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Best tires for the Mitsubishi Lancer

Top picks across four categories for the Mitsubishi Lancer, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 205/60R16. Every recommendation is selected from our 22,000-tire catalog by ranking on UTQG treadwear, mileage warranty, cabin-noise rating, and season class; no commission-weighted reordering.

By Mark Bishop · Last verified 2026-10-07

Daily driver

Best all-season touring

Long warranty, low noise, balanced ride. The one-tire compromise that works for 80% of owners.

Lowest cost per mile

Best budget

Best price-per-warranty-mile in this size. Trade-off is shorter warranty vs premium options, not safety.

Lowest cabin noise

Best quiet

Tread patterns engineered to break up the harmonic peaks that cause highway droning. Pick this if you commute long highway distances daily.

Cold-weather grip

Best winter

Dedicated winter or all-weather compounds that stay pliable below 7 °C. Necessary for >5 snow days a year.

Side-by-side

Pick the trade-off that matches your driving

All-season
Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack
Best budget
Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
Best winter
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
UTQG treadwear800820-
Mileage warranty80,000 mi85,000 mi-
Cabin noise68 dB70 dB71 dB
Season classall-seasonall-seasonwinter
Typetouringtouringpassenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the mitsubishi lancer use?

Recommendations on this page are anchored to the latest model-year's OEM size. Confirm yours against the driver-door placard before purchase.

YearOEM size
1988–1991185/60R14Year-specific fitment →
1994175/70R13Year-specific fitment →
1996–2000175/70R13Year-specific fitment →
2001185/65R14Year-specific fitment →
2002–2003195/60R15Year-specific fitment →
2004–2006205/50R16Year-specific fitment →
2007195/60R15Year-specific fitment →
2008–2014215/45R18Year-specific fitment →
2015–2016205/60R16Year-specific fitment →
2017215/45R18Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the mitsubishi lancer

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 205/60R16; and filtered our catalog of 22,000+ tires to those offered in that exact size. From there, four parallel rankings:

For sedans and compacts, the all-season touring tire below is the best default; long warranty, low cabin noise, reasonable cost per mile. Switch to the quiet pick if highway droning is a deal-breaker; switch to the winter pick if you see significant snow each year. Use the side-by-side comparison above to weigh the trade-offs against your specific driving; highway-heavy, winter-state, performance-oriented, or budget-constrained.

NHTSA-reported issues for mitsubishi lancer

14
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (8) · TPMS (3) · Sidewall (1) · Tread / Belt (1) · Valve (1)

Reported across: 2002 – 2011 (7 years)

What owners described

Sidewall failure is the most common description, in 18% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 11 reports covering every model year of the Mitsubishi Lancer that include a written account; a single report can describe more than one problem, so they do not total 100%.

Reported problemThis subjectAll tire complaintsRelative
Sidewall failure 18% 15% 1.2×
Pressure-monitoring (TPMS) fault 18% 2% 7.6×
Cracking or dry rot 9% 9% 1.0×
Premature or uneven wear 9% 1% 7.0×

Mileage at failure

6 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 11,500 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 4,300 and 19,000 miles.

In owners' own words

Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA about Mitsubishi Lancer. Reports are published by NHTSA as filed and are lightly cleaned here only to remove intake codes.

THE BRAKES WORE OUT PREMATURELY. THE PART WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES, BUT THE PROBLEM CONTINUED EXISTS. *AK THE VEHICLE LEFT BLACK OIL SPOTS ON THE GARAGE GROUND NEAR ALL FOUR TIRES THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD IT WAS FROM EXCESS FACTORY OVER COATING. THE BRAKES SQUEALED CONTINUOUSLY, THE FRONT BRAKE PADS WORE OUT PREMATURELY AND A NAIL WAS IN THE SIDEWALL OF THE REAR TIRE AND COULDN'T BE REPAIRED BECAUSE TO THE FRONT AND REAR STRUTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO LEAKAGE, HOWEVER THE CONSUMER WAS GETTING DIFFERENT OPINIONS REGARDING THE STRUTS. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE CALIPERS AND OR BRAKE DESIGN WHICH CAUSED THE BRAKES TO PREMATURELY WEAR OUT. *SCC THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED

NHTSA complaint 435300 · 2002 vehicle

I HAVE A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE MITSUBISHI MOTORS I BOUGHT MY CAR TWO YEARS AGO IN 2007 AND THE CAR IS A 2008 MITSUBISHI LANCE AND RIGHT NOW THE CAR SAYING THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE TIRE PRESSURE SYSTEM. THE CAR CONSUMES ALOT OF GAS FOR EXAMPLE YESTERDAY I PUT TEN DOLLARS IN THE AFTERNOON AND IN THE NIGHT I DIDN'T HAVE ANY GAS. THE DEALER WAS VERY RUDE BECAUSE ITS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS INCIDENT HAS HAPPENED. LAST YEAR THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING HAD A DEFECT AND THEY FIXED IT BECAUSE I CALLED MY BANK AND TOLD THEM DON'T SEND THE CAR PAYMENT THROUGH. AND THEY WILL GIVE A NUMBER TO CONTACT SOME PRINCIPAL MITSIBISHI WHERE THEY ARE VERY RUDE TO ME BECAUSE I HAVE A HEAVY ACCENT AND CAN'T SPEAK ENGLISH VERY WELL. IF I GET THE CARE FIXED IT WILL COST ME LIKE 350-400 TO FIX IT THANKS THANKS A LOT.

NHTSA complaint 731516 · 2008 vehicle

TIRE LOCATED ON PASSENGER FRONT SIDE OF VEHICLE IS SHOWING CRACKS BETWEEN THE TREAD AREA AND THE SIDEWALL. FOUR TIRES WERE PURCHASED ON 12/04/2009 AND WERE INSTALLED AT A LOCAL SEARS AUTO CENTER. CRACKS WERE NOTICED OCTOBER 23, 2010, AND APPEAR TO FOLLOW THE CIRCUMFERENCE OF THE TIRE IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE TREAD AND SIDE WALL OF THE TIRE. TO DATE, CRACKS WERE NOTICED ONLY ON THE ONE TIRE. TAKING VEHICLE TO LOCAL SEARS FACILITY TODAY, 10/26/2010, FOR REPLACEMENT.

NHTSA complaint 822172 · 2003 vehicle

THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MITSUBISHI LANCER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE PASSENGER TIRE VALVE FRACTURED CAUSING THE TIRE TO BECOME FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A DEALER WHO ADVISED HIM THAT THE VALVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VALVE WAS REPLACED ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES. SINCE THE REPAIR, THE TPMS LIGHT WOULD ILLUMINATE AND HE HAD TO AD AIR TO THE TIRES EVERY 3 DAYS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30,500.

NHTSA complaint 851250 · 2009 vehicle

Complaints are voluntarily submitted to the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation and are not verified by NHTSA; they represent owner-reported problems, not proven defects. Counts can be useful as a relative quality signal across comparable tires or vehicles.

FAQ

What's the best all-season tire for the Mitsubishi Lancer?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 205/60R16 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching mitsubishi-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Mitsubishi Lancer owners, the all-season touring pick is the best one-tire compromise; long warranty, low noise, reasonable cost per mile.
Should I get a cheaper tire for my Mitsubishi Lancer?
The budget slate above ranks tires by cost-per-warranty-mile, ignoring brand premium. The budget pick is genuinely competitive on durability metrics; the trade-off is shorter warranty and slightly higher cabin noise, not actual safety risk. If you drive less than 15,000 miles a year, the budget pick will outlast your replacement window regardless.
Does the Mitsubishi Lancer need winter tires?
If you see more than 5 snow days a year or drive at sustained temperatures below 7 °C, yes; winter compounds stay pliable in cold where all-season rubber hardens, which translates directly to shorter braking distances. The winter pick above is 3PMSF severe-snow rated and works for the 205/60R16 OEM fitment. Storage cost is real (4 extra tires somewhere), but the safety margin in winter conditions is substantial.
Can I run a different tire size on my Mitsubishi Lancer?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 205/60R16 upsize options for the full categorised alternatives table with verdicts.
Where can I buy these tires?
Each tire links to its detail page with live pricing from our online retailer partners. Out-the-door cost (including mount, balance, TPMS service, and disposal) varies by state; use the install cost calculator for a realistic estimate.

Last verified 2026-10-07.