The 7 Best Tires for the VW Beetle

#1. Michelin Premier A/S – Best Overall

Wondering why the Michelin Premier A/S is our top pick for VW Beetle?

Mainly because this tire can perform equally reliably on dry and wet roads. A silica and sunflower oil tread compound has given it the right mix of firmness and flexibility to tackle summer and winter conditions, helping it stay useful 365 days a year.

The Premier A/S also provides you with a plush driving experience. The credit for this goes to Comfort Control Technology, which enables this tire to absorb vibrations and deflect the noise. Even with windows rolled all the way down, you won’t hear much road noise.

Wet traction is another area where this model shines, thanks mainly to the circumferential and lateral grooves, which have all but eliminated the risk of hydroplaning. That said, Michelin’s EverGrip Technology (which expands its contact patch on damp roads) also deserves praise.

All of this is not to say that this model is faultless.

Its 60,000-mile treadwear warranty appears lackluster compared to fellow all-season tires. Many of which are backed to last at least 70,000 miles, offering an extra year or two on the road vis-à-vis the Premier A/S.

#2. Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring – Runner Up

The Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring beats the Premier A/S on several counts.

While our top pick is backed to last 60,000 miles, some sizes of this touring all-season tire come with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. This model’s asking price is much lower, too, meaning you won’t have to break the bank to fit your VW with four of these.

Unlike the Premier A/S, which gives you no proof of its light wintry performance. The CS5 Ultra Touring has the M+S symbol telling you that it will perform reliably on snow and ice. Plus, thanks to Cooper’s StabiliEdge Technology, it may enhance your Beetle’s fuel economy.

Why then, you might ask, isn’t this model our top pick? Because not all of its sizes are backed to last 70,000 miles.

For example, the V- and H-rated tires come with a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty, a below-average number for a touring A/S tire. Were it not for this shortcoming, the CS5 would have earned the top spot in this list.

#3. Goodyear Assurance TripleTred – Best All-Season

As its name implies, this tire packs three tread designs.

For superior dry performance, its outer area (‘Dry Zone’) features large shoulder blocks. These blocks are designed to provide extreme cornering grip and steering feedback. Thanks to them, you won’t have any complaints about this model’s handling in dry conditions.

The middle area (‘Wet Zone’) has grooves to help with water evacuation. In doing so, they keep the contact patch dry and ensure consistent road contact on slippery surfaces. The removal of water particles and relentless road contact translates into excellent wet traction.

The Ice Zone takes care of this model’s winter performance. Boasting interlocking treads (which come together upon encountering snow) and biting edges, the ice zone enables the Assurance TripleTred to safely carry you from point A to point B on light snow and ice.

Throw its 80,000-mile treadwear warranty and budget asking price into the mix, and it gets easier to see why it’s one of the best all-season tires for the VW Beetle.

#4. Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus – Best Treadwear Warranty

The Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus checks several boxes for the average VW Beetle driver.

The first of which is that this model comes at a budget asking price, especially when compared with our top two picks. Secondly, Pirelli has slapped this tire with a market-leading 90,000-mile treadwear warranty, which translates to at least 7 years of road life.

Then comes this model’s excellent fuel economy. As is the case with most Pirelli tires, the P4 has a lower rolling resistance compared with rivals from other brands. This means your Beetle’s engine will have to output less power to keep this tire rolling, translating into fuel savings.

You’d also be pleasantly surprised with this model’s handling. The P4 Four Seasons Plus is one of the few tires that will provide you with a sense of control at high speeds. It is also fairly quick to respond to different driving maneuvers, such as cornering, braking, and changing lanes.

Bear in mind that this model has two fewer water-evacuating grooves than its rivals. So expect relatively longer braking distances on wet roads.

#5. Michelin CrossClimate 2 – Best Tires for Rain

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 is one of the most expensive tires money can buy. Yet, its astronomical asking price makes sense to drivers who do most of their driving on slippery surfaces.

How can I be so sure? Because I have witnessed what its Thermal Adaptive tread compound is capable of. This dependable tread compound not only enhances this model’s traction on wet surfaces. It has also shortened this tire’s braking distances in the rain.

In addition to doing all the above, the tread compound keeps this tire’s rubber soft in low temperatures. This guarantees that this model’s traction doesn’t follow the dropping temperatures in winter, making the CrossClimate 2 a reliable performer in light wintry conditions.

However, the tread compound alone isn’t to credit for this model’s excellent wet traction. Its tread pattern is also responsible for making it one of the best rain tires. The tread pattern has equipped this model with the biting edges needed to latch onto wet surfaces. To further sweeten the deal, Michelin has provided this model with industry-standard tread wear indicators (TWIs). These rubber bars will become visible once the tread hits 2/32 inches of depth, beyond which tire replacement is recommended for your safety.

#6. Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 – Best High-Performance All-Season

The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 is a must-have for VW Beetle drivers who are fond of pushing this compact car to its limits.

A tread compound featuring silica sharpens this model’s grip when you’re cruising straight down a dry road. Whereas an asymmetric tread pattern helps it stay glued to the road in wet conditions, helping this tire come to a halt quickly in wet conditions.

Large shoulder blocks have enhanced this model’s cornering grip, meaning you won’t have to slow down your Beetle while taking turns. Plus, thanks to its stiff sidewall, this model will provide excellent steering feedback to anyone sitting behind the wheel.

On top of everything else, Continental has supplemented this tire with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. Although not unheard of, it’s rare for a UHP tire to receive such backing from its manufacturer. Such a warranty means you can easily get up to 4 years out of this tire.

#7. Dunlop Signature HP – Best High-Performance

Exceptional high-speed stability? Check. Superior wet traction? Present. Precise handling and steering feedback? Absolutely. Given the fact that it possesses all these qualities, it shouldn’t be surprising that the Signature HP is one of the best performance tires for the VW Beetle.

Start with high-speed stability. The Signature HP mimics other performance tires by sandwiching an asymmetric tread design within broad shoulder blocks. Together with the notched ribs in the middle, these two design elements make this tire incredibly stable at speed.

Then comes its wet and light-wintry traction. Unlike many of its high-performance colleagues, this tire has inboard ribs helping the built-in rain grooves with water evacuation. It also has more biting edges on its own than most two performance tires put together.

The result? A minimal risk of hydroplaning and reliable traction in mild wintry conditions. All in all, if you can bear with its asking price (which touches Michelin’s levels), we see no issues with this tire.