Is a grade A tire always better?

No. It is better on the one measure being graded. A tire can be excellent on wet grip and mediocre everywhere else.

Does the label change with size?

Yes, and this matters. Grades are measured per size, so the same pattern can carry different grades in 17 inch and 19 inch. A listing quoting one set of grades for the whole range is not telling you about your size.

How to read the tire label properly

There is no rolling resistance grade on a US tire. What you get is UTQG, molded into the sidewall: a treadwear number, a traction grade of AA, A, B or C, and a temperature grade of A, B or C. The European style label with its A to G scales does not apply here, so any listing showing you one is showing you a figure from another market.

The three graded figures

Treadwear is a comparative number, not a mileage. A 600 tread is expected to last twice as long as a 300 under the same test conditions, but manufacturers grade their own tires and the numbers are not reliably comparable between brands.

Traction is graded AA, A, B or C, and it is a wet straight-line braking test on concrete and asphalt. It says nothing about cornering.

Temperature is graded A, B or C and describes the tire's ability to shed heat at speed. C is the legal minimum.

What the label does not tell you

Nothing about dry grip, nothing about tread life on the European label, nothing about ride comfort, nothing about how the tire behaves once it is half worn, and nothing about steering feel.

It is a floor, not a recommendation. Two tires with identical grades can be very different to drive, which is why independent magazine tests still matter.

Reading it as an EV owner

Weight the efficiency figure more than a gasoline driver would, because on an electric car it converts directly into range rather than into a few pence of fuel.

Weight the noise figure less than you would expect, and ask instead whether the fitment is available with an acoustic foam liner. That is the thing that changes the cabin.

Never let a good label grade talk you past the load index. The label describes performance; the placard describes what the tire is allowed to carry.

Common questions

Is a grade A tire always better?: No. It is better on the one measure being graded. A tire can be excellent on wet grip and mediocre everywhere else.
Does the label change with size?: Yes, and this matters. Grades are measured per size, so the same pattern can carry different grades in 17 inch and 19 inch. A listing quoting one set of grades for the whole range is not telling you about your size.

Last checked 2026-09-22. Where this page and your own vehicle disagree, the vehicle wins.