"Unbeatable!" Goodyear’s Vector 4Seasons tire earns the praise of Gute Fahrt
· A new test conducted by German automotive magazine Gute Fahrt proves that the success of Goodyear’s all-season tire is no coincidence.
· Leveraging the tire’s fame, Goodyear decided the time was right to announce the fitment of their Vector 4Seasons model for the SUV segment as well.
Goodyear’s all-season tire, the Vector 4Seasons Generation-2, was commended by the German top-tier automotive magazine Gute Fahrt[1] for its excellent performance, particularly in maintaining grip on wet and dry roads. It can now claim to be the “test winner” and only tire honored with the magazine’s Sehr Gut - (very good -) ranking1. Gute Fahrt‘s recognition is only the last in a series of high-ranking test scores, acknowledging Goodyear's advanced technology and outstanding engineering, which, as of April 2016, will also benefit the SUV segment.
"Sehr Gut"
"We are very proud to be Gute Fahrt’s “test winner”, says Alexis Bortoluzzi, Goodyear’s Marketing Director Consumer EMEA. "We have poured our 30 years’ worth of all-season market experience into our tire to take its performance to the next level. As a pioneer in this segment, we are well-determined to remain "unbeatable"[2], to quote Gute Fahrt". The Vector 4Seasons Generation-2 scored particularly well on the following three key assets:
· Excellent grip on wet and dry roads;
· Small steering angle;
· Free of load change reactions.
Furthermore, Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Generation-2 outperforms the competition by offering better overall performances in all-weather conditions (including dry, wet and snowy roads)[3]. The secret recipe for this success? A tire that offers outstanding performance all year round and saves time, money and hassle.
Safety all year round - now also for SUVs
Naturally, Goodyear did not want to limit the huge success of its all-season story solely to the passenger car segment. Growing between 35% and 40% in the past years, the SUV and 4x4 tire segment is the market’s rising star[4]. The desire for a feeling of safety is a key preference steering this growing consumer group. The rise of all-season tires also relates to this growing consideration of safety, which is why Goodyear decided to leverage its all-year-round tire expertise in service of SUV drivers, with their extension of the successful Vector 4Seasons line.
The Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 SUV tire includes the same characteristics as the passenger car tire:
· Advanced SmartTred plasticizer and increased silica proportion for a better overall performance on wet, slushy and icy roads[5];
· 3D sipes for an enhanced tread stiffness6;
· Hydrodynamic grooves for an improved aquaplaning resistance6;
· Solid tread pattern with gradient stiffness for an excellent performance over the tire’s entire life.
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 SUV is currently available in seven sizes.
Rim size | Tire size | Examples of vehicle fitment |
| 16" | 215/65 R16 98 H | Audi Q3 (from 11), Dacia Duster, Nissan X-Trail, |
| 16" | 225/65 R17 102 H | Honda CRV III (from 12), Land Rover Evoque, Discovery Sport (from 15), Mazda CX-5, Nissan X-Trail (from 14), Toyota RAV IV (06-12 and from 13) |
| 17" | 235/65 R17 XL 108 V | Audi Q5, Jeep Cherokee, Hyundai Santa Fe (from 06), Kia Sorento, Discovery Sport (from 15), Mercedes GLC (from 15), Mercedes R-Klasse, Mercedes ML-Klasse (from 4Q11) VW Touareg I+II, Volvo XC60, Volvo XC90 (below 14) |
| 17" | 225/60 R17 99 V | Hyundai iX 35 (10 – 15) , Hyunday Tucson (from 16), Jeep Cherokee (from 14), Kia Sportage (from 10), Mitsubishi Outlander (from 07), Nissan X-Trail (from 10) |
| 18" | 235/60 R18 XL 107 V | Audi Q5, Audi Q7, Jeep Cherokee (from 08), Hyundai Santa Fe, Hyunday iX45 (from 12), Kia Sorento II (from 09), Land Rover Evoque, Land Rover Discovery Sport (from 15), Mazda CX-7, Mercedes GLC (from 15), VW Touareg I (until 10), Volvo XC60, Volvo XC 90 (until 14 and from 14) |
| 18" | 255/55 R18 XL 109 V | Audi Q7, Kia Sorento II (from 12), Mercedes R-Klasse, Mercrdes ML-Klasse (from 2Q11) VW Touareg (from 10) |
| 19" | 235/45 R19 99 V | Audi Q3 (from 2Q11), Audi A6, Ford Kuga (08 - 13), Ford Kuga (from 13), Mercedes GLA, Volvo S/V60 CrossCountry (from 15) |
About Goodyear
Goodyear is one of the world's largest tire companies. It employs approximately 66,000 people and manufactures its products in 49 facilities in 22 countries around the world. Its two Innovation Centers in Akron, Ohio and Colmar-Berg, Luxembourg strive to develop state-of-the-art products and services that set the technology and performance standard for the industry. For more information about Goodyear or its products, go to www.goodyear.eu.
For additional pictures, visit the online newsroom: http://news.goodyear.eu.
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[1] Gute Fahrt Test 205/55 R 16, Comparative test ran on all-season tires with an Audi A3 TDI-Limousine. Published in March 2016, Issue 3, 2016. www.gute-fahrt.de. Comparative test of Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 (94V) against Conti EcoContact 5 (91V), Dunlop Winter Sport 5 (91H), Michelin CrossClimate (94V), Nokian Weatherproof (91H), Pirelli Cinturato All Season (91V) and Uniroyal All Season Expert (91H).
[2] Gute Fahrt Test 205/55 R 16. Published in March 2016, Issue 3, 2016. www.gute-fahrt.de
[3] Gute Fahrt Test 205/55 R 16, Comparative test ran on all-season tires with an Audi A3 TDI-Limousine. Published in March 2016, Issue 3, 2016. www.gute-fahrt.de. Comparative test of Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 (94V) against Conti EcoContact 5 (91V), Dunlop Winter Sport 5 (91H), Michelin CrossClimate (94V), Nokian Weatherproof (91H), Pirelli Cinturato All Season (91V) and Uniroyal All Season Expert (91H).
[4] ETRMA. Growth between 2010 and 2015 in Europe (incl. Turkey).
[5] Compared to predecessor;