Cooper Discoverer SRX Tire Review and Ratings
Dry Conditions – 80%
Wet Conditions – 80%
Snow – 60%
Comfort – 80%
Noise Reduction – 80%
Durability – 90%
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Today’s automotive industry features a wide range of vehicle types, and they exist because they cover the needs of a certain group of people. It’s no secret that I’m not a massive fan of CUVs or SUVs, but that doesn’t mean I cannot understand why some people like them.
Higher ground clearance, roomy interiors, and large cargo capacity are only a few advantages these kinds of vehicles can offer. They’re aspects other types of vehicles cannot deliver, so it’s natural for people to want them.
Since the tire and car industries are closely tied, tire manufacturers do whatever they can to follow the needs of car owners for any vehicle type. It’s the same with the CUVs and SUVs, meaning you have multiple types of tires with different properties.
Among the most common ones is the touring tire, and today, I’ll talk about one from the mid-range segment. The model in question comes from a domestic manufacturer. I’m talking about the Cooper Discoverer SRX, a tire aimed at delivering a plush ride without a massive sacrifice in performance.
Pros
- Stable and planted in wet conditions
- Dry performance is pretty good
- Surprisingly dynamic handling
- The treadwear warranty is on the same level as some of the premium rivals
Cons
- The newer rivals do a slightly better job in terms of refinement
- Winter performance is average
The Features of the Cooper Discoverer SRX
The Discoverer SRX is an all-season touring tire, and as such, it has all the right features that should help it deliver performance in as many weather conditions as possible.
As far as the features are concerned, the main one is the rubber compound. The Discoverer SRX is an all-season model, meaning that it should offer some performance in colder conditions. To achieve that, Cooper used a silica compound, which should keep the tire pliable even in lighter winter conditions.
The silica in the rubber compound isn’t only for performance. Cooper also tweaked the compound to ensure it delivers as low rolling resistance as possible without compromising the performance. This should help the tire deliver some pretty decent fuel-efficient properties.
Even though it’s not a performance tire, the Discoverer SRX has a little thing that will help it with the handling. That little thing is called Stabiledge technology, and it comes in the form of small bumpers between the blocks. The result of this should be excellent stability at higher speeds and pretty decent handling for a touring tire.
Wet roads can be tricky, and the Discoverer SRX should also help with that. As part of the tread pattern, Cooper incorporated additional biting edges throughout the blocks, which should help with traction on damp surfaces. In addition to that, the circumferential grooves should help evacuate water and help the tire deliver excellent aquaplaning resistance.
Cooper Discoverer SRX in Dry Conditions
You won’t find too many tires that will disappoint on dry roads, meaning that this is an easy task for the Discoverer SRX. The tire does well in these conditions, which is a good thing, especially when you consider that we’re talking about a mid-range model.
The performance of the Discoverer SRX is pretty good, and the tire will satisfy most people’s needs quite well. There’s a good amount of traction to prevent slip, meaning the slip won’t be too pronounced, even in some slightly aggressive scenarios. The tire will go around a corner well, thanks to the grip levels, which will help it keep things in check. Sure, the tire does good enough, but it’s not a model that most enthusiasts will be overly happy with. The braking distances may not be the shortest in this class, but they are decently short for me to call them safe.
Even though the Discoverer SRX does a good enough job in daily driving conditions, it’s not a tire you’d want to push. There is some performance, but it’s not a performance tire. We can see that from the handling. The tire offers pretty decent responsiveness and combines that with linear steering, which is more or less what I expected from this kind of tire.
Cooper Discoverer SRX on Wet or Slippery Roads
Cooper made plenty of claims about the wet performance of the Discoverer SRX, and it didn’t disappoint. It’s not comparable with the best in the industry, but it does pretty good within its class.
The combination of silica-enriched rubber compound and the 3D sipes delivers plenty of performance, making this a tire that won’t disappoint. It delivers plenty of grip and traction on damp roads, meaning the slip will be minimal under normal driving conditions. Naturally, you can throw it into a corner, and you’ll find that the tire doesn’t like that and will understeer a lot more. It’s important to note that it’s not the kind of tire you’ll have fun with on a twisty road or the track. Even if you get carried away, the tire will show its linear nature here and won’t catch you by surprise. The performance is backed by the short braking distances, which are on the shorter end of the spectrum in the mid-range segment.
Wet performance isn’t all about damp roads, as you may need to drive in harsh rain, something that the Discoverer SRX won’t struggle with. The circumferential grooves channel water effectively, allowing it to remain stable even when you’re driving at highway speeds.
Cooper Discoverer SRX in Snow
Regarding winter performance, the Discoverer SRX is okay, but you must set your expectations right. The tire is good, but you shouldn’t expect it to perform on the same level as the premium models in this category.
The tread pattern does a decent job of delivering traction on unpacked snow, and the Discoverer SRX will be solid for most lighter conditions. On packed snow, the tire isn’t particularly good, but you can get it to work if you’re a bit careful with your inputs. This is crucial because it can be a bit unpredictable, especially if you’re a spirited driver. It will hold on into a corner, but at a certain point, it will let go without a lot of warning signs. The braking distances are also not something impressive. They aren’t overly long and unsafe, but some newer models within this class have shorter distances.
Some all-season or all-weather models can offer a bit of performance on ice, but the Discoverer SRX isn’t one of those. You may be able to get just a tad of traction in these conditions, but it won’t be anywhere as usable as you’d expect.
Cooper Discoverer SRX Off-Roading
Even though the Discoverer SRX is a tire you’d fit to a vehicle that may have some off-roading capabilities, it’s not a tire that will do well in these conditions. You may get some performance on a hard-packed road and be fine unless you’re too aggressive. With that said, it’s important to note that this tire isn’t designed for that, so you may damage it.
Cooper Discoverer SRX for Sporty Driving
The Discoverer SRX is a touring tire, and as such, you shouldn’t expect any kind of sportiness from it. While one side of it may make it seem like a dynamically inclined tire, I still wouldn’t call it a sporty one.
When you look at the overall performance in terms of grip and traction, you’re looking at a classic touring tire. It’s good for daily driving, and even though it may handle some aggressiveness, it’s still not a sporty tire. The handling may give you the impression that the tire can do more than it’s letting on, but in reality, that’s just one side of the story. To be fair, people who fit touring tires to CUVs or SUVs usually don’t expect this kind of performance.
Does the Cooper Discoverer SRX Ride Comfortably?
With touring tires, refinement is crucial, and the Discoverer SRX delivers on this front. With that said, I wouldn’t call this tire impressively well-refined.
The comfort levels are good, and the Discoverer SRX won’t be overly harsh. It can smooth out some of the imperfections and dampen larger bumps, so you’re looking at a decently plush ride. Keep in mind that the responsive nature of the tire is due to the stiffer sidewall and limited block movement. This also means you’ll notice more vibrations, especially when you compare it with something from the premium segment.
On the noise side of things, the Discoverer SRX continues to deliver satisfactory results, but not ones that will help it stand out from the crowd. At slower speeds around town, the noise isn’t too bad, and in many cases, you won’t even hear it too much. It increases in intensity when you’re driving on the highway, but even then, it’s not obnoxiously loud.
Cooper Discoverer SRX Warranty
The warranty of the Discoverer SRX is an aspect that allows it to compete against the best in this class. You can get the tire with a treadwear warranty starting from 75,000 miles for the models with the lowest speed rating. In comparison, this is something you’d get with models like the CrossContact LX25 or the Scorpion AS Plus 3. This also means that it outperforms some of its mid-range rivals.
Cooper Discoverer SRX Pricing: Is It Worth the Price?
In terms of the price, the Discoverer SRX isn’t the most affordable in the mid-range lineup, but it holds up pretty well against some of the more popular models. It’s noticeably more affordable than the two models I mentioned, Continental and Pirelli. With that said, for most of the size options it’s just a bit more expensive than the Dynapro HP2.
Should I Buy the Cooper Discoverer SRX?
Let’s be real: the Discoverer SRX isn’t the newest kid on the block, and as such, it falls behind in terms of performance when you compare it with some of the newer entries. Does that make it a poor choice? No, but I wouldn’t say that you should go right ahead and buy it.
The Discoverer SRX is a solid mid-range performer, which should satisfy your needs quite well. This applies for dry and wet conditions, as long as you’re not a too aggressive driver. I believe that this tire’s biggest weakness is winter performance, where you’ll be limited to only the lightest conditions, and even then, I’d say that you should be a bit careful with your inputs.
Overall, the Discoverer SRX does a pretty good job, and you won’t find tires that are massively better performers for the price. My recommendation would be to check out how the competition does, especially the one in a similar price segment.
What Vehicles Will the Cooper Discoverer SRX Fit?
Here’s a sample list of cars that the Cooper Discoverer SRX will fit:
- Audi Q5
- BMW X5
- Chevrolet Tahoe
- Ford Explorer, Edge
- Lexus RX
- Nissan Juke
- Subaru Outback, Legacy
- Toyota Rav4, Highlander
- Volkswagen Taos, Tiguan
Tire Sizes of the Cooper Discoverer SRX
16″
- 215/70R16 100H
- 225/70R16 103T
- 225/75R16 104T
- 235/70R16 106T
- 245/70R16 107T
- 245/75R16 111T
- 255/65R16 109T
- 265/70R16 112T
- 265/75R16 116T
17″
- 225/65R17 102H
- 235/65R17 104T
- 235/70R17 109T XL
- 235/75R17 109S
- 245/65R17 107T
- 245/70R17 110T
- 255/65R17 110T
- 255/70R17 112T
- 255/75R17 115S
- 265/65R17 112T
- 265/70R17 115T
18″
- 235/55R18 100V
- 235/60R18 107V XL
- 235/65R18 106T
- 235/65R18 106H
- 245/60R18 105H
- 255/55R18 109V XL
- 255/65R18 111T
- 255/70R18 113T
- 265/60R18 110T
- 265/65R18 114T
- 265/70R18 116T
- 275/65R18 116T
19″
- 225/55R19 99H
- 245/55R19 107H XL
- 245/55R19 103H
- 255/50R19 107V XL
- 255/60R19 109H
- 275/55R19 111V
20″
- 235/55R20 102H
- 245/50R20 102V
- 245/60R20 107H
- 255/50R20 109H XL
- 255/55R20 110H XL
- 265/50R20 107T
- 265/50R20 111T XL
- 275/45R20 110V XL
- 275/55R20 117H XL
- 275/60R20 115T
- 275/60R20 115H
22″
- 285/45R22 114H XL