BFGoodrich Radial T/A Tire Review and Rating

Written By Slavcho Andov
Last Updated June 16, 2022

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Dry

Wet

Snow

Comfort

Noise

Pros

High levels of grip and traction on dry roads
Sporty handling characteristics
Classic look
Refinement levels are decent

Cons

Below-average snow performance
Some of its rivals offer better wet performance

If you look back on the tire industry in the past century, you’ll notice many changes. The introduction of radial tires, run-flats, and plenty of other revolutionary changes are a handful of reasons why we have so good tires today.

All manufacturers update their lineup every so often, introducing new tire families with newer technologies and a new set of features. This ensures that each new model performs better than the previous one and, with that, aims to be the best it can be.

With that said, there are some models that have been around for quite a long time. Take BFGoodrich’s Radial T/A, for example. This tire has been on the market for over 4 decades, making it a popular choice for muscle cars, hot-rods, and many other people that drive older cars.

To ensure that the tire is still relevant to today’s performance standards, BFGoodrich has made several upgrades over the years, and today I’ll be taking a look at it to decide if it’s worth buying it.

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

While the Radial T/A is a return to the classic, BFGoodrich aimed to make it better. As a performance all-season option, it incorporates multiple features that should enable it to perform as advertised.

On the all-season side of things, the Radial T/A is designed with BFGoodrich’s rubber compound, which should enable it to perform in colder temperatures. As a result, the tire should perform well in wet and light snow conditions.

Despite being a performance-oriented option, the Radial T/A has a touring-like feature. To ensure that the noise levels are on the lower end of the spectrum, BFGoodrich utilized a unique tread pattern. I’m not expecting this to compete with the touring options, but I’m hoping it won’t be extremely noisy.

The tread pattern delivers performance in another area related to performance. BFGoodrich’s symmetric pattern is designed so that the Radia T/A delivers more traction and remains controllable at the limit.

To improve the handling and how the tire holds the road, the Radial T/A is designed with special stabilizers for the sidewall and the tread blocks. This should ensure that the tire doesn’t exhibit too much flex, making it a more sporty feeling.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

The Radial T/A is a performance tire, but as it isn’t advertised as the best, don’t expect it to compete with the big players. Overall, I believe that it delivers pretty good performance, which should be enough for most people.

You’ll get a very good grip and traction levels, which would complement a performance car perfectly. The best part is that this isn’t only a show tire; it has the performance to back it up. Acceleration won’t be an issue even on powerful cars as it doesn’t struggle too much to put the power down. With that said, you can light up the rear tires, but only if you want to. In normal conditions, the Radial T/A will be fine. The same goes for the cornering grip, which is plentiful, and the tire won’t turn to understeer or oversteer in a blink of an eye.

The Radial T/A is designed to deliver high-performance levels, but they aren’t the highest. You won’t have any problems with it on a track, but you may not be overly impressed, especially if you’ve driven a track-ready tire. With that said, it can put a massive smile on your face on a twisty road where it feels like home.

Dry Rating: 4/5

 4/5

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

You can tell that BFGoodrich wanted to make the Radial T/A perform well in the wet, but that isn’t the case. Don’t get me wrong, the tire isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t excel in its category.

Under normal conditions, the Radial T/A won’t have any issues. The traction levels are good enough to minimize slip, and there won’t be too much drama when pulling out from a driveway. Things are similar in the grip department, as the tire won’t struggle to get your car around a corner, and there’s a “but” coming. As good as it is in normal conditions, getting too aggressive won’t be a wise idea.

The Radial T/A doesn’t have extreme levels of grip and traction, so it’s not a tire that should be pushed hard. Sure, you can have some fun with it, but consider that it won’t take too much to kick the back end out. With that, you should also keep in mind that the braking distances aren’t the shortest in this category.

Finally, the aquaplaning resistance is also not something that will put the Radial T/A at the top. It’s perfectly safe and will keep the tire stable, but up to a point.

Wet Rating: 3.5/5

 3.5/5

How is it over snow?

You’re getting an all-season tire so that it can be usable in the winter, and I have to say that the Radial T/A may not be the best choice for that.

The tire deals with light snow conditions acceptably well and won’t have too many issues with acceleration. On the other hand, the grip levels aren’t very high, and you will notice the tire struggling in the corners. It’s not terrible, but it’s not the best either.

Considering the levels of performance the Radial T/A deliver in lighter conditions, going for something harsher won’t change the outcome. The tire will struggle with traction over packed snow and will be completely unusable in deep patches or on ice.

The braking distances aren’t something to write home about. While they are much shorter than any summer tire, the Radial T/A isn’t overly impressive as far as all-season ones go.

Snow Rating: 2.5/5

 2.5/5

Is it comfortable and refined?

Performance tires aren’t designed to be well refined, but the Radial T/A isn’t as bad as I thought.

Regarding comfort, the Radial T/A does a very decent job, considering that it isn’t a touring tire. It can absorb or soften a good amount of road imperfections and bumps and may feel like a touring tire. When you get to the big stuff, you will start to notice some vibrations in the cabin and some jolts, but overall, it’s far from the worst.

The noise levels are also impressively low, meaning that BFGoodrich’s tread pattern is working. While it’s not on the same level as even the mid-range touring tires like the CS% Ultra Touring or the Kinergy GT, it’s not horrible. There is some noise, especially at higher speeds, but it’s not the most unbearable one.

Comfort Rating: 4/5

 4/5

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

Yes, and as a performance tire, I have to say that the Radial T/A does a very good job at it.

Since the tire isn’t the best performer in wet conditions, you should keep the sporty driving for the dry one. In these cases, the Radial T/A has pretty good levels of grip and traction, so it won’t struggle to deliver the performance. Even though I said it’s not an ideal choice for a track, you can have some fun with it if you want.

The performance is only one part of the story, and the handling is the second. The good news is that the Radial T/A delivers on that front as well. It has a very responsive nature and positive feedback, which is just what you’re looking for from a performance tire. Even at the limit, you won’t feel like you’re not in control, as it’s easy to correct it if you go overboard.

Noise Rating: 4/5

 4/5

BFGoodrich Radial T/A Warranty

We come to a segment where the Radial T/A is at a slight disadvantage. Coming from a premium manufacturer and you’d be expecting it to have a treadwear warranty, but it doesn’t. It’s not the only model in this category with this predicament, so I cannot say it’s a complete miss from BFGoodrich. With that said, the Cobra Radial GT has a 40,000-mile treadwear warranty.

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

The Radial T/A may not be the best bang for the buck option, but it isn’t horrible. With a similar price to the Eagle GT II, it can deliver slightly better overall performance while maintaining the classic look.

Value Rating: 4/5

 4/5

Should I buy the BFGoodrich Radial T/A?

I have a few complaints about the Radial T/A and some of its performance, but that doesn’t make it a bad tire that you should avoid. For the most part, it depends on what you ask of it.

For dry performance or decent refinement, the Radial T/A is an excellent option for most. It won’t be the best, and it doesn’t bring home any awards, but for the look of the tire, you may not want to pass it.

Wet and snow performance aren’t the best, and even some mid-range options may outperform them, so keep that in mind. For driving in these conditions, you’ll either need to be cautious or look for another tire.

Overall Rating: 4/5

 4/5