Tire prices were one of the quieter inflation stories of 2025, rising 3.9% in the year to August 2025. Through the summer of 2026 that climb stalled. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tire index was almost unchanged from a year earlier in August 2026 and sat below its March 2026 high.
That does not mean the tire bill got cheaper. The service side of car ownership, the labor you pay a shop for, kept rising faster than overall inflation. Here is what the price index, the tire makers’ own numbers and the shipment forecasts say about where tire costs are heading.
Trend Signal
30/100 Weak momentum
- Emerging
- Rising
- Mainstream
- Peaking
- Cooling
Tire price inflation stalled as replacement demand weakened
The BLS tire price index rose 0.4% from August 2025 to August 2026, after 3.9% the year before, and USTMA cut its 2026 U.S. shipment forecast to 330.3 million tires, 1.8% below 2025.
Our editorial reading of the cited data, not a forecast. How it is scored
By the numbers
- +0.4%CPI for tires, U.S. city average, August 2026 vs August 2025Bureau of Labor Statistics
- +5.2%CPI for motor vehicle maintenance and repair, August 2026 vs August 2025Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 330.3MUSTMA forecast of 2026 U.S. tire shipments (August 2026), down 1.8% from 2025USTMA
- 13.0%Goodyear Americas replacement tire unit volume, Q2 2026 vs Q2 2025Goodyear
What the tire price index shows
The BLS series for tires, part of the Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, stood at 159.302 in August 2026 against 158.689 in August 2025, a 0.4% increase by our calculation from the BLS index levels. The same comparison a year earlier showed a 3.9% rise from 152.701 in August 2024. The index peaked at 160.468 in March 2026 and has stayed below that level since, so tires cost slightly less in August than in the spring.
Set against overall prices, tires got cheaper in real terms. The all-items CPI rose 3.4% between August 2025 and August 2026. Over two years, tires rose 4.3% while all items rose 6.4%. One caution on the data: BLS published no October 2025 figure for these series because of the 2025 lapse in appropriations, so month-to-month comparisons around that point have a gap.
| BLS price index | Aug 2024 to Aug 2025 | Aug 2025 to Aug 2026 | Two-year change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | +3.9% | +0.4% | +4.3% |
| Motor vehicle maintenance and repair | +8.5% | +5.2% | +14.2% |
| All items | +2.9% | +3.4% | +6.4% |
Demand softened even though Americans kept driving
In March 2026 the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association forecast 338.9 million U.S. tire shipments for 2026, including 223.3 million replacement passenger tires. Its August 6, 2026 update cut that to 330.3 million, 1.8% below 2025, with replacement passenger tires at 218.3 million, down 1.6%.
Miles did not fall. Federal Highway Administration traffic counts put travel on all U.S. roads at 297.8 billion vehicle miles in July 2026, up 0.2% from July 2025, and cumulative 2026 travel was up 0.7% through July. Tires wear with miles, so fewer replacement sales on steady driving suggests some owners are running tires longer or trading down. That is our read; the forecasts do not give a reason.
Goodyear’s second-quarter numbers point the same way. Its Americas replacement tire unit volume fell 13.0% from a year earlier, which the company attributed to planned cuts to lower-tier products, lower industry sell-in volume in North America and increased competition. We read weak sell-in as leaving little room to push shelf prices higher.
We read flat tire prices in 2026 as a sign of weaker replacement demand, not lower costs for tire makers.
Tariffs, refunds and a squeeze on cheap tiers
Tariffs have raised costs for tire makers without producing a sustained retail price surge. Goodyear reported that higher tariffs and other costs cut its second-quarter 2026 segment operating income by $100 million, while favorable price and mix versus raw material costs added $123 million. Price and mix combines what the company charges with the shift in which tires it sells, and it stayed a net positive against raw materials even as unit volume fell.
Part of the tariff picture also reversed. Goodyear’s quarterly filing with the SEC notes that on February 20, 2026, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the President to impose tariffs. Goodyear estimated a $60 million refund of those duties and had received $42 million of it in the second quarter. The ruling covers duties imposed under that law only.
For shoppers, the more visible change may be at the bottom of the range. Goodyear is cutting lower-tier product offerings, and in July 2026 it announced the planned closure of its Fayetteville, North Carolina, plant to align its manufacturing footprint with its product portfolio. Fewer budget lines from one of the largest makers leaves more of the entry-level shelf to other brands.
Installation is where the bill is growing
The CPI for motor vehicle maintenance and repair rose 5.2% between August 2025 and August 2026 and 14.2% over two years, far faster than the tire index. A tire purchase is rarely just the tire, and the service items that come with it sit on the side of the bill that is rising.
That makes the out-the-door quote the number to compare. Two shops can charge similar prices for the same tire and still differ on labor and fees. Ask for each line item in writing:
Maintenance habits also change what you spend per mile. The Department of Energy’s fueleconomy.gov says keeping tires at the recommended pressure improves gas mileage by 0.6% on average and up to 3% in some cases, and that mileage drops about 0.2% for every 1 psi drop in the average pressure of all tires.
- Price per tire and any road hazard coverage
- Mounting and balancing
- Valve stems or TPMS service parts
- Disposal fee for the old tires
- Alignment, if the shop recommends one, and why
Buy now or wait
If your tread is at or near the replacement point, the data argue for buying now. Prices are flat, below their March 2026 high, and nothing in the tire index points to a drop large enough to justify running worn tires longer.
If your tires have plenty of life left, there is no reason to buy early either. Two things could move prices: a rebound in replacement demand, since Americans are still driving more miles than a year earlier, and any change in tariff policy after the February 2026 Supreme Court ruling. Neither had shown up in the index through August 2026.
Either way, measure before you shop. A tread depth gauge and a pressure gauge tell you how much life is left and whether uneven wear, often a sign of an alignment or inflation problem, is eating the tread faster on one edge.
What to watch next
- The BLS tire index in the September 2026 CPI: a reading above the March 2026 high of 160.468 would mean the pause is over
- USTMA’s next shipment forecast, after the August 2026 cut to 330.3 million units
- Goodyear’s third-quarter 2026 results, for whether Americas replacement volume keeps falling at a double-digit rate
Where to start
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Tire checking tools compared
| Product type | Good fit for | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
| Digital tread depth gauge | Fits deciding when to replace | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Digital tire pressure gauge | Fits monthly pressure checks | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
| Tire plug repair kit | Fits roadside tread punctures | See listings on AmazonOpens Amazon search results, not one listing: check the model on the product page. |
Product types that fit the trend described above, not tested models. Check the exact listing before you buy. How we pick them.
Digital tread depth gauge
Where to look: Amazon
Suits anyone trying to decide whether to buy tires now or in a few months. Measure the inner, center and outer grooves on each tire.
- Measures each groove, not just one spot
- Shows uneven wear across the tread
- Readings vary if you measure on a wear bar
- Needs a battery
Digital tire pressure gauge
Where to look: Amazon
Suits every driver. Compare readings with the pressure on the door-jamb label, not the maximum printed on the tire.
- Proper pressure improves mpg 0.6% on average, per DOE
- Cheap and small enough for the glove box
- Check cold tires for a true reading
- Accuracy varies by model
More: Auto and EVs trends and how the Trend Signal is scored.
Sources
- CPI-U: Tires in U.S. city average — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- CPI-U: Motor vehicle maintenance and repair in U.S. city average — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- CPI-U: All items in U.S. city average — Bureau of Labor Statistics
- USTMA February 2026 Forecast — U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
- USTMA July 2026 Forecast — U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association
- Goodyear Announces Second Quarter 2026 Results — Goodyear
- Goodyear Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 — SEC EDGAR
- Traffic Volume Trends, July 2026 — Federal Highway Administration
- Keeping Your Vehicle in Shape — fueleconomy.gov, U.S. Department of Energy
Questions readers ask
Are tire prices going up in 2026?
Barely. The BLS tire index rose 0.4% between August 2025 and August 2026, compared with 3.9% in the prior 12 months, and August 2026 was below the March 2026 peak.
Did tariffs raise tire prices?
Tariffs raised costs for makers: Goodyear reported $100 million in higher tariffs and other costs in the second quarter of 2026. The retail tire index stayed nearly flat through August 2026, and on February 20, 2026 the Supreme Court ruled that IEEPA does not authorize the President to impose tariffs.
Why is tire installation getting more expensive?
It is a service cost. The BLS index for motor vehicle maintenance and repair rose 5.2% in the year to August 2026 and 14.2% over two years, far faster than tires.
Does tire pressure really affect gas mileage?
Yes. Fueleconomy.gov says proper inflation improves mileage by 0.6% on average and up to 3% in some cases, with about 0.2% lost for every 1 psi drop in average pressure.
