More and more, the big word in tires is "performance". Performance tires are not just for luxury cars any more -- they're often standard on many everyday sedans and even some economy models.

For this year's tire ratings, the engineers at Consumer Reports put performance tires through rigorous testing with a special focus on all-season performance and tread wear.

Test engineers literally went the extra mile -- extending their tire tests from 7,200 miles last year, to 16,000 this time. They spent a full year testing dozens of different tires on all types of roads and in all sorts of driving conditions. They rated handling and grip, dry and wet braking, hydroplaning, traction on ice and in the snow, and specialized tests to see how tires affect fuel economy, and how long they wear.

Senior engineer Jennifer Stockburger did some of the testing. She says when you buy performance tires, expect a bit a trade-off when it comes to tread wear.

"More grip and more dry handling, a little less winter traction, and they then to wear a little more quickly," she said. "But they need to go that way to keep up with the car."

But over all, Consumer Reports found performance all-season tires give you better braking and handling than standard all-season tires.

These tires got the highest marks:

In the H-Rated category, the top three performers were the Dunlop SP Sport 5000, the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S, and the Falken Ziex ZE 512.

And the top three V-rated tires were the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4, the Yokohama Avid V4s and the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S.

Stockburger says if winter traction is your highest priority, you may want to avoid tires that got high overall ratings in favor of tires that got higher ratings for snow and ice.

You'll find all the ratings and more on what to look for in tires in the November issue of Consumer Reports Magazine.

The issue also includes a section on tire siping. Stockburger says Consumer Reports' analysis found the benefit adding cuts in your tread to get better winter traction, are far outweighed by the risk to your tires and the voiding of your tire tread warranty.

For More Information:

www.consumerreports.org