The 8 Best Tires for the Kia Telluride

#1. Michelin Primacy A-S

Multiple factors make the Primacy A-S the right tire for the Kia Telluride.

Start with superb road manners. As you know, the Telluride offers a comfortable ride, thanks to a suspension that effortlessly soaks up bumps and scars in the pavement. Guess what? The Primacy A-S will complement the suspension in making the cabin quieter.

Next comes excellent wet performance. Regardless of how slippery things may get, this tire stays planted and offers a lot of traction to keep things from going haywire. As a result, even those who drive with a heavy foot won’t face too many problems in the rain.

Performance on snow is equally outstanding. Tweaks in its tread design – a slightly redesigned tread pattern and sharpened angles of the lateral grooves – have resulted in a 17% improvement on snow. This means you won’t have to replace it in cold weather.

The only area where it disappoints is treadwear warranty. No matter how you slice it, a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty is short for a tire in this segment. Need proof? Then you must check out the upcoming tires on our list.

#2. Pirelli Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus II

The Scorpion Verde All-Season Plus II is another exciting pick for Kia Telluride.

Mainly because it is pretty exciting to drive. Unlike most all-season tires, it delivers a significant amount of feedback on the steering. Also, this tire is quick to respond to steering inputs, yet another quality that you mostly don’t get from models in this segment.

At the same time, it offers a compliant ride, thanks mainly to Pirelli’s Noise Cancelling System (PNCS). The PNCS is a feature that lowers road noise by attaching a sound-absorbing foam to this tire’s inner while. As such, you can drive with minimal disruptions.

Wet performance is another box this tire ticks. Compared with its predecessor, the All-Season Plus II boasts shorter braking distances in the rain. You can thus drive with complete confidence on slippery surfaces.

A 65,000-mile treadwear warranty further sweetens the deal. Additionally, it casts a bad light on the Primacy Tour A-S, which is backed to last 10,000 miles fewer.

#3. Michelin Defender 2

The Defender 2 has everything you expect from members of this popular tire family.

Like many of its colleagues, it can absorb minor road imperfections without much fuss. It retains its composure over larger bumps (as long as you slowdown in advance). This means you can drive your Telly with the windows rolled all the way down.

Another thing that makes this tire attractive to everyday drivers is that it performs reliably on wet roads. A plethora of features (discussed below) make sure of that.

Take the 3-D Sipe Lock Technology. This technology ensures that the sipes lock as this tire starts wearing down. The result? High wet traction throughout its tread life. Then come the grooves – circumferential and lateral – which enhance its aquaplaning resistance.

Finally, you have the longitudinal and lateral sipes. These are biting edges that help this model stay firmly planted on the road, even when there’s snow underneath. As such, you can count on this tire to not betray you as the weather takes a turn for the worse.

And the best thing about this tire? It’s backed by a class-leading 80,000-mile treadwear warranty. This means that an average US driver can expect to get up to 6 years out of it.

#4. Pirelli Scorpion Zero A/S Plus

While most Telluride trims have the Primacy Tour A/S as OE tires, a few roll off the factory floor with the Pirelli Scorpion Zero A/S.

These tires may not be as well-known as Primacy’s. But their dry and wet performance is equally good. User reviews indicate that they can handle atrociously wet weather pretty well, especially if you don’t have the habit of driving with a lead foot.

High-speed cornering in all weather conditions also feels pretty secure on these. Also, as long as you aren’t driving at breakneck speeds, standing water won’t deflect or float these tires (and, by extension, your Telluride) whatsoever. So wet safety is all but guaranteed.

Furthermore, compare with other Pirelli tires (especially the Scorpion Verdes), these tires are a little quieter. Which is surprising given that they have a bolder personality. Also, the Scorpion Zero A/S give a little more road feel at the steering.

#5. Michelin CrossClimate 2

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 offers most of the qualities drivers look for in tires.

The most important of which (at least in my opinion) is low rolling resistance. These tires feature Michelin’s latest technologies that help them roll without drawing much power from the engine. This, as you might guess, will improve your Telluride’s economy.

Another is assured performance in the rain. A combination of V-Ramp chamfers (which ensure quick water evacuation) and biting edges (that boost its traction) are the reasons.

Yet another great thing about these tires is that they can easily tackle snow and ice. Need proof? Check out the 3PMSF and M+S symbols on their tread. Both these emblems indicate that the CrossClimate 2s have what it takes to stay useful in harsh wintry conditions.

To further sweeten the deal, it features Michelin’s PIANO Noise Reduction Tuning Technology. As its name suggests, this technology is designed to minimize road noise, offering you the whisper-quiet ride Michelin tires are famous for.

#6. Continental CrossContact LX25

The Continental CrossContact LX25 can offset many issues that plague Telluride’s performance.

The first of which is minimizing body roll. I have spoken to many Telluride drivers and most agreed that this SUV does seem to tilt to one side when cornering at high speeds. Those who faced this issue had a simple fix – slow down as you enter bends.

The CrossContact LX25 offers a far more practical solution. Thanks to its excellent lateral grip, this tire ‘bites’ into the road as you’re taking turns. This keeps it from slipping or losing traction. Which, in turn, will minimize your Telluride’s body roll.

Having taken care of body roll, the CrossContact LX25 addresses another problem hurting the sales of Kia Telluride – average fuel economy. This tire has a much lower rolling resistance than peers and is thus able to minimize the frequency of your visits to the pump.

Lastly, with this tire on its wheels, your Telly will feel less dull on the road. This is thanks to its exciting handling and high steering feedback. So, those of you who are disappointed with the Telluride’s dull demeanor will have something to get excited about.

#7. Falken Wildpeak A/T Trail

The Wildpeak A/T Trail is an excellent option for those who regularly drive off the beaten path. At the same time, it has the manners to come good for highway driving.

To justify its selection for off-road driving exploits, this tire features a sturdy sidewall. One that helps it resist cuts, chips, and tears. It also features deep lugs in its tread area which boost its self-cleaning abilities for better traction on mud.

Baer in mind though that these tires weigh around 29 pounds each. This makes them at least 5 pounds heavier than the competition. I suspect that this added weight might hurt your Telluride’s fuel economy, even if you rarely drive above highway speeds.

Speaking of highway, the A/T Trail tracks straight down, even when rolling over imperfections. Sure, its steering response is tighter than any all-season tire’s. But it keeps your SUV very stable, letting you drive straight for miles without steering corrections.

Want to hear some more good news? This tire carries the 3PMSF emblem, indicating that it is severe snow rated. You can thus count on it to stay useful in harsh wintry conditions.

#8. Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV

The Michelin X-Ice Snow SUV is arguably the market’s leading winter tire.

Mainly because it performs excellently on snow. Compared with leading models in this segment, the X-Ice Snow SUV’s braking distances are among the shortest. Its aquaplaning resistance, which is critical to avoid slippage, is among the highest.

Another reason why I rate this tire so highly is that it offers superior traction on ice. An advanced rubber compound (one that is formulated for cold temperatures) makes sure of that. As is a siped tread design, which creates additional biting edges on the ice.

You may also find it good to note that this tire can be run studded or studless.

I’d suggest going for the studded version if you live in an area where winters are extremely icy. That is because studded tires offer excellent traction on icy surfaces due to the metal inserts in their tread. However, if your roads aren’t primarily icy in the winters, studless tires are a good option.

Best of all, this tire comes with a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty. That is something that is unheard of for tires in this class.