Best Tires for the Jeep Liberty

1. Falken Tires Wildpeak A/T3W

Ride Quality: 7 Noise Comfort: 7 Handling: 8 Traction: 9

One of the more balanced all-terrain tires out there, the Falken Wildpeak A/T3W is ever so slightly geared at tackling off-roading in comparison to its competitors. This is helped by a myriad of technologies Falken Tires has employed to the tire. All these engineering marvels don’t hamper the asphalt feel particularly much, most being aimed at improving off-roading capacity without needing to compromise comfort and general usability.

The sidewalls are strengthened with an additional short sidewall added to their nylon plies. Its role is to act as a heat shield and strengthen the tire further, being useful both on regular tarmac on a hot day and while out trailing as an extra layer of defense against cuts and tears. The compound is on the tougher side, needing to be so simply because the tread blocks are one of the highest in the category.

When we’re looking at the contact patch, we observe some very flat and substantial tire blocks cut across by sparse sipes. The shoulder blocks are split by a couple of zigzag sipes. These aim at improving snow performance, local water evacuation, and tire flex for off-roading and when temperatures start to fall. All of these coupled with the generous grooves provide a composed and relax demeanor both on and off the road. There have been plenty of added bits of technology, like extra support ramps to strengthen the tire block or sidewall protection thanks to a sidewall tread pattern.

Its downfall is fuel efficiency and rolling resistance, along with overall comfort. Driving long distances with this tire is ill-advised, because it isn’t tough and rugged enough to be driven at highway speeds efficiently. However, it isn’t soft and compliant enough to be a tire aimed at comfort. Handling-wise, the tire is also poor, thanks to those tall tire blocks.

2.Toyo Tires Open Country A/T III

Ride Quality: 7 Noise Comfort: 6 Handling: 7 Traction: 8

On the other side of the all-terrain spectrum, the Toyo Tires Open Country A/T III is significantly better suited for off-road usage, and not pure asphalt use. This is the case simply because the tread blocks and shoulders are better designed at handling irregular roads in contrast to other tires, thanks to their overall shape that permits the block to flex heavily under pressure. You’re also greeted with a 65,000-mile warranty which is nothing short of welcomed.

Toyo improved the regular recipe and decided to toughen up the sidewall belts by using high-strength steel belts, aimed at improving rigidity and flexibility. The compound is more on the average side, not being able to be too soft thanks to the median tire block height. The sidewall, compound, and tread pattern allowed the Open Country A/T III to earn a 3PMSF rating.

Talking about tread pattern, the tire blocks are heavily irregular, being heavily split by aggressive small grooves, but not cut across completely. When these are coupled with deep and aggressive zigzag sipes, you get a tire which is highly flexible. The lateral grooves do a fantastic job at trapping snow, and the same can be said about the channels created by the tread blocks.

However, if the previous tire was somewhat solid and uncomfortable, this one is worse. Also, hydroplaning resistance is very poor, more often than not trapping water in the center of the contact patch thanks to its maze-like channel network. Its asphalt performance isn’t great either, undoubtedly worse than other all-terrain tires which are better suited for regular roads.

1.Michelin Defender LTX M/S

Ride Quality: 9 Noise Comfort: 9 Handling: 8 Traction: 8

No real tire list is proper without a Michelin product, which in this case is a touring tire. Its goal in this list is to provide potential buyers with a comfortable and economical alternative, for users who do a lot of highway driving and want to save a penny or two without hampering comfort too heavily. Its 70,000-mile warranty also shows that you won’t change them soon.

The sidewall isn’t impressive feeling wise, for the most part it being relatively soft vertically while keeping its toughness longitudinally and laterally. The compound is significantly more special, making it in such a way that rolling resistance is quite low, allowing users to save tens of gallons of fuel over the course of the tire’s entire lifespan, practically paying for itself in the end. Even so, traction is substantial, and the tire doesn’t feel like it never gets enough grip.

We’re presented with a straightforward tread pattern, with three zigzag sipes on average per tire block aimed at evacuating water locally to provide good traction in wet conditions. Each tire block is delimited by a zigzag channel as well, aimed at providing snow a surface it can grip to. Hydroplaning resistance is good, thanks to its significant shoulder grooves.

Its problems are for off-road usage, which is abysmal, and overall snow performance, which is just poor. Also, as all Michelin tires go, another problem is how expensive it is.

2. Goodyear Assurance MaxLife

Ride Quality: 9 Noise Comfort: 7 Handling: 8 Traction: 9

From Goodyear’s Assurance line, we can actually use a touring tire for a bit of gravel (and solely gravel) driving thanks to a bit of clever thinking. The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife is one of the toughest tires out there, sporting an 85,000-mile warranty. Seeing how tough they are, you can assume that a bit of dirt and gravel once in a blue moon won’t hurt them too bad. As such, a decent choice for the Jeep Liberty owner who heads off-roading once or twice a month on a couple of miles of dirt and gravel roads.

The sidewall isn’t anything to write home about and behaves averagely, at most you could say that it’s a bit thin thanks to its singular ply casing with a small polyamide ply reinforcement. Compound-wise, it’s tough as nails, so you can expect to drive many miles on it without faults if you respect each tire’s maximum load rating along with rotating them every so often.

The pattern itself is simple. Three long tire “strips” go along the tire’s circumference, every so often cut almost completely by a small channel. There are three small sipes per apparent tire block, along with a curved one. These provide good local water evacuation, and the tire strips make a substantial contact patch which provides plenty of grip.

Faults are a few and somewhat expected. Seeing how all the channels are straight or rounded off, snow performance isn’t good at all. Noise absorption isn’t fantastic, and neither is road feedback thanks to the tall tread blocks. Also, there’s the sidewall issue with it being somewhat thin, which is a downside if you aren’t careful while driving on gravel. Driving into a hole could rupture your tire, so be careful.

1.Michelin CrossClimate 2

Ride Quality: 9 Noise Comfort: 7 Handling: 8 Traction: 10

With the most balanced tire out there, Michelin really gave all the other manufacturers a run for their money with the CrossClimate 2. It’s critically acclaimed for being good at everything and without any major weaknesses. If you live in a milder climate which also sees a fair amount of snow, the CrossClimate 2 is the tire to get if you want to be sure.

The compound is quite special, managing to withstand a significant temperature gradient, performing fine in temperatures as low as 20 F and as high as 85 F to 90 F. Anything higher is pushing it too hard. The sidewalls are pretty tough all-around, aimed at providing lateral and longitudinal grip, and vertical rigidity if driven relatively hard. The mileage warranty covers 60,000 miles, which is plenty for such a capable tire.

When looking at the tread pattern, we are greeted with a typical V-style pattern which is renowned for being capable in most conditions thanks to the generous contact patch that it has. Each tire block is cut across by a zigzag sipe which gets progressively, which when coupled with adequately sized grooves and small lateral channels makes for a tire which behaves admirably both in the wet and in the snow. Snow performance is actually great, certified by a 3PMSF symbol, thanks to its clever V-style tread pattern, usage of compound, and clever engineering concerning sipes.

The issues aren’t that many, and those aren’t all that significant. Handling-wise, the tire could feel a little lackluster and vague on an SUV, even if in reality it respects the car’s trajectory. Wet breaking in colder temperatures is somewhat weak, having an average performance. Also, probably the biggest downside is its significant price tag.

2. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

Ride Quality: 7 Noise Comfort: 7 Handling: 9 Traction: 9

Another heavy contender in the all-weather category, geared towards even harsher climates if we’re talking about low temperatures and abundant snow. Many technologies have been installed in order to make a proper snow tire livable in the summer. To attest this, Goodyear offers a 60,000-mile warranty.

They started from a pure winter tire and hardened the compound quite a bit so it can last driving in warmer temperatures, but not overly hard so it can still perform in the winter. Teeth have been added in between the grooves which mesh similarly to a gear, in order to confer some stability to those tall tire blocks. The tread pattern is completely asymmetrical, seemingly transferred from a winter tire seeing how it has the 3PMSF certification.

The tread pattern consists of three kinds of tire blocks, each cut multiple times by zigzag sipes which aim at restoring some of the tire’s flexibility during colder temperatures all while working extra time at trapping snow. The grooves have been thought out in such a way that they repel water and avoid hydroplaning, at least to some extent. All the grooves show at least an edge to which the snow can grip to.

The problems are a few, but important to look at. If pushed hard, especially during hot temperatures or really wet days, the tire is prone at understeering. Hydroplaning resistance is somewhat average, one side of the tire not being well suited for directing water properly. Also, wear in particularly hot temperatures is quite poor.

1. Sumitomo HTR A/S P03

Ride Quality: 6 Noise Comfort: 7 Handling: 10 Traction: 9

To also offer a high traction tire for the climates which only see rainy winters, the Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 is highly capable on regular dry and wet asphalt. Many technologies have been employed coupled with a carefully developed asymmetrical pattern.

The compound is quite tough, bolstering a 65,000-mile warranty which is adequate for such a tire and not far-fetched either. The asymmetrical profile makes the tire quite brisk and sportive, providing fantastic overall feel and copious amounts of traction. The tire blocks aren’t all that tall, making the tire feel planted and not squirmy in any capacity.

Water performance should be good, thanks to many carefully placed sipes and a long curved middle groove which is designed to expel water briskly. The contact patch is substantial, giving the tire a lot of grip on asphalt. Hydroplaning resistance should also be fantastic, thanks to some really thick circumferential grooves.

All this 3-season performance is hampered only by noise and comfort, both lacking somewhat. Seeing how I called this tire a 3-season tire means that snow performance is also quite bad indeed. Don’t expect it to pull miracles if snow arrives.