For some years now, there has been debate on what tire company is greater than the other. Currently, one of the trending topics is which is the better brand between Kumho and Goodyear.
While different car owners have their opinions, it is important to establish some facts about the two brands and leave users to judge which is the perfect choice.
First, let’s start with the introduction of both brands before setting out their similarities and differences.
Kumho Tires
One of the best companies in the South Korean tire industry is Kumho Tires. It is a subsidiary of Kumho Asiana Groups. This incredible tire manufacturing brand combines innovative design and eco-friendly performance for road comfort.
It was founded in 1960 by Park In-chon and was originally called Samyang Tire. In 1996, this tire company officially changed to Kumho Tires.
Kumho Tires is best known for its rallying and circuit racing tires; however, other options available from this brand are suitable for passenger cars. They are also one big manufacturer of tires for electric cars – ECOTRON.
If you are also looking for the ideal off-road vehicle tire with good rolling resistance, this brand is definitely a good choice.
Goodyear Tires
Another fantastic company to come out of America (Akron, Ohio) is Goodyear. It was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling and was named after Charles Goodyear for developing vulcanized rubber.
Being a tire and rubber company, it rose to fame in such a short time.
This company has been able to do so much in manufacturing durable tires for different vehicles. It developed unique technologies such as Duraseal and Armorgrip so that tires contain Kevlar for strength and good performance.
Undoubtedly, their tires are responsive with good delivery of wet and dry weather grip.
Goodyear also incorporates two additional features into their tires for the ultimate smooth ride and safety – EfficientGrip, and Assurance Triplemax.
Overall, this tire manufacturer is a good choice for safety and fuel economy.
The tire quality and engineering of Kumho and Goodyear tires are incredible.
They are constructed with the finest materials – rubber, etc. These tires are further equipped with great technology, so that they deliver the ultimate driving performance, without having to worry.
Kumho and Goodyear tires also share a feature common to some of the best tire companies like Dunlop, Michelin, etc., in the world – durability.
Since they are built with the best materials under a series of production processes, there is no way they won’t last longer than other options available on the market.
If there is a quality the two brands prioritize the most, safety it is. Many road accidents were caused by tires unable to survive certain situations/conditions – snow/winter, dry and wet, or summer.
Lastly, both companies produce tires worth a good value for money.
Top 3 Kumho Models
See below for some of the top-rated models of Kumho tires.
Kumho Solus TA11
One of the best-rated tires from Kumho is the Solus. It is designed with the finest technology so that it delivers high performance in wet conditions. This touring all-weather tire has a softened outer tread block for tight handling and a tread pattern for zero road noise.
It has a tread life of up to 75,000 miles. Undoubtedly, the Solus is a perfect, durable choice for passenger cars and SUVs.
Kumho Crugen HT51
The ideal all-season truck and SUV tire from this manufacturer is the Crugen model. It is designed to get across the fiercest terrain due to its symmetrical tread pattern.
Kumho Crugen is one of the safest choices, as it is durable and packed with features such as 3D sipes for better grip and water evacuation. The mileage warranty is up to 70,000.
Kumho Ecsta PS31
Kumho Ecsta is quite similar to the Solus model; the only difference is that it is perfect for dry conditions. However, it still has a good grip for wet conditions. It has a tread life up to 40,000 miles.
Ecsta ultra-high-performance tire has a tread improved with Micro Silica compounds for better traction. It is the perfect tire model for passenger cars to move in warm climates.
It shares similarities with the Solus in handling, speed, and comfort.
Top 3 Goodyear Models
Eagle Sport All-Season
A fantastic all-season high-performance tire Goodyear has manufactured so far, is the Eagle Sport. It is designed for different vehicles from sports cars, coupes, to sedans, and light trucks.
It is indeed a versatile choice. The Eagle Sport has an asymmetric tread design for consistent road performance and circumferential grooves for water evacuation.
It also has a slightly angled, two-ply sidewall for better handling and response. It has a tread life of up to 60, 000 miles.
Assurance MaxLife
Another incredible all-weather touring tire from the company is the Assurance MaxLife. It is best known to be suitable for sedans, minivans, coupes, and crossovers.
This tire has a good, long-lasting tread life with good fuel economy and minimal noise.
Since it is an all-weather tire, it has traction perfect for dry, wet, winter, and light snow conditions. The Assurance MaxLife comes with deep circumferential grooves for easy water evacuation.
It has a tread life warranty of up to 85,000.
Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar
A tough off-road vehicle tire from Goodyear is the Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure (packed with Kevlar). Its off-road versatility is a good reason it is highly preferred.
Due to the Kevlar component, durability is top-notch, alongside resistance to chip-and-chunk. This tire has a multi-faceted symmetric tread design for better traction along with any terrain – mud, ice, or snow.
The Wrangler All-Terrain Adventure with Kevlar has a tread life warranty of up to 60,000 miles.
How Do Both Brands Compare in Features?
Kumho vs Goodyear seems like a tough one, but there are still some differences between them (in features). Below are ways each of them compares over one another.
Quality
Tire quality is always an important consideration because it determines your vehicle’s road performance.
If you go with the best manufacturer, there is a good chance for outstanding performance while driving. In this case, Goodyear is the better choice.
Durability
Both tire companies spend a great deal of time developing and engineering their products to be durable, strong, and great for any condition.
Durability always motivates car owners to make decisions on what is suitable for them.
Kumho comes close but Goodyear beats it with the introduction of other components like Kevlar for strength and protection against wear and tear.
Affordability
Finding something worth the value for money is bliss. It keeps you assured that for a long time, you would actually get the value for your money. With tire companies, there is always a range of prices to help you determine whether you can afford them or not.
Without further ado, Kumho offers a good range of affordable prices compared to its competition.
Ride Comfort/Road Noise
While driving, there is always something car owners always want to check out – ride comfort. Before you can be comfortable driving, you must have assessed every part of your vehicle, including the tires.
If everything is in good shape, you should enjoy your ride.
However, if you get a bit of noise while driving, you may be uncomfortable. Therefore, top brands like Dunlop, Michelin incorporate some advanced features to reduce this noise.
In this case, Kumho wins.
Handling: Dry and Wet Conditions
Driving on the road can be fun but at the same time, risky. Your tires are sometimes responsible for your safety – you must be able to handle them properly. The handling of your tire ultimately determines whether you can drive along any terrain or in any weather condition.
As a car owner, Goodyear guarantees a more precise handling and a good braking system for safety.
Treadlife
Whether you have an SUV, Light Truck, Passenger Car, or any other type of vehicle, treadlife is always an important feature to look out for. Every brand new tire has a treadlife that determines its level of grip and traction. Kumho has a better treadlife compared to Goodyear.
Tire Warranty Cover
One last thing you should consider before getting a tire suitable for winter, summer, or snow is the warranty cover.
It is almost synonymous with durability because different manufacturers set these warranties to the number of years or miles the tires can be used for.
From different reviews, Goodyear tires have great warranty covers compared to their competition – between the range of 50,000 to 80,000 miles.
Most Standout Features
According to reviews, below is a list of the most unique features of each tire company.
Kumho
- No road noise
- Very Affordable
- Precise handling and response
Goodyear
- Great Treadlife warranty
- Suitable for all weather and season
- Grooves and 3D sipes for water evacuation
Verdict: Which Brand is Better?
Kumho vs Goodyear is a debate that will always be inconclusive because both brands are incredible.
At this point, the only thing you have to do is look at the features attributed to either tire company, and see who manufactures what best suits your car.
Comparisons like this always end up with personal preference and budget considerations.
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