Your winter 2026–27 guide
Buying your first
winter tires?
Find out how winter tires differ from all-weather tires, whether you need extra wheels, and what to check before you order.
For U.S. drivers buying their first set
Explore the guides
What do you need
to know first?
Start with tire types, or go straight to wheels, test results, or the buying checklist.
5 min read02Do you need a second set of wheels?Wheels & storage
5 min read03How to read a winter tire testRead the evidence
5 min read04What to check before ordering winter tiresBuying checklist
4 min read + checklist
Before you order
Your buying
checklist
Work through these six steps with your retailer or installer. Your checkmarks are saved in this browser.
Open the full, printable checklist ↗0 of 6 steps complete
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How we work
Where the advice
comes from
Our guides draw on tire-safety advice, manufacturer instructions, and published tire tests. You can follow the source links to check the details.
We have not tested these tires ourselves. When we discuss test results, we name the publisher and describe the test conditions.
Read our editorial approach ↗