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If you want to get the most out of your vehicle, you should always take your tires seriously. And both Goodyear and Firestone are a good place to start.

Goodyear and Firestone are both great brands but they certainly have many differences. Firestone is the better choice if you are looking for performance tires for racing, summer driving, and sporty vehicles. Goodyear is the better choice for all-terrain, all-season, off-road, and winter tires. 

Goodyear provides a wider range of tire options with a long list of touring and all-season tires for traditional sedans and passenger vehicles. They also have plenty of light truck options for terrain driving too. Firestone does make all tires for these categories, but the best options they make are performance tires.

Our experts have worked with plenty of Goodyear and Firestone tires in the past with thorough tests to gauge performance. In this guide, we discuss the primary features and what the differences are between each brand.  

Table of Contents

Goodyear Tires

Goodyear is one of the most globally recognized tire brands in the world with decades of experience making the highest quality tires.

They were originally founded in 1898 and named in honor of Charles Goodyear. Many years earlier, he discovered the process to properly galvanize rubber and make tire production possible.

Goodyear was one of the few bold enough companies to make the heavy investment into radial tires that shook up the entire industry too. Today, radial tires are on nearly every vehicle on the road with close to a 100% total market share.

Throughout the years, Goodyear has continued to innovate through the improvement of products or mergers with existing companies to bulk up their available products. By doing so, Goodyear has grown to be a mainstay in the tire industry as one of the few giants to still survive through the radial tire market shift.

Firestone Tires

The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company was initially founded in 1900 and has grown into one of the top tire brands on the market today. The company was named after Harvey Firestone, the founder of the brand, who built the company on his close friendship with Henry Ford.

Firestone was acquired by Bridgestone in 1988 and they operate as their own entity under the umbrella of the tire powerhouse Bridgestone.

Firestone is a US-based company that is known for its quality car and truck tires, which also include racing flat track, motorcycle, and snowmobile tires. The company became famous for its contribution to the development of radial tires too.

The best part about Firestone is the broad range of products they can provide including a long list of tire types that can fit many different vehicles. They are a reliable brand that continues to improve their product lines with the development of technologies to improve driving performance.

Key Features and Technologies

Both Goodyear and Firestone have been responsible for key developments in the tire industry over the years and they currently release tires with amazing features. These specific technologies make it possible to drive off-road or through winter conditions much easier than in the past too.

Goodyear

Goodyear tires are designed for drivers who live in areas that have all-season driving conditions. If you're looking for a tire that is suitable for both on and off-road conditions, then Goodyear has got you covered with a wide range of features to improve driving performance on difficult terrains.

Evolving Traction Grooves

The new Evolving Traction Grooves feature on Goodyear tires helps drivers have more control over their vehicle on snow and ice. The technology was created to help reduce the risk of getting stuck, as it offers a deeper bite into the ground.

This proprietary design is also supposed to improve grip in wet weather conditions by reducing water intrusion into the tread depths.

The tread pattern on the tires has been improved to provide greater surface contact, improving traction in snow and ice conditions where tire slippage is a major issue. They work as a water flow channel to expel ice, snow, and rain away from critical tire areas for a bigger contact patch.

Without these grooves, there would be no protection against winter conditions and hydroplaning when driving.

Durawall Technology

Durawall Technology is a feature on Goodyear tires that keeps the tire stable while driving in different road conditions. It allows drivers to have peace of mind while driving in even the most challenging road conditions.

This technology keeps drivers confident when they’re driving in demanding conditions like snow, rain, ice, dirt roads, steep inclines, or descents. You can drive on difficult terrains without worrying about cuts or punctures against the sidewall of your tire.

This is a revolutionary material that offers two key benefits: strong sidewalls and strong cuts. It's able to go through intense wear and tear, while at the same time providing safety, grip, and traction on both wet and dry surfaces.

TreadLock Technology

As winter weather is just around the corner, car owners should take notice of the technology that Goodyear has added to their tires. The TreadLock Technology provides traction when it is needed most to maintain accurate road grip when driving.

This technology works with 3D sipes and additional tire grooves to make it possible to cut through snow, ice, and slush while staying accurate and stable on the road. It is most popularly used on many of the all-season tires created by Goodyear to give year-round capabilities.

Active Braking Technology

Goodyear introduces an active braking technology on their new 3D tread block design on their tires. This feature is designed to increase the contact on the tire and reduce stopping distance for even more confidence on the road.

The active braking system on Goodyear tires allows for reduced stopping distances by increasing contact between the tire and the road by 3D tread block design. This technology has the potential to improve the safety of drivers by minimizing the risk of skidding at high speed.

Firestone

Firestone Tire features a wide range of performance driving tires that will increase your driving performance. These tires are made from the latest technologies for enhanced performance.

5 Pitch Noise Reduction

5 Pitch Noise Reduction technology works by measuring and analyzing tire vibration signals in each wheel and comparing it with the other wheel on the same axle. It then calculates an estimated audible frequency that is generated by the tire flexing on the road.

If the difference between that frequency and a predefined threshold is too large, it will adjust rotation speed accordingly to eliminate such sound frequencies from vibrating.

For drivers, this reduced tire noise can make a big difference in terms of road comfort. It also helps to reduce fatigue and improves safety for other drivers on the highway or in congested areas.

Zig-Zag Sipes

The Zig-Zag Sipe is a pattern of tread on tires designed for winter driving in icy conditions. It features a series of spaced, parallel ridges on the tire's tread that run radially outward from the center of the contact patch. It helps to provide better traction when driving on ice.

This feature allows for more surface area contact with the road, reducing the risk of slipping and sliding. It also provides several benefits such as better winter traction for safer driving, better braking performance in wet and dry conditions, and enhanced grip on snow and ice.

These sipes are designed with a unique zig-zag pattern that provides an extra level of stability and traction in wet or icy conditions. This allows drivers to go around corners without slipping or skidding.

Dual-Layer Tread

The Dual-Layer Tread feature on Firestone tires gives the driver more traction, especially when it rains. This design can provide better traction on both wet and dry pavement.

Dual-Layer Treads allow for an improved grip when driving in wet conditions, but also improve road comfort for drivers by reducing noise and vibration when driving on the street.

This feature also gives better tread life than standard tires. The Dual-Layer Tread features are now on all of Firestone’s new line of tires designed for both sporty or luxury cars of any size with increased performance in mind.

Power V Tread Pattern

Power V Tread pattern has been found to improve traction. It is a more aggressive tread pattern with the center of the tire in contact with the road for a longer stretch than other conventional patterns such as radials or bias-ply.

This pattern features centerline channeling and longer siping edges, which can increase hydroplaning resistance and reduce heat build-up in the tread, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

Warranties

These two brands properly insure their products to make customers feel comfortable at the point of purchase. Knowing you are protected makes it even easier to buy from one of these two reputable brands.

Goodyear

Goodyear puts a free 30-day return policy on all tires. You can take it off the lot and return it before 30 days is up and get a refund or free exchange with another tire.

For tire coverage, you get a limited tread life warranty to cover the tire for a fixed amount of miles. This will vary depending on the type of tire.

Goodyear also puts a warranty on tires with repairs included at locations around the country for replacements and fixes if something goes wrong.  

Firestone

Firestone provides an initial 90 day buy and try warranty that allows you to purchase a tire with the first 90 days risk-free. If you aren't satisfied, you can return the tire and receive a full refund with no questions asked.

Tires also include a mileage warranty to cover basic treadwear and a materials and workmanship warranty to cover tread depth. These policies will keep you covered from any risk on the road if something goes wrong and you need a replacement.

Goodyear Vs Firestone Tires: Who’s Better?

Goodyear has been around for over a century and has the most diverse product lineup of any tire manufacturer. We recommend Goodyear as the better tire if you need winter driving, off-road capabilities, or basic all-season driving features in your tire.

However, if you are searching for a tire with more sporty features and higher performance or summer driving then Firestone is the better choice. They make features with elite handling, dry road traction, and summer driving capabilities, unlike any Goodyear tire.

Goodyear Vs Firestone Tires (Complete Comparison)

About The Author

Charles Redding

Charles Redding

I've spent many years selling cars, working with auto detailers, mechanics, dealership service teams, quoting and researching car insurance, modding my own cars, and much more.

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