Top 10 Best Tires for Honda Civic: Buyer’s Guide & Reviews

Last updated: June 20, 2020 by Tire Deets

The Honda Civic was always known for being a well-engineered car. From the factory, it was a roomy and practical sub-compact car with outstanding fuel efficiency and reliability. However, thanks to the focus on driving dynamics, the Civic has always been a car that enthusiasts loved. Most of the sporty Civics are tuned today, which is a testament to how good is Honda’s engineering – even with a lot of power under the hood, the chassis can hold its own. However, whatever your driving desires are, you will still need a set of good tires. The best tires for Honda Civic will highlight all the qualities of this popular Japanese car. In other words, they must be well-engineered.

The thing is, there are so many different tires on the market today that it’s really hard to find a set of the Honda Civic tires that will suit you. For example, if you don’t care about tuning, like most people, you won’t need the same tires as enthusiasts that make changes to their Civics. Choosing the right set of the Honda Civic tires isn’t only about achieving the best performance, but also about comfort and quietness, and durability. Then, you should also pay attention to the weather in your area, because tires are also divided by climate conditions. In other words, when choosing Honda Civic tires, you’ll need to pay attention to your car (obviously), your driving style, and the climate.

That is three different things that not always play with each other. Luckily, we’re here to help! In this article we’re going to talk only about tires for the Honda Civic. As expected, below you can find our choice of the top 10 best tires for Honda Civic, but we’re going to write a detailed buying guide as well. With the knowledge acquired in the buying guide, you will be able to choose the right tires for your needs, and we are sure of that.

The 10 Best Tires for Honda Civic You Can Buy

1. Michelin Defender T+H

Best All-Season Touring Tires for Honda Civic

If you don’t care about very fast driving and engaging handling, then the Defender T+H is probably the best choice for you. This standard touring tire made from all-season tread compound beats its competitors in almost every category. Sure, the price is also higher than the aforementioned competitors, but we still think it’s worth every cent. Take the 80,000-mile treadwear warranty, for example – it’s one of the best in the business.

The all-season tread compound of the Defender T+H is aided by the IntelliSipe Technology of zigzag sipes that interlock below the surface. Thanks to that, the Michelin is the most responsive touring tire right now, and also one that provides the best traction, grip, and stopping power. Oh, and it works both in dry and wet conditions and even in light snow. Like most Michelin tires, the Defender T+H provides the passengers with smooth ride quality and almost no noise on the highway.

2. Yokohama AVID Touring-S

Best All-Season Touring Tires for Honda Civic

If you find the Defender T+H expensive, then we suggest checking out the Yokohama AVID Touring-S. Yokohama is a manufacturer that’s known for producing high-quality tires for less money than other premium competitors, and the AVID Touring-S is a prime example of that.

Like most tires from the Japanese manufacturer, it is very responsive to drive, thanks to the Tri-plex Tread Compound. Grip and traction are also excellent, among the best touring tires right now. The Tapered Rain channels improve wet traction as well. That said, we would’ve liked better snow traction and braking.

As expected from a highly-rated touring tire, the AVID Touring-S provides smooth ride quality on uneven surfaces. It is also very quiet on the highway, up there with the best in the category. 

Nonetheless, the 65,000-mile treadwear warranty seems low for a touring tire, despite the fact that the Yokohama is budget-oriented.

3. Goodyear Assurance All-Season

Best All-Season Touring Tires for Honda Civic

Goodyear’s bread-and-butter model for passenger cars is far from the best tire you can buy. However, it offers an excellent blend of characteristics that play well with vehicles like the Honda Civic.

For that reason, I recommend it to every Civic owner that doesn’t want to spend a fortune on tires but still wants a dependable and safe product.

The Assurance All-Season has large stable shoulder blocks for better stability and cornering on dry surfaces. Thanks to that, the tire provides the driver with safe and predictable handling and short braking distances. Snow traction is also only average, but fine for the category.

As a result of the wide tread grooves, the tire also provides the driver with good hydroplaning resistance. Nonetheless, driving on damp tarmac isn’t very impressive, specifically when it comes to handling and braking. Not that the tire is bad, mind you, but it could’ve been better.

On a more positive note, Goodyear managed to optimize the tread pattern for reduced noise. The result is one of the quietest Honda Civic tires, even at very high speeds. The ride quality is also very impressive, specifically when you hit a pothole.

Goodyear provides a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty on the tire. For the price, that’s excellent, but still short of the class-leading tires. That said, a bigger concern is that some owners report less-than-stellar treadlife.

4. Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack

Best Grand-Touring Tires for Honda Civic

The Turanza QuietTrack is the newest addition in Bridgestone’s grand-touring family of tires, and it immediately catches attention with its outstanding qualities. As the name implies, this is by far the quietest tire in the category, thanks to the special tread pattern. The ComfortCruise technology, on the other hand, takes care of imperfections on the road with ease.

That shouldn’t detract from the fact that the Turanza QuietTrack is also one of the best grand-touring tires when it comes to performance. Traction and grip are outstanding, better than any other tire in the category. Wet traction and braking are also excellent, and the Turanza even works in light snow.

Finally, the QuietTrack has the longest treadwear warranty of any grand-touring tire at 80,000-miles, which is simply outstanding. It is no coincidence then that the price is also one of the highest in the category.

5. Michelin Premier A/S

Best Grand-Touring Tires for Honda Civic

The Premier A/S is unlike any other grand-touring on the market. At first glance, it seems like a very bad deal – the price is very high, and the warranty is only 60,000-miles.

However, the Premier is also the best tire when it comes to performance. As far as responsiveness goes, this tire is head and shoulders above the competition, closer to a high-performance tire. Grip and traction are also on another level, while braking is very strong. As expected, the Premier A/S works on the wet pavement without any issue, thanks to the Expanding Rain Grooves. Overall, the Premier has the best-in-class braking on dry and wet roads, a testament to its outstanding qualities. Like most Michelin tires, the Premier A/S is also very quiet and comfortable.

6. Continental PureContact LS

Best Grand-Touring Tires for Honda Civic

The PureContact LS directly replaces the PureContact with EcoPlus Technology, bringing several improvements to the table. Continental promises even better wet performance, but also enhanced handling on dry courses, and improved comfort.

Continental utilized temperature-activated polymers in the PureContact LS, giving it true all-season credentials. Also, the tread compound is designed with an emphasis on treadlife and fuel efficiency, which is always welcome in this category. 

Thanks to the improvements Continental made on this model, I can safely say that it’s one of the best grand-touring tires on the market. Handling on dry surfaces is outstanding for an all-season tire, accompanied by excellent responsiveness and steering feel. The braking distances are also among the shortest in the category.

Moreover, the PureContact LS consistently beats the competition in the rain. Hydroplaning resistance is top-notch, handling is safe and predictable, and the braking distances are short. The tire even works reliably over light snow, something that can’t be said for most of the competition.

And, if that wasn’t enough, the PureContact LS is exceptionally quiet on the highway, while also providing the passengers with smooth ride quality.

Continental provides a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty on the tire, the same as the previous model. The warranty is one of the best in the category, but other premium competitors offer up to 80,000-miles.

Overall, though, the PureContact LS is almost without faults, and it definitely deserves to be installed on your Honda Civic.

7. Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS

Best High-Performance Tires for Honda Civic

The RE980AS is the newest addition in the award-winning Potenza family of high-performance tires from Bridgestone. It brings several improvements when compared to its predecessor, including light snow traction. Handling is also improved with out-of-this-world responsiveness, super high levels of grip and traction, and immense stopping power. The Potenza RE980AS is probably the best wet tire at this moment, as well. Overall, the Bridgestone puts an amazing show.

On top of that, Bridgestone managed to make the Potenza very quiet for an ultra-high-performance tire. However, the ride quality is a bit choppy. On the positive side, the Potenza RE980AS has the highest warranty of any ultra-high-performance tire at 50,000-miles.

8. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3 Plus

Best High-Performance Tires for Honda Civic

The Pilot Sport A/S 3 Plus is right now one of the best ultra-high-performance all-season tires for the Honda Civic. It provides the driver with outstanding handling abilities. Responsiveness is simply astonishing, and the same can be said for traction, grip, and braking. The Pilot Sport A/S is also excellent for rainy weather, and it even works in light snow.

Interestingly, the Michelin is also comfortable and quiet for an ultra-high-performance tire, and it comes with an amazing 45,000-mile treadwear warranty. That said, the price is also the highest in the category.

9. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90

Best Winter Tires for Honda Civic

The Blizzak WS90 is arguably the best winter tire to date, which is expected because it is also the newest. Thanks to the use of advanced technologies, such as Hydrophilic Coating, helped by the EdgePerformance Technology Package and bite particles in the compound, this tire consistently provides outstanding results in the winter.

It is especially good when it comes to braking on dry and wet pavement, as well as on snow or ice. Traction is also excellent, and there is a lot of grip in very cold conditions. Overall, the WS90 is the tire to beat right now when it comes to winter driving.That said, while Blizzak’s are known to be durable, Bridgestone doesn’t offer any treadwear warranty on this tire.

10. Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Best Winter Tires for Honda Civic

The X-Ice Xi3 comes at close second if you consider only the performance in wintry conditions. It is slightly worse when it comes to braking when compared to the Blizzak WS90, but it still offers comparable traction and grip. That is true whatever the surface you encounter, including dry, wet, snowy, and icy.

One big advantage the Michelin has over its Bridgestone nemesis is the inclusion of a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty, which right now is the best of any winter tire.

Best Tires for Honda Civic: Buying Guides

1. Touring Tires are the Best Choice for the Average Civic Driver

From the dozen different tire types, there is one that stands above everyone else. Touring and grand-touring tires are designed to offer a balanced driving experience for the average driver of passenger cars. When we say balanced, we mean a set of tires that will give the driver and the passengers a safe, reliable, and comfortable driving experience. That’s why they are the most popular choice for the average driver of compact cars, such as the Civic.

Let’s start with the most obvious thing, the price. These tires are perhaps the least expensive you can find on the market, simply because they are made in very high numbers. A set of high-quality touring tires can be up to 50% less expensive than other, more specialized types. That is certainly a big difference, and also one that can be increased in the long run.

Which brings us to their second-biggest advantage – touring tires are also very, very durable. We are talking mainly about treadlife here because the Civic is not a car that you will be towing trailers with and care about the tires changing geometry. The tire manufacturers will even back the claim for the aforementioned longevity with staggeringly-long treadwear warranties. Even the budget-oriented touring and grand-touring tires today come with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, which climbs up to 90,000-miles in some premium models. If you cover 15,000 miles annually, like most Civic owners, this means that you can use these tires non-stop for 6 years without breaking a sweat.

Then, we come to comfort, which is another great thing about these tires. Thanks to comfort-oriented technologies implemented in these tires, they will give you absolutely the plushest ride quality out of any other tire. Touring and grand-touring tires are also significantly quieter than other tires – some of them are almost inaudible on the highway!

Even though touring and grand-touring tires are designed to be comfortable, they can still offer very good driving experience. Thanks to the advancements in tire technology, these tires offer high levels of traction, grip, and stopping power. That is especially true on lower-powered Civic models, and for people that aren’t driving like maniacs every single day. Some high-end grand-touring tires are good enough for some more aggressive drivers and more powerful Civics as well.

However, even though they offer a completely safe driving experience, both on dry and wet surfaces, touring and grand-touring tires aren’t the best choice for people that love driving aggressively or fast through corners. Enthusiast drivers may find that these tires lack responsiveness at first, and then that they don’t have enough traction during very hard acceleration, or grip when cornering very fast. That said, this is something that the average driver certainly won’t encounter.

On the matter of differences between touring and grand-touring tires, it mainly comes down to speed ratings. Touring tires have lower speed ratings and are more suited to 4-cylinder versions of passenger cars, while grand-touring tires can be driven at higher speeds and are better choice for V6, Inline-6, or turbo models. Normally, grand-touring tires are also better to drive through the corners and have better grip and traction. However, they also come with slightly lower treadwear warranties.

2. What if I Want Better Handling?

Well, if you really want an engaging driving experience, then you’ll need high-performance tires. These tires are designed specifically to offer better contact with the road. The rubber compound is designed to have better contact with the road, which in turn improves traction and grip. With a set of high-performance tires, you can drive much faster through the corners without worrying about losing contact with the road. You can also accelerate without any squeal, and stop with much more ferocity.

High-performance tires are also much more responsive. In other words, the moment you turn the steering wheel, your Civic will react. Touring tires, on the other hand, are slower to react to driver inputs. Suffice to say, if you are a more aggressive driver or own a Civic Type R, then high-performance tires are the way to go.

However, if you only want a dependable tire for everyday driving, don’t for a second think that these tires will be a good choice for you. First of all, they are very expensive, much more so than touring tires. Then, high-performance tires also don’t last nearly as long as touring tires – the best of them come with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. In the end, some drivers might also be annoyed by the slightly worse ride quality and more noise on the highway.

3. What About the Climate?

That’s a very important question to ask because not all tires work in every climate scenario. As a matter of fact, this might be the most important distinction between tires available on the market. Today, you can find touring tires that will work in most weather conditions, but also ones that will work best in the summer and ones that work best in the winter. It’s the same with high-performance tires, all-terrain tires, mud-terrain tires, etc.

That said, all-season tires are the most prevalent type of tires on the market today. The reasoning behind this is simple – every vehicle owner faces different climate conditions throughout the year. These tires are designed to work in almost all of them. Their tread is made of a rubber compound that works in a wide range of temperatures. More precisely, the best all-season tires for Honda Civic can stay softer in the winter and harder in the summer. This gives them reliable traction, grip, and braking in most weather conditions.

Nonetheless, most all-season tires are designed to work mostly in warmer conditions, and slightly cold conditions (around freezing point). That’s where all-weather tires come in. They are similar to all-season tires in the way that they work in a wide temperature range, but in this case, that range is lower. In other words, all-weather tires are better in wintry conditions and slightly worse in summer conditions.

None will be able to replace a proper winter tire, though. Winter tires are designed to operate only in freezing conditions. This makes them much better than any other tire type for winter driving, including dry and wet conditions. Thanks to the pliable rubber, winter tires have much better grip and traction in very cold weather, and they also stop better. Winter tires also have a much more aggressive tread pattern with a lot of siping, which makes them the best choice for driving on snow and ice. That said, the rubber in winter tires becomes too soft in the summer, which renders them virtually unusable in these conditions.

Summer tires are the opposite of winter tires. They are made of a harder rubber that doesn’t get too soft in very hot and humid summer days. These tires offer by far the best traction, grip, and stopping power in the summer, and it is not even close. That’s why the best high-performance tires are designed to work only in the summer. On the other hand, summer tires become too brittle in cold weather. In the winter, they not only suffer when it comes to performance, but they also can be damaged in the process.

Final Words

As you can see from the list above, it only includes high-quality Honda Civic tires (no cheap options). We are fans of these tires simply because they offer by far the best driving experience, including handling, braking, and comfort. On top of that, these tires are also much more durable than some very cheap alternatives. In other words, cheap tires won’t provide you with safe driving experience, and they won’t last nearly as long. In our books, safety should be No1 priority, and that’s why we always list Honda Civic tires from well-known manufacturers.