The new Bridgestone WeatherPeak is Bridgestones first attempt at an all weather tyre for the North American market, and if the initial data is correct, it could be the first tyre to knock the dominant Michelin CrossClimate 2 from its top spot!
All weather tyres are developed to be better in winter conditions than traditional North American all season tyres, which some are now referring to as three season tyres due to their limited snow performance. All weather tyres aim to be a true "one tyre for all conditions", and while no perfect tyre exists yet, modern technology means these jack of all trades are getting better.
As we have yet to drive on the new WeatherPeak there is limited data we can say provide, however the following data stood out from the press release:
- 5% better wet acceleration than top competitor [4]
- 4% better dry acceleration than top competitor [4]
- Stops 14 feet shorter in the snow than all-weather competitor [4]
- Stops 30 feet shorter in the snow than all-season competitor [5]
Who are the competitors referenced in notes [4] and [5]?
[4] Comparison based on Bridgestone WeatherPeak tires vs. MICHELIN® CrossClimate® 2 tires from internal testing. Results may vary depending on proper tire and vehicle maintenance, road conditions and driving habits.
[5] Comparison based on Bridgestone WeatherPeak tires vs. MICHELIN® Primacy Tour A/S tires from internal testing. Results may vary depending on proper tire and vehicle maintenance, road conditions and driving habits.
"Internal testing" should always be viewed with caution, but to be 5% better in the wet, 4% better in dry, and have a far shorter stopping distance in the snow than the CrossClimate 2... that's impressive!
Other key points - Every size of the WeatherPeak is three peak mountain snowflake symbol (3PMS) marked, the WeatherPeak has a 70,000 mile limited warranty, and the tyre will be available in 56 sizes which Bridgestone claim will fit 87% of sedans, SUVs, and crossovers on the market.
Naturally Tyre Reviews will try and get these included in a test as soon as possible. The move to all weather tyres in North America is slowly gaining momentum, and is a welcome change for many parts which see heavy winter conditions.
From the Tire Rack.comTire testing and customer reviews it seems that this tire is doing decently for the people who purchased it. Its defect warranty is longer than the Firestone WeatherGrip with that tire's directional tread.
It'll be interesting to see how this tyre fairs in independent testing and (on release) in the real world compared to its rivals. My car's CC+s still have probably 5-7 years and/or 35-50,000 miles left on them given their wear rate since being fitted in 2018 (and the low usage since for obvious reasons), but I would like to know how they compare to the relatively known entity of the Michelins. How different are the Bridgestone to their current all -season tyre the A005 (EVO)?
One thing that is less mentioned is the other factors - wear, rolling resistance and subjective noise and ride quality. Also some tyres that are good at one aspect of wet weather (or snowy conditions) aren't necessarily good at another, e.g. general handling/balance/traction vs stopping distance or aquaplaning.
For me, once a tyre meets minimum (but quite high) handling/safety standards, I then look to those other groups as well as lifetime cost (and rolling resistance will play a part) because (say) having a noisy or uncomforatble tyre would be no fun for everyday use or especially long trips.
Quite often quick lap times for a tyre have gone hand-in-hand with being more tricky to handle and would be suited more for the advanced driver.