The 8 Best Tires for Volvo XC60
Searching for the best tires for Volvo XC60? Start by considering your driving style. If you rarely push this SUV to its limits, all-season or all-season touring tires will be ideal for you. However, if you intend to exploit the XC60’s sportiness, opt for high-performance tires.
Next, pay attention to the roads. If you never venture far away from the highway, all-season or all-weather tires will offer unbeatable year-round utility. But all-terrain tires will be a better bet if you’re an off-road lover who likes cruising through sand, mud, and gravel.
Finally, check out the weather app on your smartphone. All-season or all-weather tires will work fine if your area experiences mild-to-moderate climate year-round. But if the roads where you live disappear under snow in the winter, go for dedicated winter tires.
Keep these tips in mind while checking our Volvo XC60 tire selection.
#1. Michelin Premier LTX – Best Overall
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What makes the Michelin Premier LTX one of the best tires for the Volvo XC60?
Start with this model’s incredible road manners. The Premier LTX is one of the few tires that are as quiet on the highway as on the street. This means that whatever your driving speed, this tire won’t let any noise or vibrations inside the cabin.
Its year-round utility is also impressive. It isn’t one of those A/S tires that claim to stay useful 365 days a year but struggle on the first hint of snow underneath their rubber. Instead, thanks to aggressive biting edges, this model can tackle light snow.
A high fuel economy means it could increase your QX60’s already impressive mileage. Plus, thanks to the hidden grooves (which only appear once their built-in counterparts wear out), it won’t lose traction even when its tread has worn out.
Unfortunately, there is one area where this model could have done a lot better. Its 60,000-mile treadwear warranty seems average when compared with competitors. Most of which are backed to last 70,000 miles or more, guaranteeing a few more years of road life.
Pros
- Provides a refined driving experience
- Offers superior dry and wet traction
- Stays useful in mild wintry conditions
Cons
- Treadwear warranty could be better
#2. General Grabber HTS 60 – Best All-Season
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The General Grabber HTS 60 is another exciting pick for Volvo XC60.
A cut- and chip-resistant tread compound distinguishes it from other all-season tires, most of which struggle off the highway. Thanks to the rubber’s toughness, you can use it for mild off-roading without having to worry about punctures.
While its tread compound fails to inspire confidence about this model’s road manners, the sound barrier ribs (which absorb road vibrations) and Comfort Balance Technology (which dissipates road noise) guarantee a plush driving experience.
A close inspection of the tread reveals wide circumferential grooves. These channels ensure quick water evacuation for a reduced risk of hydroplaning. In doing so, they ensure the dryness of the contact patch, making this tire highly reliable in the rain.
Despite all these qualities, it isn’t our top tire pick for Volvo XC60. Want to know why? Some of this tire’s models (H- and R-speed rated) come with a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty. Also, after a few years, it may start getting loud at higher speeds.
Pros
- Offers a super-comfortable ride
- Excellent handling and steering responsiveness
- Reliable dry and wet performance
Cons
- May get loud at higher speeds
#3. Yokohama YK-HTX – Best Budget All-Season
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If you don’t want to spend a grand on a set of all-season tires but aren’t in the mood to compromise on quality either, consider the Yokohama YK-HTX.
Similar to its pricier counterparts recommended above, this model offers year-round utility. It is as reliable on dry roads as when driving through water-logged tarmac. However, unlike with our top pick, you’d want to avoid snow with this tire.
That said, this model is as quiet and comfortable to drive as the Michelin Premier LTX. An extra layer inside its tread makes sure that only the harshest vibrations and loudest noises enter the cabin. Everything else will be taken care of on its own.
A stiff sidewall means that this tire’s ride will be more responsive than its two above colleagues. Which is good news as it means you can execute quick lane changes at breathtaking speeds. Also, the sidewall’s stiffness makes it more resistant to punctures.
A two-tiered treadwear warranty system is also on offer. Yokohama backs the standard sizes (which will go on passenger cars) to last up to 70,000 miles. However, the LT tires (which will go on the XC60) come with a meager 50,000-mile warranty.
Pros
- Available at a pocket-friendly price
- Offers great responsiveness for a pocket-friendly tire
- Equally reliable on dry and damp roads
Cons
- Ride may feel a bit firm
#4. Nitto NT 421Q – Best High-Performance All-Season
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The Nitto NT421Q will enhance your XC60’s driving dynamics.
An asymmetric tread pattern will give this SUV all the grip it needs to cruise through winding roads without repeated pressing of brakes. Additionally, the tread pattern will increase this tire’s contact patch, thereby ensuring excellent high-speed stability.
Its short wet braking distances can surprise you. Nitto has equipped this tire with an interlocking sipe design that brings together the biting edges as you press the brakes. The result? Your XC60 won’t take too long to come to a halt after you apply brakes.
Outer shoulder blocks guarantee more good news. First, they stabilize this tire’s sidewall to keep it from flexing at high speeds, lowering the risk of wobbling. Secondly, the shoulder blocks improve this model’s cornering grip to let you attack bends at full speed.
A 60,000-mile or 75,000-mile treadwear warranty (depending on tire size) gives us nothing to complain about. After all, the three tires we saw above came with lower mileage guarantees, even though neither was suited to meet the demands of high-speed driving.
Pros
- High mileage warranty for a tire in this class
- Offers superb dry handling and cornering grip
- Boasts exceptional high-speed stability
Cons
- Doesn’t come cheap
#5. Goodyear Assurance MaxLife – Best Treadlife
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The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife has everything people love about touring tires.
Start with the fact that its rated tread life is 30% higher than competitors. An 85,000-mile treadwear warranty means this model is expected to last five to six years. This is based on estimates showing that the average US driver covers 15,000 miles a year.
Next comes its symmetric tread design. One which absorbs road vibrations and dissipates road noise for a noise- and vibration-free driving experience. However, it does that by compromising on performance. So, don’t expect this tire to win you any races.
Moreover, multiple circumferential grooves mean you can count on this tire to stay firmly planted on the road in mildly damp conditions. Plus, thanks to internal nylon steel belts and a center rib, you won’t experience any wobbling driving at full speed.
If you are looking for an all-season touring tire that won’t require replacement for years, the Assurance MaxLife should be on your wish list.
Pros
- Class-leading 85,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Outstanding grip in dry and wet conditions
- Short braking distances in the rain and on slippery roads
Cons
- Lackluster steering feedback and responsiveness
#6. Michelin Latitude Sport 3 – Best Summer Performance Tire
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The Latitude Sport 3 comes in two versions: standard and run-flat.
While you can install both on XC60, our vote is in favor of the former. The standard version is lightweight and poses a lower rolling resistance for improved fuel economy.
A silica compound and asymmetric tread design give the best of both worlds. Silica gives the Latitude Sport 3’s reliable grip in dry, wet, and mildly wintry conditions. The tread design’s road contact gives you the confidence to push this tire to its limits.
The trio of shoulder blocks, continuous center rib, and large tread blocks guarantees high-speed stability. Wide grooves minimize the risk of hydroplaning. They also keep the Latitude Sport 3’s contact patch dry for sure-footed wet performance.
A 60,000-mile treadwear warranty distinguishes this model from other summer tires, most of which receive zero backing from their manufacturers. Add to it this tire’s improved fuel economy, and you can’t have many complaints about its high asking price.
Pros
- Comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty
- Short braking distances for a safe driving experience
- Low rolling resistance for an improved fuel economy
Cons
- Asking price may blow a hole in your pocket
#7. Toyo Open Country AT3 – Best All-Terrain Tire
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The Toyo Open Country AT3 isn’t your average all-terrain tire.
Your standard all-terrain tire only comes good for off-roading and highway use. It rarely has the tenacity to offer a reliable grip on snow-laden roads. That is precisely what the Open Country AT3 offers, making it one of the best all-terrain tires for snow.
In case you’re wondering, its aggressive tread pattern and a tread compound that stays flexible in sub-zero temperatures have boosted this model’s snow performance. Whether the snow is packed or unpacked, this model won’t skid or slip.
All of the above isn’t to say that this model prioritizes snow-driving credentials over everything else. As its cut- and chip-resistant rubber shows, the Open Country AT3 can tackle off-road. That, too, with minimal risk of cuts, punctures, and blow-outs.
Finally, compare this model with its fellow all-terrain tires, and you’d notice that the voids in its tread pattern are on the bigger side. Such big gaps ensure an even distribution of pressure forces throughout the tread, ensuring a long tread life.
Pros
- Comes with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) emblem
- Staggered shoulder logs for enhanced off-road traction
- Stiffened tread blocks for excellent handling
Cons
- Ride quality isn’t the smoothest
#8. Pirelli Scorpion Winter – Best Winter Tire
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The Pirelli Scorpion Winter is our winter tire pick for Volvo XC90.
Befitting a premium winter tire, this model gives you unrivaled stability on snow and ice. It traps snow within the tread for maximum friction when rolling over snow. As such, you can count on it to safely carry you from point A to point B through a snowstorm.
Various wide water channels ensure that melted ice (water) won’t remain inside the tread for long. This, in turn, minimizes the risk of a thin water film developing between the rubber and the road, which can be incredibly detrimental to any tire’s road grip.
Even when there is no sign of snow and ice on the road, the Scorpion Winter will stay useful. That is due to the optimized footprint area and a new mold profile Pirelli has equipped it with. Thanks to them, this tire can be used in dry road conditions.
Furthermore, while most winter tire lacks circumferential grooves, the Scorpion Winter has two of them. These grooves tag team with the open shoulder blocks to throw water out. This gives its wet performance an edge over that of competitors.
Pros
- Available in a large number of sizes
- Can easily tackle harsh wintry conditions
- Better wet performance than most winter tires
Cons
- Doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty
Conclusion
The latest generation of Volvo XC60 has nearly everything that defines the luxury SUV segment. However, without the right set of tires, all the bells and whistles on offer won’t amount to much. So, if you want to enjoy everything this SUV has to offer, opt for a premium set of radials.
While cheap tires may cost you less upfront, you’d have to compromise on safety, performance, and road manners with them. It’s therefore recommended to bite the bullet and opt for tires from well-known brands. Only then you’d be able to fully enjoy the XC60’s other offerings.
