For the convenience of our everyday lives, including driving back and forth to work and home, going shopping, travelling, etc., there’s no better invention in our civilization than the automobile. While the internal combustion engine gets most of the credit for this great leap forward, the truth is that it’s something else that we were using thousands of years before that made modern vehicles possible: Wheels. The invention of the wheel might be a more important find than fire, in the context of modern human civilization. The days of horse-drawn wagons are long gone, of course, and today we have safe, reliable vehicles that take us practically anywhere we want to go. Though it’s all made possible because of the wheel. And you can’t have a good wheel without good tires.

The type of tire you have on your car matters a great deal. While most of these options are rubber, there are certainly different grades and different qualities you can find with different companies. Not every wheel is made the same from every company, and you’re just wasting money and risking your safety if you’re not going with a safe, reliable option that’s rated well for the road. If you want to know which brands are offering you the best quality, here is a list of the best brands to choose in 2020.

 

The Best Brands of the Year

1: Michelin

Michelin is a brand that’s known all across the globe. They actually originated in France as a tyre company way back in 1889. They have been producing products for many industries ever since. You can find Michelin tires on aircraft, heavy equipment, bikes, and even billion-dollar rovers and explorers that NASA uses to get around on other planets and moons. It’s really insane how far Michelin reaches as a brand. This is why they’re easily the top-rated brand of 2020. Whenever you see something rolling around, there’s a good bet that the vehicle is fitted with Michelin products.

2: Bridgestone

Bridgestone is another company that’s been around for quite a while. This brand originated in Japan. The Japanese are known worldwide for their quality automobiles, which are characterized by great gas mileage and overall low engine maintenance. Though the tires they produce are just as good, and Bridgestone is a brand that’s very well known in the west. In nations like Canada and the US, you will find many vehicles driving around the roads have Bridgestone products on them. And for many good reasons. These tires are tough and able to withstand a lot of wear and tear in even the roughest road conditions.

3: Pirelli

Based out of Milan, Italy, Pirelli is a very upscale manufacturer of tires, rims and other products. On a global scale, they’re the 7th largest brand there is for creating tires. Though when it comes to aftermarket choices for people who want the right match with their fancy rims, Pirelli is the go-to brand out of any other. They’re one of the oldest companies around producing tires, having opened way back in 1872. The company is so successful that they earn nearly $200 billion in revenue a year, which puts them up there with tech giants and big box brands in terms of profit margin.

4: Goodyear

There is not a more recognizable brand on Earth than the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. Tracing their roots back to 1898 in Ohio, USA, Goodyear is the epitome of Americana. For all the many years that Detroit’s automobiles captivated the world with the fancy muscle cars and innovative family vehicles, the vast majority of these American automobiles were fitted with Goodyear products. These products are known to roll around for tens of thousands of miles without losing tread while being tough enough to resist punctures when driving over debris and rough roads. This is a brand that’s likely going to make anyone’s list every single year.

5: Toyo

Toyo is Japan’s answer to Goodyear, based in Tokyo. A relatively newer company on the global scale, Toyo started in 1945 and expanded into the United States and beyond by 1966. One of the best aspects of Toyo’s tires is that they do great at staying in balance. They’re best suited for basic cars, like coupes and sedans, but they also produce products for larger trucks and heavy machinery. Over the years, Toyo has spread all across the globe, and they’re currently one of the most popular brands operating in China and other Asian markets.

6: Falken

This might be the unknown brand on the list, as they’re not as popular as Michelin or Goodyear, but Falken is an incredibly popular brand for companies making trucks. They’re actually a part of Sumitomo Rubber Industries, which is based in Japan. Falken products are known to be tough, reliable and very safe. There’s nothing quite like a set of Falken tires for mid-sized trucks and SUVs to really provide safe handling and great gas mileage. The company was founded in 1983, so it’s more than a century younger than some other brands on this list. That aside, they’ve still easily one of the top brands in 2020.

7: Continental

Founded in Germany way back in 1871, Continental AG creates a wide range of automobile components. They do chassis components and some engine parts, as well as tires that perennially earn awards for being some of the safest and most reliable on the roads. Although their location in Hanover, Germany looks quite humble, Continental AG is the fourth-largest manufacturer on the planet in terms of tires. They earn many billions of dollars every year for their products, and they’re absolutely huge in Europe, more so than Goodyear or any other name that you’ll find on this list. In western Europe, there’s nothing quite like a set of Continentals.

 

There are dozens upon dozens of different brands of tires from which you can choose on the market today. However, you should stay away from discounted brands that will sell you products that aren’t as safe and reliable as the ones we have listed here.