UTQG Tire Ratings Explained: What the Numbers on Your Tires Mean

What UTQG Is

UTQG stands for Uniform Tire Quality Grading — a standardized rating system developed by the US Department of Transportation. Every passenger tire sold in the US must carry UTQG ratings on the sidewall, consisting of three components:

Treadwear / Traction / Temperature

Example: 400 A A or 100 AA A

Treadwear Rating

The treadwear number is a relative measure of expected tread life compared to a reference tire rated at 100.

• 400 treadwear: Expected to last 4× longer than the reference tire
• 200 treadwear: Expected to last 2× longer
• 100 treadwear: Baseline reference
• 80–100 treadwear: Extreme performance/race compounds

Important caveat: These ratings are tested by each manufacturer independently, not by a neutral party. A 400 from one brand and a 400 from another may wear very differently. The numbers are most useful for comparing within a brand's lineup, less reliable across brands.

For the Challenger:

• Daily driver all-season: 400–600 treadwear
• Summer performance street: 300–400 treadwear
• High-performance summer (Michelin PS4S, Pirelli PZero): 300 treadwear
• Drag radials (NT555R2, ET Street): 200 treadwear
• Track-only (RE-71RS, Rival S): 100–200 treadwear
• Slicks and DOT race tires: 60–100 treadwear

Traction Rating

The traction grade indicates the tire's wet braking performance on a standardized government test surface.

• AA: Best wet traction — highest stopping force
• A: Good wet traction
• B: Moderate
• C: Minimum acceptable

Most quality performance tires are rated A or AA. Note: this is specifically wet traction; the rating says nothing about dry grip or cornering.

Temperature Rating

The temperature grade indicates the tire's resistance to heat buildup and its ability to dissipate heat.

• A: Sustained speeds above 115 mph
• B: Between 100 and 115 mph
• C: Between 85 and 100 mph

All tires sold for street use on passenger vehicles must achieve at minimum a C rating. Performance tires are virtually all A or B rated.

How to Use UTQG When Buying Tires

The treadwear number is the most practically useful for a Challenger owner:

• Want tires that last 40,000+ miles: Look for 500+ treadwear
• Want maximum daily performance with reasonable life: 300–400 range
• Going to the track occasionally: 200–300 range gets you better grip with acceptable street life
• Dedicated track/strip use: 100–200 for maximum grip; expect 10,000–20,000 miles