AWD tire trouble - replace one tire or all four?

griffin0523_192545
Mon, 20 Jan 2025 16:25:06 +0000
Maintenance/Repairs

I’m in a quandary and would love some advice, as I’m not a huge car guy. I drive a 2014 Subaru XV Crosstrek Hybrid Touring - an AWD vehicle. I’ve currently got size 225/55R17 Kumho Ecsta 4X II KU22 tires on the vehicle. About a week ago I got a puncture in one of the tire near the sidewall and it can’t be repaired. I had these tires installed in May 2022 and the tread is down to 6/32.

I know that ideally you replace all tires at once on an AWD vehicle and that Subarus in particular have a low tolerance for tire tread depth differences. As far as I see it I have two options - buy a new tire and have it shaved to match the tread depth on the other tires, or install all new tires. Trouble is the specific tire I have seems to have been discontinued and I can’t find it at any of the places that offer a tire shaving service. Could I replace it with the next most similar tire from Kumho - the Kumho Ecsta PA51? It just seems crazy to throw away 3 perfectly good tires that would last me at least another 1/1.5 years.

46 posts - 18 participants