I just bought a used 2006 Azera Limited with 20K miles on it. The main road I drive on has a rather rough surface. The 17' Michelin tires give off very loud road noise. Does anyone know of good performance tire that does't have so much road noise? I love the car but I sure would like it to be a little more quite inside.

 

Tires are really a matter of preference but I agree the stock michelins kinda s*ck. A good start might be a site like www.discounttiredirect.com. There you can chose tires that fit the carand filter by brand or performance type. You can also get rating info regarding things like handling, tread life and road noise as well as customer reviews.
You may want to look into the front struts as well. There is a TSB out right now for the front struts that warrant a replacement of these (depending on your car's build date) due to excessive noise and a rough ride. A lot of people who have strut issues had a hollow knocking noise come from the struts on uneven road surfaces at lower speeds (30mph) and an overly rough ride in which subtle road noises and imperfections are transferred right into the cabin making things seem a bitjarring. (I have both issues and am in the process of getting this fixed). I even have a floaty "cadillac-esque" ride on smooth surfaces. It's as if the struts were prematurely blown. Everyone who has had the repair done has said that any rattling that was there before is gone and that the ride is much smoother and quieter. May be worth looking into along with the tires.

 

You may want to check out www.tirerack.com. Tremendous selection, a ton of info (specs, ratings, etc.), low prices, and they will drop ship your tires at your local installer.

 

I replaced the factory Michelin tires on my 2004 Tiburon with Kumho ASX tires and love them.

 

One of the best parts of TireRacks and DiscountTireDirect's reviews is the noise rating. But that seems to be primarily dry road running noise from the tread composition and design. If you value quiet more than anything else choose a smooth rib tire intended for good mpg, usually with 600 wear rating. Don't expect good traction, dry, wet, or snow, but they'll be quiet as the road surface allows. And of course they will have good tread life; Oh, and note the speed rating. Most are T rated, meaning they are only good to 118 mph so DO NOT PLAN ON HIGH SPEED INTERSTATE TRAVEL< especially when loaded ! And note that some tires will start just humming and then get louder with wear.
Good luck.

 

I've been looking at Goodyear assurance triple tread. Looks like and excellent tire with a top rating at Tire Rack. Check them out at www.tirerack.com

 

I had a similar problem with the tires on a 2006 Limited, with 20,000 miles. After a month of adjusting inflation, checking balance, and asking for dealer assistance - all to no avail - I replaced them at Discount Tire for a set of Michelin MXV4 Plus Energy tires, in H Rated rather than the factory V rated tires. The difference was remarkable. Silence, smooth ride and decent handling as befitting a near-luxury sedan.