Every new generation of light trucks and SUVs gets a little more car-like in terms of ride quality, handling, and road manners, as well as comfort and amenities on the inside. They’ve come a long way from the work-oriented vehicles of the 1990s and before, so light trucks and SUVs need tires that complement that kind of sophistication. The Nitto Crosstek 2 is that kind of tire – it’s a next-generation design that incorporates a whole list of innovations and advanced features.

The end result is a tire that’s durable and designed for year-round traction, but also with the kind of forgiving ride, low noise and precise handling you’d expect from a premium automotive all-season or touring tire. Does the Nitto tire really come across on those promises? Let’s take a closer look with this Nitto Crosstek 2 review.

Features and Benefits

Here’s just some of the features that make the Nitto Crosstek 2 a great value and a standout performer:

• Asymmetric tread pattern incorporates 3D multi-wave sipes and interlocking sipes that boost wet-weather and winter grip
• Interlocked tread blocks improve high-speed stability and reduce tread flex for enhanced cornering and steering response
• Deep, wide circumferential grooves evacuate water from the tire’s contact patch to resist hydroplaning effect in standing water
• Treadwear indicators at 6 positions around the tire on shoulder ribs alert drivers to uneven wear or excessive wear
• Serrations in walls of circumferential grooves are tuned to reduce “pipe resonance” and keep road noise low
• Tread pitch is randomized to cancel certain frequencies of road noise
• S- and T-rated sizes covered by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, while H- and V-rated sizes are covered by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread warranty
• Durable rubber compound for a longer tread life

Pros and Cons

So, is this the right all-season tire for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at the tire’s strengths and weaknesses:

PROS:

• Quiet and comfortable ride
• Predictable, reliable traction on wet or dry pavement
• Outstanding tread life warranty coverage
• Innovative treadwear indicators allow drivers to visually see how their tire is wearing

CONS:

• Should not be used in moderate to severe winter weather conditions
• Not great for off-road driving
• Winter performance is not as good as some competitor’s tires

SimpleTire’s view on Nitto Crosstek 2 tires

Nitto is a sub-brand of Toyo Tires (in case you were curious), and Nitto leverages Toyo’s research and development and innovation in design and materials for the Crosstek 2. Things like the serrated groove walls that reduce road noise and the asymmetric tread pattern for wet and dry traction are truly advanced features for a light truck tire, and it’s hard to match the Nitto Crosstek 2’s tread life warranty with any CUV, SUV, or light truck tire, regardless of price.

No, this tire’s not great in heavier snow – most all-season truck tires aren’t, and if you’re concerned about heavy winter weather you should maybe consider an all-terrain or all-weather tire with a Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) rating for winter traction. And no, it doesn’t do well off-road, but how often are you really taking your CUV, SUV, or truck off-road anyway?

It’s our take that the Nitto Crosstek 2 is a great value in an all-season tire for light trucks and SUVs. When you consider the treadwear coverage, ride quality, road manners and year-round traction, it’s pretty hard to beat.

Vehicles the Nitto Crosstek 2 is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment on any vehicles, the Nitto Crosstek 2 is a great replacement tire for vehicles like the:

• Acura RDX
• Buick Envision
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Ford Ranger
• Honda Ridgeline
• Hyundai Tucson
• GMC Acadia
• Jeep Gladiator
• Kia Telluride
• Mazda CX-9
• Nissan Pathfinder
• RAM 1500
• Toyota RAV4
• Volkswagen Taos