At Brake-o-rama, we have tires from all major tire brands. Among so many choices, how do you compare and choose one tire over another? There are dozens of major tire manufacturers in the United State each with dozens, sometimes hundreds of unique tire lines. If a car owner wants new tires where should they start? Gathering information is as good of a place as any and the Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) system contains helpful information that can guide consumers in their purchase. 

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) established the UTQG to create a standard grading system for three different tire components – treadwear, traction and temperature. Car owners can find these grades when visiting a local tire retailer on the tire itself; specifically, the paper labels on the tread and actually molded on the sidewall.

Tire manufacturers conduct testing for the UTQG using independent testing companies. Even though the government doesn’t conduct the tests, they inspect the data and hand out penalties for inaccuracies. The individual categories work like this:

• Treadwear – The treadwear grade is comparative based. Cars are tested under controlled conditions on a test track and given a rating depending on their wear rate. Tires with a rating of 200 lasted twice as long on the test track as tires with a rating of 100. A word of caution, treadwear grades aren’t directly proportional outside the store for a few reasons. The first is that condition of roads, driving habits, climate and service practices all factor in to how long tires last (which the tests can’t take into account). Also, since different manufacturers have different grading schemes using treadwear grades to compare tires from specific manufacturers works better then using it to compare tires from competing manufacturers. Another thing to check is the treadwear warranty (if one is available), that should give car owners even more of an idea what to expect.

• Traction – The traction grade represents the level of grip tires have, the UTQG tests the tire’s ability to stop on wet pavement (under controlled conditions) on asphalt and concrete. The test evaluates a sliding tire at a constant speed (40 mph) by locking the brakes in order to measure its coefficient of friction (braking g forces) as it slides. The testing doesn’t take into account cornering, hydroplaning or acceleration. There are four different ratings, from highest to lowest – “AA,” “A,” “B,” and “C.” The “AA” rating is relatively new and was added in 1997.

• Temperature – The temperature grade represents the tire’s resistance to the generation of heat. There are three grades, from highest to lowest – “A”, “B” and “C.” A tire with a “C” rating means under the test conditions it had the minimum performance under the federal safety standard. A “C” doesn’t mean it’s unsafe, just that it will run hotter than one with an “A” rating. Heat is what causes tires to deteriorate over time and one that is able to disperse heat more effectively tends to last longer.

The UTQG isn’t the only thing to consider when purchasing tires, but it’s a good source of information and knowing what they mean helps put them in context. Driving style, type of vehicle, climate, brand name and price are all things to consider along with the three UTQG ratings.  A helpful sales professional at your local tire retailer can also assist you when choosing the tire that’s right for you and your style. 

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