‘Tires are not a commodity’: Goodyear addresses drivers’ informed purchase decisions

According to a recent study, more than four out of five drivers consider performance benefits when buying tires¹.

It is a common misconception that drivers don’t differentiate among different types and brands of tires and consider them as a pure commodity. New research conducted by Ipsos demonstrates that a growing number of consumers believe having the right tires is crucial and consider their performance before making their tire choice.

Results show that 73% of respondents believe tires are ‘extremely important’ or ‘important’. They believe that tires help make their driving safer (37%), help to control the car in any weather conditions (16%), improve the handling of the car (10%) and save money in fuel (8%). More than four out of five² drivers reported that they consider the performance of a tire while making their purchasing decision.

With the rise of EVs across Europe and globally, drivers are increasingly conscious of a tire’s impact on efficiency and sustainability. When consumers were asked in another Goodyear survey³ what characteristics they expect from an EV-ready tire, almost one third (31%) prefer the value of a long-lasting tire, while nearly another third (27%) look for an eco-friendly tire with low environmental impact, and 18% look for lower overall road noise. 

These findings prove that consumers prefer premium tires which offer excellent performance in all driving conditions as well as efficiency and sustainability; in other words, they look for a perfectly balanced tire. Premium tire manufacturer Goodyear strivers to answer this need with the newest generation of its highly acclaimed Eagle F1 Asymmetric family. 

Top Manufacturer Summer 2023

Goodyear has recently again been awarded “Top Manufacturer Summer 2023”⁴ by the prestigious German test magazine Auto Bild, thus honoring Goodyear as the best performing brand overall in the current summer tire test season. 

The magazine comments: “The premium manufacturer Goodyear landed at the top of the rankings three times with exemplary results. The current tire models Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 and EfficientGrip 2 SUV deliver convincing dynamic top performance and future-proof sustainability.”⁵

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: Delivering uncompromising performance 

Goodyear’s latest ultra-high-performance (UHP) tire Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 delivers a step forward in performance⁶ and efficiency⁷. State-of-the-art technologies provide drivers with excellent grip, braking and handling in dry and wet weather conditions.

At the same time, a range of features make the Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 EV-ready. A more aero-efficient sidewall reduces drag and improves mileage. Meanwhile, the varying sipe pattern works to dampen road noise. The tire is also certified for a higher load rating to serve an EV market with typically heavier vehicles.

The tire was named winner of Auto Bild⁸ summer tire test, with the publication placing it first when compared to 49 other summer tires. In addition, it was certified ‘Eco-Master’ for its efficiency, low rolling resistance and sustainability. Testers noted the tires’ “premium tread pattern with exemplary performance on wet and dry slopes [with] outstanding mileage.”

Sonia Leneveu, Director Marketing Consumer Europe, Goodyear: “Drivers demand more from tires than ever before, and the trend towards highly informed buying decisions, with drivers focused on technology and sustainability, proves that tires are not a commodity.

"There are a number of innovations associated with Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 that make it a very balanced tire. It brings together Goodyear’s UHP tire characteristics and EV-specific features, which are increasingly important as electric vehicles become more widespread.”

_{(1) Ipsos Category drivers and segmentation study 2022 conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and UK.}

_{(2) Ipsos Category drivers and segmentation study 2022 conducted in France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and UK - 85% of respondents stated that their tire buying decision is either based solely on performance or a combination of performance and price.}

_{(3) Goodyear EV tire market research 2021.}

_{(4) Auto Bild issue 14/23}

_{(5 All magazine quotes translated from original German.}

_{(6) Compared to predecessor Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5. Internal tests, size 225/45R17, test car: Volkswagen Golf 8, test location: Mireval Test Track, 2021.}

_{(7) Reduction of rolling resistance, weight and noise compared to predecessor Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5.}

_{(8) Auto Bild: 50 summer tires tested, dimension 225/45R18. Test car: BMW 3 Series. Issue 3/2023.}