Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus Tire Review and Rating

Written By Slavcho Andov
Last Updated June 10, 2022

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Dry

Wet

Snow

Comfort

Noise

Treadwear

Pros

Outstanding dry performance
Very stable at higher speeds in heavy rain
Well refined
Usable in light snow

Cons

The handling isn’t the most responsive in this category
Unusable in harsher winter conditions

A common trend in recent years is tires designed to improve efficiency. Whether you’re driving a petrol or hybrid car looking to improve mpg numbers or an electric one and get a bigger range, the tires are one of several ways to do that.

While tires can make a difference on paper, a common misconception is that they can do wonders. You will see some improvements, but only after a while, as things may seem the same on shorter journeys.

Many manufacturers make claims about their tires, especially the premium ones like Bridgestone. We all know that the Ecopia EP422 was an excellent tire in terms of reducing rolling resistance and improving gas mileage. The company released a Plus model that remained as fuel-efficient as the previous one but came with some performance improvements.

Bridgestone has some claims about those improvements, but before we dive into them, let’s look at the features the Ecopia EP422 has.

What are the features of the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus?

Bridgestone advertises the Ecopia EP422 Plus as a fuel-saving tire, which is the main feature surrounding it. With that said, there are several others that should make the tire perform well, per the company’s claims.

To ensure that the fuel consumption is improved, Bridgestone utilized a special rubber compound that aims to reduce the rolling resistance. In addition to that, the company also tweaked the sidewall, and the combination should work in your favor in terms of saving money on gas.

The Ecopia EP422 Plus is a touring tire, so refinement is another key aspect of it. To achieve this, Bridgestone worked on the internal construction, aiming to make the tire as comfortable as possible. The tread pattern is also designed to reduce the noise levels, which should make the ride quieter.

One of the main reasons why people buy touring tires is longevity, and Bridgestone wanted to address that. The contact patch is optimized to deliver an even load across the footprint to wear down the tire evenly and improve longevity.

Tires aren’t always used in dry conditions, so the Ecopia EP422 Plus has a feature that should help it in wet conditions. The tire’s tread pattern features wide circumferential grooves which work with the lateral ones to evacuate the water. As a result, the tire’s aquaplaning resistance should be excellent.

Treadwear Rating: 4/5

 4/5

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

When compared with some performance-oriented tires, the Ecopia EP422 Plus doesn’t do particularly well. On the other hand, as far as touring tires go, this is near the top of its class.

The Ecopia EP422 Plus delivers very high levels of traction, enabling you to accelerate without any wheel spin. The slip is minimal even in more powerful cars, which is pretty good for a touring tire. In addition to that, the tire holds very good in the corners. It may not be as good as a Pilot Sport 5, but it won’t disappoint when compared to its all-season touring rivals. You will get understeer if you push hard, something which is to be expected from a tire from this class.

While the Ecopia EP422 Plus is one of the best under normal driving conditions, it’s not a tire that likes to be pushed hard. Sure, you can try to have some fun or go into a corner at a higher speed, but it won’t satisfy you if you drive like a racing driver.

If you treat the Ecopia EP422 Plus as a touring tire, it will give you a safe driving experience. The package includes plenty of grip and traction and some short braking distances. If you want more than that, you’ll need to look into another category.

Dry Rating: 4.5/5

 4.5/5

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

Wet roads aren’t the most ideal, but the Ecopia EP422 Plus manages to handle them quite good. The tread pattern features plenty of sipes, meaning that the tire can hook up and offer a decent amount of traction in slippery conditions.

Getting too aggressive will result in a slip, but the overall experience isn’t terrible. You have plenty of traction when you’re driving normally, again, putting the Ecopia EP422 Plus near the top in the touring class. Cornering is another area where the tire delivers very good results, providing a safe driving experience. Going overboard will result in understeer, but anything below that, and the tire won’t disappoint. The same goes for the braking distances, which are short, making the tire a very safe one.

Bridgestone made some claims about the grooves, and they resulted in a tire with a very good aquaplaning resistance. The Ecopia EP422 Plus remains stable when driving at higher speeds over water patches, making it planted, an area where some of its competitors don’t fair too well.

Wet Rating: 4.5/5

 4.5/5

How is it over snow?

My opinion on all-season tires is that they’re acceptable in winter conditions, but I wouldn’t rely on them too much. With that in mind, I can say the same thing about the Ecopia EP422 Plus – usable in some conditions but poor in others.

On the usable side of things, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is a tire that delivers decent performance in lighter conditions. As long as the snow isn’t too deep or too packed, the tire’s sipes can bite into it and offer a good amount of traction. While the tire will struggle, If you start to push it, you shouldn’t have any problems under normal driving conditions. The tire feels planted and won’t be a handful to control in these conditions.

There are some limitations to what the Ecopia EP422 Plus can do, and in harsher conditions, the tire will begin to struggle, like most all-season tires. Regardless of whether the snow is deeper or packed, the traction will be limited and the braking distances too long.

Snow Rating: 3/5

 3/5

Is it comfortable and refined?

Touring tires are all about refinement, and the Ecopia EP422 Plus is no exception. While it may not be the absolute best, it’s still near the top, which is what makes it such a great option.

Comfort is an area where the Ecopia EP422 Plus won’t disappoint even those way too picky. Thanks to the internal construction, the tire manages to swallow most bumps and road imperfections without breaking a sweat, making it a very comfortable tire. The vibrations are dampened, and only a small amount may be transferred into the cabin only in cases where you hit a larger hole.

When it comes to noise levels, I believe that Bridgestone nailed it. Yes, I have to admit that the Turanza QuietTrack is quieter, but on the other hand, the Ecopia EP422 Plus isn’t designed to be the quietest, it’s designed to be fuel-efficient. You will notice a minor hum at higher speeds, and that’s about it.

Comfort Rating: 4.5/5

 4.5/5

Is it good for off-roading?

You can probably guess where this is going – all-season tires make for bad off-roading ones. The Ecopia EP422 Plus is designed for the road, and that’s how you should use it. Off-roading for a prolonged period of time will result in damage which can make the tire useless. In addition to that, the performance will be terrible.

As usual, some dirt roads may be fine, as long as you’re aware of the tire’s limitations and avoid driving it in those conditions for a long time.

Is the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus ideal for sporty driving?

This is an area where the Ecopia EP422 Plus won’t deliver the performance an enthusiast would want, which is to be expected. As a touring tire, you won’t be getting something that is very responsive or delivers plenty of feedback. Instead, you have average responsiveness, which falls behind even other touring tires, and the feedback feels a bit muted.

Then there’s the performance, which may be fine for a normal drive, but it’s not an ideal choice for having fun on a track. The grip and traction levels aren’t the highest, so don’t expect to throw it into a corner at high speed and have no issues with it.

Noise Rating: 4/5

 4/5

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus Warranty

In the grand touring segment, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is a tire that’s on the same level as its competitors. Like the PureContact LS or the CrossClimate 2, this tire comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. With that said, all of them fall behind the Turanza QuietTrack, which has an 80,000-mile warranty.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus Pricing: Is it worth the money?

The Ecopia EP422 Plus isn’t the worst choice for the price, as it does something that some of its rivals don’t – be fuel-efficient. Its priced a bit lower than the Turanza QuietTrack and the CrossClimate 2 by $10-20, depending on the size. With that said, the tire is a bit more expensive than the Continental model.

Value Rating: 3.5/5

 1.7/5

Should I buy the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus?

We can argue that the Ecopia EP422 Plus doesn’t offer the best price per performance ratio, but that doesn’t make it a poor choice. Being capable of delivering very safe performance in wet and dry conditions is what most people are after. With that, they also won’t sacrifice longevity or refinement while getting a tire with lower rolling resistance.

There are some areas where it disappoints a bit, and those are driving in winter conditions and handling. If both of these are areas that you feel like you won’t have any issues with, then the Ecopia EP422 Plus is an excellent choice, as it can help you save a few dollars on fuel.

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

 1.7/5