BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Tire Review and Rating

Written By Slavcho Andov
Last Updated June 16, 2022

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Dry

Wet

Snow

Comfort

Noise

Treadwear

Pros

Grip and traction levels in dry conditions are very good
Priced similarly to its mid-range competitors
Usable in light snow conditions
Well refined

Cons

Noise levels may increase as the tire wears down
Aquaplaning resistance is average

The process of purchasing a new set of tires begins with deciding on what type to look for. This is something that gets determined by the type of car you own and your driving habits. I mean, you may be able to squeeze a set of Pilot Sport Cup 2 on a family sedan, but you’ll never get the most out of them, and you’ll have a terrible time on your daily commute.

For the most part, people are interested in a set of tires that have good performance but are focused more on refinement and longevity. Touring tires account for most of the sales anywhere in the world, so it shouldn’t be surprising that there are so many options to choose from.

A good part of those options are the latest models from the manufacturers implementing the latest and greatest technologies to produce a better tire. As good as they are, some manufacturers leave their older models still on the market, which can be a good thing for some people. You can get a tire that performs well at a lower price than the current models.

One such option is the Advantage T/A from BFGoodrich. The tire was released well over a decade ago, and while it did come with a slight upgrade in the form of the Advantage T/A Sport, the original one is still up for sale. I’ve chosen this tire for today’s review to decide if it’s a model still worth purchasing or should you look elsewhere.

What are the features of the BFGoodrich Advantage T/A?

The Advantage T/A may be an older model when compared with today’s lineup, but it’s still a modern tire. As such, it has plenty of features that enable it to perform per the industry’s standards.

One of the main attributes of the Advantage T/A is the compound. BFGoodrich used its property rubber enriched with silica for the manufacturing process of the tire. This should ensure that the tire remains pliable over colder surfaces, improving traction on wet and snowy roads.

A tire’s traction also depends on the design, an aspect that BFGoodrich worked on. The Advantage T/A has a symmetric tread pattern featuring interlocking sipes that should bring improvements in two areas. The first one is traction and grip over slippery surfaces like damp roads or in light snow conditions. As for the second area, despite not being a performance tire, thanks to the pattern, it should result in decent handling.

Finally, we have the comfort levels backed by several features. You have the standard twin steel belt internal construction, reinforced by BFGoodrich’s ETEC (Equal Tension Containment System). This works in combination with the dimensionally stable polyester casing, which should result in a comfortable tire.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

In dry conditions, the Advantage T/A is a tire that won’t disappoint with its performance. Yes, newer models can outperform it, but most people won’t notice a difference for normal driving.

Things are pretty good in the grip and traction department, making the Advantage T/A an excellent daily driver. You’ll have no slip when accelerating, even with more powerful cars. Like most of its rivals, you can get it to slip, but you’ll need to be aggressive. Cornering is another task the tire performs with ease, holding the line and having no problems delivering grip where it needs to. In addition to that, you have decently short braking distances, which is what you’d expect from a touring tire.

When you start with the more aggressive driving, you’ll notice that it’s not a performance tire nor a new grand touring one. The Advantage T/A won’t struggle too much if you push it a bit, but don’t expect your car to drive like it’s on rails. It’s a touring tire, and everything it does – grip, traction, and braking distances are designed to be safe.

Dry Rating: 4/5

 4/5

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

A tire won’t perform in wet conditions as good as in dry, and the same goes for the Advantage T/A. The thing that needs to be mentioned is that there are areas where it’s good and others where it’s average.

Let’s start with the good side, and that’s the grip and traction. The Advantage T/A has no problem putting the power down when accelerating, and even though you may encounter some slip, it won’t be too much. It’s not the grippiest tire in this category, but it does a very decent job delivering the performance. Things remain positive in the braking distances department, as the tire is well above average in the touring category.

Moving on to the not-so-good area of the tire – the aquaplaning resistance. The Advantage T/A isn’t a poor performer and does a decent job evacuating water from beneath it. With that said, things take a turn for the worse at higher speeds as the tire becomes uneasy and isn’t as planted. In this category, even tires like General AltiMAX RT43 are slightly better.

Wet Rating: 4/5

 4/5

How is it over snow?

People that purchase all-season tires expect some performance in winter, and the Advantage T/A isn’t the worst choice for the task.

The performance of the Advantage T/A on clean roads in the winter is decent. It may not be on the same levels as in the summer, but it’s still pretty good for an all-season tire. There are dependable levels of grip and traction, so you shouldn’t have too many issues.

As soon as it snows, the Advantage T/A will continue to provide its performance, but not to the fullest extent. The performance is limited and can offer usable levels of grip and traction in lighter conditions. You will have a safe driving experience only if you’re aware that the tire is limited and shouldn’t be pushed hard in these conditions. Packed snow is a bit of a problem, and even though some traction is available, it will struggle a bit more.

In harsher conditions like deeper snow, the Advantage T/A shouldn’t be anyone’s first choice. The performance it can deliver is far from usable, and the same goes for ice, conditions for which you’ll need a proper winter tire.

Snow Rating: 3.5/5

 3.5/5

Is it comfortable and refined?

One of the main reasons why grand touring tires are popular is the refinement. In this category, the Advantage T/A delivers pretty good results, but it’s not something that would make it stand out from the crowd.

The nose levels of the Advantage T/A are on the lower side, making the tire a good option if you’re looking for a tire that won’t make your ears bleed. It’s not on the same level as the Turanza QuietTrack, but it’s pretty good. The tire will be generally quiet whether driving around town or on the highway. With that said, as the tread wears down, you will notice the noise levels increase slightly.

Things are looking positive in the comfort department. Again, Advantage T/A isn’t the best in this category, but it does pretty good. It deals with smaller imperfections and holes like a champ and smooths them out without any issues. For the larger ones, it absorbs them as best as possible and minimizes a good amount of the vibrations.

Comfort Rating: 4/5

 4/5

Is the BFGoodrich Advantage T/A ideal for sporty driving?

Touring tires aren’t the best when it comes to sporty driving, so don’t expect the Advantage T/A to be the best option out there.

The tire can deliver excellent levels of grip and traction, but only in normal driving conditions. If you start to push the Advantage T/A, you will notice that the limits aren’t as has a with a UHP tire.

Things are surprisingly not that bad in the handling department. While I wouldn’t compare it to a performance tire, I can say that it’s not horrible. The Advantage T/A has some decent responsiveness backed with a good amount of feedback through the steering wheel. This doesn’t make a track weapon, but you may have some fun on a winding road.

Noise Rating: 4/5

 4/5

BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Warranty

One area of the Advantage T/A that still makes it very competitive today is the warranty. The tire comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is the same as the CrossClimate 2 but less than the CS% Ultra Touring. Keep in mind that the T-rated models have a 75,000-mile warranty.

BFGoodrich Advantage T/A Pricing: Is it worth the money?

The thing that makes these older models so popular is the price. Thanks to the newer models, BFGoodrich doesn’t sell the Advantage T/A at a premium price. It means that currently, it’s priced similarly to its mid-range rivals like the Sincera SN250A A/S.

Value Rating: 4/5

 4/5

Should I buy the BFGoodrich Advantage T/A?

If you’re not after the absolute best touring tire on the market, then the Advantage T/A is a very solid choice. It can deliver excellent performance wrapped in a package that won’t drain your budget, so you’re getting a lot of tire for your money.

Overall, the performance you get throughout the year is pretty good. Naturally, the Advantage T/A will offer its best in dry conditions, but it won’t be poor in wet. In the winter, you can use it, but only in lighter conditions, as it will begin to struggle in the harsher ones.

Backed with a long treadwear warranty and a true touring tire refinement, the Advantage T/A comes at a very affordable price. Compared with its modern rivals, it’s cheaper than the premium ones and is competitive with the mid-range ones while still outperforming them in some areas.

To sum things up, the Advantage T/A is a pretty good way to have a premium tire with very good performance for the price of a mid-range one.

Overall Rating: 4/5

 4/5