Consumer Reports’ 2026 survey names Les Schwab Tire Centers as its top tire retailer and identifies three retailers—not six—as the lowest-ranked: Mavis Discount Tire, Pep Boys, and Walmart Auto Care Centers. It also recommends ten name-brand retailers, so the evidence does not support a definitive list of six “best” and six “worst.” The rankings are useful starting points, but they measure reported customer experiences rather than guaranteeing what you will find at a particular location.
What Consumer Reports’ 2026 survey found
Consumer Reports published its results on March 3, 2026, based on more than 24,500 member responses to a survey conducted in fall 2024. Members reported on tire purchases and installation in the preceding 12 months. CR says the gap between its top- and bottom-rated retailers was 40 points; that is a score difference, not a percentage.
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The survey considered overall satisfaction, installation quality, sales help, selection, installation time, the waiting area, appointment access, checkout ease, free perks, other services, and purchase cost. Installation quality and sales help contributed most to overall satisfaction in CR’s survey. These results describe respondents’ experiences; they do not establish that every branch of a chain will deliver the same service.
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Les Schwab Tire Centers ranked first and was the only retailer CR placed in its top tier. Respondents rated it especially well for installation quality, sales service, free perks, checkout ease, and additional services such as wheel alignment. CR described the chain in March 2026 as having more than 600 locations across 15 states.
#1 Best Overall
- Product Overview: The Fullway HP108 are 205/55R16 91V SL-Standard Load, 4 Ply Rated Performance Tires Manufactured For Passengers
- Driving Conditions: All Season Traction, UTQG 380AA
- Styling and Construction: Four Black Sidewall, Radial Construction, 16 Inch Tires
- Load Index and Speed Rating: Load Index 91 Supports up to 1356 lbs Per Tire and Speed Rating V Certified to 149 mph
- Additional Note: Tires Only - Rims/Wheels Not Included
Other retailers CR recommends
CR’s recommended name-brand retailers also include Point S Tire, Discount Tire, Discount Tire Centers, Dunn Tire & Auto, Fountain Tire, Sullivan Tire, Costco, OK Tire, and America’s Tire. This is a set of recommendations, not a claim that all ten are available nationwide or that they share the same rank.
Point S was one point behind Les Schwab in CR’s results, earned strong category marks, and had one of the lowest reported purchase costs per tire. CR noted Discount Tire’s broad presence, online shopping, Treadwell tire-matching tool, included rotation and balance, flat repair and checks, and among the lowest installation costs in the survey. Discount Tire and Tire Rack shared survey results and ratings. Those survey findings and company details are not a quote for a current purchase.
Rank #2
- Patented tread pattern: Provides a comfortable and quiet ride
- Efficient fuel-saving tread compound: Offers grip in wet, dry, snow, and ice
- Specially formulated rubber compound and tread features: Low rolling resistance, for eco-friendly driving
- Optimized contact area with the road: Provides reliable tread life
Fountain Tire and OK Tire are Canadian chains; other names on CR’s list serve particular U.S. regions. CR says Costco includes installation and several complimentary services, while its tire selection may be more limited than some competitors. Check whether a retailer operates near you before treating it as a practical option.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCR’s three lowest-ranked retailers
In CR’s survey, the bottom three were Mavis Discount Tire, Pep Boys, and Walmart Auto Care Centers, in that order. CR said this matched its preceding survey. It did not identify six lowest-ranked retailers, so naming three more would go beyond the published findings.
Rank #3
- 50,000 mile warranty
- All-Season Touring Tire
- Ideal for consumers looking for plenty of miles, good traction and fuel economy
- M+S Rated (mud and snow)
- Manufactured by Cooper Tire & Rubber Company
Why another 2026 ranking puts retailers in a different order
J.D. Power’s 2026 U.S. Aftermarket Service Index (ASI) is a separate measure of customer satisfaction with tire replacement. Its listed scores are on a 1,000-point scale, and J.D. Power cautions that rank differences based on numerical scores are not necessarily statistically significant.
| J.D. Power ASI order | Retailer | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meineke Car Care Centers | 856 |
| 2 | Pep Boys | 850 |
| 3 | Discount Tire | 847 |
| 4 | Big O Tires | 846 |
| 5 | Midas | 843 |
| 6 | Goodyear Auto Service | 840 |
| 7 | Les Schwab Tire Centers | 835 |
| 8 | Costco | 825 |
| 9 | Sam’s Club | 823 |
| — | Segment average | 822 |
| — | Walmart | 780 |
| — | Mavis Discount Tire | 766 |
This helps explain why a retailer can look very different across studies: Pep Boys is second in J.D. Power’s listed results but among CR’s three lowest, while Les Schwab leads CR’s survey and ranks seventh in J.D. Power’s listed order. The studies use different methods and respondent populations, so their rankings should not be merged into one list.
Rank #4
- Designed for use on passenger cars
- Backed by a 55,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life
- Specialized tread pattern provides solid handling and traction
- Optimized footprint promotes stability and reliable traction
- Circumferential grooves enhance wet handling and hydroplaning resistance by funneling water out of the tread
How to choose a retailer for your own car
Use rankings to decide where to request quotes, then compare the same tire and service at nearby locations. An advertised tire price alone does not tell you the total cost of getting the tires installed.
Recommended Free Tools
- Confirm the exact tire. Verify the size and ratings required for your vehicle, and ask whether the retailer has that tire in stock. If it does not, ask whether it can order the model and how long delivery would take.
- Compare the total installed price. Ask for the out-the-door total for the same tire, including installation and any fees. CR’s survey findings about purchase or installation costs are not current local quotes.
- Check what the service includes. Ask the specific location about installation, balancing, rotations, flat repairs, inspections, alignment, and any road-hazard coverage or warranty. Confirm which services are included, how long coverage lasts, and any conditions.
- Check scheduling and timing. Ask about appointment availability, expected installation time, and whether the tires are reserved for your appointment. Waiting areas and checkout experience can also matter if you plan to stay at the shop.
- Compare the overall fit. Weigh service quality, price, stock, timing, and useful included services together. A higher survey rank does not automatically make a distant or unavailable retailer the best choice for your situation.
CR recommends calling ahead or ordering online to save time. Its report also notes that a shop may be able to obtain a preferred model if you can wait. If you are replacing a flat immediately, the available tire and installation time may matter more than a broader ranking.
Best Value
- Designed for use on sport and performance-oriented coupes and sedans
- Asymmetrical tread pattern with larger blocks enhances traction on dry roads
- Extra sipes within the tread bite into the road to improve traction on wet and snowy roads
- Optimized design further increases grip while also lowering road noises and vibrations to create a quiet, comfortable ride for drivers and passengers
- Built with offset sipes and sharp angled slits that bite into snowy road to boost traction and grip
What the rankings can—and cannot—tell you
Consumer Reports’ survey is a broad snapshot of members’ recent purchasing and installation experiences, not an inspection of each store or a prediction of your visit. Its results support comparing the named retailers and the service dimensions it measured; they do not support a universal six-best/six-worst list. J.D. Power adds a second customer-satisfaction measure, but it is not a direct replication of CR’s survey.
CR also reported a 70-point Overall Score for car dealerships and described them as a solid, convenient choice for many car owners. If you are already considering a dealership, it can be another place to request a like-for-like installed quote.
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