Virtual prototyping enables tire to participate in automotive research and development (R&D) at an early stage, eliminating the trial-and-error process of physical tire samples and effectively reducing time and costs. Semi-empirical/empirical tire models are commonly used in the evaluation of vehicle-tire virtual mating. To parameterize these models, finite element (FE) simulations involving combined situations of side slip, camber, and longitudinal slip under various loads are necessary. This paper identifies that when multiple inputs are combined, the FE simulation conditions become complex and numerous, posing a significant challenge in virtual prototyping applications. Through an extensive analysis of more than ten tire estimation modeling methods and models in detail, this paper demonstrates that tire estimation modeling exhibits significant potential to address this challenge. We begin with an overview of the current state of research in tire virtual prototyping. Its current application status and research endeavors in various tire companies and research teams are reviewed. Subsequently, we discuss tire estimation methods and models, including those based on detailed tire characteristics such as inner tire strain or acceleration, as well as methods such as Similarity, Combinator, Dynamic Friction Separation (DFS) Method, Camber Equivalent (CE) Method, and others, which estimate based on external tire characteristics. Finally, Finally, we compare the calculation effects of different estimation methods with the test data to verify the accuracy of the model in estimating the mechanical characteristics of tires in different conditions. The validation demonstrates that tire estimation modeling can be implemented using pure and less FE simulation results, significantly enhancing efficiency while ensuring accuracy.