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Best tires for the Tesla Model S

Top picks across four categories for the Tesla Model S, anchored to the current-generation OEM size 255/45R19. 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 winter
Michelin X-Ice Snow
UTQG treadwear800-
Mileage warranty80,000 mi-
Cabin noise68 dB71 dB
Season classall-seasonwinter
Typetouringpassenger

OEM tire sizes by year

What size does the tesla model S 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
2012–2016245/35R21Year-specific fitment →
2017–2020245/45R19Year-specific fitment →
2021–2026255/45R19Year-specific fitment →

How we ranked these tires for the tesla model S

We started with the latest model-year's OEM tire size; 255/45R19; 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 tesla model S

37
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Top issue category: Tires (General)

Most reported: Tires (General) (28) · Sidewall (6) · Tread / Belt (3)

Reported across: 2013 – 2023 (6 years)

What owners described

Sidewall failure appears in 35% of these reports; about 2.3× as often as across all tire complaints. Percentages are shares of the 20 reports covering every model year of the Tesla Model S 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 35% 15% 2.3×
Blowout or sudden deflation 25% 20% 1.2×
Loss of control, rollover or collision 20% 8% 2.4×
Tread or belt separation 10% 13% 0.7×

Mileage at failure

11 of these reports state an odometer reading. The middle report is at 10,000 miles, with 8 in 10 falling between 8,000 and 15,000 miles.

In owners' own words

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

Michelin manufactures this tire specific for the Tesla Model S plaid vehicle. This tire wears pre maturely from the 300 rating most times under 10,000 miles causing tread separation on the inner wall. This specific wear can only be seen once the tire is removed from the vehicle. This is a well know issue on tesla forum boards and Michelin is not only not assisting with the issue, they are on back order for this tire that is specific for the Tesla Model S plaid. Not only did Michelin design a tire for this vehicle that wears well short of the rating, they are also not making enough to replace the worn out\defective tires. The tread separation is on the inside of the tire not visible to the driver that could potentially lead to a catastrophic accident if the tread separates at a high speed. The tire size is 295/30/21.

NHTSA complaint 1844176 · 2021 vehicle

The OEM Michelin rear tire used on the 2021 and 2022+ Tesla Model S has a serious safety defect which results in extreme wear/tread separation at the inner sidewall/tread junction. Numerous defective tires are shown on this thread, among others: https://teslamotorsclub.com/tmc/threads/plaid-21%E2%80%9Drear-tire-woes-factory-defect.269394/ Both Tesla and Michelin report the tires are nationwide backorder (likely due to the number of tire failures in the field). Thus far, Tesla and Michelin have taken NO action on proactive tire replacements, despite repeated requests. (Perhaps they are awaiting accidents with fatalities first?) Please take action to secure a recall as this defect is extremely difficult to note as the tire tread separation occurs most often at the inner sidewall of the rear tires, a nearly impossible area to inspect.

NHTSA complaint 1846783 · 2022 vehicle

Inner tire tread only wears significantly to the point of failure. This may be a factory alignment issue or other but is noted in many forums. I was losing air quickly and based on research saw this was a common issue with these specific cars. The tread appears fine at 8000 miles but when removing the wheel from the car you can notice the inner surface only is worn to the point of failure with the inner belt showing is parts. I was able to remove the wheel and see the issue before experiencing a blowout while driving.

NHTSA complaint 1850175 · 2022 vehicle

Rear tires have alarming wear on the inside, where the inside sidewall meets the tread. This is identical to the other complaints that are logged on NHTSA about Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rear tires on Tesla Model S Plaid cars. Tires are: Michelin Pilot Sport 4S 295/30 ZR21 102Y XL BSW. Specifically, the right rear tires loses pressure and needs to be reinflated. The left rear tire, according to inspection, actually looked worse, but is not yet losing pressure. This is impossible to see or know about without removing the tire or putting the car on a lift, since it is on the is inside sidewall/tread of the rear tire. There is high danger of a blowout because of some type of defect (camber/suspension or tire) which cannot be seen by the consumer. I would have never known about this if the tire technician had not alerted me, and probably would have had a high-speed blowout.

NHTSA complaint 1860284 · 2022 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 Tesla Model S?
The all-season touring slate above ranks the top options for the 255/45R19 OEM size. The leader is selected by matching tesla-segment fitment, all-season compound class, and premium-brand quality bonus. For most Tesla Model S 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 Tesla Model S?
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 Tesla Model S 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 255/45R19 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 Tesla Model S?
Plus-size and minus-size alternatives within ±3% overall diameter are typically safe per the ETRTO standard. See the 255/45R19 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.