Smooth and grippy

Unless you’re into the aftermarket scene, tires are about as sexy as backseats. You know you’ve got them and you know they’re important, but you don’t think about them at all until you really need them. Because while a decent tire will do the minimum job of suspending your car’s bits and pieces from the road and providing a cushion, extreme situations will separate the really good ones from the so-so. They may even spell the difference between avoiding a jaywalking nincompoop and running him over.

Goodyear has therefore come up with a tire especially suited for luxury SUV drivers; people who drive mostly on the road. And owing to the market’s seemingly insatiable appetite for these vehicles, SUV drivers statistically place themselves at more risk for dicey situations on the road. On a short track at the Filinvest grounds that included wet braking, slalom, and road noise sections, Goodyear let us experience the high performance of the Wrangler HP AW.

“SmartTred Design” enables the tire to adapt to road conditions for enhanced traction and stability in both dry and wet handling. The center tread area provides more traction on wet roads and low-grip surfaces such as gravel and dirt. Sturdy shoulder blocks help deliver stability during sudden stops and highway speeds, as well as traction and handling on dry roads. Bi-directional blading provides enhanced wet traction when driving straight or cornering, while the Silica loaded tread compound ensures unsurpassed wet traction and excellent mileage.

To prove this, a Toyota Fortuner equipped with Wrangler HP AWs consistently braked some 10-15 feet shorter from 80kph on wet asphalt compared to braking with tires from brand “B”. A short slalom course also revealed noticeable improvements in traction and “road feel”. While it won’t make any SUV a track racer, it does make for more predictable and communicative handling which a driver can exploit on the road whether tackling a set of curves or swerving away from jaywalkers.

What’s more, the improvement doesn’t come at the expense of comfort. The Wrangler HP AW features a SilentBlock Design that enables the tire to control road noise. A variable tread block sequence helps reduce noise for a smooth and quiet ride, while linked shoulder elements help minimize noise even as the tread wears over time. An angular centerline block also softens contact with the road for a quiet, comfortable experience.

Finally, it incorporates SilentArmor TechnologyTM. It’s built with a layer of DuPont Kevlar®, proven to be five times stronger than steel that helps absorb road noise for a quiet ride. No, it won’t make your tires bulletproof or even nail-proof, but it does make them more resistant to punctures.

The Wrangler HP is available in sizes 205/70R15 96H, 225/70R15 100H, 235/70R15 103H, 215/65R16 98H, 215/70R16 100H and 265/70R16 112H.