Tesla Model Y hit the market seven to eight months before the anticipated date. Yet, if the electric carmaker cut any corners to bring the release date forward, they are yet to be found. The Model Y’s roomy interior, best-in-class safety features, and great acceleration continue to keep the sale numbers strong, even though it was released way back in March 2020.
Yet another thing that distinguishes the Model Y is tires. Or, to be more precise, the range of tires. Tesla gives new Model Y owners the option to select between a summer tire and a winter tire. The two tires you have to choose from are the Pirelli P Zero and the Pirelli Winter Sottozero. Both these tires are great and have earned rave reviews from users.
However, your presence here indicates you want more options. That is why we have come up with this guide. We’re going to examine both the tires mentioned above as well as look at tires recommended by Model Y drivers. Perhaps after looking at all the tires on offer you will be satisfied with what you already have. Or maybe you’d go with an aftermarket option.
Every tire reviewed below has been recommended by Model Y drivers. However, not all of them will suit your driving style needs or the weather conditions you drive in. For this reason, we have listed the best tires for every category that fit Model Y.
#1. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ — Best All Season
The Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ is arguably the best all-season tire for Tesla Model Y. This tire is designed to fit sports cars that are meant to be used year-round in all weather conditions.
Michelin has developed and used a special Helio material in this tire’s construction. Together with its proprietary silica compounds and sunflower oil, the Helio material increases this tire’s traction in rainy and wintry conditions, while also keeping the A/S 3+ from shriveling up in cold weather.
Cornering is another area where this tire shines. The credit for this goes to the Variable Contact Patch technology that took Michelin years in its making. This technology ensures that even when cornering at high speeds, the tire remains incredibly stable, giving you full control over your driving.
The Pilot Sport A/S+ is available in 4, 5, and 6 rib designs. All of which help improve traction on the outward shoulder blocks. The blocks, in turn, improve the tire’s dry cornering capabilities as well as improve the tire’s overall lateral grip, which comes in handy when you’re steering and turning corners.
Wet traction is also supreme. Four circumferential grooves perform a fine job of removing water from the tread area, keeping the risk of hydroplaning at a minimum. And the Variable Contact Patch technology discussed above also creates more secure grip in wet conditions.
And perhaps the best feature of this tire (given the fact that it doesn’t come cheap) is that it would remain with you for years. Michelin has designed it such that the road forces are more evenly distributed to ensure even tire wear. Which explains why this tire comes with a 45,000-mile warranty.
Pros
- Exceptionally responsive in all weather conditions
- Brilliant high-speed stability
- Usable over light snow
- Long treadwear warranty
Cons
- Noticeable tread growl at higher speeds on coarse surfaces
#2. Michelin Pilot Sport 4S — Best High Performance Summer
The Michelin Pilot Sport 4S is a direct competitor of the Pirelli P Zero, Tesla’s high-performance pick for the Model Y. In case you want an apples-vs-apples comparison, check out our comprehensive Pirelli P Zero Vs Michelin Pilot Sport 4S guide.
The Pilot Sport 4S is noticeably better than its predecessor, the Pilot Super Sport. A slightly stiffer sidewall helps this tire offer better grip in dry and wet conditions. This leads to better control at higher speeds, making the Pilot Sport 4S a better option for high-speed driving.
Its internal construction features twin steel belts. Michelin has used Aramid and nylon in making the belts which have made them sturdy but without increasing weight. The result is that you get a sturdy tire whose sidewall doesn’t flex as much as some of the other models in this category.
Road noise has also been taken care of. Michelin’s proprietary Acoustic Technology uses foam placed at crucial points in the tire to absorb road vibrations and shield the passengers sitting in the cabin from them. You could thus expect minimal road growl, even at high speeds with windows down.
Pushing this tire hard on the road yields spectacular results. If you have used UHP tires before, you might be able to feel that the Pilot Sport 4 S is a tad stickier. Which is a good thing as it means you can go sideways without needing to persuade the tire too much.
Wet performance is also above-average. Michelin takes the cake with the braking distance which is probably the shortest of any tires in this class. With that said, aquaplaning resistance, especially in the corners, could have been better.
Pros
- Comfortable and quiet riding experience
- Yields spectacular results at higher speeds
- Extremely grippy in dry and wet conditions
Cons
- Aquaplaning resistance in the corners could have been better
#3. Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 — Best High Performance Winter
The Pirelli Winter Sottozero 3 is Tesla’s winter tire pick for the Model Y. This tire’s performance on challenging wintertime road conditions is the reason why.
While most high-performance tires are designed for when the sun is shining, the Sottozero 3 reigns supreme when there is snow and ice on the roads. This tire is not just designed to handle light snow, it could also hold its own in cold and freezing weather conditions.
The credit for that goes to its innovative tread compound. Made of specialized polymers, the compound features thermal, mechanical and dynamic properties to remain useful on snow. You could thus count on the Sottozero 3 to safely carry you from point A to point B in wintry conditions.
On the subject of the tread design, you get two wide circumferential grooves, multiple lateral grooves and innumerable 3D sipes. All three work together to enhance this tire’s aquaplaning resistance, making sure its grip with the road stays intact in wet conditions.
Pirelli’s Noise Canceling System, or PNCS for short, is the technology the company employed to make this tire quieter. This technology relies on an additional layer of foam (placed inside the tire) to absorb the noise it will make on the road.
Comfort levels are above-average. Since it’s made for premium cars, the Sottozero 3 is super comfortable and can absorb almost all bumps or holes. That is a huge plus point once you consider that winter tires aren’t exactly famous for being comfortable, especially at high speeds.
Pros
- Very comfortable
- Marvelous traction on snow and ice
- Excellent dry performance
Cons
- Lasts less longer than some of its competitors
#4. Toyo Proxes Sport AS — Best Budget
Spent all the money you had set aside on the Tesla Model Y? Don’t have anything left to invest in a set of premium tires? If so, the Toyo Proxes Sport 4S might be a good option for you.
In normal driving, the Proxes Sport 4S won’t give you any reason for concern. It would stay quiet at comfortable on a variety of different surfaces, whether you’re navigating a freshly repaved highway, bump road, concrete path, or a slippery gravel track.
Despite costing many times lower than its premium counterparts, the Proxes Sport AS is a very responsive tire. The credit for that goes to its stiffer sidewall as well as a fairly large contact patch. Both join forces to take the A/S shoulder-to-shoulder with the best-in-class tires in this category.
Multiple improvements are also on offer. An all-new Dynamic Taper Design performs the seemingly contradictory jobs of improving cornering grip without affecting fuel economy pretty well. Aside from that, Toyo has provided this tire with an improved rib design for higher lateral grip.
All of this explains why the Proxes Sport As possesses the grip that it does. Considering that it has an all-season tread compound, you can accelerate this tire fairly hard at corners and not have second thoughts about losing grip, before accelerating out of the bend without losing traction.
Keep in mind, though, that the maxim ‘you get what you pay for’ applies with this tire. Any set of ultra-high performance tires will run circles around the Proxes Sport A/S on the racking track.
Consequently, if that is what you want you want to do with your Tesla Model Y, this tire isn’t the best pick for you.
Pros
- Pocket-friendly
- Excellent cornering grip
- Very good wet traction and grip
- Treadwear warranty is outstanding for the price
Cons
- Has a tendency to get noisy at high speeds
#5. Bridgestone Potenza S007A — Best Summer
What is the point of purchasing a new set of tires if you don’t get shorter braking distances, improved dry and wet handling and durability in return? The Bridgestone Potenza S007A gives all that and more in a price that might blow a hole in your pocket.
The entire Potenza range is designed keeping in mind cars like the Tesla Model Y, with their main purpose to ensure excellent braking, cornering and speed. The S007A is the second tire in this series and offers many improvements over its predecessor, the popular S001.
Even though Bridgestone claims that this tire can handle dry and wet conditions, let there be no doubt that the Potenza S007A is a summer tire. The excellent stability, improved cornering, shorter braking distances – all features that set it apart from the S001A – would vanish in near-freezing temperatures.
On the track performance is another area where this tire performs better. Unlike the S001A, which produced noticeable amounts of smoke and a lot of screeching on the track, the S007A’s are noticeably quieter at high speeds and under challenging braking conditions.
That isn’t to say that this tire shouldn’t be driven anywhere near water. Its wet lateral stability is only a few steps off the market leaders in this category. Still, as far as wet braking distances are concerned, this tire takes a few meters longer to come to a halt than other premium tires.
It is important to note that this tire has the technologies that Bridgestone developed during its 14 seasons as the FIA Formula One’s official tire supplier.
You could thus count on this tire to offer reduced rolling resistance and, by extension, fuel consumption, in addition to features mentioned above.
Pros
- Excellent dry traction and grip
- Remains quiet and comfortable at high speeds
- Features multiple improvements compared to the S001
Cons
- Not suitable for snow and ice.
#6. Continental VikingContact 7 — Best Winter
The Continental VikingContact 7 is one of the best winter tire picks for Tesla Model Y. It is available in various sizes ranging from 15 to 20 inches in diameter. The impressive size range means you can install this tire on both versions of the Model Y.
A bizarre-looking external design helps this tire stand out. Unlike most winter tires, which feature either symmetric or asymmetric tread patterns, this tire features both. This unique arrangement helps the VikingContact 7 stay useful in freezing conditions.
The state-of-the-art tread compound, featuring varied sipes, snow-holding tread grooves for snow-on-snow grip, and directional tread further enhance this tire’s performance in winter. That is why, despite lacking studs, this model offers stud-rivaling traction.
Yet another feature that distinguishes the VikingContact7 is the noise. Or, to be more precise, the lack of noise. Continental’s “ContiSilent Technology” helps it come close to meeting the EU’s minimum noise level criterion, set at around 61 to 71 dB, by recording 72 dB noise.
Steering feel and responsiveness are areas where this tire lets its users down. The VikingContact 7 drives on snow as if somewhat detached from the conditions underneath. So don’t count on this model to ‘communicate with the driver’, as they say in everyday driver lingo.
In conclusion, the VikingContact7 might not be the best winter tire out there. That title belongs to the Michelin X-Ice Snow. However, due to its wide size range and excellent performance in the harshest of winter conditions, this tire is one of the best winter picks for Tesla Model Y.
Pros
- Unique tread compound that gives added traction on snow and ice
- Very good hydroplaning resistance
- Can tackle the harshest of winter conditions
Cons
- Not the most comfortable or the most responsive winter tire
#7. Michelin Premier LTX — Best Touring
A top of the line touring tire is capable of meeting all your driving needs. It provides a longer tread life, improve wet and dry traction and a comfortable riding experience. The Michelin Premier LTX is the perfect example of all these key attributes.
The Premier LTX is a grand-touring all season tire. It features a tread compound containing copious amounts of sunflower oil and silica content. The sunflower oil provides the tire with flexibility needed to provide a firm in cold weather conditions.
The silica content, meanwhile, gives the tire flexibility, while also acting as a bonding agent to make it sturdier than the competition. Together, the sunflower oil and silica content cancel out each other’s weak points while supplementing the stronger ones.
An ‘EverGrip’ Technology does what its name implies. As the tire wears down and old tread grooves disappear, the EverGrip technology replaces them with new grooves. Consequently, even when the tire is fully worn out, you’d continue to get excellent traction in all conditions.
Yet another reason why this tire performs as well on dry roads is its tough sidewall. It minimizes tire wear and thus increases the tread life. Aside from that, a softer-than-usual-tread, lubricated from the inside by the sunflower oil, keeps this tire grippy on difficult (but paved) surfaces.
Low noise and super ride comfort are also guaranteed. The tire’s inner structure – two steel belts reinforced with a polyamide cord and sitting underneath the 1-ply polyester casing – reduce the road noise so much you can’t hear it until you’re really trying.
Pros
- Super-quiet and comfortable riding experience
- Offers excellent grip in wet and dry condition
- 60,000-mile treadlife warranty
Cons
- – Tread life is noticeably shorter than the competition
#8. Michelin Latitude Sport 3 — Best Performance Track
The Michel Latitude Sport 3 beats close competitor Pirelli Scorpion Verde to be the best performance track tire for Tesla Model Y. Both these tires have been designed for the discerning SUV driver who wants an ultra-high quality all-season tire. Why then did we pick one and not the other?
Well, just like other Michelin tires, the Latitude Sport 3 has been equipped with cutting-edge technologies and highly useful design features. These technologies and features work side by side to deliver safe and comfortable rides to drivers of Tesla Model Y.
An asymmetric tread design combines with a unique tread compound to improve this tire’s manners on both wet and dry surfaces. Best of all, the tread design promotes even tire wear. This enables the Latitude 3 to last longer than competitors like the Scorpion Verde.
Michelin has also equipped this tire with 3 circumferential grooves. These wide circumferential grooves evacuate water from within the tire’s tread area. This results in a reduced risk of hydroplaning as well as confident handling and enhanced traction in wet conditions.
Fuel saving is also guaranteed. The Latitude Sport 3 features varied thickness sipes which improve rolling resistance by reducing block deformation. The resulting reduction in rolling resistance will help your Model Y last longer on every charge, saving you money at the charging station.
A few versions of the Latitude Sport 3 have been equipped with Michelin’s proprietary Acoustic Technology. This technologies relies on the tire’s sturdy construction to reduce vibrations, ensuring a noticeable reduction in cabin noise. You could thus communicate easily with fellow passengers.
Pros
- Makes you eligible for Michelin’s Roadside Assistance program
- Excellent fuel economy for an ultra-high-performance all-season tire
- Reduced risk of hydroplaning
- Very low cabin noise
Cons
- Most versions like Michelin’s exclusive Acoustic Technology
#9. Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3 — Best for Rain
The Goodyear F1 SC3 ticks many boxes. Its AAtrax tread compound helps this tire boast AA-rated wet traction grade. Many people don’t know that this is the highest traction grade any tire could get. That means that the F1 SuperCar 3 is grippier than any tire out there.
That is precisely the reason why many users are infatuated with this tire’s wet performance. They claim that its braking distances are second to none, with the F1 SC3 capable of stopping at every corner, before every speed-breaker and just ahead of every pothole.
But the AAtrax compound doesn’t deserve all the credit for this tire’s superior wet traction. Its Combination Grip technology also helps this tire offer above-par grip during cornering, with the asymmetric tread pattern improving stability in wet conditions.
Those of you who like to customize their vehicles might appreciate that this tire has a built-in rim protector – it ensures zero damage to customized wheels at high speeds. Also, if the protector gets damaged, it would be much cheaper to replace it than to replace a damaged rim.
Braking performance is also excellent, even if you pepper the hot tarmac with dirt, sand, and dust particles. This tire begs you to drive it hard and won’t break a sweat when you oblige. It’s this high-speed performance that justifies terms like ‘F1’ and ‘SuperCar’ in the tire’s name.
Aside from that, it could even handle light snow, especially if you drive way below the speed limit and don’t expect it to replicate its summer performance. However, the moment snow gets heavy or ice gets black, you’d be better off with a dedicated extreme winter tire.
Pros
- Exceptional dry traction
- Above-average cornering grip
- Brilliant wet handling and performance
- Performs decently in light snow
Cons
- Ride comfort could be better
#10. Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady — Best Grand Touring
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is one of the best grand touring tires on the market. Excellent hydroplaning resistance, extreme stability at highway speeds and even tread wear – these are some of the features that define this tire.
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, all-weather tread compound helps this tire stay flexible, even when it is freezing out there, enhancing this tire’s grip and traction in snow- and ice-covered roads.
This tire’s asymmetric tread pattern features Goodyear’s exclusive Evolving Traction Grooves. Goodyear claims that these grooves will widen as the tire wears down. This would enable them to keep providing reliable and adequate traction, even after the tire has lost some percentage of its tread depth.
Goodyear has upped the ante even further by provisioning this tire with its proprietary Weather Reactive Technology. This technology works with 3D Tredlock, another of Goodyear’s proprietary technologies, to improve the tire’s grip in wet and dry conditions.
Treadlife warranty of this tire is nothing to be proud of. Sure, the number (60,000 miles) seems good on paper, but it is before you know that all replacements under this warranty will be made on a perorated basis. That means you’d have to contribute a percentage.
Pros
- Brilliant grip in wet and dry conditions
- Has the three-peak snowflake mountain symbol
- Keeps offering traction even as the tire loses a percentage of its tread depth
Cons
- Short treadlife warranty
#11. Kumho Ecsta 4X II — Best for Everyday Driving
The Kumho Ecsta 4X II comes from a brand that has been well-established for 60 years. It comes as a replacement of the tire – the Kumho Ecsta 4X – that was designed for and delivered reliable performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions. So it had to level up or risk being seen as a downgrade.
Leveling up is what this tire has done. The trio of asymmetric shape, huge shoulder blocks and intermediate tread blocks improves this tire handling and damping ability. You’d thus be able to communicate with your fellow passengers without resorting to shouting.
Close inspection of the tire reveals rib notching around the tread area. These miniscule notches perform a massive job of increasing the tire’s stability to avoid bumping. This feature leads to a comfortable ride in various road conditions.
Dry and wet traction won’t leave you wanting for more. The presence of sipes all around the tread area give this tire all the biting edges it needs to remain stable in dry conditions. As for the wet traction, multiple circumferential and lateral grooves take care of that.
The only area where this tire could have done better is light snow and ice traction. Many users complain they feel let down by this model’s performance in moderate-to-extreme wintry conditions. Which, to be frank is something you could see a mile off from an all-season tire.
In case you want to know more about this tire, check out our comprehensive Kumho Ecsta 4X II review.
Pros
- Marvelous dry performance
- Comfortable and refined driving
- Excellent aquaplaning resistance
- Great dry and wet traction
Cons
- Practically useless on snow
Frequently Asked Questions
What tires come on Tesla Model Y?
The Tesla Model Y Performance variant originally came with Pirelli P Zeros, while the Long Range variant was fitted with Pirelli Winter Sottozero. However, over the past few months, there have been unconfirmed reports that Michelin Pilot All Season 4 is now the standard on Model Y Performance.
How long will Tesla Model Y tires last?
The durability of your Tesla Model Y tires depends on multiple factors, including your driving style, the condition you drive in, which of the two Model Y variants you drive, among others. That said, a new set of tires should last anywhere between 20,000 and 25,000 miles on average.
The relatively low tire life, especially when compared with other SUVs, has to do with the fact that Tesla Model Y, like other performance oriented EVs, tends to wear out its tires quickly.
Why do Tesla tires wear out so fast?
Electronic vehicles, or EVs for short, tend to weigh heavier than their gas counterparts. Their batteries cannot compete with the energy density (or wattage per pound) of gasoline vehicles. This makes Tesla vehicles weigh more, with the added weight wearing the tires out faster.
Do Tesla Model Y need winter tires?
Unless you drive in harsh wintry conditions, there isn’t any compulsion to fit dedicated winter tires on your Tesla Model Y. All-season, high-performance, summer or any other category of tires could work out pretty well with the Model Y.
Conclusion
Are your Model Y tires looking a little worn after a few months of driving? Or perhaps you belong to the category of drivers who feel that factory tires should be replaced as soon as the vehicle is delivered.
Whatever the reason, we’ve compiled a list of the very best tires for your Tesla Model Y.
Whether you’re looking for a dedicated set of summer tires, feel you cannot do without high-performance or ultra-high performance tires, or are in the market for a set of dedicated winter tires, our comprehensive guide has got you covered.
