It’s no secret that SUVs and crossovers have come to dominate the part of the automotive market that used to belong to minivans, station wagons, and bigger sedans. With that in mind, tire makers have had to respond by designing tires around the weight, ride properties, handling, horsepower, and torque of these vehicles. There are plenty of options for SUV tires on the market, at every price point – and usually, the cheaper ones are a “you get what you pay for” caveat emptor kind of proposition.

The Summit Trail Climber HT is an exception. This is a more affordable all-season SUV tire that’s designed for the kind of value and performance you’d expect from a far more expensive premium brand tire. With ride quality, treadwear, handling, and road manners that beat expectations by a country mile, the Summit Trail Climber H/T is an outstanding choice for an SUV tire.

So what is it about the tire that makes it such a confident, capable tire and a great value? Let’s go in for a closer look with this Summit Trail Climber H/T review:

Features and Benefits

There’s plenty to like when it comes to the Summit Trail Climber H/T:

• Tread contact patch is optimized to put the most rubber in contact with the road for great handling, road manners, traction, and braking performance
• Built-in rim guard protects wheels and sidewall from scrub and curb scuffs
• Tread pitch computer tuned with even distribution of contact points to help cancel frequencies and keep road noise to a minimum
• Backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty
• Tie bars at the shoulder deliver great high-speed stability and cornering performance
• Symmetric all-season tread pattern with circumferential and angled grooves that divert water from the tire’s contact patch to resist hydroplaning
• Biting edges in shoulder tread blocks help boost traction in wet or wintry weather
• Tread compound custom formulated for long wear, great wet or dry weather grip
• Wide range of sizes for various fitments
• Full-depth sipes deliver great traction throughout the life of the tire.

Pros and Cons

So, is this Summit tire the right choice for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at the tire’s pros and cons:

PROS:

• More affordable than many competitor’s tires
• Quiet, supple ride quality
• Handling and braking performance are neutral and predictable
• Generous warranty coverage
• Great traction in wet or dry conditions

CONS:

• Not great off-road
• Should not be used in moderate to severe winter weather conditions
• Fuel efficiency could be better

SimpleTire’s view on Summit Trail Climber H/T tires

There are so many tires on the market when it comes to SUVs, CUVs, and light trucks, and the Summit Trail Climber H/T presents an outstanding value for its affordable price. The Summit Trail Climber H/T’s 60,000 mile warranty is a lot more comprehensive than you might expect for a tire at this price point. On the highway, the Trail Climber H/T’s road manners are civilized and composed, even on rougher or irregular pavement. Steering response is nimble and immediate without ever feeling twitchy or jumpy, and cornering is consistent and predictable right up to the limit. Noise levels and ride quality are more like what you might expect with an automotive Grand Touring tire – just the kind of tire that’s perfect for hours-long road trips on the interstate.

No, the Summit Trail Climber H/T doesn’t do well off-road, and no, it doesn’t perform well in deeper snow. It’s a highway-terrain all-season tire, and most tires in that category don’t do well in deep snow or mud. What it does do well, though, is provide dependable, confident performance for 60,000 miles or more, at a surprisingly affordable price.

Vehicles the Summit Trail Climber H/T is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment, the Trail Climber H/T is commonly used on CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks like the:

• Cadillac Escalade
• Chevrolet Colorado WT
• Dodge Dakota
• Ford F-150
• GMC Yukon XL
• Honda Pilot
• Hyundai Tucson
• Jeep Grand Cherokee
• Mazda CX-9
• Nissan Xterra
• RAM 2500
• Toyota Tacoma
• Volkswagen Atlas