Daily driving
Touring & eco
With economy-tier power and daily driving, your tyres have an easy life. Spend on wet braking and longevity, not outright grip.
The Kia Sportage 2.0 is a front-wheel drive SUV with 115 kW and a kerb weight of 1,571 kg. That’s 73 kW per tonne, in the economy tier. City cars, small hatches, workhorse utes and big 4x4s. The tyres have an easy life.
73kW/t
Under the P-plate limit. Comfortably under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland (under-25s). Engine modifications or a banned listing can still rule a car out. P-plate rules
For a mild, wet climate. Cold and snowy climates are further down.
Daily driving
With economy-tier power and daily driving, your tyres have an easy life. Spend on wet braking and longevity, not outright grip.
Gravel & off-road
For gravel and dirt, an all-terrain's tougher carcass matters more than outright grip.
Also consider: if you rarely leave the bitumen, touring.
Estimates from power and weight. The tyre placard on the driver’s door jamb is the legal minimum.
Touring & eco: character
Cold winters, little snow
Your tyre: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
If you'd rather run summer tyres: Touring & eco
Michelin Primacy SUV+ · Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 II · Michelin Energy XM2+
Snow and ice
Summer set: Touring & eco
Michelin Primacy SUV+ · Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 II · Michelin Energy XM2+
Winter set: Winter
Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 · Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5 · Bridgestone Blizzak LM005
If you want one set: All-season / all-weather
Michelin CrossClimate 2 · Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 · Continental AllSeasonContact 2
Front-wheel drive
Your front tyres do the steering, braking and driving, so they wear faster. Rotate front to rear every 10,000 km to keep wear even.
SUV
Choose the SUV or 4x4 version of a tyre where one exists: it has a stronger carcass for the extra weight and higher centre of gravity. Match or exceed the placard load index.
Buying only two?
Put the new pair on the rear axle, even on a front-driver. Grippy rears keep the car stable when braking or cornering in the wet; worn rears are what cause spins.
73 kW per tonne (98 hp per tonne), from 115 kW and a 1,571 kg kerb weight. That puts it in ratio's Economy tier.
For everyday driving, touring & eco tyres. Good options include the Michelin Primacy SUV+, Bridgestone Dueler H/T 684 II, Michelin Energy XM2+. Always match or exceed the load index and speed rating on the car's tyre placard.
On power-to-weight, yes: at 73 kW per tonne it is under the 130 kW/t limit for P-platers in NSW, Victoria and Queensland. Engine modifications can still make a car off-limits.
Cars in the Economy tier typically run T or H-rated tyres. The legal minimum is whatever your placard, on the driver's door jamb, specifies.