Nissan Pathfinder ticks some boxes and leaves others unchecked. For instance, this vehicle’s towing capacity is near the top of the class. It also offers a quiet and comfortable highway ride that you can appreciate on long road trips as well as on everyday commutes.
Yet there are issues that may prove to be deal-breakers. The most glaring of which is its acceleration, which feels a bit sluggish when you need a quick burst of power. Also, while the EPA rates its fuel economy among best-in-class, real-world experiences indicate otherwise.
Want to hear some good news? The best tires for Nissan Pathfinder will make its forgettable driving demeanor slightly less forgettable. Plus, they will complement this three-row SUV’s already decent ride quality, helping you enjoy your time in this family-friendly SUV.
In this article, we’ll look at the top 10 Nissan Pathfinder tires on the market. To further help you, we’ll discuss the tire types that work best with this sporty utility vehicle. And finally, we’ll answer some of the common questions people have about the Pathfinder’s tires.
#1. Continental CrossContact LX25 – Best Overall
The CrossContact LX25 are the best tires for Nissan Pathfinder on the market. Their excellent fuel economy, long treadwear warranty, and superb road manners all make them a must-have for anyone who spends most of their time behind the wheel on paved roads.
Start with the fuel economy. An eco-friendly tread compound helps these tires consume less fuel per liter by lowering their rolling resistance. In doing so, the tread compound solves a major issue that plagues this SUV’s performance: sluggish acceleration. Here’s how it does that.
The rolling resistance is the energy a vehicle must supply to its tires to keep them rolling at a consistent speed. So, with their low rolling resistance, the LX25s will leave your Pathfinder’s engine with some power to spare, which it can then dedicate to boosting this SUV’s pick.
Aside from boosting your Pathfinder’s fuel economy and acceleration, the LX25s will increase its wet and snow performance, thanks to the grooves which channel water away from the tread area. Plus, with the help of Comfort Ride Technology, they will improve ride quality.
On top of everything else, the LX25s are backed with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is outstanding given that the LX20s were only backed for 60,000 miles. However, just like their predecessor, the LX25s aren’t the best option for spirited driving.
Pros
- Backed with an excellent 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Will enhance your Pathfinder’s ride quality
- Best-in-class hydroplaning resistance
Cons
- Not the best for spirited driving
#2. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady – Best All-Season
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady costs much less than rival tires from Michelin. Which is a bonus given that these tires’ performance on dry, wet, and mild wintry conditions is as good as that of the Defender LTX M/S, Michelin’s’ flagship all-season tire.
An all-season tread compound and Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) emblem indicates that this tire can go all the way on light snow and ice. The 3PMSF logo is only given to tires that meet the raters’ strict criteria for reliable performance in wintry conditions.
Dual aqua channel grooves do what their name hints. These water channels evacuate water from within and beneath the treads, minimizing the risk of aquaplaning. Their quick action also keeps the contact patch dry to help this tire perform reliably in the rain.
Unlike most tires out there, the Assurance WeatherReady won’t face a dangerous drip in traction levels in its last few days. This model’s ‘Evolving Traction Grooves’ – which will replace the built-in grooves when the latter lose their aggressiveness – are the reason for this.
Still, there is one area where this tire disappoints. A 60,000-mile treadwear warranty is average for an all-season tire, especially when you see that rival A/S models are backed for 70,000 miles or more.
Pros
- Come with the 3PMSF emblem
- Offers excellent traction on wet roads
- Resists hydroplaning quite brilliantly
Cons
- Average treadwear warranty
#3. General Grabber HTS 60 – Best All-Season
The General Grabber HTS 60 is one of the best all-season tires on the market. Equally importantly, this model comes at an affordable price. So, if you have always wanted a premium A/S tire but didn’t go for it because of the asking price, here’s your chance.
A cut- and chip-resistant tread compound won’t let sharp objects penetrate the rubber with ease, enhancing this tire’s road life. The enhanced puncture-resistance makes the HTS 60 a suitable candidate for off-roading on gravel, slush, and light snow.
Just like your Pathfinder, the HTS 60 offers excellent ride quality. The credit for this goes to unique sound barrier ribs (which absorb road vibrations) and Comfort Balance Technology (that deflects road noise). So be prepared for a plush driving experience.
Wet handling is another area where the HTS 60 shines. Wide circumferential grooves quickly and effectively eliminate water from the tread to help this tire plow through waterlogged roads. The grooves’ rapid action also keeps hydroplaning at bay.
Thanks to the trio of continuous center rib, intermediate shoulder blocks, and notched shoulders, the HTS 60 offers a much better steering response than most highway tires. Still, if we’re to find one fault in this tire, it’s its lackluster performance over thick snow.
Pros
- Available at an affordable asking price
- Offers excellent ride quality on dry and wet roads
- Superb dry handling and high-speed stability
Cons
- Isn’t a reliable performer over thick snow
#4. Michelin Defender LTX M/S – Best Premium All-Season
The Michelin Defender LTX M/S demonstrates what you can get when you pay top dollar for a set of tires. Extended treadwear warranty, equally reliable performance on dry, wet and (light) snow roads, and dynamic handling – the Defender LTX M/S has all these qualities and more.
Start with this tire’s excellent all-seasons performance, which owes its existence to the EverTread compound that balances firmness with flexibility to make this tire as reliable at full speed on sun-baked roads as when you’re driving at a languid pace over light snow.
MaxTouch Construction helps this model outlast its 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. It does that by making the contact patch rounder every time it meets the surface. The result is even tread wear and, as hinted previously, a tire than can last 6 to 7 years with ease.
Its symmetric tread pattern enhances road grip for better fuel economy and absorbs road vibrations for a plush driving experience. Right next to it are independent tread blocks, raised rubber segments that provide this tire with dynamic handling characteristics.
All in all, if you don’t mind spending a small fortune on your Pathfinder’s tires, the Defender LTX M/S should be on the top of your wish-list.
Pros
- Comes in a large number of sizes
- Backed with an excellent 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Offers excellent grip and traction on dry and wet roads
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#5. Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac – Best All-Terrain
The Goodyear Wrangler Duratrack are an excellent option of you do any off-roading and/or need a good set of A/T tires for bad weather. One of the best things about these tires is that they don’t wear much, even when you regularly use them in difficult conditions.
You could thus do as many as 30,000 miles with these models and their thread will only go dorm from the original 15 mm to approximately 12 mm. Such an impressive wearability means that you can count on these tires to last you many years with proper care.
These tires also perform excellent in snow, something you don’t normally get from all-terrain tires. The unique siping detail on their tread area helps them plow through harsh wintry conditions, with the circumferential grooves taking care of evacuation.
Yet another thing that makes them a must-have is that they are not loud on the highway. Sure, that doesn’t mean that they’ll be as quiet on paved roads as all-season touring or highway tires. But when compared with their fellow A/T models, they are quiet.
The only thing that might put them at a disadvantage is their vulnerable side walls, which are too soft to our liking and look ready for a cut on sharp rocks. Thus, while you can use these tires on any other terrain, don’t tempt your luck with these on rocky trails.
Pros
- Doesn’t not wear too much
- Perform excellently in snow and mud
- Aren’t loud on the highway
Cons
- Soft side walls are vulnerable to cuts from sharp rocks
#6. Cooper Discoverer ATW – Best for Severe Weather
The Cooper Discoverer ATW is an all-terrain tire that performs brilliantly in harsh weather conditions. There are three features that help this model excel in snow and ice, though it also has the ability to perform well in mud, sand, and rocks.
The first of which is the Micro-Gauge Corrugated Siping. This is high-density sipping dotting the ATW’s tread area and which a bigger number of biting edges per square inch than your average A/T tire. The result is excellent traction on snow and ice.
Then come the opposing grooves on the edges of this tire’s tread elements that enable it to trap snow within the treads. The trapped snow then delivers snow-on-snow grip which is obviously much stronger than the standard rubber-on-snow traction.
A coupled silica tread compound is next. Featuring high-density polymers, silica, and other materials, the tread compound retains its flexibility in sub-zero temperatures. For this reason, it acts in a way as to enhance the ATW’s ice traction and wet grip.
Despite the above features, the ATW in its heart is an all-terrain tire. It comes with several features designed to carry you from point A to point B in the mud, rocks, and sand. You can thus expect this model to perform well in almost all off-road terrains.
Pros
- Can be used in severe winter and all-terrain conditions
- Offers decent ride comfort for an all-terrain tire
- Outstanding traction in dry and wet conditions
Cons
- Is loud on the highway
#7. Nitto NT 421Q – Best High-Performance
The Nitto NT 421Q can be an excellent high-performance all-season tire candidate for Nissan Pathfinder. Bear in mind, though, that this tire won’t go on all of this SUV’s trims. It’s thus recommended to first ensure that this tire is available in your Pathfinder’s size.
Once you’ve made sure that this tire can go on your SUV, brace yourself for an enhanced steering response and feedback that this tire’s continuous center rib will deliver. You’ll also do well to be ready for exceptional cornering performance, thanks to external shoulder blocks.
The external shoulder blocks also improve this tire’s high-speed stability and traction and handling on dry roads. In doing so, they cannot be more different from the inner shoulder blocks, which help increase the NT 421Q’s grip on wet roads and mild wintry conditions.
Its unique interlocking 3D sipe design comes together when you apply sudden brakes, helping this model achieve one of the shortest braking distances in class. The coming together of the sipes also expands this tire’s contact patch, thus ensuring better grip and traction.
To further sweeten the deal, Nitto backs the 421Q with a 60,000- or 75,000-mile treadwear warranty (depending on the tire size). It has also equipped this tire with maintenance indicators for treadlife and wheel alignment, though Nitto charges steep price for all these features.
Pros
- Exceptional high-speed stability and steering response
- Best-in-class dry, wet, and winter traction
- Offers a quiet and comfortable driving experience
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#8. Yokohama Parada Spec X – Best Budget High-Performance
The Yokohama Parada Spec X has many things in common with the Nitto 421Q. Both these tires aren’t available in all tire sizes of the Pathfinder. The duo performs equally well in all-seasons, thought the Parada Spec-X isn’t backed with a treadwear warranty.
An aggressive tread pattern is to credit for this model’s price-defying high-speed stability and steering feedback. The tread pattern also enables the Spec X to grip the road batter, which will prove to be extremely crucial when you’re driving this tire at the limit.
Yokohama has also made sure that the Spec-X is quieter than its fellow high-performance tires. It has done that by equipping this model with its exclusive variable pitch technology that deflects road noise for a much more bearable driving experience at high speeds.
Deep sipes come to this tire’s aid during light snow driving and multiple grooves evacuate water when you’re driving in the rain. An internal polyester belt strengthens this tire’s core, making sure that high-speed driving isn’t followed by premature deformation.
All in all, if you’re on a budget and could do with the absence of a treadwear warranty, the Spec-X is as capable as the above Nitto NT421Q.
Pros
- Offers superb cornering performance
- Cheaper than rival performance tires
- Offers amazing steering response and feedback
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty
#9. Hankook DynaPro HP2– Best OE Tires
The Hankook DynaPro HP2 are the original equipment (OEM) on the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum, which is the luxury/priciest trim of this SUV. There’s no reason why those of you who own other versions of the Pathfinder couldn’t benefit from this tire’s features.
This all-season high-performance tire offers much more comfortable ride on the highway than the DynaPro HP, its predecessor and competitor. The HP2’s wet traction is also an improvement over its ancestor, thanks to the addition of extra water channels in the tread area.
Hankook has equipped this tire with a new center rib and reshaped the external shoulders. It has also updated the tread design, giving it more biting power than the one you see on the HP. The result of all these improvements is better handling and even wear.
Despite featuring all these improvements, the HP2 costs less than its previous version. As such, you’re getting improvements in ride quality, handling, and treadlife without having to pay for it. That too while getting the best-in-class (40,000-mile) treadwear warranty.
Pros
- Best-in-class treadwear warranty
- Above-average handling on dry surfaces
- Wears evenly for a long treadlife
Cons
Could be quieter
#10. Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2– Best Winter Tires
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 checks every box for a dedicated winter tire. A specialized tread compound that can retain its flexibility in sub-zero temperatures and innumerable biting edges enable this tire to safely carry you from point A to point B on snow-laden roads.
Bridgestone has equipped the DM-V2’s tread blocks with its proprietary Multicell compound (which looks like the upper surface of a sponge when viewed under a microscope). The Multicell eliminates the thin layer of water between the rubber and tire, improving braking on ice.
MultiCell Technology is also on offer. What it does is trap snow between the treads to generate better friction on snow-laden roads. That is because snow-on-snow contact generates better friction (and short braking distances) than snow-on-rubber.
On top of everything else, the edges of the DM-V2’s tread are much sharper than that of your average tire. Their angular shape gives this tire the additional bite into hardpacked snow and snowbanks, making the DM-V2 a reliable performer in harsh wintry conditions.
Referring back to what we said earlier, the Cooper Discoverer ATW is an excellent option if you want excellent winter performance from an all-terrain tire. However, if you do all of your driving on the highway, the DM-V2 may prove to be a better pick overall.
Pros
- Has superb braking power
- Provides excellent traction on snow and ice
- Won’t encounter slippage at ice
Cons
- Snow performance might take a hit after some time
Best Tires for Nissan Pathfinder
All-Season Touring Tires
Three qualities make all-season tires the best option for the average Pathfinder driver. They include excellent road manners, above-average treadwear warranties, and economical asking prices. No other tire category that we know of possesses all these qualities.
Performance Tires
Performance tires might be a better option for those who pushes their Pathfinder to their limits. These tires’ high-speed stability, steering response and feedback, and cornering performance cannot be matched. But keep in mind that they do not come cheap.
All-Terrain Tires
All-terrain tires deserve your attention if you do light off-roading. These tires have cut- and chip-resistant tread compounds, aggressive tread patterns, and sturdy internal construction enabling them to withstand the harshest of weather conditions with ease.
Winter Tires
Dedicated winter tires are a must-have if your area receives more than its fair share of snow. When opting for a tire for snow and ice, make sure it comes with the 3PMSF emblem. Also inspect the tread area to ensure the presence of biting edges.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tires go on a Nissan Pathfinder?
The Nissan Pathfinder comes with a wide range of stock tire sizes, including 245/75R16, 265/75R16, 265/70R16, 265/65R17, 235/65R18, 265/60R18, 235/55R20 and more.
What brand of tires does Nissan use?
The brand of tires Nissan uses depends on the model year, delivery year, and trim. For instance, the 2022 Nissan Pathfinder Platinum comes with Hankook DynaPro HP2 tire.
How long do tires last on a Nissan Pathfinder?
It depends on the type of tire you have installed as well as how you drive. For instance, premium touring tires driven with care can last as many as 50,000 miles. However, for performance and all-terrain tires, the number could be less than half of that.
Conclusion
If you want to make the most of your Nissan Pathfinder, it’s imperative that you pair it with the right set of premium tires. Cheap tires might cost less upfront but will require replacement much sooner, thus proving to be more expensive than their premium counterparts in the long-term.
