Kelly Tires Review: Decent Performance for the Price

#1. Edge A/S

The most common tire of the bunch is the Edge A/S. It’s an all-season touring model, designed for decent comfort and longevity that comes in a wide range of sizes.

Looking at the features, you won’t see anything groundbreaking. The Edge A/S features an all-season rubber compound that should enable you to have usable performance throughout the year. There are also key features in the tread pattern. The circumferential and lateral grooves are designed to evacuate water. As for the sipes, they should help the tire with traction on damp and snow-covered roads.

On the road, the Edge A/S offers decent performance on dry roads, which is what you should expect. It’s not a tire that you should push, so it should be fine for most average drivers with lesser powerful cars. In wet conditions, the tire doesn’t feel as good. It struggles for traction a bit more than I’d want to and you won’t get the shortest braking distances in its class. Winter performance is good enough if you consider we’re talking about an all-season tire. It’s usable in lighter conditions as long as you’re careful with your speed and inputs.

The refinement is a mixed bag. On the noise side of things, the Edge A/S is a solid option, as it doesn’t get too loud even at higher speeds. With that said, the comfort levels are a bit disappointing because the tire has a harsh nature, something we see with performance tires.

As a touring tire, the handling is solidly responsive, if you can get used to the fact that you won’t get a lot of feedback through the steering wheel. Considering the price, the 55,000-mile treadwear warranty puts it near the premium tires in this category.

#2. Edge HP

If you’re after a bit more performance you should look at the Edge HP. With this model, you should be looking at a more sporty feeling without a massive compromise in terms of refinement.

The asymmetric tread pattern is molded from an all-season compound aiming to bring excellent performance in multiple weather conditions. There’s a wide central rib designed to improve stability and handling. Another aspect of the tire that should help with handling is the shoulder blocks. They are stiffer, so we should have a dynamically inclined tire.

In terms of performance, the Edge HP delivers some of it. The grip and traction levels on dry roads are pretty good and you can push it a bit. I wouldn’t compare it with the premium options, but it should be enough for an enthusiast on a budget. Unlike the previous model, the wet performance is better and is closer to the rest of the mid-range tires. It won’t struggle too much with traction and the aquaplaning resistance will keep it stable on the highway. The performance on snow is as good as you can expect. You can use it in lighter conditions, and it will be fine, especially on unpacked snow.

Surprisingly, the refinement seems to be a bit better. The Edge HP is a stiff tire but seems to do a bit better over bumps when compared to its touring cousin. It’s far from the most comfortable tire, but it’s fine for daily situations. The noise levels are decent and even though the tire is audible, it’s not obnoxiously loud.

The handling characteristics are decently dynamic. With the Edge HP, you’ll get a bit more feedback from the road and the responsiveness will be solid. The package comes with a 45,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is decent in this category.

#3. Edge HT

With the passenger tires out of the way, let’s look at a few options for larger vehicles. The Edge HT is a highway tire made primarily for SUVs, offering all-season performance in a touring package.

Like any all-season tire, the Edge HT is made from an all-season rubber compound that should provide decent performance in multiple conditions. The tread pattern featuring grooves and sipes is designed to help with traction on damp and snowy roads, as well as improve aquaplaning resistance. For stability, the tire has a reinforced central rib, that should help improve handling and stability.

The performance of the Edge HT on dry roads is pretty good. It will offer the necessary grip and traction levels to keep you safe which is backed by the decently short braking distances. On damp roads, the tire will struggle a bit with traction but still remains acceptably good. The aquaplaning resistance on the other hand is excellent and the stability isn’t compromised. In winter, the tire’s ability to bite into snow is good. It won’t struggle with unpacked snow or slush, but you will notice a bit of slip over packed one, which is to be expected.

As a highway tire, the refinement levels of the Edge HT are good. The tire does well with smaller road imperfections and will soften the larger ones. It does this while aborting a good amount of vibrations and preventing them from entering the cabin. The noise levels are excellent, as you’d expect. You won’t get a lot of roar even at highway speeds and the most you’ll hear is over a rough surface.

The handling isn’t the most dynamic, which isn’t a surprise. There is a decent enough responsiveness from the Edge HT, but don’t expect a lot of feedback. With a 60,000-mile treadwear pattern, this is a tire that offers more than some of its premium rivals.

I’m adding a section here because there is some confusion. As part of the Edge HT lineup, some models are designed for light trucks. In general, the performance is similar between both, and the main difference is the internal construction. The light truck models will handle higher loads, so they are technically a different model.

#4. Edge A/T

SUV or light truck owners that want some off-road performance have the Edge A/T. This is an all-season all-terrain model, which is designed to offer a blend of on and off-road performance.

Considering that it’s an all-terrain tire, the Edge A/T has features that should help it from both sides. On the road, the rubber compound and the tread pattern are designed for high grip and traction in multiple weather conditions throughout the year. The pattern is also responsible for the off-road performance. It’s more aggressive when compared with road-going tires, so we should see some decent performance in lighter off-road situations.

On the road, the performance you’ll get from the Edge A/T is decent. In dry conditions, the grip and traction levels will be fine for most people. The most important thing here is that it’s not a tire that you should push hard. Damp roads are the weakest point of this tire. It’s not unsafe, but even a bit of aggressiveness and you’ll notice it slipping and struggling for traction. A glimpse of hope is the aquaplaning resistance which is pretty good. In snowy conditions, the tire does a solid job on unpacked snow or slush. With that said, packed snow is problematic, and the tire doesn’t grip as well as some of its rivals.

In off-roading scenarios, you will find usable performance in certain situations. The Edge A/T offers solid traction on dirt roads, even in cases where you push it a bit. In lighter mud conditions, the tire’s performance is solid enough, but not for long. It seems that either there isn’t a self-cleaning pattern, or it doesn’t do its job, so the mud can get stuck in the tread. Considering that it’s an all-terrain model, don’t expect some serious off-roading performance like rock-crawling.

Looking at the refinement, the Edge A/T doesn’t differ too much from the rest of its rivals. The noise levels are acceptably low and despite the slightly aggressive pattern, it’s not the loudest tire in the bunch. As for comfort, I wouldn’t say it’s excellent, but it’s not overly stiff. It will absorb some of the bumps and will eliminate the vibrations partially, but it won’t replace a touring tire.

As a tire capable of off-roading, the Edge A/T isn’t the worst choice you can find on the market. Its responsiveness is acceptable to a point where it won’t feel sloppy, but the feedback is as muted as most of the tires on this list. With a 50,000-mile treadwear warranty, this tire is on the same level as some of the premium options.

#5. Safari TSR

The second all-terrain model you’ll find under the Kelly brand is the Safari TSR. To be honest, I have no idea what TSR stands for, but I know what Safari is, and based on the pattern, we’re looking at a more aggressive all-terrain tire when compared with the previous one.

With a non-symmetric pattern molded from an all-season rubber compound, the Safari TSR aims to bring decent road performance in multiple conditions. For road use, the tread pattern is designed to help with traction in snowy conditions and to improve aquaplaning resistance. In off-road conditions, the self-cleaning design will keep the tread clean ensuring consistent performance. The staggered shoulder blocks should help with traction in these conditions, especially in mud.

Driving on paved surfaces with the Safari TSR isn’t a bad experience. The tire’s grip and traction levels on a dry road are pretty good and that will be fine for most people. It’s stable enough on the highway and offers decent braking distances. The traction on damp roads could use a bit of work, but it’s not terrible. In harsh rain conditions, the pattern does a very good job of channeling water, so the aquaplaning resistance is pretty good. Winter performance is a surprise. In lighter conditions, the tire does a decent job like most all-terrain tires do. With that said, considering that it’s a studdable tire, once you fit the studs, you can improve that, especially over ice.

The performance in off-road situations is better than the previous model. With the Safari TSR, you’re looking at slightly better traction on dirt roads. The biggest improvement is in muddy situations. Thanks to the self-cleaning pattern, the tire will almost always have clean grooves, so the performance will be a bit more consistent. In addition to that, the tire will do a bit better in deeper mud. For rock-crawling, it wouldn’t be my first choice, but I can’t say that it’s the worst. It can do an acceptably solid job over smaller rocks.

As an all-terrain tire, the refinement levels are pretty decent. The Safari TSR delivers decent comfort levels and can absorb even larger bumps without transferring too many vibrations into the cabin. In terms of noise, there is a growl, which is to be expected. With that said, it isn’t as pronounced as I thought, and the tire remains acceptably quiet even at highway speeds.

Handling isn’t something I’d call excellent, but it’s not terrible. The Safari TSR offers acceptable responsiveness which combined with the lack of feedback is what you’d get with most all-terrain tires. Unfortunately, this model doesn’t come with a treadwear warranty.

#6. Edge MT

The last entry on this list is a mud-terrain tire. Kelly has the Edge MT, a model designed for the most aggressive off-road scenarios with acceptable road performance.

A rare sight in the mud-terrain segment are studs and the Edge MT offers that, as an option to improve traction on packed snow and ice. The aggressive tread pattern with open grooves is designed to help with off-roading, especially on mud. Kelly designed it to be self-cleaning, so we should see some consistency in the performance. The multi-directional sipes are there to help traction on damp roads.

Considering that it’s a mud-terrain tire, the road performance of the Edge MT is decent. The tire does a solid job of delivering the necessary grip and traction on dry pavement to keep things safe. Combined with solid highway stability, it will be fine. Despite the sipes, the damp performance is just a bit behind its rivals, along with the braking distances. They are still within the safe limits, but I would have liked to see some better results. On snow without the studs, the tire will offer solid performance. It will struggle on packed snow and will be useless over ice, which is where the studs come into play.

In off-road conditions, the Edge MT is a solid performer for the price. It won’t struggle for traction on hard-packed surfaces, and you’ll get solid braking distances. The tread pattern does an excellent job in mud and the tire will find traction even in deeper situations. To be fair, it’s not the most aggressive tire on the market, so some of its rivals will do a better job. It’s a similar story if you’re driving on sand – it’s good enough, but still behind the premium models. In rock-crawling scenarios, the tire will handle lower pressure to increase the contact patch. With that said, with no information about the internal construction I cannot say how long it will survive in those conditions.

The refinement isn’t the best, but that’s not what a mud-terrain tire is designed for. Comfort levels are barely acceptable as the tire feels firm. There is some faint bounciness which doesn’t get any better or worse when you tweak the pressure. The noise levels are admirable and considering the aggressive pattern, the Edge MT isn’t the most vocal tire in this category.

Mud-terrain tires aren’t designed for precision driving, so the handling isn’t the best. The Edge MT isn’t the quietest tire to respond, and you won’t have a lot of feedback to rely on. Like most tires in this category, you won’t get a treadwear warranty.