Best Tires for 2019–2026 Subaru Forester (2026)

Best budget pick — General AltiMAX RT43 Note : 7.8/10
Not every Forester needs a premium tire. This one consistently punches above its price point for tread life and ride comfort, making it a sensible choice for an older Forester or a daily commuter where cost matters more than ultimate performance. You give up some wet-weather and snow grip compared with the Michelin options above, and the warranty is shorter, but for dry-climate or light-use driving it's a fair trade for the savings.

Best for the Wilderness trim — Falken WildPeak A/T Trail Note : 8.5/10
The Wilderness trim already ships from the factory with an all-terrain-oriented tire and extra suspension travel, and this crossover-specific all-terrain is a natural match for owners who want to lean further into that without hurting the Forester's on-road manners. It gives more sidewall flex and tread bite on gravel, forest roads, and light trail than a standard all-season, while staying reasonably quiet and comfortable on the drive there and back. If you never leave pavement, it's more tire than you need.

Best dedicated winter — Bridgestone Blizzak WS90 Note : 8.7/10
For owners who regularly deal with packed snow, ice, or sustained sub-freezing temperatures, threads on Forester forums consistently land on a dedicated winter set over any all-season, however good. This is one of the most reliably well-reviewed studless winters for compact crossovers, and it pairs naturally with the Forester's factory AWD for genuine cold-climate confidence. The trade-off is the usual one: you'll want a second set of wheels for easy seasonal swaps, and it wears faster once temperatures climb, so it isn't meant to run year-round.

Best quiet all-season — Michelin Primacy Tour A/S Note : 8.8/10
Targets the same buyer as the Defender2, comfort and quiet over outright grip, but leans even further into refinement, and is frequently cited as one of the smoothest, quietest all-season options for a compact crossover like the Forester. A strong pick if it's mainly a family highway cruiser and light-snow traction matters less than cabin noise on long drives; it isn't snowflake-rated, and it carries premium pricing to match.

Best highway comfort — Michelin Defender2 Note : 8.9/10
Michelin's long-running Defender line has a loyal following among Forester owners who put on mostly suburban and highway miles and want a tire that quietly disappears underneath them for as long as possible. It isn't snowflake-rated, so it won't match the CrossClimate2 in slush, but on dry and wet pavement it's excellent, and its tread-life warranty is one of the longest in the touring category, which matters if your Forester is a daily commuter racking up miles fast.

Best overall — Michelin CrossClimate2 Note : 9.5/10
This is the tire that keeps coming up in Forester owner threads, and for good reason: it carries the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe snow service while staying composed and comfortable the rest of the year. Owners in the Pacific Northwest who run it report confident grip in rain, dry pavement, and light-to-moderate snow without needing a dedicated winter set. The trade-off owners mention most often is road noise on the highway, a bit more than a standard all-season, since the directional tread that gives it snow bite also generates more hum at speed. It's available in both the 17" and 18" Forester sizes.