Nissan Rogue offers plenty of reasons why crossovers have taken over the roads. This mid-size compact SUV offers an excellent combination of convenience, ease of maintenance, and versatility. Its massive cargo hold and spacious seats further enhance its reputation.
But while all the above features have universal appeal, that is not the case with this SUV’s factory-installed tires. The Rogue’s OEM tires strike a balance between price, performance, and treadlife. They aren’t designed to meet the specific requirements of all of its drivers.
Small wonder most Rogue owners don’t appreciate its factory tires. Within weeks of buying this SUV, they are in the market searching for tires that could meet their requirements. Ones that complement their driving style and are made for conditions they’ll drive this SUV in.
In this comprehensive guide, we’ll rate and review the 10 best tires for Nissan Rogue on the market. All the models you see below are recommended by this SUV’s drivers. Plus, they meet our strict criteria for selection. You can thus count on them to fulfill your requirements.
#1. Michelin Premier LTX – Best Overall
The Michelin Premier LTX ticks several boxes for the average Rogue driver. This all-season touring tire offers a long treadlife, is incredibly fuel efficient, and has superb road manners. A long tread life and added protection against punctures also help justify its premium asking price.
A silica and sunflower oil tread compound helps this model offer year-round utility. The silica part in the tread gives the tire the strength needed for reliable performance on scorching summer roads. Sunflower oil, meanwhile, gives it the flexibility for decent wet performance.
Most tires suffer a dangerous loss of traction when their end days are near. This happens because their built-in tread grooves, responsible for providing grip, wear out with use.
EverGrip Technology means you won’t have to worry about this issue with the Premier LTX. This technology replaces the tire’s built-in grooves with fresh ones once the latter wear out. As a result, the level of traction this tire offers stays the same throughout its life.
Lightweight construction and rigid sidewalls improve this tire’s fuel economy and solidify its resistance against punctures, respectively. Still, this model could have done better on the warranty front. Its 60,000-mile treadwear warranty is below-average for a premium touring tire.
Pros
- Dynamic handling characteristics
- Will enhance the Ford Explorer’s average fuel economy
- Offers a quiet and comfortable driving experience
Cons
- Relatively small treadwear warranty
#2. Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus – Best Runner Up
Bridgestone has never shied away from producing tires that offer an excellent mix of driving comfort, extended treadlife warranties, and impressive fuel economies. Luckily for Nissan Rogue drivers, the SUV-compatible Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is no exception.
A symmetric tread pattern enables this tire to offer year-round traction. At the same time, its non-aggressive design helps the tread pattern soak up road vibrations. The tread pattern also deflects road noise, allowing you to enjoy your drives in blissful silence.
Parallel grooves are a curious addition to this tire’s design, mainly because most highway tires you see on the market use circumferential grooves for water evacuation. But as it turns out, these straight-running channels are equally effective in lowering hydroplane risk.
Do you recall what we said about Premier LTX’s warranty? We found our top pick’s 60,000-mile treadwear warranty lackluster because we knew that there are tires out there, such as the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus, which are generously backed for as many as 80,000 miles.
Yet, despite being warrantied for an extra 20,000 miles, this model isn’t our top pick. That is because this tire is utterly unreliable in wintry conditions, even in light snow. In contrast, the Premier LTX, our top pick, has the biting edges needed to stay useful in mild winter.
Pros
- 80,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Offers reliable year-round traction
- Quiet and comfortable ride
Cons
- Not designed for snow driving
#3. Continental CrossContact LX20
Some tires are wiped out of the market following the arrival of their successors. That we’re still talking about the CrossContact LX20, years after its replacement, the LX25, hit the market should tell you that this all-season touring tire doesn’t fit the above description.
An eco-friendly tread compound is the main force behind most of this tire’s excellent features. The tread compound features a unique mix of polymers and elastomers that expand the contact patch (the part of the tire that meets the road) as soon as it hits the tarmac.
The contact patch’s expansion helps this tire in myriad ways. First, it evenly distributes the pressure forces your Rogue will subject this tire to, resulting in an even wear and long tread life. It also helps lower the LX20’s rolling resistance and, by extension, its fuel economy.
Not everything that is good about this tire can be traced back to its tread compound, though. For instance, the credit for this model’s enhanced steering response and excellent high-speed stability has to go to its continuous center rib and independent tread blocks.
The combo of circumferential and lateral grooves deserves acclaim for this model’s excellent hydroplaning resistance and enhanced fuel economy. Throw its 70,000-mile treadwear warranty into the mix, and there aren’t many things you can complain about the LX20.
Pros
- 70,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Enhanced steering response and high-speed stability
Cons
- Susceptible to vibrations at high speeds
#4. Goodyear Assurance CS Fuel Max
The Rogue’s EPA ratings of 30 mpg city and 37 mpg highway make it one of the most fuel-efficient SUVs on the market. Yet, as with most things in life, this fuel mileage could still get better. All you need is to install tires that will enhance an already-impressive fuel economy.
That is precisely what the Assurance CS Fuel Max does. This tire exploits its lightweight construction and Goodyear’s Fuel Max Technology to keep a lid on its gas consumption. As a result, if rising fuel prices are hitting you hard in the pocket, the CS Fuel Max is a no-brainer.
Two tread zones help it deliver the best of both worlds. The Dry Tread Zone does what its name implies by increasing this model’s stability and steering response in summer conditions. It also enhances the tire’s cornering power, letting you enter and exit turns at speeds.
The Wet Tread Zone increases the tire’s wet/snow traction. It features grooves to ensure quick and effective water evacuation for a reduced risk of hydroplaning. Multiple sipes/biting edges, which help the CS Fuel Max plow through light snow, are also on offer.
A 65,000-mile warranty might not be the best-in-class. Yet it’s much higher than what you get from most budget-friendly tires. Goodyear sweetens the deal even further by slapping this model with a uniform warranty and manufacturer replacement guarantee.
Pros
- Impressive fuel efficiency
- 65,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Outstanding dry and wet performance
Cons
- Not for harsh wintry conditions
#5. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus
The Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus is another one of those tires that have made lowering your drive’s fuel economy their life mission. This is great news given what top oil traders have been saying about the heights gas prices could hit by the year-end.
A computer-optimized tread pattern helps this tire roll effortlessly. It does that by evenly distributing all the pressure forces your Rogue’s bodyweight will put on this tire. The resulting low rolling resistance translates into better mileage and higher fuel savings.
Pirelli has also kept an eye on this tire’s road manners. The Italian tire manufacturer has seen to it that its engineers place a sound-absorbing device inside the Scorpion Verde’s tread. The result? Better absorption of road vibrations for a refined driving experience.
Similar to the CS Fuel Max, this model too comes with a 65,000-mile warranty. Which may not seem that huge on paper now that you have seen models being backed for as many as 80,000 miles. Yet, this warranty is still 5,000 miles higher than what our top pick offers.
Unfortunately, while it performs better than the Premier LTX on one count, this tire fares poorer on the other. The Scorpion Verde’s wet traction is nowhere near as good as that of our first tire pick for Rogue. So, if we were you, we’d choose to drive carefully on wet roads.
Pros
- Refined highway driving
- Excellent fuel economy
- Decent treadwear warranty
Cons
- Wet traction could have been better
#6. General Altimax RT43
The Altimax RT43 shows that sometimes in life you get more than what you paid for. This affordable all-season grand touring tire offers the kind of performance you usually get from models costing 2x as much. That means it hasn’t cut any corners to keep its price pocket-friendly.
Need proof? Then you must inspect its double-layer tread compound. The tread compound’s upper layer, which is the firmer of the two, ensures the kind of steering feedback you usually get from performance tire. But its dark side – high vibrations, loud noise, etc. – is kept at bay.
That is done by the lower, softer layer. Its unique placement helps it take care of most of the vibrations and noise levels generated by the upper layer. Sure, some of the steering feedback will also be lost. But that is a sacrifice you must make for a comfortable driving experience.
The RT43 also comes with various maintenance indicators. The Replacement Tire Monitor (RTM) will demonstrate well in time when this model will be nearing its expiry date. Visual Alignment Indicators (VAI’s) would help you keep the wheels perfectly aligned.
Availability in 79 different sizes and a generous 75,000-mile treadwear warranty further help the Altimax RT43 punch above its meager asking price. Even its flaws – this tire struggles in harsh wintry conditions – don’t do much to tame the fame enjoyed by this model.
Pros
- 75,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Plenty of comfort and low noise levels
- Offers excellent performance for the money
Cons
- Will struggle in harsher snow conditions
#7. Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring
Excellent value for money, decent fuel economy, poised ride and handling – these are some of the sought-after features the Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring and Nissan Rogue have in common. As such, there isn’t much that could stop them from being perfect match for each other.
Another area where their interests converge is snow performance. Just like the Nissan Rogue, the CS5 Ultra Touring is a reliable performer on snow. An M+S rating, justified by this tire’s 3D micro-gauge siping, helps this tire safely carry you from point A to B on light snow.
This tire also performs reliably in wet conditions. Its inboard shoulders and outboard shoulder blocks have reduced the tire’s braking distances to help it come to a full stop within milliseconds of the brakes being applied. There won’t be a hint of oversteering in wet conditions.
The CS5 Ultra Touring also addresses one of this SUV’s major pain points, its so-so acceleration that has made this SUV weak on making quick passes on the highway. The CS5 helps the Rogue overcome this problem by rolling effortlessly and making full use of the engine power.
However, the CS5 Ultra Touring has that one key flaw that might prove to be a deal-breaker. This tire’s biting edges lack the aggressiveness to help it perform reliably on snow-laden roads. Its tread compound too isn’t flexible enough to easily withstand sub-zero temperatures.
Pros
- Competitively priced
- Great traction and grip on dry tarmac
- Very good wet and light snow performance
- Some models are backed with a 70,000-mile warranty
Cons
- Not reliable on deep snow and ice
#8. Michelin CrossClimate SUV
Many things are common between the Nissan Rogue and Michelin CrossClimate SUV. Both offer the kind of sharp handling their competitors fail to offer. Both perform as reliably in summer as they do in winter conditions and have the looks to attract attention on the road.
A winter-specific tread compound helps this tire justify its all-weather tag. This tread compound has the flexibility needed to stay useful in wet and mild wintry conditions. It also enables the CrossClimate SUV to boost extremely short braking distances in inclement weather.
Wet performance is another area where this model excels. A combination of circumferential and lateral grooves ensures timely water evacuation for enhanced wet traction and reduced risk of hydroplaning. Self-locking grooves, meanwhile, improve its grip in harsh conditions.
Just as with the Premier LTX, the CrossClimate SUV also comes with emerging grooves to avoid a dangerous loss of traction when its original grooves are beyond repair. Bevel-edged tread blocks improve its stability and grip in inordinate terrains and road surfaces.
All these features notwithstanding, the CrossClimate SUV disappoints on the warranty front. This model’s 50,000-mile warranty is the lowest of any A/S tire in this review. Which is surprising once you consider that, like all Michelin tires, this one doesn’t come cheap either.
Pros
- Surefooted performance in inclement weather
- Short braking distances in wet conditions and on light snow
- Excellent dry and wet handling
Cons
- Short treadwear warranty (50,000 miles)
#9. Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife offers the kind of performance you usually get from premium tire manufacturers. Which is surprising given that a) this model weighs light on the pocket, b) is available in as many as 70 sizes and c) is backed with an 80,000-mile warranty.
Stability at high speeds is guaranteed by the trip of symmetric tread design, internal nylon steel belts, and continuous center rib. The symmetric tread design goes on a solo flight when it comes to absorbing vibrations and deflecting road noise for a comfortable driving experience.
Wet traction is another of this model’s price-defying aspects. Goodyear has opted for multiple circumferential grooves to evacuate water from beneath the tread area. Their timely and effective action should minimize the risk of hydroplaning in wet conditions.
Don’t expect this tire to offer enhanced steering responsiveness, though. Its symmetric tread pattern takes a few seconds before this tire could respond to your steering inputs. Still, when juxtaposed with its beneficial features, this flaw shouldn’t play the role of a deal-breaker.
Pros
- Backed with an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Puts up incredible resistance to hydroplaning
- Outstanding grip and traction in wet conditions
Cons
Slow to respond to steering inputs
#10. Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
The Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 is one of the best winter tires for SUVs. This model comes with a winter-specific tread compound that retains its flexibility in sub-zero temperatures, allowing the WS90 to safely carry you from point A to point B on snow-laden roads.
Two technologies help this tire perform at its best in harsh wintry conditions. The first, titled EdgePerformance, comes with an asymmetric tread pattern that widens the tire’s contact patch, giving this model all the surface area it needs to grip the road reliably.
MultiCell Technology is another reason the WS90 is an excellent performer on snow. This technology makes sure that some of the snow that enters through the tire’s voids is captured there. This snow is then used to improve this tire’s traction on snow-laden roads.
Given all these features, it shouldn’t be surprising for you to note that the WS90 comes with a 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) emblem. This logo indicates that this tire has met the rater’s strict criteria for models designed for severe weather driving.
Pros
- 3PMSF emblem
- Offers excellent traction on snow and ice
- Comes with winter wear bars
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty
Best Tires for Nissan Rogue
Touring Tires
Touring tires are by far the best option for the average Nissan Rogue driver. Just like this SUV, touring tires strike the perfect balance between road comfort, road life, and price. They enable you to enjoy a plush riding experience without emptying your pockets for it.
Another big advantage of touring tires is their life. As you have already seen, the best touring tires are backed for as many as 80,000 miles. This means you can count on them to easily last 5, 6 years, or even more if you mostly use this SUV for everyday driving.
Throw into the mix their affordable asking price, and it gets easier to see that touring tires won’t hit you hard in the pocket, both in the short and long term. Thus, if you don’t play on paying over the odds for Nissan Rogue tires, touring tires are your best option.
Highway Tires
Highway tires like the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus have two major differences from their standard touring counterparts. These tires come with higher load warranties, making them a better choice if you use this SUV for towing or hauling heavy stuff.
The second major difference lies in their construction. Compared with touring tires, these models come with thicker internal casings and sturdier sidewalls. This is done to ensure they don’t get damaged when doing all the heavy lifting they are designed for.
Other than these two features, there aren’t many things that distinguish highway and touring tires. Both these models come with similar warranties and offer the same ride quality. What’s more, there isn’t much difference in their asking prices either.
Winter Tires
Winter tires help you kill two birds with one stone. Firstly, these tires have all the design elements needed to carry you safely on snow-laden roads. A combination of super-flexible tread compounds, high-end technologies and sturdy construction makes them excellent performers in the winter.
Secondly, these tires will allow you to expand the shelf-life of any other tires that you use in their place when the weather starts getting warmer. All you have to do is make sure that when winter comes around, you replace whatever tires you used previously with these models.
All of this is not to say that winter tires are faultless. Most of these models don’t come with any treadwear warranty whatsoever, meaning you can’t turn to anybody if the tire you have purchased goes out of use before the time/miles mentioned on its advertising brochure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What tires come on Nissan Rogue?
Nissan Rogue comes with three tire size options. Both the S and SV trims come with P225/65R17 A/S tires. Some SUV trims also give you a choice for P225/60R18 all-season tires. And you can opt for bigger P225/55R19 all-season tires with the Rogue SL.
What kind of tires does a Nissan Rogue have?
All Nissan Rogue trims come with all-season tires from the factory. All-season tires are designed to strike an optimal balance between road comfort, performance, and price. They perform adequately in warm weather, but struggle to perform in harsh wintry conditions.
How long do Nissan Rogue tires last?
Nissan Rogue tires should last anywhere between 3 and 5 years.
Conclusion
Make sure to install premium tires on your Nissan Rogue. Cheap tires from little-known manufacturers might cost low upfront. But they aren’t safe, especially in wet and wintry conditions. Inexpensive tires also have shorter tread lives, making them more expensive in the long term.
One Comment
All of the tires mention has pros, and cons, so I’m still confused about what tire to buy for my 2017 rogue sl awd. I have Goodyear assurance on it now, but it’s time to replace them. Why can’t they just make a tire that meets all needs. Which one would you feel comfortably with if you had a daughter driving a rouge everyday?