On (and off) the road again

Thailand News - Motoring - Friday December 07, 2007

TYRE TEST

On (and off) the road again

Goodyear hopes to set a new standard in the SUV segment with its new Wrangler HP AW tyre that claims to deliver lower road noise levels and smoother ride

ALFRED THA HLA

Goodyear held a regional launch of its Wrangler High Performance All-Weather (HP AW) tyre at the Bira circuit in Pattaya a couple of weeks ago.

Unlike rival Michelin which highlights 9kg per tonne rolling resistance as its selling point on fuel efficiency and less carbon dioxide emissions, Goodyear's latest tyre product features its patented SilentArmour technology that caters to both on-road and off-road segments.

In layman's terms, it is a flexible performance for on- and off-road drivers to experience a combination of what Goodyear calls the Armor zone (kevlar technology) which provides a new level of strength and a Quiet zone which offers a quiet ride and exceptional traction.

Pricing and rolling resistance figures of the Wrangler HP AW were not discussed, but Richard Fleming, Goodyear country manager for Thailand and Asean, claims that its rolling resistance was 5-10% lower than the competition.

Wet

A braking test on wet road conditions saw the Wranglers raced up to speed before stomping on the brakes as it took 31.6 metres to stop. The competition tyre required 36.5m - longer braking distance for the "other" tyre.

The process was repeated three times and averaged out. I wished I was the driver doing the braking instead of the Goodyear engineer, but the difference of the Wrangler's stopping power was rather obvious.

After they showed that the Wranglers required about 5m less in stopping distance, I assume that you can brake later in tight conditions. But let's not forget that these are on- and off-road SUV tyres.

So if the Wranglers have 5-10% lower in rolling resistance as Goodyear claims, then the Wranglers should help push the Fortuner on faster lap times around the Bira track.

Dry

This was all lumped into a noise, off-road and track station all in one.

A Toyota Fortuner was fitted with Goodyear 245/70 R16 and a competition tyre ran over thick ropes placed on the tarmac. Noise measuring devices installed in the vehicle delivered interior cabin noise and exterior noise measurements.

The Wranglers measured 64.5dB versus 68.4dB for the competition in the interior cabin, while a microphone measured exterior noise at 72.4dB versus 76.6 dB in favour of Goodyear. Those are the figures given by Goodyear.

However, stability and longitudinal grip were not measured since much higher speeds would have been required by the Fortuner.

Speaking about its behaviour, the new Wranglers scored nicely for subjective feel, adjustability and vehicle balance. They proved predictable and manageable through the man-made off-road trails next to the go-kart track at Bira.

Next up was the slalom station which saw me fishtail the Fortuner miserably. I thought the Wranglers provided good front-end grip for a good steering feel, but wondered if it was able to match a similar spec Michelin or a Pirelli (so now you know the competition tyre didn't come from these two brands).

Shifting gears to the track with controlled routes and strategically placed pylons, the Wranglers produced good dry grip but also displayed some understeer through regular corners, yet it shone in the latter S bends.

Verdict

Wearing helmets simply eradicated any opportunity to give a verdict on noise (I can't tell the difference between 5dB anyways) so you'll have to believe Goodyear.

Braking gave a good indication of its stopping power, but you'll have to take Goodyear's word on that as well.

I don't think tyre grip was compromised in relation to high rolling resistance and the Wranglers did a fine job of hugging the tarmac.

It's a great all-round performer for on- and light off-road terrain, although I wish it was strapped on to something bigger like a 275/70 R16 spec (if it exists).

It's still a fairly handsome looking SUV tyre, although I still favour the Scorpion pattern by Pirelli. But Wrangler's kevlar technology should serve as a strong foundation for increased durability.

These qualities should serve the Wrangler well as a much needed marketing tool to pave the way in a market that is currently experiencing fuel price increases causing a customer shift from 4x4-based pick-ups and sport-utilities to smaller less thirsty vehicles.

Bangkok Post