Goodyear Reliant vs Assurance WeatherReady
Goodyear’s Assurance and WeatherReady tires cannot be more different. The Assurance is a Walmart-exclusive tire that offers reliable all-season performance on a budget. You can thus expect this model to be much cheaper than Goodyear’s Assurance tire lineup.
In contrast, the Assurance WeatherReady is a premium all-weather tire. This model offers all the bells and whistles you expect from quality A/S models, including excellent road manners and a super-long treadwear warranty. But it charges a pretty penny for all this.
Snow performance is another area where these two models differ. Since it comes with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol (3PMSF symbol), the WeatherReady can hold its own in harsh weather. You can count on this model to keep you safe on snow-laden roads.
That is something you cannot confidently say about Reliant. This A/S tire lacks the biting edges needed to safely carry you from point A to point B through a snowstorm. Read our comprehensive guide to learn more about the differences between both these Goodyear tires.
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Goodyear Reliant All-Season
Goodyear Reliant A/S is an all-season tire exclusively sold at Walmart. It’s mainly designed for passenger vehicles, including cars, coupes, SUVs, minivans, and crossovers. That is something that is reflected by its size range – this model comes in various sizes from 15 to 20 inches.
Since it’s a Walmart-exclusive tire, it shouldn’t surprise anybody that this model is a budget-friendly alternative to Goodyear’s premium A/S tires. Still, while its asking price is low, this model performs reliably, especially compared to budget A/S tires on the market.
Goodyear wants you to believe that this model offers all the bells and whistles you get from its high-end models. The US tire manufacturer insists that the Reliant offers decent dry and wet traction, a quiet and comfy ride on the highway, and an enhanced driving experience.
These claims would appear marketing language were they not made by Goodyear, a brand sitting near the top of the global automotive tire market. As such, if you want reliable all-season performance on a budget, make sure to at least consider the Goodyear Reliant A/S.
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is a winter-focused all-season tire. This model offers the kind of dry and wet performance you expect from premium A/S models. However, the way it handles severe weather helps it go shoulder-to-shoulder with dedicated snow tires.
Launched in 2017, the Assurance WeatherReady is currently available in various sizes, ranging from 16 inches to 20 inches. Popular vehicles that this model can fit include Honda Accord, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Imapala, Dodge Avenger, and Nissan Leaf, among others.
In addition to offering reliable snow performance, this model offers consistent and long-lasting traction. Goodyear claims that this tire won’t suffer from a dangerous loss of traction during its last few days/months on the road, something that is common with most tires.
Lastly, while this model’s asking price isn’t as low as that of the Reliant, it’s still affordable compared to what the likes of Michelin and Bridgestone charge for their A/S tires. To know more about this model as well as its competitor, let’s take a deep dive into their features.
What Are The Features Of The Goodyear Reliant A/S?
Start with the specialized rubber compound. This compound stays firm in the summer and starts getting flexible as the temperatures start decreasing. This explains why the Goodyear Reliant A/S performs reliably, whether it’s extremely hot or frigid out there.
Wet traction is another area where this model shines, thanks to the Aquatread grooves. These water channels ensure quick and effective water evacuation. Their action, in turn, translates into enhanced hydroplaning resistance and better traction on wet roads.
However, the Aquatread grooves alone aren’t to credit for this model’s wet performance. The Reliant All-Season also sports four deep and wide longitudinal grooves. These grooves also play their part in evacuating water from the tread area for better wet performance.
Finally, while this model doesn’t have the 3PMSF symbol, it could still hold its own on light snow. How can we be so sure? Because we have seen the multiple waved sipes on its tread blocks. These sipes give this tire the biting power needed to perform reliably in mild wintry conditions.
What Are The Features Of The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady?
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady comes with a soy-based tread compound. This is the first thing that distinguishes it from your regular A/S tires, as it makes sure that its rubber stays flexible even in sub-zero temperatures, a tall feat for an all-season tire.
An asymmetric tread pattern and Evolving Traction Grooves further increase the gap between this model and your average A/S tire. While the tread pattern ensures added traction in snow, the grooves enable this tire to offer long-lasting traction. Here is how.
The Evolving Traction Grooves have the surprising ability to widen as this tire’s tread depth decreases. As such, even when this model has lost some percentage of its tread depth. The grooves will see to it that it continues to provide adequate traction on the road.
Circumferential grooves and Weather Reactive Technology further sweeten the deal. The grooves help this tire by increasing its hydroplaning resistance. In contrast, the Weather Reactive Technology enhances this model’s dry and wet cornering performance.
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Main Differences
Now that you know what both these tires are (and aren’t) capable of, let’s put them in a classic head-to-head matchup. This section will compare the on- and off-road performance of both these tires and juxtapose their snow performance, tread lives, warranties, and price.
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Off-Road Performance
Given that both these tires have an all-season tread compound, it should surprise nobody that they aren’t meant for off-roading of any kind.
If you want one of the best tires for off-roading, check out our comparison piece on the Kenda Klever RT Vs Nitto Ridge Grappler. These hybrid tires have what it takes to safely carry you through mud, slush, and gravel. They are excellent rock crawlers as well.
Winner: It’s a tie
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: On-Road Performance
Whether the Goodyear Reliant or the Assurance WeatherReady will be a better fit for your highway-driving needs depends on the weather conditions in your area.
That is because both these tires are focused on different goals. The Assurance Weather Ready is designed to offer exceptional traction in wet conditions, thanks to its full-depth 3D sipe design. However, the Reliant is more focused on providing a comfortable ride on dry roads.
Therefore, if you live in an area that receives a lot of rain or snow, the Assurance WeatherReady might be a better pick for you. Conversely, if it doesn’t rain a lot where you live, and you’re on a tight budget, the Reliant might prove to be the better pick of the two.
Winner: It’s a tie
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Snow Performance
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady offers much better snow performance than the Reliant, even though the latter tire can perform reliably on light snow and ice.
As noted above, the Assurance WeatherReady comes with the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) designation. This symbol is an indication that relevant authorities have certified this model safe for reliable driving in harsh winter conditions.
That isn’t to say that this model can replace a dedicated winter tire. Yet, if you want top-notch performance on snow and ice from an all-season tire, the Assurance WeatherReady should be your preference.
Winner: Assurance WeatherReady
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Treadwear and Durability
Both these models have what it takes to help their tread wear evenly.
For example, the Goodyear Reliant offers uniform road contact on the highway. This results in the even distribution of the pressure forces your vehicle will subject this tire to, keeping it from wearing prematurely.
The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady does the same, albeit with the help of a wider-than-usual contact patch and multiple traction grooves. Small wonder, then, that these tires have the same treadwear rating (600) and a similar treadwear warranty (revealed below).
Winner: It’s a tie
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Comfort
Since both these tires are designed to be driven on the highway, you can safely expect them to offer quiet and comfortable commutes.
However, if we’re to pick a winner, it has to be the Assurance WeatherReady. Mainly because this model’s premium technologies, high-end construction materials, and flexible rubber give it a better chance of absorbing road vibrations and lowering noise.
As you might guess, saying that the Assurance WeatherReady is quieter isn’t the same as claiming that the Goodyear Reliant will be obnoxiously loud. In fact, to the average driver, the difference in the ride quality of both these tires will appear negligible.
Winner: Assurance WeatherReady (but not by a huge margin)
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Price and Warranty
The Goodyear Reliant tire costs much less than the WeatherReady. In fact, some of the sizes have such a huge price difference that you can get an entire set of the Reliant for the price of two WeatherReadys.
Which is why we were surprised to note that these two models come with similar treadwear warranties. While Goodyear backs the Reliant to last up to 55,000 miles, the WeatherReady comes with a 60,000-mile treadwear warranty.
Winner: Goodyear Reliant
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Pros and Cons
Goodyear Reliant Pros
- Available at a pocket-friendly price
- Offers superb road manners in dry and wet conditions
- Backed by an excellent treadwear warranty for a budget tire
Goodyear Reliant Cons
- Shouldn’t be relied upon for driving in deep snow
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Pros
- Comes with the severe-snow-rated 3PMSF symbol
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance and wet traction
- Superb steering response and cornering grip
Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Cons
- Mild road noise at higher speeds
Goodyear Reliant Vs Assurance WeatherReady: Which Tire To Choose
Choose the Goodyear Reliant A/S if:
- You’re on a budget
- The area where you live doesn’t experience a lot of snow
- You don’t mind slightly longer wet braking distances
Opt for the Goodyear Assurance Ready if:
- You live in an area that receives a lot of snow
- You want to experience excellent steering response
- You regularly drive on wet roads