Winter tires for pickup trucks

No surprise here: French tire giant Michelin offers winter tires in sizes suitable for SUVs and pickup trucks.

Michelin’s catalogue includes the X-Ice Snow as well as the X-Ice North 4 for those looking for a studded tire. The CrossClimate2 is also offered in several sizes suitable for SUVs, CUVs and pickups.

For owners of commercial vehicles, including delivery vans, Michelin also offers specialized products.

From the same group, BFGoodrich offers several all-terrain tires capable of handling winter conditions. One example is the recent All-Terrain T/A KO3, which is approved for severe snow conditions.

Like its rival Michelin, American giant Goodyear offers LT (Light Truck) versions of some of its winter tires.

You can also look through the catalogue of the legendary Wrangler tire line, some of which carry the Three-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol. For added ruggedness, the DuraTrac line is also worth considering.

As you now know, Goodyear acquired the Cooper brand. Although Cooper products may sometimes be less elaborate or technically advanced than Goodyear’s, the brand still offers winter tires with varying levels of aggressiveness under names such as Snow Claw and Discoverer.

Finnish winter tire specialist Nokian has revised its all-terrain lineup and now offers, among other products, a range specifically aimed at pickups and SUVs: the Outpost nAT.

It is available in several sizes and, although it was originally designed for off-road use, it is also approved for winter conditions.

The Outpost is also offered in an APT (All-Purpose Terrain) version, aimed more at versatile use on CUVs, SUVs and smaller pickups. Nokian also recommends it for several hybrid and electric vehicles. Outpost products also come with protection against certain irreparable pothole-related damage.

Nokian also offers tires designed specifically for delivery vans, including the WR C3 for winter use.

However, if you use a more rugged pickup, you may want to look at the LT3 version of the Hakkapeliitta line, available with factory-installed studs.

And if your budget is a little tighter, Nokian also markets several of its previous technologies under the Nordman brand, including the Nordman 9.

This year, Japanese manufacturer Bridgestone is offering a renewed winter tire lineup under the Blizzak IcePeak name for lighter vehicles. It continues, however, to market the Blizzak LT for heavier-duty pickups.

At the same time, let us remember that the American-origin Firestone brand belongs to Bridgestone. It also offers winter products sold under the Winterforce name, in several versions aimed at SUVs, pickups and light commercial vehicles.

German giant Continental offers, of course, a complete range of winter tires suited to different types of vehicles.

The VikingContact 8 line can meet the needs of many SUVs, CUVs and pickups that use passenger-tire sizes.

For certain pickups intended for more demanding use, Continental also offers products such as the ContiCrossContact Winter.

Continental’s role in the commercial delivery-van segment should not be overlooked either, with its VanContact Winter range.

For more aggressive tires, motorists can turn to Continental’s American division, General Tire, which offers several models, including the Grabber Arctic and other Arctic ranges aimed at pickups and SUVs.

Italian manufacturer Pirelli has an interesting catalogue of winter tires for pickup trucks. However, Pirelli appears to focus primarily on lighter vehicles such as SUVs and personal-use pickups.

Pirelli winter tires are marketed under names including Scorpion Winter and Scorpion Winter 2, the latter being particularly aimed at performance SUVs.

Japanese manufacturer Toyo continues to offer models such as the Observe GSi-6 as well as the popular Open Country range, including the A/T III and Celsius II.

Certain products aimed at more rugged pickups and commercial applications should not be overlooked either.

At Japanese manufacturer Yokohama, the winter-tire offering for pickups is concentrated mainly under the Geolandar range.

It includes the popular A/T G015 as well as the more recent A/T4 G018, both aimed at more rugged pickups and SUVs, along with the iG51V for SUVs.

This South Korean manufacturer appears to focus mainly on winter tires for pickups and SUVs.

Its lineup includes the studless WinterCraft WS71 for CUVs and SUVs, while the WS31 can be studded.

For heavier-duty commercial pickups, Kumho also offers the Winter PorTran CW11, which can also be studded.

The Power Grip KC11 remains another winter tire offered for larger pickups, while certain Road Venture and Crugen products can also suit different winter applications.