Top 11 Best Tires for the Ford Escape

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The best tires for your Ford Escape depend on multiple factors. Most crucial is the model you are driving. Escapes with hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrains weigh more than those with turbo-three and turbo-four engines. If you’re driving the former, opt for tires with thicker sidewalls.

Next thing you need to consider when you go out shopping for tires for your Escape is how you drive. Various studies have suggested that the driving style can be divided into three types: aggressive, moderate and conservative. Your driving style, then, needs to be factored in when selecting tires.

As important as your driving style is the area where you live. Someone who lives in the countryside and encounters a lot of dirt and dust during daily driving would obviously need a different set of tires than anyone who spends most of their time behind the wheel in city traffic.

The factory tires on your Ford Escape struck a balance between all these factors. That was because Ford, like any other carmaker, wanted to give its drivers a decent all-around tire. However, as your presence here suggests, you want a set of tires that could excel in your driving situation.

Read on to find the best set of tires for Ford Escape.

#1. Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenza Plus – Best Tire Overall

Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenza Plus

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The Bridgestone Dueler HL Alenza Plus is currently the best tire for all Ford Escape models. This tire is designed to fit vehicles like Escape. So if you fit the HL Alenza Plus on your Escape, you won’t be doing anything that is against conventional wisdom. 

Unlike most tires in this category, the HL Alenza Plus offers year-round traction. This helps make it a stand-out performer in dry and wet conditions, as well as light snow.

The credit for its year-round traction goes to this tire’s systematic tread pattern. The tread pattern is the reason why the HL Alenza Plus would keep your Escape stable in sunshine, rain and even light snow. That is because increased traction with the road translates into increased stability.

Bear in mind that this tire wasn’t designed to handle deep snow. This tire lacks the biting edges that you see on dedicated winter tires like the Michelin X Ice Xi3. Still, even without the ‘sipes’, this tire can safely carry you from point ‘A’ to point ‘B’ in a light snowstorm.

Bridgestone is well-known for pulling out all the stops when it comes to backing its tires with a warranty. The Dueler HL Alenza Plus is a massive beneficiary of this approach. This tire comes with an exciting 80,000 miles warranty, a number you don’t usually get to see with tires in this class. 

Pros

  • 80,000-mile warranty
  • Offers year-round traction
  • Quiet and comfortable ride

Cons

  • Not designed for deep snow driving

#2. Continental CrossContact LX20 with EcoPlus Technology – Best Touring Tire

Continental CrossContact LX20

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The Continental CrossContact LX20 is usually the first choice of SUV owners. An eco-friendly tread compound, made up of +Silane additives and Tf polymers, helps enhance this tire’s traction with the road. In doing so, the tread compound promotes even treadwear and better fuel mileage.

The result of all of this is a tire that will a) last longer than most other touring tires you see on the market and b) reduce your trips to the refilling station.

Next comes high-speed stability. Thanks to independent tread blocks and a continuous center rib, this tire won’t wobble, even when you have your foot pressed firmly against the accelerator. The credit for this tire’s excellent steering response also goes to the duo.

Wet traction is another area where this tire shines. Continental has provided it with its exclusive Traction Grooves to enhance its traction on wet and snowy roads. Plus, four circumferential grooves in the tread area help keep the risk of hydroplaning to a minimum

Despite all these features, the CrossContact LX20 isn’t our top pick for Ford Escape. Know why?

This tire could have done a bit better on ride comfort. Sure, there won’t be any tire noise as long as you abide by the speed limit. However, the moment the needle on the speedometer moves left, or the road gets a bit rough, vibrations will start being felt inside the cabin.

Pros

  • Built-in rim protector
  • Excellent hydroplaning resistance
  • Quiet on the highway

Cons

  • Susceptible to vibrations

#3. Michelin Premier LTX – Best Runner Up

Michelin Premier LTX

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The Michelin Premier LTX is a dream come true for SUV owners. It is a quiet tire, performs reliably in harsh driving conditions and has the speed rating to not let anyone overtake you on a highway.

Michelin made this tire’s tread compound with increased amounts of silica and sunflower oil. Silica is renowned for its flexibility and is thus the reason why this tire can perform as reliably on dry roads as it does in wet conditions. Sunflower oil, meanwhile, allows this tire to maintain winter performance.

Dry traction is one area where no other touring tire can compete with the Premier LTX. This tire’s high-speed stability under the sun is off the charts. And its steering responsiveness is so good you’d be forced to double check whether it’s a touring or an extreme performance tire.

Wet traction isn’t as good, but that isn’t to say that it’s average or, god forbid, below average. A pair of Emerging Grooves (across the tire shoulder) and Expanding Rain Grooves (around the circumference) lend this tire the biting edges it need to succeed in wet and light snowy conditions.

Braking distances are also on the shorter side, thanks to Michelin’s EverGrip Technology. As its name implies, this technology helps the LTX ‘grip’ the road better, reducing the distance this tire will come to a halt on the application of sudden brakes. A 60,000 miles treadwear warranty, though, is lackluster.

Pros

  • Responsiveness is best-in class
  • Outstanding traction and grip in dry and wet conditions
  • Noticeably quiet and comfortable

Cons

  • Competitors offer better treadwear warranty

#4. Continental CrossContact UHP– Best Summer

Continental CrossContact UHP

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The Continental CrossContact UHP would enable you to test the performance limit of your Ford Escape. For this reason, it is the perfect option for anyone who is in the market for a reliable summer tire.

A silica-enhanced tread compound helps this tire really come into its own at high speeds. It ensures that even as you leave other vehicles in your wake, the tire’s contact with the road stays as supreme as ever, making for a reliable driving experience at breathtaking speeds.

An asymmetric tread compound, together with circumferential grooves, tread blocks, and sipes make sure to eliminate water from beneath the tread area. This results in an increased hydroplaning resistance which, in turn, means better traction in wet conditions.

Surprisingly for a summer tire, some sizes of the CrossContact UHP are M+S rated. That means they are capable of offering decent traction in light snow.

On the inside, this tire is reinforced with twin steel belts encapsulated within spirally wrapped nylon. This results in added durability and strength, particularly on the highway. A built in rim flange protector is also on offer. You can count on it to protect your rims from being damaged from curbs.

Absence of a treadwear warranty is a glaring shortcoming, even when you consider than most UHP tires don’t come with one. That is due to the fact that UHP tires are prone to suffer uneven treadwear (due to aggressive driving). So one can never be sure how long they will last you.

Pros

  • M+S rated
  • Ensures excellent handling at high speeds
  • Increased hydroplaning resistance
  • Comes with a built-in rim flange protector

Cons

  • No treadwear warranty

#5. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 – Best Winter

bridgestone blizzak ws80

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That the Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is the best winter tire for Ford Escape shouldn’t come as a surprise. After all, it’s a leading wintry tire for just about every car, SUV and CUV on the market.

While most dedicated winter tires require you to install metal studs, the WS80 doesn’t require you to do all that hard work. Simply install this tire on your Ford Escape and start the journey, just as you would with any touring or all-season tire.

A 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol means that this tire exceeds the industry standards for dependability and traction during harsh wintry conditions. This symbol is indicative that this tire has the biting edges needed to dig into snow and ice.

The biting edges alone aren’t to credit for this tire’s winter performance, though. Multicell technology also contributes to the WS90’s performance in harsh conditions.

This technology does that by removing water from the tire’s tread area, letting the snow and ice on the road come into contact with the snow and ice on the stiffened tread compound. The resulting snow-on-snow contact generates the friction needed to propel your Escape forward.

Bridgestone has also equipped this tire with its regular TWIs (tread wear indicators). These are narrow rubber bars located inside the WS80’s circumferential grooves. As the tire wears down, they become more visible, before getting completely flush with the surface as the tread depth reaches 5/32-inch.

Pros

  • 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating
  • Offer excellent traction on snow and ice
  • Comes with tread wear indicators and winter wear bars
  • Comes with tread wear indicators and winter wear bars

Cons

  • Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty

#6. Cooper Discoverer SRX

Cooper Discoverer SRX 3

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The Cooper Discover SRX is a budget alternative to premium touring tires you saw above, yet it succeeds in offering a reliable and safe driving experience.

A high-silica tread compound made with competition-grade resin allows this tire to offer improved traction on wet tarmac. Four circumferential grooves reduce the risk of hydroplaning by eliminating water from beneath the tread area, allowing for reliable traction on wet roads.

Responsiveness and straight-line tracking are also exceptional for a touring tire. For added responsiveness, Cooper opted for a slightly stiffer sidewall. A decision which, as you might guess, means more vibrations inside the cabin.

The Discoverer SRX is one of the first tires from Cooper that come with the StabiliEdge technology built-in. This technology prevents tread blocks from moving during hard acceleration, cornering, and breaking, which translates into increased traction and grip on dry surfaces.

Unfortunately, while this tire does come with zig-zag sipes, it isn’t very good on snow. Even on light snow and ice. We suspect that is because of the relatively affordable price tag, otherwise we see no reason why its pricier alternatives like CrossContact LX20 perform much better on snow.

The same story repeats itself in terms of comfort and noise. While this tire’s ride quality is nowhere near harsh, its alternatives we discussed above are much comfier. So be prepared to hear the noise of the tire if you have a habit of driving with windows rolled all the way down.

Pros

  • Competitively priced for a touring tire
  • Exceptional responsiveness and straight-line tracking
  • Brilliant hydroplaning resistance

Cons

  • Average ride quality

#7. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus – Best All Season

Cooper Discoverer SRX

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The Pirelli Scorpion Verde is one of the few tires that are gentle on the environment as well as easy on the fuel economy. Though anyone with a brief knowledge of the Italian language would have guessed that by reading its name – the term ‘Verde’ means green in Italian.

This tire has managed to strike the perfect balance between fuel economy and concern for the environment. It has done that by doing one simple thing: reducing its weight. The result is low rolling resistance which, as you might guess, almost always means high fuel economy.

Pirelli has equipped the Scorpion Verde with two features to reduce its road noise.

The first of the two features, a built-in Noise Canceling system, relies on a sound-absorbing device inside the tire’s circumferential wall. The second feature, the optimized pitch sequence, is much less futuristic. Though it is equally responsible for this tire’s reduced noise.

The pitch sequence consists of sequencing on the treads which are too small to be seen with a naked eye. What the sequencing does is increase the tire’s contact points with the road. This results in even pressure distribution and reduced tire stress, and, by extension, reduced road noise.

Wet traction is the only area where this tire underwhelms. Don’t get me wrong, there are models out who perform much poorly in the rain. But there are also tires that excel in wet conditions. The Scorpion Verde All Season Plus’s wet performance lies somewhere in the middle. 

Pros

  • 65,000 mile treadwear warranty
  • Noise-free riding experience
  • Improved handling and steering response
  • Improved handling and steering response
  •  

Cons

  • Average high-speed traction on wet roads

#8.Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady – Best for Rain

Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

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The Goodyear Assurance Weather Ready was one of our top tire picks for Tesla Model Y. Its inclusion in this review should make it clear that this tire isn’t only designed for electric vehicles.

The WeatherReady is the only tire in the Assurance series that comes with the three-peak snowflake mountain symbol or 3PMSF certification. This is an indication that relevant authorities have certified this tire safe for driving in harsh wintry conditions.

A soy-based tread compound translates the rating into performance. It does that by helping the tread compound stay flexible, even when the road is littered with snow and ice.

Wet traction is another area where this tire shines. An asymmetric tread pattern featuring Goodyear’s Evolving Traction Grooves takes the cake for that. The specially-designed grooves widen as the tire wears, helping the tire offer reliable traction even when it has lost a percentage of its tread depth.

However, don’t expect this tire to be as silent as some of the others in this review. In fact, if you make an apples-vs-apples comparison, the Assurance WeatherReady would come out as louder than the CrossClimate SUV, which might bother a few of you.

Performance is great throughout, though. You can count on this tire to offer superb handling in dry and wet conditions, while its braking would also give you no reason for complaint. All in all, the Assurance WeatherReady is one of the best all-season tires for Ford Escape.

Pros

  • Excellent treadwear warranty for an all-weather tire
  • Great winter traction
  • Supreme wet performance

Cons

  • Makes a fair bit of noise

#9. Michelin X-Ice Xi3

Michelin X-Ice Xi3

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The Michelin X-Ice Xi-3 belongs to the tire manufacturer’s Latitude Series. Tires belonging to this series are designed to meet the requirements of SUVs, crossovers, and pickup trucks. All the tires in this lineup, including the X-Ice Xi3, are meant to offer high fuel efficiency.

Their tread life isn’t bad either.  Take the example of X-Ice Xi3 for instance.  This tire’s FleX-Ice silica tread compound has made it more flexible than most winter tires on the market. This enables it to provide excellent year-round traction, resulting in an above-average tread life.

Similar to the Scorpion Verde, the Xi3 also manages to take the middle road between eco-friendliness and fuel efficiency. It comes with a GreenX tread technology that reduces rolling resistance to bring down the tire’s fuel consumption, creating a win-win situation for the environment and you.

Cross Z sipes on the directional tread pattern do most of the tire’s dirty work. They cut straight throw ice, slush and snow with slipping or sliding. The result is a ‘road-on-rubber’ contact, though Michelin also uses ‘Mico Pumps’ to prevent this tire from skidding on slippery surfaces.

Average cornering in harsh wintry conditions is one of the reasons why some users might want to prefer the Bridgestone Blizzak WS80 over this tire. That and the fact that this model doesn’t come cheap might prevent some deals from going ahead.

Pros

  • Offers exceptional snow and ice traction
  • Very comfortable on the highway and the street
  • Low rolling resistance translates to better fuel efficiency

Cons

  • Average cornering in harsh wintry conditions

#10. Kumho Solus KR21 – Best Budget

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The Kumho Solus KR21 is an affordably-priced tire that offers excellent wear life, solid ride handling and all-season traction and performance. Throw into the mix this model’s low road noise and high road comfort, and you can’t find many faults with it.

This tire comes with an advanced carbon tread compound, a rarity these days given that most tires on the market use silica. Still, as its performance indicates, the carbon tread compound is equally reliable, offering enhanced traction on wet and dry surfaces.

Snow traction is one area where this tire surprises. Despite being a budget tire, it has the biting edges a tire needs to offer improved snow traction and handling. Plus, due to the cross-grove shoulders, the increased tread area also improves handling in all weather conditions.

Improved hydroplaning resistance is another rarity for a budget tire. Just like its pricier counterparts discussed above, the Solus KR21 has four circumferential grooves to not allow water particles come between the tread and the rubber. The result is added driving confidence.

Road noise is virtually non-existent, thanks in part to the continuous center rib and the notched center rib around the tread area. It isn’t uncommon for drivers who have used this tire to state that the Solus KR21 is one of the quietest tires they have driven on. 

Pros

  • Budget asking price
  • Virtually noise-free riding
  • Comfortable driving experience
  • Hydroplaning resistance defies low asking price

Cons

  • Wet traction could have been better

#11. Michelin Primacy MXM4

Michelin Primacy MXM4

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It is an open-secret that Michelin makes some of the best tires on the market. The Primacy MXM4 gives further proof if any that the US tiremaker is the industry leader.

Michelin has made use of cutting-edge technologies in this model’s design. A Sunflower Oil Helio technology takes advantage of a special compound called Helio, enriched with sunflower oil, to improve this tire’s traction in all-weather conditions.

The ‘Filament At Zero Degrees’ technology places the nylon filaments inside the MXM4’s tread at a zero degree individual angle. This intricate arrangement is the reason why the MXM4 can retain its original shape for long and offers enhanced steering responsiveness.

Then comes the 3D Variable Thickness Sipe Technology. It provides the outer shoulder of the tire with a fair few number of sipes to help it dig through snow and ice before it lands on hard tarmac, effectively ensuring excellent performance in harsh wintry conditions.

Having said that, there are two areas where this tire disappointed us. The first of which, an astronomical price tag most people cannot afford paying, was expected. The second underwhelming thing about this tire, a relatively average treadwear warranty of 55,000 miles, was unexpected.

Pros

  • Green-X certification for fuel efficiency
  • Sunflower Oil Helio Technology for added grip on wet surfaces
  • Comfortable and noise-free driving experience

Cons

  • Astronomically expensive for a touring all-season tire

Factors to Consider When Buying Tires for Ford Escape

Touring Tires

Touring tires are by far the most popular choice of Ford Escape owners. Mainly because they offer a quality driving experience most of their competitors – i.e. highway tires – fail to offer. These tires might be less tough than highway tires but are the best choice for those who don’t haul very heavy cargo.

Highway Tires

Highway tires deserve your attention if you’re going to tow and haul very heavy stuff. They are tougher and come with higher load capacity ratings. However, since most people won’t be using their Escapes for this purpose, we’ve placed highway tires at the second number.

UHP/Sport Tires

Ultra-high-performance or sport tires are worth a shot if a) you want a more responsive driving experience and b) are willing to pay over the odds for it. These tires offer improved levels of traction and grip, with their braking distances and overall performance unrivaled.

Winter Tires

Winter tires might be on top of your list if you live in an area where it snows a lot. Needless to say that they aren’t made for locations like Florida where the sun rarely sets. Use winter tires in summer conditions, and your car’s stability will be compromised.

Frequently Asked Questions

What tires come on Ford Escape?

Different Ford Escape models are fitted with different OEM tires. For instance, the S, SE, and SE Sport come with 17-inch wheels, the SEL is fitted with 18-inch wheels, and the SE Sport (with the Premium Package and Titanium) come with 19-inch tires.

How do you know it’s time to replace your Ford tires?

Take out a penny from your pocket and slide it upside down in the tread groove. If you cannot see the top of the outline of Lincoln’s head, it meets your Ford tires are less than 2/32’’. This is an indication that it’s replace to replace your Ford tires.

Conclusion

Ford Escape is one of the most budget-friendly, comfortable and fuel-efficient SUVs on the market. It boasts comfortable seats, a large cargo capacity, and a spacious interior. Sure, its interior quality could have been better, but for the price at which it’s available, nobody’s complaining.

However, install an average set of aftermarket tires on your Escape, and you’d have all sort of complaints about your drive. The drive quality might get rough, vibrations might start getting felt inside the cabin and the gas mileage might nosedive. Which is why we have come up with this article.

All the tires you saw above are the best for Ford Escape. Sure, not all of them are made for all driving styles and conditions. But the range is so vast that you can easily pick a set of tires that meets your requirements and help you make the most of this SUV.

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