UTQG grades explained
Every passenger tire sold in the US carries three Uniform Tire Quality Grading marks, required by the Department of Transportation and reported by the manufacturer.
Treadwear
A relative number: a 600 tire is expected to last twice as long as a 300 tire from the same manufacturer under the government's test. Grades are not strictly comparable across brands because each manufacturer runs and interprets its own test, but across the whole market the number tracks real-world life reasonably well. Touring tires cluster at 700–820; max-performance summer tires at 220–340.
Traction
A measured wet straight-line braking test on asphalt and concrete. Grades are AA (best), A, B and C. Most quality tires are A; AA is reserved for tires with genuinely strong wet grip and is worth looking for.
Temperature
Resistance to heat buildup at sustained high speed, graded A, B or C. Nearly all car tires are A. All-terrain and some economy tires are B, which is fine for normal driving.
What UTQG leaves out
No snow test, no handling test, no noise or ride measurement, no rolling resistance. That is why we combine UTQG with the 3PMSF symbol, the mileage warranty and independent test results. See the formula.