Which Cars Are Most Likely to Hydroplane

Cars with wide, worn, or underinflated tires—especially performance models on low-profile summer rubber and pickups/SUVs on worn all-terrain or mud-terrain tires—are most likely to hydroplane, because their tires can’t evacuate water fast enough at speed. In practice, make and model matter far less than speed, water depth, tire design, tread depth, and inflation pressure.

What actually causes hydroplaning

Hydroplaning happens when a tire rides up on a film of water and loses contact with the road. The biggest drivers are speed, standing water depth, and the tire’s ability to pump water away via tread grooves and sipes. A commonly cited estimate from aerospace research puts the onset speed for dynamic hydroplaning at roughly 10.35 times the square root of tire pressure (in psi), so underinflation reduces the speed at which hydroplaning can begin. Tread depth matters because shallow grooves can’t channel enough water, and very wide tires have more water to move per revolution.

Primary factors that raise hydroplaning risk

The following points summarize the key contributors engineers and safety agencies emphasize when explaining why some vehicles lose wet traction sooner than others.

• Speed: Risk rises sharply above about 45 mph (72 km/h) in standing water; the faster you go, the less time grooves have to evacuate water.
• Water depth and road surface: Even 3–4 mm (about 1/8 inch) of pooled water can trigger hydroplaning on worn tires, especially on smooth or rutted pavement that traps water.
• Tread depth and design: Tires at or below 4/32 inch (3.2 mm) see a large drop in hydroplaning resistance; directional and asymmetric patterns with deep circumferential grooves generally do better in standing water.
• Tire pressure: Underinflation lowers the speed at which hydroplaning begins; proper inflation raises that threshold.
• Tire width and profile: Extra-wide, low-profile tires tend to hydroplane sooner in deep water because there’s more water to displace; narrower tires cut through more effectively.
• Road ruts and lane position: Ruts hold water where tires track most often, increasing risk at highway speeds.
• Vehicle aids: ABS, traction control, and stability control can help you recover once grip returns, but they cannot prevent true hydroplaning while the tire is riding on water.

Taken together, these factors explain why two identical cars can behave very differently in rain depending on their tires, inflation, and speed—and why slowing down remains the most reliable countermeasure.

Vehicle types with elevated hydroplaning risk

Some categories of vehicles are more vulnerable because of their typical tire fitments or usage patterns. While no brand is immune, the characteristics below are consistently associated with higher hydroplaning risk in real-world testing and crash data analyses.

• Performance cars on ultra-wide, low-profile summer tires: Excellent on dry pavement, but more prone to hydroplaning in deep water—especially when worn—because wide treads must evacuate more water and many summer compounds prioritize dry grip over standing-water evacuation.
• Any car on worn all-season tires: Once tread is below about 4/32 inch, hydroplaning resistance drops quickly; at the legal minimum (2/32 inch in many regions), risk is high even at moderate speeds.
• Vehicles with oversized aftermarket wheels/tires: Wider footprints and stretched low-profile setups often reduce water channel volume; underinflated stance setups make it worse.
• Pickups and SUVs on worn all-terrain or mud-terrain tires: Big block patterns with limited siping can be poor at shedding water at highway speeds; if underinflated for comfort or off-road use, hydroplaning can start sooner.
• EVs and large SUVs with very wide, low-profile fitments: Many run wider tread widths to support weight; higher recommended pressures help, but in deep standing water the combination of width and tread wear can still increase vulnerability.
• Lightweight cars with budget tires and low pressures: While tire pressure is the dominant parameter for hydroplaning onset, low-quality wet designs and underinflation on lighter vehicles can reduce the margin in pooled water.

None of these traits guarantees hydroplaning; good tread depth and correct pressures can markedly improve performance. But if you recognize your vehicle in this list, be extra cautious when rain ponds on the roadway.

How to know if your car is at risk today

Before you set off—or when conditions suddenly deteriorate—these quick checks can help you gauge your current hydroplaning risk and adjust your driving accordingly.

• Measure tread depth: Aim for at least 4/32 inch for highway rain safety; replace at 2/32 inch or sooner. Uneven wear (center or shoulders) reduces water evacuation.
• Verify tire pressure when cold: Inflate to the door-jamb placard, not the sidewall max; underinflation cuts the hydroplaning threshold.
• Know your tire type: Summer and many off-road patterns are weaker in standing water than quality all-season or all-weather designs with deep circumferential grooves and dense siping.
• Watch the road surface: Shiny patches, wheel-track ruts, and puddling in the fast lane indicate pooled water; move to a lane with less standing water where safe.
• Set a safe speed ceiling: In heavy rain with puddling, keep speeds well under 45 mph; the worse the pooling, the lower your ceiling.
• Mind the load: Heavily loaded vehicles need correct pressures; if you’ve increased load significantly, adjust inflation per the manufacturer’s guidance.

If several risk indicators line up—worn tires, underinflation, visible pooling—slow down decisively and increase following distance to give tires time to clear water.

Driving tactics that cut hydroplaning risk

Even with ideal tires and pressures, technique matters. The following habits can dramatically reduce your chances of losing contact with the road in heavy rain.

• Reduce speed early: Ease off before entering visible standing water; avoid abrupt steering, throttle, or braking inputs.
• Don’t use cruise control in heavy rain: You want immediate, precise control over speed and throttle.
• Track in others’ tire paths: Driving in the tracks of vehicles ahead helps, as their tires have displaced some water.
• Avoid deep puddles and rutted lanes: Change lanes cautiously to find higher, less waterlogged pavement.
• If you start to hydroplane: Stay calm, ease off the throttle, keep the wheel straight, and wait for grip to return; brake gently only once the tires reconnect.
• Maintain wipers and lights: Seeing and being seen buys you reaction time to slow or choose a drier line.

These techniques work because they give your tires more time and capacity to move water, keeping the rubber in contact with the road where your vehicle can steer and brake effectively.

What recent research and testing show

Laboratory and field tests continue to validate the fundamentals. Engineering references commonly approximate dynamic hydroplaning onset speed as proportional to the square root of tire pressure, reinforcing the importance of proper inflation. Independent tire tests (e.g., by consumer publications and tire reviewers through 2024) consistently find that hydroplaning resistance drops sharply as tread depth nears 4/32 inch, and that directional or asymmetric patterns with deep circumferential channels outperform wide, low-profile summer or off-road designs in standing water. Automakers and suppliers are experimenting with aquaplaning alerts using tire-slip data and road-surface sensing, but these systems mitigate consequences rather than changing the physics; tires, pressure, speed, and water depth remain decisive.

Bottom line

Cars most likely to hydroplane are those running wide, worn, or underinflated tires—particularly performance cars on low-profile summer tires and trucks/SUVs on worn off-road patterns—driven at higher speeds through standing water. Keep tread depth healthy, maintain correct pressures, slow down in pooled water, and choose rain-competent tires to stack the odds in your favor.

What cars hydroplane the most?

All-wheel drive vehicles are more likely to hydroplane than two-wheel drive vehicles, because their computerized differentials may shift power from the front to the rear tires, creating a hydroplaning situation. Heavy vehicles are less prone to hydroplaning.

What is the safest car in the rain?

Selecting the right cars for the rainy season is essential for safety and comfort. The Subaru Outback, Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Ford Explorer, and Mazda CX-5 all offer excellent traction, advanced safety features, and reliable performance in wet conditions.

At what speed do cars start to hydroplane?

approximately 35 miles per hour
At What Speed Does A Vehicle Hydroplane? Vehicles typically hydroplane at approximately 35 miles per hour, so it’s best to limit your speed when driving, especially on wet terrain. Experts recommend driving 5-10 miles below the road’s speed limit to avoid getting into an accident.

Does AWD help against hydroplaning?

All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and Four-Wheel Drive (4WD): These cars provide improved traction by distributing power to all four wheels. This can lead to better stability and control in slippery conditions, though it doesn’t eliminate the risk of hydroplaning.