October 14, 2004

Consumer Reports rates Goodyear Fortera tire best all-season light truck tire

Yonkers, New York - In side-by-side comparisons, Consumer Reports rated the Goodyear Fortera HL Edition best overall in tests of 22 different all-season light-truck tires. The Pirelli Scorpion STR A and Hankook DynaPro AS RH03 placed second and third respectively in the rankings. All three posted "Very Good" overall scores.

Consumer Reports tested models in the common P235/70R-16 size with an S (112 mph) and T (118 mph) speed rating. Those tire models are typically found on sport-utility vehicles and pickups such as the Chevrolet Blazer, TrailBlazer, and Tahoe; the Ford Explorer and F-150; the Jeep Grand Cherokee; and other top-selling light-truck models.

Versatile performance on the road, where most SUVs spend their time, has helped all-season tires displace all-terrain models on many of these vehicles.

"Most of these all-season light-truck tires performed well overall," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports' Auto Test facility in East Haddam, Connecticut, where tire testing took place. "Tires that score highest blend short dry and wet stopping capability with competent handling and hydroplaning resistance."

A full report on the light-truck tire testing appears in the November issue of Consumer Reports, which goes on sale October 5. The complete report is also available to subscribers of www.ConsumerReports.org. The issue also includes a separate story on car batteries. Four group sizes were tested: 65, 75, 24, and 34/78.

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