Death and taxes are the only two certainties in life, or so the old saying goes. To this we can add one more – at least, if you own a car: the need for new tires. If you’re not the type to stick to one brand, choosing a new set of rubber can be difficult because there are so many major tire brands out there vying for your attention and hard-earned money.
Two names that may come up during your search are Michelin and Yokohama. Both companies are important players in the global tire market, although Michelin has a clear advantage here, with a market share of 15.1% and annual revenue of approximately $28 billion as of 2022 (according to Consumer Affairs). But will this necessarily affect the quality comparison between the two companies’ tires? Conversely, is it possible for Yokohama’s products to surpass Michelin’s?
Unfortunately for fans of the Japanese manufacturer, Consumer Reports’ year-end list of the best tire brands gives a clear answer: no. Michelin tops CR’s tire brand rankings, while Yokohama ranks 16th, behind other Asian brands such as Sumitomo, Nexans and Toyo.
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Michelin dominates CR tire recommendations
Close-up of a Michelin X-Ice tire on a tire rack – DiPres/Shutterstock
Dig deeper into Consumer Reports’ 2025 tire reviews, and it’s clear why Michelin tops the list and why Yokohama lags far behind. Michelin’s products, including the CrossClimate 2, Defender 2 and Pilot Sport All Season 4, are among CR’s favorite tires and feature on the site’s annual list of the best performance tires. Several of the brand’s other tires, such as the X-Ice Snow, LTX A/T 2 and Primacy Tour A/S, also received CR Recommended Awards, placing the brand at the top of CR’s rankings in all categories.
Instead, Yokohama only received one CR Recommendation award, which went to the Avid Ascend GT all-season tire. Based on CR’s testing, the Avid Ascend GT is a good all-around choice, although it also doesn’t offer anything that Michelin’s all-season offerings don’t. However, it’s significantly cheaper than Michelin’s Primacy Tour A/S, which may make it a more attractive option for some. Beyond that, as of late 2025, the other Yokohama tires in CR’s database are mediocre at best.
However, CR’s views do not necessarily represent the views of all consumers. JD Power’s 2025 U.S. Original Equipment Tire Customer Satisfaction Study shows Yokohama earning an admirable second place in the passenger car tire category. The Japanese company scored 807 out of 1,000 points, behind Goodyear’s 815 and just ahead of Michelin’s 805. However, Yokohama has no presence in JD Power’s other categories, including truck and performance tires, while Michelin is at or near the top in all categories.
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Read the original article on SlashGear.
