Goodyear demonstrates the capabilities of three of their newest tires.

Goodyear invited customers from all over Canada and the U.S.A. to their headquarters in Akron, Ohio to experience three of their newest products: WeatherReady 2, DuraTrac RT, and ElectricDrive 2. Each tire is designed with a very specific market and consumer in mind, and the many tire retailers and distributors who attended the two-day event had an opportunity to experience each tire on Goodyear’s test track and off-road facilities.

WeatherReady 2

The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady 2 is the brand’s newest all-weather tire. Despite the fact that all-weather tires come with the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMS) logo, few Canadians see them as a replacement for dedicated winter tires. It’s more likely, here in Canada at least, that some consumers will will see all-weather tires as an upgrade from all-season tires.

The WeatherReady 2 boasts improved wet traction, thanks to what Goodyear calls “Evolving Traction Grooves” that actively displace water on the road. Moreover, Goodyear’s “AquaTred Technology” features a tread pattern with sweeping grooves that help move water and slush out of the way. These tires come with a 95,000 km tread life warranty, and a handy built-in “Wear Gauge” that tells you when you’re down to 2/32nds and need to replace your tires.

We pushed the WeatherReady 2 on a wet track, trying to get the tires to hydroplane or lose traction, but they do an excellent job pushing the water out of the way, and sticking to the pavement underneath.

ElectricDrive 2

Engineered specifically for electric vehicles, the ElectricDrive 2 tire promises lower rolling resistance, shorter stopping distances, and excellent wet handling. Most significant is the fact that this tire comes with Goodyear’s “SoundComfort Technology,” which includes a layer of foam on the inside of the tire, designed to limit tire noise caused by cavity resonance.

We had the opportunity to test two Tesla Model 3 vehicles, back-to-back, both equipped with ElectricDrive 2 tires. The only difference between the two was that one tire was equipped with a layer of “SoundComfort Technology” foam, and the other wasn’t. We drove the vehicles on a test track specifically designed to maximize tire noise, and the difference between the two sets of tires was significant. Clearly, the foam makes a difference.

DuraTrac RT

Finally, we had the opportunity to take Goodyear’s Wrangler DuraTrac RT tires into the wild. The off-road test track took us through sand dunes, deep water, mud, and very rocky terrain. We also climbed up and down steep inclines.

The new DuraTrac RT tire replaces the previous generation DuraTrac product, which originally debuted in 2009. While the previous generation tire featured a two-ply design, the new one has three. It also now comes with a layer of Kevlar for added puncture resistance.

Another key differentiator is that all new DuraTrac RT tire now feature the 3PMS logo. Although the previous generation DuraTrac tire was available with 3PMS, certain sizes did not have it. Now, it’s available across the entire size lineup.

The Jeep Wranglers we took off-road had no trouble dealing with some truly demanding terrain. The new DuraTrac RT is definitely a welcome upgrade to Gooyear’s family of off-road-worthy tires.