Top 10 Best Tires for Chevy Cruze: What are the Options?

Few vehicles deserve the accolade “all the car you need in one package.” In order to be worthy of that, a car should have excellent room for passengers and cargo, comfortable and quiet ride, reasonable performance, safe handling, and ease of ownership. The Chevy Cruze, one of the most popular compact cars in the U.S., seems to excel in most of those categories. Except in the fun department, but this is a family vehicle after all.

To get the most out of your Chevrolet Cruze, though, you will need a good set of tires. And, what do I mean by getting the most out of your compact car? Well, for starters, the tires you install on your car must be completely safe in all circumstances. Sure, this doesn’t mean that the tires should be best in their respective categories. It means that the tires should feel safe, even when you drive faster, both over dry and wet surfaces.

Then, your Chevy Cruze tires must be durable. Nobody wants to replace the tires on their cars each year. Moreover, the longer your tires last, the less you’ll pay for them. For that reason, I never recommend very cheap tires. Those tires might be tempting because they cost more than twice as less money. However, you will also replace them much sooner, and you will also drive on unsafe tires all of the time.

Ultimately, the best Chevy Cruze tires should be comfortable and quiet. This quality is something that even amateur drivers can experience in daily driving. Comfortable tires can make your driving experience much more enjoyable, even on some very damaged roads. Furthermore, road noise is not only annoying, but it’s also tiresome. And, when you’re tired behind the wheel, you usually make more mistakes.

The problem is, there aren’t a lot of tires that excel in every category. Some tires might be better in the corners, but won’t last long, and vice versa. Moreover, the tire market is flooded with various models, which makes things even more confusing for the buyers.

There is a way to make things easier, though. First of all, you need to start with your particular needs. Do you need a sportier tire or one that rides better over bumps? Or do you prefer longevity and treadlife? These things are important since different tires have different qualities.

After you decided on what you need, then you can jump to my list of the best tires for Chevy Cruze. I chose tires that I deem excellent for most owners of the car. Nonetheless, I suggest reading the short reviews since they contain valuable information on the tire. Got it? Then, let’s dig in!

Best Grand-Touring Tires for Chevy Cruze

1. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack

Right now, the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack plays best with Cruze’s qualities. Thanks to the QuietTrack Technology with in-groove quiet tracks and non-chamfered shoulder slots, this is by far the quietest grand-touring tire on the market right now. Moreover, ComfortCruise Technology also makes the Turanza the most comfortable tire of the bunch, both on the highway and over uneven surfaces. 

Bridgestone did all that without damaging the dynamic qualities of the tire, which is simply amazing. The Turanza QuietTrack might not be the most responsive grand-touring tire, but it still provides the driver with ample cornering grip and strong braking.

It works over wet surfaces, too. The hydroplaning resistance is excellent, and there is ample traction on offer. The Japanese firm even managed to give this tire light-snow traction, which again differentiates the tire from the competition.

Ultimately, Bridgestone provides an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty. That’s better than any other premium grand-touring all-season tire. It’s a shame that the price is steep, though – the Turanza QuietTrack is one of the most expensive tires in its category.

2. Continental PureContact LS

The PureContact LS is one of the most accomplished grand-touring all-season tires on the market right now. It’s so good that I couldn’t find any significant faults with it. Even the treadwear warranty, which at 70,000-miles is lower than the one on the Turanza QuietTrack, is still impressive in its own right. Moreover, Continental is known for producing long-lasting tires. 

On the road, the PureContact LS impresses in every condition. On dry roads, it feels sufficiently responsive behind the wheel and makes it easy for the driver to control the car. The cornering grip is excellent as well, and the braking is top-notch.

Like many Continental tires before it, the PureContact LS works amazingly well in the rain. Traction is exceptional in these conditions, handling is surefooted and safe, and the braking distances are very short. And, if that wasn’t enough, the PureContact LS also provides the driver with good traction on snow.

Finally, the PureContact LS is also very quiet at speeds and rides over bumps reasonably well.

3. Michelin Premier A/S

If you want a slightly sharper driving experience, then the Michelin Premier A/S might be an excellent choice. At this moment, this is the best grand-touring tire for aggressive drivers. It feels responsive behind the wheel and communicates well with the driver. Moreover, it offers an exceptional cornering grip for an all-season tread compound and stops in a very short time. 

Michelin also managed to make the Premier A/S handle rainy conditions with aplomb. The traction on wet pavement is excellent, the braking distances are short, and you’ll feel like you’re in complete control. And, thanks to EverTread Technology, the Premier A/S continues to feel safe in rainy conditions, even after the tread is worn down.

On top of the excellent driving dynamics, the Premier A/S is also a supremely comfortable tire. The ride quality is smooth and vibration-free, and you won’t hear any road noise at normal speeds.

That said, the warranty sits at “only” 60,000-miles. In isolation, that’s a good number, but the Premier A/S is the most expensive tire in its category, and it’s only natural to expect more.

4. Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Plus

Pirelli is mostly known for its excellent high-performance tires, but that’s a shame because they make excellent passenger tires as well. The Cinturato P7 All Season Plus is a great example of that – it works well in most conditions.

The best thing about this tire is that it feels very responsive behind the wheel. It’s also very communicative and works well at the limit. Moreover, the cornering grip is among the best in the category, and the braking distances are very short.

The Cinturato P7 All Season Plus works in rainy conditions as well. The hydroplaning resistance is excellent, and there is a lot of traction overall. You will also be surprised at how planted this tire feels in the rain. Snow traction isn’t as impressive, though, but that’s the case with most all-season tires.

Besides, the Cinturato P7 All Season Plus is a supremely comfortable tire – it’s both quiet and rides well. Ultimately, Pirelli offers an excellent 70,000-mile treadwear warranty.

5. General AltiMAX RT43

The General AltiMAX RT43 shows that you shouldn’t pay much money to get excellent overall performance. Sure, General’s grand-touring tire can’t match the class best in terms of general performance, but it comes really, really close. And, honestly, an amateur driver might never notice the difference. 

The best thing about the AltiMAX RT43 is how it drives. The tire is very responsive, which is all the more impressive when you peek at the price. The cornering grip is also sufficient for a safe drive down a windy road, and the braking is excellent as well. In addition, the AltiMAX RT43 has an excellent hydroplaning resistance, which helps it retain good traction on wet surfaces. The only area where I’d like to see improvement is snow traction.

The AltiMAX RT43 bounces back with smooth ride quality and quiet rolling down the street. General even provides a generous 75,000-miles T-rated models, and 65,000-miles for H & V rated models, both exceptional for the price.

6. Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring

The CS5 Ultra Touring is another excellent low-cost tire, this time for people that want an elevated driving experience. This is by far the most responsive tire in its price range and one that manages to communicate with the driver very well. It’s also easily controllable at the limits, something that I can’t say for most budget tires. 

Additionally, the CS5 Ultra Touring possesses excellent grip in the corners and stops like the best tires out there. Cooper even managed to extract wet traction, which is among the best in the category. As expected, the hydroplaning resistance is top-notch, and the braking distances are very short. That said, snow traction is still off the pace when compared to premium tires.

On a more positive note, the CS5 Ultra Touring is very quiet on the highway and comfortable over bumps. Cooper also provides a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the best in its price range.

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Best Touring All-Season Tires for Chevy Cruze

7. Continental TrueContact Tour

If you aren’t interested in very fast driving, then a set of standard touring tires might be an excellent choice. The TrueContact Tour is also the cheapest premium tire for Chevy Cruze, while also offering excellent performance across the board. 

Behind the wheel, the tire doesn’t feel overly responsive, but that’s the case with most touring tires. More importantly, Continental somehow managed to give it an excellent cornering grip, strong braking, and good acceleration traction on dry surfaces.

Meanwhile, the wet traction is the best in the standard touring category. The TrueContact Tour not only feels completely safe in the rain, but it also achieves the shortest braking distances in the category. Snow traction is also good, albeit not exceptional.

The Continental TrueContact Tour massages its passengers with smooth ride quality and low road noise. Also, the German company provides an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is among the best out there.

8. Goodyear Assurance MaxLife

If you are only concerned about longevity, the Assurance MaxLife is by far the best tire out there. Goodyear provides an 85,000-mile treadwear warranty, a number that few other tires can beat. Moreover, the company also equipped the Assurance MaxLife with the Wear Gauge technology, which utilizes numbers to show the driver how much tread depth is left on the tire. 

On the road, just like the TrueContact Tour, the MaxLife isn’t overly responsive. However, the tire at least handles the corners sweetly and stops in time. Moreover, wet traction is among the best in the category, with good handling and braking. Snow braking isn’t as impressive, though. In fact, it’s far worse than on the TrueContact Tour. Interestingly, though, the Assurance MaxLife works well on ice.

Finally, while the Assurance MaxLife is very quiet at speed, I found that it doesn’t ride very smoothly.

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Best Winter Tires for Chevy Cruze

9. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

When you choose winter tires for your car, the things that you’re most interested in are snow and ice traction. And, if you want the best of both worlds, you’ll want the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90. A successor to the already very popular WS80, the new model brings several improvements that launch it directly at the top of the food chain. 

The Blizzak WS90 has the best snow traction of any other winter tire. Thanks to that, it accelerates swiftly and stops in a very short manner. Handling on snow also feels super safe. On top of that, the Blizzak WS90 works outstandingly well on ice. Again, the acceleration traction here is excellent, the braking distances are among the shortest, and the handling is good.

Bridgestone even managed to make the Blizzak WS90 work well in dry and wet conditions. However, the Japanese company still doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty, which is a shame at the price it’s offered.

10. Continental VikingContact 7

If you get a better deal on the Continental VikingContact 7, then t might be a better choice than the Blizzak WS90. This tire closely matches everything the Bridgestone does in every category, except perhaps comfort. The VikingContact 7 is simply a tad loud for my taste. 

Still, you’re at least getting excellent winter traction overall. The VikingContact 7 accelerates well on snow, handles with authority, and stops like the best out there. When it comes to handling, at least behind the wheel, it feels like the best winter tire out there.

Moreover, the VikingContact 7 works amazingly well on ice. Traction on the slippery surface is excellent, and the braking distances are very short. On top of that, the VikingContact 7 works very well on dry and wet surfaces, where it competes with the best winter tires out there, except for wet braking, which could see further improvement.

Also, Continental also doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Do OEM Chevy Cruze tires come with a treadwear warranty?

No, the tires that Chevrolet installs from the factory don’t come with treadwear warranties. The reason behind this is actually pretty simple – car dealers don’t work with tires. In other words, they won’t be able to replace the tires.

• How often should I rotate my Chevy Cruze tires?

It’s recommended to rotate your Chevy Cruze tires each 3,000-miles. That might seem short, but it coincides with the regular oil change of your car. And, the authorized dealer will do that free of charge. Therefore, be sure to ask for that the next time you visit them for regular maintenance. Besides, there is nothing bad about rotating your tires more regularly – it keeps them in shape for longer.

• Are vibrations coming from the tires normal?

No, your tires shouldn’t vibrate. The reason behind these vibrations might be poor balancing. Therefore, if you feel your tires vibrating, visit a tire technician and ask for tire balancing. If the problem persists, you might want to replace the tires.

• Will all-season tires work in the winter as well?

All-season tires are designed to work in wintry conditions, but only in light snow. Ice-covered streets can pose a big issue for all-season tires. Moreover, all-season tires suffer in deep snow. For that reason, if you live in areas with very harsh wintry conditions, I strongly recommend replacing your all-season tires with proper winter tires.

• What’s the correct tire pressure on the Chevy Cruze?

The correct tire pressure on the Chevrolet Cruze varies between 30 psi and 35 psi. Use the former when your vehicle is empty, and the latter when your car is loaded to the teeth. For reference, you can use your owner’s manual. Make sure to check the tire pressure at least each month, and also before every long road trip.

• Can underinflated tires lower my gas mileage?

Yes, underinflated tires can seriously increase the fuel consumption on your car. Moreover, underinflated tires can also make your vehicle unstable, and the tread will wear much faster.

Conclusion

I hope that this article helped you find the best possible tires for your Chevrolet Cruze. Nonetheless, to get the most out of your tires, you should take care of them. Rotate your tires regularly and make sure that your suspension is properly aligned. Improperly aligned suspension can wear out your tires in no time.

Ultimately, be sure that you understand the limits of your tires. Even the best premium tires won’t be able to save you if you drive too fast!