AutoPacific has announced its list of "most satisfying" replacement tire brands, based on results from its 2026 U.S. Replacement Tire Buyer Study.

"These latest results reveal a shift in brand performance from previous study years with Nexen taking the top spot, newcomer to the study Vredestein and Nitto tying for second and Kumho ranking third," say AutoPacific officials. "Looking at all-season tires specifically, Nitto is the most satisfying brand and for performance tires, Pirelli is the most satisfying brand.

"AutoPacific surveyed U.S. replacement tire buyers annually from 2011 to 2019 about their purchase process, ownership experience, brand awareness, media consumption and more and reintroduced the study in 2024, currently conducting it every two years. The 2026 study yielded more than 6,500 vehicle owners who replaced their tires within the last two years with one of 26 brands.

"Using a five-point rating system and a combination of mean importance and satisfaction ratings for 20 different attributes that range from handling and traction to fuel efficiency and price, the study identifies the most satisfying tire brands."

"Using AutoPacific’s importance-weighted methodology, these scores communicate how well each tire brand meets the needs and expectations of tire buyers by receiving high satisfaction scores in the areas that mean the most to them,” says AutoPacific Director of Marketing and Consumer Insights Deborah Grieb.

"As it was in 2024, tire price and dependable/reliable are the top two most important attributes to replacement tire buyers, who spent a median price of $210 per tire in 2026, up from $200 in 2024, followed by handling and traction on slippery surfaces, safety rating/reputation, handling and traction on dry surfaces and mileage warranty," explain AutoPacific officials.

"The top scoring brands performed competitively in owner satisfaction with the top-rated importance attributes, but owner satisfaction with use of natural/recycled materials, fuel efficiency, and modern tire technology greatly contributed to their overall success.

"Among the sample of nearly 3,000 all-season tire buyers, Nitto achieves a total satisfaction score of 293, higher than its overall score of 275. Nitto all-season tire owners were highly satisfied in the areas of handling and traction on dry surfaces, handling on uneven/loose terrain, mileage warranty and tire noise. Compared to the total sample of replacement tire buyers, all-season tire buyers are more likely to place higher importance on several attributes, including handling and traction, tire noise, price and warranty.

"Among the sample of approximately 1,600 HP and UHP tire buyers, Pirelli ranks at the top, followed by Kumho and Michelin. Pirelli performance tire buyers were highly satisfied with their tires in the areas of cornering, safety rating/reputation, and handling and traction on dry surfaces and slippery surfaces."

“Understanding that consumer attitudes about tires shift based on the type of vehicle they’re buying for, the type of tire they’re buying and how they plan to use their vehicle, this study captures those differences enabling tire manufacturers, marketers and retailers to make logical planning decisions,” says Grieb.

AutoPacific officials say their data reveals "that among those who conducted each type of research, Google search findings were the most influential, with 60% of those who did a Google search for tire that fit their vehicle saying it was very influential in their purchase decision. Other influential activities include requesting a price quote, checking pricing and promotions, doing a Google search about a particular brand and visiting a tire seller’s website."