Top 5 Best Tires For Chevy Traverse [2023 Review]

By Tire Expert, Ryan Nichols
By Tire Expert, Ryan Nichols

You look attractive behind the wheel of your 3.6L V6 Chevy Traverse.

Now it’s time to find the right tires to look even more sexy, grip the road better, and keep the fun going!

Looking for the best set of new tires? Check my selection of the top 5 best tires for Chevy Traverse here:

Our Top Pick
Yokohama Geolandar HT G056
Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056
4.5/5
4.5
Best Budget
Starfire Solarus HT All-Season
Starfire Solarus
3.5/5
3.5
Best High End
Michelin Defender LTX
Michelin Defender LTX M/S
4.5/5
4.5
Most Economical
Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3
Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3
4.0/5
4.0
Best Tread Life
Continental Crosscontact LX25
Continental CrossContact LX25
4.0/5
4.0

Updated as of September 13, 2024

Yokohama Geolandar H/T G056

Yokohama Geolandar HT G056
Our rating:
4.5/5
4.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Handling:
4.0/5
Dry Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Noise:
4.0/5
Snow Traction:
3.5/5
Ride Comfort:
4.0/5
Tread Life:
4.5/5
Value For Money:
4.0/5

I’m a huge fan of Yokohama Geolandar tires because they’re attractive, they compete with any other set of tires when it comes to performance, and they also have various different options for tire type.

I always feel a lot of control when I drive with Yokohama Geolandars, and it’s slightly distinct from what you’ll feel from the other brands.

Call me crazy, but I almost think Yokohama tires keep a cleaner and blacker color than other tires. It must be that Orange Oil Technology and micro silica they use at the factory.

Maybe it’s just because the sidewalls are so attractive. Buying these tires is like getting a bold new haircut—people notice.

And like I said, there are a few different versions of the Yokohama Geolandar tire. The H/T G056 is compatible with the 18-inch Traverse AWD while the 20-inch wheels are compatible with both the Yokohama Geolandar X-CV and the Yokohama Geolandar CV G058 (both all-season tires as well).

These are mid-price range high quality tires which is why they’re our top pick. A couple hundred bucks a pop plus a 70 thousand mile treadwear warranty is radical. Oh, and I might mention the 2-year road hazard warranty protection if you buy these from Tire Rack (it’s kind of a no-brainer).

My other favorite Chevrolet Traverse tire is the General Grabber HTS60.

Starfire Solarus

Starfire Solarus HT All-Season
Our rating:
3.5/5
3.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:
3.5/5
Ride Handling:
3.5/5
Dry Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Noise:
3.5/5
Snow Traction:
3.0/5
Ride Comfort:
3.5/5
Tread Life:
3.0/5
Value For Money:
4.0/5

Cheapest Amazon choice for Chevy Traverse? It’s gotta be Starfire Solarus in almost every category. Made by Cooper tire company, these bargain tires are not only among the least expensive, but they’re also backed by a 50 thousand mile treadwear warranty by the manufacturer.

The biggest downside of buying Starfire Solarus tires is that they don’t come with a road hazard protection plan. So, if you want the 2-year guarantee for running over nails, I recommend you go with the Firestone Winterforce 2 UV off of Tire Rack’s site.

The great part about buying Starfire Solarus tires is that they’re your typical reliable all-season tires that won’t let you down as long as you’re driving conservatively and on-road.

Definitely don’t buy these if you do even a small percentage of offroad driving (especially at higher speeds) because they’re not an all-terrain tire. And I salute you if you plan on driving these in the snow.

I say buy these if you’re a rideshare driver or commuter in reasonable and consistent weather conditions.

Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Michelin Defender LTX
Our rating:
4.5/5
4.5/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:
4.5/5
Ride Handling:
4.0/5
Dry Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Noise:
4.5/5
Snow Traction:
3.5/5
Ride Comfort:
4.5/5
Tread Life:
5.0/5
Value For Money:
3.0/5

Do you want long tread life and good traction in every season? Michelin Defenders are the way to go. Paying the extra price for the best set of all-season tires out there might pay off in the end, or it might not.

Regardless, if you want the highest-end light truck tires for your Chevy Traverse, I’d go with these Michelin Defender LTX M/S because they provide the best ride comfort and durability that an all-season tire can get you.

The Defender series has been in production since 2012, and they’ve rapidly gained popularity since then because of their road performance. I wouldn’t necessarily rally these offroad, though. Yes, you’ll be fine if you want to take your Traverse down a dirt road with these, but drive slow—you can’t expect these to perform in rugged terrains like a Toyo Open Country or BFGoodrich T/A KO2.

What these tires will do for you is provide smooth and sturdy comfort on the highway even when towing heavy loads or driving on a bumpier road.

Yes, they’re pricy, and I’m not sure I’d buy these for a Chevy Traverse, but Michelin Defender LTX M/S is definitely the best high-end choice without a doubt.

Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3

Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3
Our rating:
4.0/5
4.0/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Handling:
4.0/5
Dry Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Noise:
4.0/5
Snow Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Comfort:
4.0/5
Tread Life:
4.0/5
Value For Money:
4.0/5

This particular model of Pirelli Scorpions are priced lower than normal and they have mad handling at highway speeds.

If I didn’t recommend tires like Pirelli Scorpion and Continental CrossContact for your Chevy Traverse, I’d feel guilty later. These are without a doubt some of the most relied-on tires in the whole world, and I happen to have mounted thousands of these up onto anything from luxury cars to crossovers.

Normally, I’d say spend the extra money on Pirelli. Luckily in this case, these AS Plus 3 tires are priced just above $200 per tire which is lower than usual for this brand.

What’s to like about Pirelli Scorpion AS Plus 3 tires? From the attractive tire sidewalls to the world-class ride comfort and handling, you might not find anything that you don’t like about them.

With features like 3D sipes that wear all the way down with the treads at full-depth and sequence-tuned shoulder blocks, these are always the quietest tires on the market.

The only downside for some buyers might be that these tires have a slightly asymmetrical tread design, meaning you can’t demount and flip them around in the case of uneven treadwear. There’s always the chance of the tire technician making a mistake with the ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ labels of these tires (I’ve seen that happen plenty of times).

Asymmetrical tread patterns are actually better, though, because they allow for faster water evacuation and sturdier handling—you’ll notice this when you mount these up on your Chevy Traverse and drive in the rain for the first time.

I also really like Pirelli Scorpion Verde because they always seem to add some spice to the situation.

Continental CrossContact LX25

Continental Crosscontact LX25
Our rating:
4.0/5
4.0/5

Pros and Cons

Ratings

Wet Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Handling:
4.0/5
Dry Traction:
4.0/5
Ride Noise:
4.0/5
Snow Traction:
3.0/5
Ride Comfort:
4.0/5
Tread Life:
4.0/5
Value For Money:
3.5/5

I’ve mounted up plenty of Continental CrossContact LX25 on Chevy Traverse and other crossovers in its class, and what I’m always surprised about is how easy they are to mount and balance.

The level of quality control Continental has on their car tires is superb, and the tread compound is consistently grippy even after 30+ thousand miles on the car.

Despite being a typical all-season tread pattern, the CrossContact LX25 feature both diagonal and later sipes to help evacuate water when the driving gets slippery. These tires are also built with Continental’s Next Generation EcoPlus+ Technology intended to increase fuel economy. You’ll also appreciate the symmetrical tread design if there’s a suspension/alignment problem and you need to flip and remount the tires the other way.

Another distinguishing characteristic of Continental CrossContact LX25 tires is their Comfort Ride Technology—there’s an absorption layer below the tread that makes these super smooth to drive on. As a mechanic, the only thing easier than installing these on a Chevy Traverse is the test drive where I always notice a significant difference in ride quality.

The price might deter you from buying these classic tires that come with a 70 thousand-mile treadwear warranty, and in that case, you might also be interested in trying out the CrossContact LX25’s cousin tire, the General Grabber HTS 60 (also made by Continental).

What To Look For When Buying The Best Tires For Chevy Traverse?

Here are a few things to check when buying tires for a Chevy Traverse LS, High Country, Premier, LTS, RS, Redline, etc:

Reliability

Once I get into buying tires for larger SUVs like the Chevy Traverse, the biggest thing I search for is reliability. Reputable brands like Continental, Michelin, Yokohama, etc. are what you need on a Traverse—don’t go buying off-brand foreign tires that you never heard of (for your own safety).

Type of tires

Here are three types of tires that could potentially go on your Chevy Traverse. Realistically, most Chevy Traverses have all-season tires on them.

  • All-season tires

Any and all of the tires I’ve listed above are worth buying.

  • All-terrain tires

Tires like BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A are great for maximizing dirt road traction.

  • High-performance tires

Not really a fan of performance tires on an SUV, but go for it if that’s what you like.

Road hazard coverage/Treadwear warranty/Rebates

It’s always good to look at the perks. For example, Tire Rack offers a 2-year road hazard warranty on basically every tire they sell for the Traverse—that’s kind of a no brainer.

Some of these tires also feature a mail-in rebate deal where the manufacturer sends you like $80 on a prepaid debit card or whatever for buying from them.

Treadwear warranty is also a good thing to watch out for mostly because it gives you a good idea of how long the tires wil last.

How Much Do Tires For Chevy Traverse Cost?

Let’s break down current Chevy Traverse tire prices referencing a typical tire shop:

Four New Tires

~$643.96-$1,059.96

Two New Tires

~$320-$528 per tire

Single Tire

~$160-$264 per tire

What Tire Size Is Best For A Chevy Traverse?

I like the 18-inch wheel size on crossovers compared to larger diameters like the 20-inch wheels that also come stock on Chevy Traverses. Smaller wheels I like in general because they let the tire do more of the suspension work with slightly taller sidewalls.

Since the first Chevy Traverse got put out in 2009, the stock rim diameter has changed from 17-inches to 18-inches.

How Long Should Your Chevy Traverse Tires Last?

All-season tires in general last around 50 thousand miles or even much more if you rotate the tires every 3-5k miles, maintain tire pressures and proper alignment.

I recommend filling your Chevy Traverse tires with nitrogen because their molecules are both larger and lighter than oxygen molecules making them more difficult to deflate and form flat spots.

When To Replace Tires On Your Chevy Traverse?

Know what your tread-depths are at on each tire (middle, inside, and outside) to get a good idea of where you’re at.

Does The Brand Matter For An Chevy Traverse When Replacing Tires?

Other tires that you might buy for a Chevy Traverse include Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus (Bridgestone tires), Cooper Discoverer HTP, etc.

Does the Year of Your Chevy Traverse Matter When Buying New Tires?

Yes because the older Chevy Traverse have 17-inch stock wheels compared to the 2023 Traverse AWD that comes with either 18 or 20-inch wheel diameters.

And of course, you might not want to go spending a lot of money when buying for an old run down Traverse. Buy cheap and send it with the older models.

What Are The Biggest Tires I Can Put On A Chevy Traverse?

The largest current size for Chevy Traverse is 255/55R20 for the 2023 Chevy Traverse.

Frequently Asked Questions
Either 18 or 20-inch wheels with tire sizes something like 255/55R20 or 255/65R18.
The AWD Traverse is good in the snow if you put snow chains on the all-season tires or have a hybrid on-road/off-road set.
Nope, there’s a 2023 Traverse.

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