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Best tires for the Scion xA

Top picks across four categories for the Scion xA, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 185/60R15. 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
Hankook Kinergy PT
Best winter
Bridgestone Blizzak WS90
UTQG treadwear800-
Mileage warranty90,000 mi-
Cabin noise70 dB71 dB
Season classall-seasonwinter
Typetouringpassenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the scion xA 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
2004–2006185/60R15Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the scion xA

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 185/60R15; 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 scion xA

2
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Reported across: 2006 – 2006 (1 year)

What owners described

Blowout or sudden deflation is the most common description, in 25% of these reports. Percentages are shares of the 8 reports covering every model year of the Scion xA 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
Blowout or sudden deflation 25% 20% 1.2×
Sidewall failure 13% 15% 0.8×
Cracking or dry rot 13% 9% 1.3×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 13% 8% 1.5×
Premature or uneven wear 13% 1% 9.6×

In owners' own words

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

DT: 2004 TOYOTA SIENNA. THE CONSUMER STATED TWO OF THE ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE SPLIT. THE FRONT PASSENGER AND REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRES WERE THE ONES AFFECTED. HE WOKE UP ONE MORNING AND THE FRONT TIRE WAS FLAT. AFTER TAKING IT OFF THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED A TWO INCH SPLIT BY THE SIDEWALL. THIS WAS ABOUT AN INCH IN THE TREAD DOWN TWO OR THREE INCHES ON THE SIDEWALL. THE REAR TIRE HAD THE SAME SPLIT. WHEN HE NOTICED IT HAD NOT GONE FLAT. TOYOTA MAINTAINED THAT THE CONSUMER RAN OVER SOMETHING. HE HAD TO ORDER AND REPLACE TWO NEW TIRES BY HIMSELF, HE REPLACED BOTH FRONT TIRES. THE SECOND TIRE OCCURRED TWO WEEKS LATER. THESE ARE DUNLOP TIRES.

NHTSA complaint 554751 · 2004 vehicle

THE CONTACT CALLED REGARDING A 2006 TOYOTA SCION XA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE BRAKES WILL LOCK AND THE CAR WOULD SKID. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS. THIS FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER,AND THE PROBLEM WAS DIAGNOSED AS HARD BRAKING. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WORE OUT AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 7700 MILES. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER RECENTLY, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE BRAKE PADS CRACKED AND WORN AND NEED TO BE REPLACED.THIS IS DUE TO HEAVY AND HARD BRAKING.

NHTSA complaint 611834 · 2006 vehicle

IN JUNE WHILE GETTING OFF THE EXIT TO GO HOME I WAS GOING AT 25 MHP ANF THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE AND I TOTALLY LOST CONTROL HITTING THE EXIT SIGN. I GOT THE CAR REPAIRED AND 2 MONTHS LATER ON THE INTERSTATE I WAS DOING 55 MPH WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE. STARTED TO SLOW DOWN, WHEN THE LEFT REAR TIRE BLOW OUT AND CAUSE THE LOST OF CONTROL, SPIN 3 TIMES AND CRASHING INTO THE GUIDE RAIL. THE AIRBAGS NEVER OPEN AND THE FRONT AND LEFT SIDE OF THE CAR WERE DESTROYED.

NHTSA complaint 802853 · 2005 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 Scion xA?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 185/60R15 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching scion-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Scion xA 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 Scion xA?
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 Scion xA 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 185/60R15 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 Scion xA?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 185/60R15 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.