Cheap Chinese tires are no bargain

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Tires are expensive. Consumer Reports' top-rated all-season SUV tire, the Michelin Latitude Tour, costs $168.

Tires from China can cost far less than better-known brands. Consumer Reports included several in recent tests: the $114 Geostar, the $95 Pegasus Advanta SUV, and the $85 Sunny SN-3606.

All of the tires go through the same tests, including handling and braking, plus testing in ice and in snow.

The Chinese-made Pegasus Advanta got the lowest scores of all 20 of the tires we tested. The tire did not grip very well in snow, it was pretty short in terms of tread life, and it made for a rough and noisy ride.

The owner of the Pegasus Advanta, API, is located in the U.S. Based on the date codes on the tires, API says that the ones Consumer Reports tested were made and sold without its authorization using stolen molds. So Consumer Reports dropped the tire from its ratings. You can get more information at ConsumerReports.org.

The other two Chinese-brand tires also earned low scores. Consumer Reports always recommends that people go with the best-performing tire that they can afford. It's a key safety component of your car.

The least expensive All-Season SUV tire that Consumer Reports recommends is the $135 Conti CrossContact LX20 EcoPlus.

Consumer Reports also recommends:

- Michelin LTX M/S2 for $190

- Goodyear Assurance CS TripleTred All-Season for $160

- Pirelli Scorpion Verde All Season Plus for $160

- Cooper Discoverer SRX for $157