Kelly Edge A/S Tire Review and Rating

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Kelly Edge AS

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Dry
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Wet
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Snow
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Comfort
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Noise
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Treadwear
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Pros

  • Decent performance on a dry road
  • Very affordable
  • 55,000-mile treadwear warranty
  • Noise levels are quite low

Cons

  • Ride quality is harsh
  • Snow and wet performance are not the best

As much as all of us want, sometimes it’s not possible to get a new set of premium tires, and there are multiple reasons. Some of us own an older car, and throwing top dollar for premium tires isn’t worth it. Not only will we not be able to use them to their fullest potential, we may not even find the right size in the first place. Budget is another reason that is brought up often. We may be on a tighter budget, so we’ll have to aim lower.

The good news is that apart from the premium manufacturers, the tire market has cheaper options. People often associate cheap with low quality, which isn’t always the case. While there are some affordable brands that you should avoid, others offer a good balance between price and performance.

Getting a tire at a lower price means that you will need to sacrifice some performance or longevity, or comfort. While there are some sacrifices to be made, none of them would be in the safety department. The cheaper options are still a much safer option than some Chinese tire brands.

One of the many manufacturers that offer cheaper tires is Kelly. The brand has been around since the late 1890s and, at one point, was owned by Michelin. Today, the company is under the Goodyear umbrella from where it gets some of the technology.

Within the brand’s tire models, you have the Edge A/S, an economy all-season touring tire. Considering the category, the expectations shouldn’t be high, but is the tire good or bad?

What are the features of the Kelly Edge A/S?

On paper, the Edge A/S doesn’t look any different than most of its competitors. There isn’t some state-of-the-art technology used that should make it stand from the crowd. Kelly advertises it as an all-season tire for everyday driving, so you shouldn’t have very high expectations.

Kelly Edge AS Tire Review

There isn’t too much info on the rubber compound, but the company claims that it’s designed to be usable throughout the year. It should result in a tire with decent performance in a hotter and colder climate. 

On the tread pattern side of things, there are several aspects worth mentioning. The design of the Edge A/S is made so that it can offer traction in multiple conditions, such as rain and snow. In rainy conditions, especially in places with a lot of water, the tread is designed to help evacuate it. The circumferential grooves channel the water beneath the tire, while the lateral sipes throw it out the sides. It should result in decent aquaplaning resistance.

As for handling and longevity, the Edge A/S has a few features up its sleeve. The tire’s center and shoulder blocks are slightly stiffened up, which should provide advantages in two areas. Stiffer blocks mean that the responsiveness shouldn’t be too bad, at least not as bad as a winter tire. The second advantage should come in the form of longevity. Having a more stable tire means that you will have a stable footprint, resulting in even wear.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

The dry performance is decent, and the Edge A/S is behaving just as Kelly claims – suitable for everyday driving. 

I’ll start off with the positive sides to the tire, which is the grip and traction. Both are decently good for a tire of this category. The Edge A/S is safe to be driven at average speeds around town or on the highway. You may even be able to corner a bit harder and have some fun, but there is a problem, the dynamics.

Thanks to the stiffer sidewalls and blocks, the Edge A/S is not the worst in terms of responsiveness, but it’s far from a high-performance tire. Feedback also isn’t the tire’s strongest suit, as you will struggle to figure out what the front tires are doing.

In terms of safety, even though the braking distances are longer when compared to the premium tires, they still fall within safe limits.

How does it behave over wet and slippery roads?

When it comes to wet performance, the Edge A/S is disappointing as it demonstrated very poor characteristics. To be fair, there are worst tires than this one, but it didn’t give me much confidence behind the wheel.

I feel like traction is the biggest issue, and the tread isn’t doing a very good job at it. The Edge A/S will slip more than I would like to, even when I’m not overly aggressive with it. A similar story is in the grip department. You’ll need to enter a corner more carefully, which isn’t the best thing in a tire.

In terms of braking distances, they remain in the safe zone, but barely. While it’s not as bad as some of its Chinese counterparts, it lacks in the wet department.

How is it over snow?

Snow performance with the Edge A/S is maybe a bit better than wet, but not by much. Even though all-season tires aren’t good snow performers, this one isn’t quite good at it.

You may get away with driving in light snow conditions, which is what you’d expect from a tire in this category. The problem is that it won’t perform anywhere near as good as the premium tires, meaning that you’ll need to be careful.

Ice performance also isn’t something that you can rely on.

Is it comfortable and refined?

The Edge A/S will get mixed reviews in the comfort and refinement area because it’s goon in one area and not so good in another.

Comfort levels are the weaker point of the tire, which isn’t quite to my liking. I’m aware that it’s not a premium tire, so a plush ride is out of the question. The problem is that the ride is quite harsh, with a good amount of vibrations. It feels like an ultra-high-performance tire without the performance part.

The good news is that noise levels are not too bad. Naturally, It’s not as quiet as some of the premium grand touring models, but it’s decent. The Edge A/S will produce noise mostly at higher speeds, and it won’t be the worst and most intrusive.

Is it good for off-roading?

Like with most touring tires, the Edge A/S isn’t good at off-roading. Considering how below average the overall performance of this tire is, it won’t be even half-decent in an off-road scenario.

The tread pattern may enable you a quick drive on a gravel road, and that’s as much as you’ll get. Any more than that, and you either risk getting stuck or damaging the tire.

Is the Kelly Edge A/S ideal for sporty driving?

The Edge A/S will disappoint when it comes to sporty driving, the Edge A/S will disappoint, meaning that it’s not a good option for that.

You will notice some sporty characteristics in the tire, like the slightly more responsive steering or the grip in the corners. The problem is that they aren’t as great as an enthusiast would like them to be. In addition to that, you also get a tire that’s a bit numb.

Kelly Edge A/S Warranty

When it comes to warranty, the Edge A/S surprised me a lot. You can get the tire with a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty, something that isn’t too common in this price range.

Michelin’s Primacy A/S comes with the same 55,000-mile warranty and costs twice as much. On the other hand, the similarly priced Nexen Classe Premiere CP671 doesn’t have a treadwear warranty.

Kelly Edge A/S Pricing: Is it worth the money?

The Edge A/S isn’t exactly the best bang for the buck tire you’ll find, but you could say that it’s worth it. Kelly lists the starting price at around $75, which isn’t too bad.

When you look at similar models even in Goodyear’s lineup, you will be paying a bit more. The Assurance All-Season starts from a little under $90.

Should I buy the Kelly Edge A/S?

I have reasons to say yes and reasons to say no, so I’ll lay down both of them. 

If you’re looking for a very cheap tire for your daily commute that is safe and should last long, then the Edge A/S is not a bad choice. There is some performance to be found, especially if the roads are dry and you drive within the speed limits. Wet and snow performance aren’t particularly good, which is why in these conditions, you’ll need to be extra careful. This brings me on to why I’d say no to the tire.

Despite me marking it as safe to drive, there are some cases where you’d want a better performer. Going for the slightly more expensive models enters you in a “higher” class, and you’ll get a better-performing tire. Traction and grip in wet should be better, and the safety will be better, thanks to the shorter braking distances.

If you’re on a really tight budget, the Edge A/S should be fine, as long as you keep in mind that it’s not the best performer in the world. 

What Vehicles Will the Kelly Edge A/S Fit?

Here’s a sample list of cars that the Kelly Edge A/S will fit:

  • Audi A3
  • BMW 1 Series
  • Ford Ka, Fiesta, Focus
  • Honda Civic
  • Hyundai i10, i20, i30 Elantra
  • Subaru Impreza, Legacy
  • Toyota Yaris, Corolla, Avensis
  • Volkswagen Golf, Passat, Jetta, Beetle

Tire Sizes for Kelly Edge A/S

14″

  • 185/65R14 
  • 185/70R14 
  • 195/70R14 

15″

  • 185/60R15
  • 185/65R15
  • 195/60R15
  • 195/65R15
  • 205/60R15
  • 205/65R15
  • 205/70R15
  • 215/60R15
  • 215/70R15

16″

  • 195/50R16
  • 205/50R16
  • 205/55R16
  • 205/60R16
  • 205/65R16
  • 215/55R16
  • 215/60R16
  • 215/65R16
  • 215/70R16
  • 225/60R16
  • 225/65R16
  • 225/70R16
  • 235/60R16
  • 235/65R16
  • 235/70R16
  • 245/70R16

17″

  • 205/50R17
  • 215/45R17
  • 215/50R17
  • 215/55R17
  • 215/60R17
  • 215/65R17
  • 225/45R17
  • 225/50R17
  • 225/55R17
  • 225/60R17
  • 225/65R17
  • 235/55R17
  • 235/60R17
  • 235/65R17
  • 245/65R17
  • 265/65R17

18″

  • 225/45R18
  • 225/55R18
  • 235/55R18
  • 235/60R18
  • 235/65R18
  • 245/60R18
  • 255/65R18

2 Comments

  1. I have 2 17 year old cars that are each driven about 3000 miles per year on 90% urban roads and 1 car does a 1000 mile interstate trip a year.

    I believe these tires will fit our needs.

    Your comment.

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