I want to get my girlfriend the safest SUV tires money can buy for Milwaukee rural year round use

2019 Jeep compass latitude AWD 225/60/R17

It’s her daily driver year round in Milwaukee rural area. My only purchase criteria is all season traction/safety. I know the options expand a bit for smaller sized SUV tires.

I’ve more or less seen the contenders being

1. Michelin Crossclimate2
2. Michelin Defenders
3. Falken Wildpeak AT

Anything I’m overlooking?

 

Any new tire should work. If you want the safest tire just make sure to rotate often and after 5 years replace if it isn’t driven that often.

 

My fiance has the CrossClimate 2 on her vehicle and I now only half-jokingly say she could drive straight up the sides of buildings.

 

IMHO, the Michelin’s are the way to go. The Cross Climates for slightly better snow performance the Defender for slightly better overall performance in every other category. I have owed/currently owe both tires and swear by them.

This is nothing against Falken but against AT tires as a whole. Either of those Michelin’s will handily outperform any AT tire in regards to street driving and inclement weather street driving. Very deep snow and obviously off-road is where AT’s shine…

Michelin Defenders/LTX have an incredible trait of retaining its driving characteristics through the life span of the tire. I have never owned any other tire that I could say the same. AT tires in general have a tendency to drop performance at a certain point in their life. But I understand if you need an AT tire, then you need an AT tire and not a highway tire like a Michelin.

 

I have also owned all three. Wife is a nurse working in Boston and we live 45 minutes out of the city. She's essential staff and needs to be there, regardless of an apocalypse or not. Both the Michelins have served us well.

Defenders, specifically the M/S, only came in LT, so they rode rather rough. The Cross Climate 2's are slightly louder. These are the only complaints for both. The Falkens I wouldn't put on her SUV. Too heavy, but they are amazing on my Tundra in all I have thrown at them.

Both of the Michelins are on an AWD Santa Fe. Also have the Cross Climates on my SIL's Corolla and she loves them. Also essential staff 45 minutes west.

Rotate them, balance them, enjoy. They are both very good and worth every penny, IMO.

 

I looked at the reviews and referenced the ratings charts on tirerack when decided what to go with for my wife’s Rav4. We went with the wildpeak A\T Trail. We love them so far in the dry and the heavy rain, but haven’t put them through winter yet. They're just as quiet and smooth as the factory bologna skins. They’re are rated very well for snow IIRC. They also look quite nice and have an agressive sidewall option on one of the two sides. It totally changed the look of the Rav for the better.

 

Have a set of Falcon at trails on our lifted forester and have been very happy with them. Great wet and snow traction plus look good on a smaller suv.

 

Either one of the Michelins.

 

I second^^

 

Another vote for the Michelin tires.

 

Hard to go wrong with Michelin.

(That said, I buy budget tires for my kids' cars just in case they total the car before the tires are used up. LOL!)

 

Be careful, the budget tire can result in the total too. Kinda thinking used decent tires might be something to consider as an alternative.

 

Michelin's.

I have them on all our Toyotas. even have them on the Tesla.

 

Thanks all for your insight and suggestions. I think I’ll get the crossclimates

 

Michelins or you can really go crazy with a 12 ply tires that are super tough and like 700 dollars a tire or run flats that cost a small fortune!

 

For sh!ts and giggles what would I google lol

 

These are just 10 ply just go up from there.
https://www.prioritytire.com/michel...2-50r20-121r-e-10-ply-as-a-s-all-season-tire/

 

8 sumtin a tire,,,,,,
excuse me 1000 sumtin a tire

https://www.googleadservices.com/pa...l2oFHWFSBXYQwg8oAHoECAQQFA&nis=2&dct=1&adurl=

 

I have a similar scenario. My parents are SW of Milwaukee in East Troy and drive rural winter roads often. For my wife's GX460 we got Falken Wildpeaks AT/3s however for my Mom's GX I am recommending the Cross Climate 2s as she does a bit more highway driving whereas my wife (or I) drive off road

 

You know what, the more I think about this, piss on expensive tires for the heap! Buy her a nice 2.5 gen Tundra or give her yours and get yourself a crewmax version. Better investment.

 

Oconomowoc and lake country here.

 

I’ve tried to twist her arm into a rav4. She HATED my 21 4Runner lol. Hates driving my truck

 

Buying her Michelins? Sounds pretty serious. When are you going to pop the question?

 

I’ve kicked the can on that one for too long, 5yrs, this year I’m very hopeful haha

 

I did the same and marrying my wife has been one of the greatest blessings in my life.

 

I did the same (but for 8 years) and fully agree

 

That's the worst possible advice one can give re: buying tires. You have no idea what previous owner did with them or how many potholes he aimed for.

 

I'd rather be on a used set of decent Michelins, Pirellis, or Bfg's vs a set of made in China Pep Boys tires any day. Lots of like new sets get stolen in there first couple of weeks after purchase and show up as used. Not a damn thing wrong with them aside from MAYBE being stolen, possibly take off's. Don't matter who buys them cuz someone will. Just my .02, carry on.

 

There is no such thing as the safest all-season tire if winter is one of your seasons. I get that a second set of dedicated winter rubber isn’t necessarily justified for everyone everywhere, but if you truly want “the safest”, it’s a clear choice.

 

The honest truth is Jeep Compass and safety don't even belong in the same sentence.