If you’re wondering how to pick the best snow tires for Jeep Wrangler, or whether you need snow tires at all you are in the right place, we will be highlighting some of the best snow tires for Jeep Wranglers available in the market today, and how to choose the best snow tires for your Jeep Wrangler, some call them “Winter Tires” for this article we will use both “Winter Tires” and “Snow Tires” for all the tires designed for winter driving.
The four-wheel drive and powerful Jeep Wrangler engine will get you started on snow, and ice, but it won’t help your Jeep Wrangler when it comes to turning or stopping the wheels and the axles, although the Jeep Wrangler from the factory is equipped with decent all-season tires, or all-terrain tires depending on the trims and configurations of your Jeep Wrangler, none of them can be compared with snow tires when driving during the winter.
Check out our Metric to Inches Jeep Tire Size Converter for accurate tire size conversion
Our Pick
Our pick is based on ratings and review done by James, along with our testing of various tires with our Jeep Wrangler on the snow, the best snow tires for Jeep Wrangler are Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tires, with a rating of 9.5/10 score when it comes to snow and Ice driving on a Stock Jeep Wrangler when compared with the Stock Jeep Wrangler tires, the Jeep Wrangler tires score a 7.5 rating.
The second runner-up snow tire for Jeep Wrangler is the Firestone Winterforce 2 UV Studdable Winter/Snow Tire, this is an all-year-round tire but we were amazed at how well the tires were able to get traction in snow, and doesn’t slip or dig deep in snow compared with the stock Jeep Wrangler Tires, the tires managed to get an 8.5/10 score for Winter capabilities on a Jeep Wrangler.
In the third place, we tested the MICHELIN Defender LTX M/S, the tire has an impressive biting edge that enhances the snow stability and handling of the Jeep Wrangler compared to the stock Jeep Wrangler Tires, they scored a solid 8/10 score, when compared with Bridgestone, Firestone, and the Jeep Wrangler Stock Tires.
Best Snow Tires for Jeep Wrangler
The best snow tires for Jeep Wrangler depend on your location and driving conditions, we have formulated a table below to help you understand which tires are best for you and the difference between Winter/Snow tires, all-weather tires, and all-season tires.
| Features | Winter Tires | All Weather Tires | All Season Tires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tread Compound | Soft and Flexible at low temperatures | Soft and Flexible at low temperatures | Hard tread that loses traction in cold temperatures. |
| Three peak mountain snowflake symbols | Yes | Yes | No |
| Ice Traction | ✓ ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Snow Traction | ✓ ✓ ✓ | ✓ ✓ | ✓ |
| Dry Handling | ✓ | ✓ ✓ ✓ | ✓ ✓ ✓ |
| Best Weather | Snow & Ice | Sunny, Rain & Snow | Sunny and Rainy |
| Applicability | Heavy Snow & Winter Conditions | Milder and Light Snow for a short duration | Warm Dry and Little Snow a Year |
Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tires
The Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tires scored the best when compared with other tires available in the market, we tested the tires’ ability to brake on icy and snowy roads, and the control of the Jeep Wrangler on slippery roads when cornering.
During the tests, the Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tires stopped the Jeep Wrangler at least four feet earlier than the MICHELIN Defender LTX M/S this is because of the tire’s proper tread design to handle snow terrains.
Bridgestone also uses Nano Pro-Tech technology to build their snow tires on a molecular level. According to the manufacturer, the Bridgestone winter tires’ tread rubber compounds contain rubber molecules that bind more easily with silica particles, that help grip wet roads, the technology behind the manufacture of the tires and the tread designs all add up to make the best Overall snow tires for Jeep Wrangler for Jeeping in snow.
Pros
- Dual-layer tread compound with a silica-rich inner layer for flexibility in cold temperatures and a biting-edge-rich outer layer for snow and ice traction.
- Deep, directional grooves with ample biting edges for snow and slush penetration. Large shoulder blocks enhance grip on corners. 3D sipes (tiny slits) improve wet braking.
- Aggressive biting edges throughout the tread for superior snow and ice grip.
- Excellent winter traction.
Cons
- Can be noisy on dry pavement, and may wear faster than all-season tires.
Firestone Winterforce Winter/Snow Tire
The Firestone Winterforce Winter/Snow Tire performed well in low temperatures and wet surfaces when we tested the tires in our Jeep Wrangler, the tires performed well when it comes to handling and traction the Jeep Wrangler especially when it comes to braking and cornering, and came in second place in our best tires for Jeep Wrangler snowy road tests.
The Firestone Winterforce Winter/Snow Tire is one of the most affordable and studded snow tires for Jeep Wrangler, they feature a directional tread pattern that excavates water from the tire through the treads, reducing the risk of hydroplaning and increases the traction that improves the Jeep Wrangler ride quality and comfort.
The tire is branded with the mountain/snowflake symbol, you will doubt its capabilities when you first encounter with the tire, but once the tires are installed, and tested on snow and wet reads the handling is improved and they instill confidence in the driver who can trust the tire’s capabilities gradually.
Pros
- Silica-infused tread compound for winter flexibility and grip.
- Wide grooves for snow evacuation and biting edges for traction.
- Less aggressive biting edges compared to Blizzak DM-V2, but still good for winter conditions.
- An affordable snow tire option, with good overall winter traction.
Cons
- May not perform as well as Blizzak DM-V2 in severe snow or ice.
- May wear faster than all-season tires.
MICHELIN Defender LTX M/S
We also tested the MICHELIN Defender LTX M/S on our Jeep Wrangler, and it performed better than the factory Jeep Wrangler tires on snow and wet roads, the tires feature a symmetric tread design that provides stable independent tire blocks that deliver independent traction on wet surfaces.
The tires also feature multiple sips, grooves, and open shoulder slots that promote the movement of water evacuation from the tires to prevent hydroplaning and improve wet traction braking when in snow.
Despite Michelin quoting MICHELIN® Defender® LTX® M/S tires are excellent in Wet and Snow Tractions, the tires performed poorly and should not be used as dedicated winter/ snow tires. It doesn’t meet the severe snow traction and the tires are not branded with the three-peak mountain snowflake symbol for snow tires.
Pros
- All-season compound for decent performance in various weather conditions.
- Balanced tread design for on-road handling and some light off-road capability.
- Limited biting edges, not designed for deep snow or ice.
- Long tread life, good on-road manners.
Cons
- Not a true snow tire, we witnessed limited snow and ice performance.
What To Look For When Buying Snow Tires for Jeep Wrangler
When purchasing snow tires for Jeep Wrangler, the process can lead to a lot of confusion and frustration for Jeep Owners who don’t understand the difference between Winter/Snow tires, all-weather tires, and all-season tires.
Below we have highlighted some of the features to look out for and how they are used to make sure the snow tires on the Jeep Wrangler are effective when performing in snow, understanding the features of snow, all-weather, and all-season tires and their applicability will give you a deeper understanding of choosing the best snow tire for Jeep Wrangler.
Tread Compound.
To distinguish the best snow tires for Jeep Wrangler from regular all-weather or all-season tires, you will need to understand what makes the three tires different. Snow tires for Jeep Wrangler contain a softer tread rubber compound that remains flexible and soft when at temperatures below 45 °F, providing superior grip on snow and ice.
For instance, the Blizzak DM-V2 features a dual-layer compound that excels in both cold temperatures (flexibility) and snow/ice grip (biting edges), offering exceptional winter performance. Similarly, the Winterforce tire utilizes a silica-infused compound, providing good winter flexibility and grip, although not as advanced as the Blizzak DM-V2. Conversely, the Defender LTX M/S offers an all-season compound that delivers a compromise for various conditions but is less winter-focused than the other two options.
All-weather tires, on the other hand, maintain flexibility and traction in dry, wet, and snow-covered roads throughout the year, thanks to their specialized design and compound. However, all-season tires may begin to lose traction below 45 °F due to their harder compound that stiffens in cold temperatures.
Tread Pattern Details
Winter tires have aggressive tread sipping that provide biting edges for traction of the Jeep Wrangler, and reduce snow from accumulating on the tire treads, compared with all-weather and all-season tires, Snow tires have deeper treads.
To reduce the risk of hydroplaning your Jeep Wrangler, winter tires have distinct tire tread patterns or fissures that help snow leave the tires through the treads, allowing fresh treads that improve your Jeep Wrangler handling due to improved traction of the tires and solid contact with the road.
For example, the Blizzak DM-V2 features deep directional grooves with ample biting edges for superior snow penetration and slush evacuation. Additionally, its large shoulder blocks enhance grip on corners, while 3D sipes boost wet braking performance.
Similarly, the Winterforce tire is designed with wide grooves for snow evacuation and biting edges for traction, although it is less aggressive compared to the Blizzak DM-V2. However, its sipes offer all-weather performance. On the other hand, the Defender LTX M/S boasts a balanced tread design for on-road handling and some light off-road capability. While its sipes provide all-weather traction, they lack dedicated snow features found in more specialized winter tires.
Biting Edges On The Tires.
You will notice that snow tires have larger and wider sipes that allow the blocks of the tires to move more. The added flexibility increases the Jeep Wrangler’s traction, control, cornering, and maneuverability by creating an additional biting edge on the tires.
The Blizzak DM-V2 boasts the most aggressive biting edges for exceptional snow and ice grip. In contrast, the Winterforce, while featuring less aggressive biting edges than the Blizzak DM-V2, still offers good performance for winter conditions. However, the Defender LTX M/S has limited biting edges and is not designed for deep snow or ice, focusing more on on-road handling and all-season versatility.
Tire Markings.
We also recommend checking the tire marking to make sure the tires are meant for their intended use, Winter tires have three-peak mountain snowflake symbols, while all-season tires lack the symbol, all-weather tires contain the symbol indicating they have met the required minimum traction for extreme winter driving conditions, however, when it comes to snow and Ice traction all-weather tires perform poorly compared to snow tires.
Do Jeep Wranglers Need Winter Tires?
Yes, if you live in a place that has cold months and experience snow and ice, you will need snow tires for the Jeep Wrangler, with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake which means the tires have surpassed the minimum threshold in light snow acceleration traction to improve the traction and handling of your Jeep Wrangler, and reduce the wheel spin and sliding on wet surfaces.
Jeep Wrangler is equipped with an anti-spin rear differential system that locks the wheels when one of the wheels is stuck or slipping after the force applied to the tire exceeds the traction available to the tire, this system helps a lot when it comes to handling the Jeep Wrangler in winter, but the traction suffers a lot when your Jeep Wrangler doesn’t have winter tires.
Our Jeep Wrangler Snow Tires Test Results.
The three Jeep Wrangler tires we tested had improved traction than the factory all-terrain tires that came stock in the Jeep Wrangler, the snow tires had improved traction and made handling the Jeep Wrangler on snow and ice easy, the acceleration is instant and quicker compared with the all-season tires that came stock with the Jeep Wrangler, as the tires are quick to grip on the road surface, they also stop without slipping or sliding, and driving is safer and stable.
We recommend buying Bridgestone Blizzak DM-V2 Winter/Snow SUV Tires as your dedicated Jeep Wrangler snow tires, the tires have passed our test and have also earned the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol indicating they have been tested for acceleration, cornering, and braking factor on medium packed snow before they reach the user.
We cannot deny the need for having Jeep Wrangler snow tires in winter, Snow tires for Jeep Wrangler outweigh all-weather tires, and all-season tires when it comes to controlling, handling, and cornering of the Jeep Wrangler in cold weather because of the tire features, such as bigger cuts between the treads, pliable/ easily bent rubber and biting edges.
Related Posts:
- Are Jeeps Good in Snow: Jeeping in Snow Guide
- Are Jeep Gladiators Good in the Snow?
- Jeeping in Snow: Tips, Tricks, and Safety Considerations
About the Author: James Ndungu
James Ndungu is a seasoned automotive professional with a deep passion for Jeeps. With 40 years of experience in owning, testing, and reviewing various Jeep models, James has gained extensive first-hand knowledge and expertise. He shares his insights, tips, and advice through his engaging writing, helping fellow Jeep enthusiasts navigate the exciting world of Jeeps.
Last update on 2024-10-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
