michelin's commitment to innovation and quality has established its tires as a benchmark in the industry, with the global winter tire market expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.2% from 2022 to 2032.

Bridgestone

Bridgestone is a leading manufacturer of snow tires, renowned for its innovative technologies and superior performance in winter conditions. The company's Blizzak series, for instance, features unique tread patterns, deep tread depths, and advanced rubber compounds like the Tube Multi-Cell technology, which enhances traction on snowy and icy surfaces. Bridgestone's studless snow tires have become the preferred choice for many drivers due to their ability to maintain flexibility in cold temperatures and provide better snow-on-snow traction. In the global winter tire market, Bridgestone is one of the prominent players, contributing to the market's growth, which is expected to reach $41.2 billion by 2034 with a CAGR of 4.4% from 2024 to 2034. For more detailed insights, you can explore their comprehensive guide on snow tires.

Goodyear

Goodyear, founded in 1898, is one of the world's largest and most renowned tire manufacturers, particularly esteemed for its high-quality snow tires. As the best-selling tire-maker in North America, Goodyear continues to innovate, with its tires ranking among the best in passenger, light truck, and winter categories. The company's acquisition of Cooper Tire & Rubber Company in 2021 further strengthened its position in the market, enhancing its product portfolio and geographical reach. Goodyear employs approximately 66,000 associates and operates 48 facilities in 21 countries, ensuring a global presence and commitment to technological advancement. With its iconic products and extensive manufacturing capabilities, Goodyear remains a leader in the snow tire market.

Continental

Continental is a leading producer of snow tires, boasting 90 years of experience since the introduction of their first winter tire, the "Gelande," in 1934. Their winter tires are renowned for significantly reducing braking distances, with a car equipped with these tires stopping about six vehicle lengths earlier than one with summer tires at 40 km/h. Continental's winter tires feature softer rubber compounds and sipes that enhance grip on snow and ice, and wider grooves that effectively displace water. Each new tire model undergoes extensive testing, including up to 500,000 test kilometers in over 20 test disciplines, ensuring top safety standards and regular top ratings in independent tire tests. Continental's rigorous testing includes over 60,000 individual measurements each winter and driving maneuvers on around 18,000 bends on snow and ice. Learn more about their innovative winter tire solutions by visiting Continental's official press release.

Nokian

Nokian Tyres is renowned as one of the best producers of snow tires, with a strong presence in the winter tyre market, particularly in Russia where it captures 26% of the market share. The company is known for its Hakkapeliitta brand, which has been a benchmark in winter tire performance since 1932. Nokian Tyres focuses on the consumer tyre replacement and premium snow tyre markets, achieving higher profitability with up to 18% earnings relative to sales. The company has also been innovative, being the first to eliminate high-aromatic oils from its production process and receiving commendations for environmental practices. Nokian's seasonal sales are significant, with 30% of retail sales occurring in the ten days after the first snowfall.

Pirelli

Pirelli is renowned as one of the best producers of snow tires, offering a wide range of models designed to ensure control, stability, and safety in icy and snowy conditions. Their winter tires, such as the P Zero(tm) Winter and Winter Sottozero(tm), are engineered with advanced rubber compounds and tread designs to provide optimal grip on dry or wet roads. Pirelli's winter tires account for a significant share in the market, with studded tires holding a higher market share of 54.3% due to their enhanced traction in extreme icy conditions. The company's commitment to innovation and performance is reflected in their various product lines, including the Cinturato(tm) Winter and Scorpion(tm) Winter models, which cater to different vehicle types and environmental needs. Pirelli's winter tires are preferred globally, especially in regions with stringent winter tire regulations and harsh climatic conditions. For more information, explore their winter tire catalog.

Yokohama

Yokohama is a leading brand in the snow tire market, renowned for its innovative and high-performance products. The company, established in 1917, has introduced groundbreaking technologies such as the first asymmetric tread and 3-D Adaptive Sipes, enhancing tire performance and safety in harsh winter conditions. Yokohama's winter tire lines, including the iceGUARD and W.DRIVE, are engineered to provide exceptional traction and handling on icy and snowy roads. These tires are particularly popular, with studded winter tires holding a significant market share due to their superior grip in extreme conditions. Yokohama's commitment to quality and innovation has made it a preferred choice for drivers worldwide. For more details, visit their official website.

Hankook

Hankook Tire is renowned for its high-quality snow tires, demonstrating exceptional performance and innovation. In 2020, Hankook Tire recorded a significant increase in sales of high-inch tires, including those suitable for snowy conditions, with these tires accounting for 35% of total passenger car tire sales. The company's commitment to R&D has led to top ratings in rigorous tire tests in Germany and the UK, further solidifying its reputation in the snow tire market. As of 2024, Hankook continues to expand its market share, with high-inch tires (18 inches and above) making up 46.8% of passenger car and light truck tire sales, a 3.3 percentage point increase year-over-year. This growth underscores Hankook's position as a leading producer of snow tires.

Firestone

Firestone, a renowned brand in the tire industry, is notable for its performance in the snow tire market, although it has seen a slight decline in market share recently. As of June 2023, Firestone experienced a decrease of 0.7 points in dollar share and 0.5 points in unit share compared to the previous year. Despite this, Firestone remains one of the top tire brands, ranking fourth in both unit and dollar market share. The brand is part of the larger Bridgestone Corporation, which is a significant player in the global tire market. Firestone's snow tires, such as those under the Bridgestone umbrella, are known for their advanced technology, including features like the Multicell Compound with Hydrophilic Coating for improved traction on snow and ice. For more insights into the tire market and Firestone's position within it, visit the newsroom blog on market share and retail sales data trends.

BFGoodrich

BFGoodrich, a pioneering brand in the tire industry, has a rich history of innovation and performance, making it one of the best producers for snow tires. Founded in 1870 by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich, the company has consistently pushed the boundaries of tire technology, such as introducing the first tubeless tire in 1947 and the world's first all-terrain tire in 1976. BFGoodrich tires have been instrumental in historic achievements, including Charles Lindbergh's nonstop transatlantic flight in 1927 and multiple victories in the Dakar Rally and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The brand's commitment to performance and innovation ensures their snow tires provide exceptional traction and reliability, even in the most extreme icy conditions. With over 150 years of experience, BFGoodrich continues to be a leader in the snow tire market. Learn more about their storied history on the BFGoodrich website.