Vitara: factory tires replacement, what would you recommend

[Superflan]

Hello everyone !

Wife's car, 2019 Suzuki Vitara, has now less than 4mm tire thread depth (8+ when new), so to not be in a rush, I'm looking for replacements.

Current wheels are the 17 inches alloys, stock size 215/55 R17 94V Continental EcoContact 5. They're good for road use, but wife would like, if not unreasonable, more traction on some slippery surfaces (but still summer, we are on Reunion Island)

I'm thinking of 2 options :

1: getting quality "all seasons" M+S 3PSMF tires, like Michelin CrossClimate+ or Goodyear vector 4 seasons
2: getting summer AT tires, but I can only find Cooper Discoverer ATT in that dimension so far

Another option I was considering was going 16 inches steel wheels, but the 215/60 R16 95H stock size doesn't offer much AT choices either. As I'm not sure about clearance issues when going up in size, I just put that idea aside.

I have time (like at least 3 months) to see them come overseas, to get the tires I want at a good price. What do you think ? Would you go AS, AT, or just ignore all this and get regular summer passenger car plain road tires ?

 

[UG_Passat]

Does it really snow in a Tropical climate?

I don't think you need a 3PMS tire in a tropical climate.

 

[Superflan]

Originally Posted by UG_Passat
Does it really snow in a Tropical climate?

I don't think you need a 3PMS tire in a tropical climate.

Yrp it's not about snow, it's about dirty roads with a film of slit or mud on them, with an incline. Wondering what's the compromise to do, going all seasons tires or only AT would sort it?

 

[JunkdrawerDog]

What about Vredestein Quatrac 5? They are 3PMSF and available in your stock size.

 

[krzyss]

I think mud and greasy cover on top of pavement calls for wide open tread. AT can offer this as well as old fashioned winter tires.
I suspect there is not much highways on Reunion so high speed is not a problem but still I wonder how well winter tread will handle high temperature.

What are locals using?

KrzyÅ›

 

[Passport1]

I have an '06 Grand Vitara with about the same size tires as yours. I put on a set of Sumitomo Encounters. They are quiet and have good grip. The Suzukis I've owned have mostly been very reliable vehicles. I too was sorry when they left the US market. I'd buy another tomorrow.

 

[nthach]

You're not going to find too many "all-terrain" tires in that size. A friend used to have the Michelin Premiers but I recommended the Defender T+H as the replacements due to tread depth and longevity.

I would consider a 3PMSF tire for the more aggressive tread pattern but do be aware in a tropical climate the tread compound will be very soft and wear fast. The Vredestein Quatrac 5, Firestone WeatherGrip, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady and Toyo Celsius are all all-season 3PMSF tires that would hold up better than say, a Blizzak or X-Ice in the tropics.

If you were to bring back tires from the US, how would you do that and what's the tax/tariff/duty on them?

 

[andyd]

General Altimax Arctics? They do well in rain too, because that is all we've had so far. A good AT with open pattern. Have the tires siped. Channels cut at an angle. across tread to drain off water or mud. Rudimentary extraction tools? Mud is the worst problem for any form of locomotion.Please keep us posted

 

[Superflan]

thanks everyone for your inputs.

Originally Posted by JunkdrawerDog
What about Vredestein Quatrac 5? They are 3PMSF and available in your stock size.

That's the kind of tyres I'm thinking off. All-seasons, 3PMSF tires.

Originally Posted by krzyss
I think mud and greasy cover on top of pavement calls for wide open tread. AT can offer this as well as old fashioned winter tires.
I suspect there is not much highways on Reunion so high speed is not a problem but still I wonder how well winter tread will handle high temperature.
What are locals using?

I saw no one using all-season tires, there's a lot (I can estimate a 65% ballpark chinese summer tires) of cheap chinese tires selling here, and the rest are regulars (michelin, conti, bridgestone, goodyear, pirelli,... toyo, vredestein... a little avon/cooper).
There's fast road (110kph) depends on how far and how high you're commuting. That said, I'd avoid pure winter tires (conti TS815...) because I think they'll wear fast on the fast road commute that counts for 50km every work day

Originally Posted by nthach
I would consider a 3PMSF tire for the more aggressive tread pattern but do be aware in a tropical climate the tread compound will be very soft and wear fast. The Vredestein Quatrac 5, Firestone WeatherGrip, Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady and Toyo Celsius are all all-season 3PMSF tires that would hold up better than say, a Blizzak or X-Ice in the tropics.

If you were to bring back tires from the US, how would you do that and what's the tax/tariff/duty on them?


Importing from US can be tricky and costly (cost of shipping whatsoever), but from Europe there's some good deals. Internet resellers are already doing it on the local level. So for the lazyiest of us, we just have to order, wait like 5 weeks, and pick them up at the store or have them shipped to a tire shop or garage that will mount them for you. Give me a tire brand, model and size and i'll show you retail import prices. And for 2 new tires, valves, dynamic balancing and rotation, fitting costs approx € 50.

Originally Posted by andyd
Please keep us posted

Sure !

Anything in the favor of the Cooper Discoverer ATT compared to all-seasons 3PMSF tires ? Longevity because summer compound on the Coopers?

 

[Superflan]

UPDATE: I'm just going to 215/60 (stock is 55) R17 Michelin Latitude Cross

Looking at the tire sizes, going -1 from the 225/55 R18 option size I can get within law limits (tolerances) to 215/60 R17.

Regarding clearances, several reports around the interwebs tells that there's no issues with this size (and for the same purpose : using AT tires or something, large tires choice in that dimension)

 

[dubber09]

You do realize if you go from R18 to R17 you need new rims, right?

 

[Superflan]

Originally Posted by dubber09
You do realize if you go from R18 to R17 you need new rims, right?


I already have R17 rims, there's just a R18 optional size specified