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Your Nearest Store:

4700 N Brandywine Dr
Peoria, IL
309.340.4981

tiresplus storefront
Most stores are open nights and weekends

Store Hours:
Day(s) Hours
MON-SUN: 8:00am-5:00pm
Thanksgiving: Closed
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TOURING AND PERFORMANCE TIRES: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE

Learn the difference between touring tires and performance tires, and find out how to pick the best type of tire for you and your car.

WHAT ARE PERFORMANCE TIRES?

Performance tires feature unique tread patterns, construction, and rubber compounds to enhance the all-around driving experience. These tires can improve your car’s racetrack-inspired features such as cornering abilities and reduced stopping distances. However, you may find that you’ll make small compromises in gas mileage, road noise, and tire lifespan in exchange for enhanced performance.

PERFORMANCE TIRE ADVANTAGES

  • Great for sports cars, coupes, exotic cars, and racing-style cars
  • Offer tight cornering abilities and reduced stopping distances
  • Mostly designed for use in summer’s wet and dry conditions
  • Provide enhanced performance, but in exchange for compromises in gas mileage, road noise, and tire lifespan

Increasingly popular performance tires are designed to provide owners of sports cars, sports coupes, exotic cars, and racing-style cars with improved handling response and traction. Most performance tires are designed for use in summer’s wet and dry conditions, but if you want performance features and all-season capabilities, Firestone Firehawk AS V2 offers the best of both worlds.

WHAT ARE TOURING TIRES?

Touring tires are known for having a relatively wide tread, which allows them to make more surface contact with the road. Thanks to their design, they offer balanced handling along with a quiet, comfortable ride, and even good treadwear. Most touring tires sold in North America are all-season tires. All-season tires are designed to deliver great traction in wet and dry conditions—and sometimes in light snow! Our very own Firestone WeatherGrip tires are a great example of all-season tires made with weather-ready traction and long-lasting design.

TOURING TIRE ADVANTAGES

Touring tires are ideal for sedans, minivans, SUVs, and other passenger vehicles. In general, they’re a reliable option if you drive a lot—whether that’s on your work-to-errand-to-school-pickup route (phew!) or if you’re getting ready for a cross-country road trip with the kids.

  • Offer balanced handling along with a quiet, comfortable ride
  • Mostly designed for all-season use
  • Provide great traction in wet and dry conditions

If you’re looking for a smooth ride, Bridgestone’s Turanza line of touring tires—especially the Turanza QuietTrack—is worth checking out. You won’t believe how peaceful your next road trip can be when your tires absorb road noise like Turanza touring tires do. (Though we’ve yet to invent tires that absorb backseat drivers’ road noises!)

TOURING TIRES VS. PERFORMANCE TIRES

How do you decide whether you should equip your car with touring tires or performance tires? Start by checking your vehicle manufacturer guidelines, then focus on your driving wants and needs. You're in the driver's seat! Let’s look at some of the deciding factors.

 

Performance Tires

Touring Tires

Temperature Limits

Use in temperatures above 45°F, not for use in snowy and icy conditions 

Good for all-season use and handles well on most road conditions 

Sporty Performance

Good control at high speeds with extra grip to shorten high-speed braking distance

More standard vehicle performance

Gas Mileage

Less fuel efficient 

More fuel efficient

Smooth Ride

Smaller tread means there is more tire and road noise

Larger tread makes your ride more comfortable, smoother, and quieter

Lifespan

Shorter tire lifespan

Longer tire lifespan

Handling

Good traction and more precise control and turning ability

Good traction for standard vehicle performance

As you can see, neither touring tires nor performance tires fall into the one-tire-fits-all category. When you’re picking new tires, the rubber really meets the road once you determine what type of performance you want from your car and your tires—and from yourself as a driver.

Whether you know the exact type and model of tire you need or not, Tires Plus can help! Our experienced technicians can make recommendations for your situation so that you can make the final decision. Visit your local Tires Plus for some of the best tire prices around, plus free lifetime rotations when you buy tires at Tires Plus.

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