10 Worst Tire Brands to Avoid at all Cost in 2023

With over 13,000 tire-related crashes happening each year, tire safety must be a top priority of everyday drivers. So it is essential to know which worst tire brands to avoid at all costs.

Many people overlook the importance of getting good tires in their cars, which leads to severe accidents.

Most people end up buying poor tires when they compromise between the price and quality of the tires.

As per our research, the list of worst tire brands includes Firestone, Falken, Carlisle, General Tires, Westlake, AKS, Goodyear, GeoStar, Autogreen, and Chaoyang.

These worst-quality tires wear out quickly, and you will soon have to invest in new tires again.

Before we begin, let’s understand how to spot a cheap tire brand.

How To Identify The Worst Tire Brand?

The easiest way to avoid getting a bad tire brand is to get one that has been thoroughly tested by an independent third party.

You may also read tire reviews and compare them to decide which one is the most durable.

But don’t worry we have tested the tire brands from cheap to expensive.

So, here are some pointers for finding a low-quality tire brand.

1. Poor quality inspection:

Tire manufacturers should always use an expert inspection for the tires.

If it’s not properly done, you will never know how strong a tire is. This means that if you are buying a cheap tire, it might be dangerous.

2. Unclear information:

Check the tires for any details on the packaging or the label. The tire brand should have a clear statement about the tire and the year it was manufactured.

Also, you can check the manufacturing date on the tire to see if it was made recently.

3. Poor tread pattern:

You should always inspect the tread patterns of the tires.

The tire tread should be well designed and should give a firm grip on the road surface.

Tires with poor tread patterns tend to wear out quickly, and this will result in higher expenses for repair or replacement.

4. Low-quality rubber:

Low-quality tires will be thin, and the sidewalls will break easily.

You will know the difference between low-quality and high-quality tires because of their thickness and durability.

5. Misfire or poor performance:

You can easily identify misfired or poorly performing tires because they will make a lot of noise while driving.

Also, if you buy a tire from a poorly equipped store, it will make a lot of noise while being inflated.

6. Bad customer service:

It is very important to check customer service before you purchase a tire.

Always buy tires from a shop or a company that has been in business for long enough to understand how customers feel about their products.

List of 10 Worst Tire Brands to Avoid

There are hundreds of cheap tire brands that exist in the marketplace. So, it is a challenging task to decide which tire brands to avoid.

Our expert review team has picked the worst tire brands based on their performance, lack of safety measures, and poor designs.

Here is our list of tire brands to stay far away from.

1) Firestone Destination Tires

Firestone is a famous US tire company that makes quality tires.

However, the quality of their Destination tires has disappointed its users. These tires are made in China from low-quality raw materials.

The Firestone Destination tires are so soft, and road bumps cause them to bend quickly.

They lack even the very basic safety features, which makes them more susceptible to bursting.

2) Falken Ziex Tires

Falken is a Japanese brand popular for making affordable tires. Recently, they are focusing more on making budget tires at the cost of quality.

The Falken Ziex tires have low road traction and glide down easily on wet roads or any other slippery surface. So, it is risky to use these tires in wet conditions.

Check out our complete Falken Tires Review before buying.

3) Carlisle Tires

Carlisle tires have manufacturing plants in the USA. But they are still making trail tires in China.

Like Firestone, they are also not immune to producing some of the cheap quality tires on the market.

The Carlisle Paddles Radial trailer tires are poorly exposed in extreme weather conditions and end up in an explosion.

4) Low-End General Tires

You may be surprised to see the name General tires in the list of worst tire brands.

Without a doubt, it is one of the top brands in the industry. Many professional racers use them in the Nascar and Formula 1 races.

But, some cheap General tires also exist in the market, which is the exact replica of the original tires.

These low-end tires are perhaps the most deadly tires to rely on since they are manufactured with inferior quality material.

They wear out quickly and generate too much noise on the road. Instead of buying a cheap dreadful version, always go for the original General tires.

5) Westlake Tires

A Chinese Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Company manufactures Westlake tires.

They produce one of the cheapest tires that only perform well at the normal speed of 50 mph on a dry road.

The cheap WestLake tires get easily damaged by road bumps and potholes.

They lose the traction between the tire and the road if you go above 60 mph.

The lifespan is also short due to early rubber aging of tires, which is around 20,000 miles.

6) AKS Tires

AKS is another Chinese tire brand. It is perhaps one of the most deadly tires put ever in production. They are not only cheap in terms of costs, but in performance as well.

The AKS tires have a poor grip on dry and wet roads and quickly wear out.

7) Goodyear – G159

Goodyear is a well-known US tire brand. They produce quality and reliable tires.

Back in 2003, one of their models, G159, was associated with a number of accidents. Later in 2005, the G159 design was declared defective and unsafe for driving.

However, Goodyear had already stopped manufacturing G159 15 years ago. But these tires are still available in the market, mainly in the used form at a very reasonable price.

You must stay away from this defective model to avoid any hazards.

8) GeoStar Tires

GeoStar manufactures tires in China at a very low cost. It is famous for all-weather and all-season tires.

But these tires offer low driving comfort and don’t grip well on snow and wet roads. It also has poor steering responsiveness.

9) Autogreen Tires

The next one on our list of the worst tire brands is Autogreen Tyres. These tyres are also manufactured in Beijing, China.

It is not a durable choice as these tires are not long-lasting, and hardly complete 20,000 miles.

Uneven tread wear and vibrations at freeway speeds. It also has a low rating for grip on a dry road.

10) Chaoyang Tires

It is one of the leading Chinese rubber companies. The brand is very popular in Asia as well as in the USA. However, these tires make too much noise and wear out pretty fast.

Furthermore, it is not an option to use in extreme weather conditions as the tire will burst.

The tires are too soft, and the nail gets in, and easily gets punctured.

Do Tire Brands Really Matter?

When it comes to buying tires, the name matters a lot. This is because the brand represents the quality of the product.

You should go for the one that has a reputable image in the market. You will be able to identify the ones that have been thoroughly examined by the experts.

The thing that you need to do before buying a tire brand is finding out if they have been tested.

There are many brands of tires that have been examined by tire testing companies. It will help you avoid getting an unreliable tire brand.

Are Chinese Tire brands worth buying?

It depends on the brand, but most Chinese tire brands are deadly to use. In the last two decades, China has grown exponentially in the tire industry all over the world.

Not all Chinese brands are poor. Some top brands like Goodyear and Firestone have also outsourced their production to Chinese manufacturers.

But many Chinese tire manufacturers are making the worst tire and selling them to the market without API’s authorization.

They also make the exact copy of expensive original tire models using cheap materials.

The primary focus of these Chinese brands is profit-making. So, they don’t follow any quality standards in production as well.

The Chinese tire brands have a number of issues, such as too much noise, low traction between the tire and the road, quick tread wear, too soft tires, shorter lifespan, lack of basic safety features, and many more.

Instead of shelling bucks on cheap Chinese tires, it is better to invest in durable and trustworthy tire brands.

You should choose a brand carefully as it is a matter of safety for your vehicle and your family.

Related:

• Uniroyal Tires Review
• Starfire Tires Review
• Blacklion Tires Review

How to Tell if You Need New Tires

Driving on bald tires can be dangerous, and it will be worse in rain or snow. The results can be tragic if you don’t replace your tires in time.

When To Replace Your Tires?

If you go to any tire store and ask the salesman about tire replacement, half of the time they will tell you yes because they want to sell you something.

So, it is imperative to check by yourself and determine if you need new tires or not.

The followings are the simple ways to check it.

1. Check the Tread Depth

You can check it with the help of a tread depth gauge. If you don’t have it, you can do a traditional penny test to check the depth.

You can place a penny upside down in this process and put Lincoln’s head into the tread groove. If Lincoln’s head is still visible, it is time to replace your tires.

On the contrary, if you don’t see the forehead, it is an indication that your tires are pretty good to drive on.

If the tread is down to 1/16th of an inch, it becomes unsafe to drive in adverse weather conditions. Many people prefer to replace the tire.

2. Check the Tread Wear Bar

Almost all of the tires sold in the US have tread wear bars. These are small raised bars of rubber in the groove of the tire’s tread.

If the tread comes equal to the wear bar, that means the tire is worn.

You need to replace it with new tires because there is not enough tread depth to evacuate water. This tire is very dangerous on wet roads.

The deeper the grooves, the safer the tires in the snow and on wet roads would be.

3. Check Uneven tread Wear

If you notice any irregular tread wear on one side of the tire, this could indicate your wheels are misaligned.

You need a proper wheel alignment and probably replace the tire if they are worn out.

Also, talk to the tire experts if you think that your tires are wearing unevenly.

4. Check the sidewall damages

Always pay attention to sidewall damage because it will cause the tires to shred. Driving on these tires is very dangerous.

So, you need to replace your tires as soon as possible since the sidewall damages are not repairable.

Other Brands to Avoid

• Travel Trailer Brands to Avoid
• Worst Car Brands

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

It is easy to get trapped by the WORST TIRES BRANDS because they manufacture replicas of the original brand using inferior quality raw materials.

So it will make you believe that you are getting a great deal at the lowest price.

Therefore, you must avoid all of the above-mentioned CHEAP tire brands to make your ride safer.

China is making a large number of tires without any quality standards. There are few credible Chinese brands, but most of them are crap to use.

Always inspect the condition of your tires before replacing them. Check the tread depth, tread wear bars, uneven wear, and sidewall damages.

Quick Question: Which tire brand do you think is the worst?

Also Read:

Motor Oil Brands to Avoid
Kumho Tires Review

Steven Settles

Steven Settles is a professional content writer with over 7 years of experience in writing for different niches, including brand reviews, technology, fitness, and more.

Currently, he is working as a content writer for WorstBrands, where he provides insightful reviews of different products, including home appliances, outdoor gear, fashion, and kitchen products. In his free time, Steven enjoys traveling and exploring new places.