Kenda Tires Review & Buying Guide

Kenda tires cost 10% more than products from other cheap tire companies, such as Lexani, Ironman, and Lionhart. The added cost is justified by superb performance on multiple surfaces and weather conditions. These tires also last longer than the competition.

Yet another thing that distinguishes Kenda from other tire makers is their lineup of tires. Most car tire makers you see on the market manufacture products for four-wheelers or above. However, Kenda originally started as a bicycle tire company in 1962.

It was only in 2001 that this Chinese tire company added passenger tires to their lineup. Excellent response by the customers convinced Kenda to add truck and SUV tires to their business model, with Kenda also producing tires for ATVs, trailers, and trucks.

In this Kenda tires review, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the company’s products. We’ll kick things off by examining the performance of Kenda’s best-selling tires. After which, we will focus on Kenda tires’ positive and negative aspects.

Kenda Tires Review

Here are the best Kenda tires currently on the market

#1. Kenda Vezda Touring A/S

The Vezda Touring A/S KR205 replaced the KR30 in Kenda’s lineup. The K30 was a popular budget-price touring all-season option for multiple years before it was replaced. Its replacement thus had to go big or face the risk of quickly falling out of favor with Kenda’s customers.

An asymmetric tread pattern and unique proprietary compounding technology makes sure this tire is a worthy successor to the KR30. The tread design has reduced road noise while enhancing road comfort, while the compounding technology has added to vibration absorption.

Kenda’s spokesperson revealed at the time of launch that this tire will cost roughly 20 to 25 percent below Tier 1 competitors. That was a daring decision as it made this tire slightly pricey than Tier 2 tires, which are its direct competition. But its performance has justified the higher price.

Braking distances are very short with this tire, making it an excellent option for wet weather. The hydroplaning resistance is superb, too, thanks to the grooves within the tread area which effectively eliminate water from beneath this tire’s footprint, ensuring optimum road contact.

On top of everything else, Kenda backs this tire with a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty. This is exceptional for the price and helps the Vezda Touring A/S venture into premium tire territory. Still, premium tires offer much better handling and are a step above when it comes to responsiveness.

Pros

• Extremely short braking distances for the price
• Has outstanding hydroplaning resistance
• 65,000-mile treadwear warranty

Cons

• Could be more responsive

#2. Kenda Vezda UHP A/S

Most Chinese tire manufacturers steer clear of producing ultra-high-performance tires. They shy away from the effort it takes to offer the steering response, high-speed handling, and cornering performance drivers expect from UHP tires at one-fourth the price.

Kenda has took the plunge with the Vezda UHP A/S. Here is an ultra-high performance tire available at a price premium brands don’t offer all-season tires for. And despite that, it has all those features which enthusiast drivers love to have.

Kenda has combined a silica-based tread compound with a computer-optimized tread pattern. This has helped this tire offer summer-like handling performance as well as decent traction on snow and ice. That explains why the Vezda UHP A/S can hold its own on light snow.

This Vezda UHP A/S also boasts a combination of lower voids on the outer tread portion and higher voids on the inner tread. The former are responsible for this tire’s precise handling on dry tarmac, while the voids on the inner tread help in improving the tire’s grip on wet surfaces.

A built-in rim protector helps shield the tire from the damage caused by collisions with curbs and other obstructions. An outer shoulder block improves the cornering ability, while the siping detail on the outside of the tread enhances maneuvering safety.

Kenda offers this tire in a large number of 16 – 20 inch sizes. All the sizes on offer are Z-speed rated and backed by a 50,000-mile tread warranty, more than impressive for a value-priced tire.

Pros

• Superb steering responsiveness
• Brilliant dry and wet traction
• Above-average warranty for a value-priced UHP tire 
• Cornering grip is better than competition

Cons

• Non-existent traction on deep snow

#3. Kenda Klever H/T2

Kenda Klever H/T2 is a value-priced tire for light trucks and SUVs. The Chinese tire manufacturer added this tire to its lineup of highway tires in May 2016. The thinking behind this tire’s development was to give users an affordable tire that could hold its own at high speeds.

That is precisely what the Klever H/T2 does. This tire features an optimized footprint that promotes even wear to ensure longevity. The footprint also improves this tire’s handling in both dry and wet conditions, thereby enabling the Klever H/T2 to tackle a variety of terrains.

Strong shoulder blocks are also on offer. Kenda insists that the shoulder blocks work with the tire’s footprint to enhance its handling. At the same time, they also improve cornering stability, helping the Klever H/T2 compete with the Vezda UHP in terms of performance.

Surprisingly for a value-priced tire, the Klever H/T2 features snow sipes and lateral grooves. Both help improve its traction and grip in wet and snowy conditions. Aside from that, its circumferential grooves deter hydroplaning and improve wet traction.

Kenda backs the LT-sizes of the tire with a 50,000-mile warranty and the P-metric sizes are warrantied for the first 60,000 miles. These are excellent numbers, regardless of whether you compare them with other budget tires or even premium ones.

The only area where this tire could have done better is noise. Multiple users have complained that this tire has a tendency to get loud at highway speeds.

Pros

• Premium warranty numbers
• Pliant sidewall design looks great on a truck
• Offer great traction even in snow
• Wear evenly for longevity

Cons

• Sound like big-mud tires

#4. Kenda Klever R/T

The Kenda Klever R/T is a rugged-terrain tire. Rugged-terrain tires are those that sit at the sweet-spot between mud-terrain and all-terrain tires. Put simply, mix the on-road features of A/T tires with off-road strengths of M/T tires, and what you get is the Klever H/T.

This tire’s most apparent feature is its tread design. An aggressive-looking tread design leaves no doubt in the onlooker’s mind that this tire is made for off-road scenarios. Regardless of whether you’re looking at a journey on rocky, mud, gravel or other off-road terrains.

The Klever R/T gives better traction than the competition in deeper mud and snow. It has deep and wide grooves in the tread area that help this tire self-clean. This, in turn, ensures constant road contact at all times, making its performance in the mud excellent.

A 3-ply sidewall construction means you can count on the Klever R/T to survive some off-road scenarios. Aside from that, an all-weather rubber compound, alongside the tread design, gives the Klever R/T all the traction it needs to survive on wet and snowy roads.

Considering that it is a rugged-terrain tire, the Klever R/T does a decent job on dry tarmac. Its large shoulder blocks provide the tire with all the surface area it needs to stick to the road, ensuring better grip. That said, this tire’s handling on dry surfaces won’t wow you.

Rugged-terrain tires aren’t known for offering a comfortable and refined ride quality. And the Klever R/T isn’t an exception. The 3-ply internal construction has dealt a blow to its ride quality, though the vibrations aren’t as pronounced as you get from other R/T tires.

Pros

• Less noisy for a rugged-terrain tire
• Pretty good tire for rock-crawling
• Usable in deep snow conditions
• Decent dry and wet traction

Cons

• Ride quality can be harsh at high speeds

#5. Kenda Klever M/T

Most mud-terrain tires does what their name imply. They perform admirably on the toughest of off-road conditions, including deep snow. In return, they want people to make a compromise: poor performance on paved roads. It’s a compromise most people are willing to make.

The Kenda Klever mud-terrain tire aims to be different. This tire wants to deliver the on-road refinement of all-season tires with the ruggedness and drive-anywhere capabilities of a mid-tire.

An improved and durable tread compound helps this tire boast toughness as well as outstanding durability in the most challenging of off-road terrains. Radiated shoulder lugs increase its traction on mud, snow and rain, and they also clear its tread area of mud, rock and other particles.

Its aggressive-looking treads are equipped with more than their fare share of sipes. This has helped increased this tire’s biting edges, helping it grip slippery surfaces better. A double-steel belted design, meanwhile, promotes even tire wear.

Despite that, don’t expect this tire to last their full warranty of 60,000 miles. Multiple users have reported seeing signs of accelerated wear on the tread area after a few thousand miles of usage. This makes it hard to believe that the tire can last longer with all the abuse one can throw their way.

Pros

• Roll fairly quietly on paved roads
• Come with a generous 60,000 miles warranty
• Self-cleaning shoulder lugs maintain traction

Cons

• Wear quickly than expected

#6. Kenda Vezda Eco

The volatile nature of gas prices has convinced drivers to extract the most out of their fuel. One cheap way to do that is invest in a low-rolling resistance tire like the Kenda Vezda Eco. Provided you do that, the mpg meter on your board’s computer will go up, without a similar increase in gas consumption.

With a set of Vezda Eco, you can expect a 1 – 1.5 mpg gain, which is less than premium tires but still better than most of its competition. This makes the Vezda Eco an excellent option for drivers of electric vehicles (long range), hybrids, and plug-in hybrids.

Some compromises have been made to keep the rolling resistance low. The Vezda Eco doesn’t isn’t as grippy as some other Kenda tires on wet surfaces. Nor is this tire’s cornering performance superb. Still, you won’t face any problems as long as you use this tire for everyday driving.

The low-rolling resistance technology hasn’t only kept this tire’s fuel consumption down. It has also made the Vezda Eco one of the quietest tires in Kenda’s lineup. This makes the ride enjoyable, and the tire is pretty comfortable over bumps and speed breakers too.

Pros

• Incredibly low rolling resistance contributes to fuel savings
• Long (60,000-mile) treadwear warranty for the price 
• Extremely stable and grippy on dry surfaces

Cons

• Below-part snow traction
• Wet traction could be better too

Kenda Tires Buying Guide

Kenda is different from other budget-oriented car tire manufacturers. Its portfolio is much bigger than other mid-range car tires companies, with models for passenger cars, SUVs, sports cars, ATVs, trucks, and trailers part of Kenda’s ever-expanding lineup.

Also, the Chinese carmaker produces tires with summer, winter, and all-season tread compounds. This is a major distinguishing factor as most budget tire companies (Ironman, Sumitomo, Arroyo, etc.) only settles for all-season tread compounds. 

It is only in categories where Kenda disappoints. While its lineup includes touring, highway, grand-touring, and performance tires, we are yet to see any all-terrain or mud-terrain tire with Kenda’s logo. So that is one area where Kenda can certainly do better.

All in all, though, Kenda’s extensive tire range and size availability mean you won’t face any trouble finding a tire that could fit your vehicle. The company manufactures tires ranging between 13 inches and 18 inches, which are the most popular sizes.

Why Buy Kenda Tires?

Here are the positive aspects of Kenda tires:

1. Excellent Dry Grip

Almost every Kenda tire on the market offers decent grip on dry surfaces. The tires’ heat dissipation is also excellent, making them a perfect candidate for high-speed driving in summer conditions. And their cornering grip and traction is superb for the price too.

Compared to its counterparts from Ironman, Lexani and other budget-oriented manufacturers, Kenda tires are multiple steps above in terms of dry performance. That is great news not only for enthusiast drivers, but for anyone who wants their tires to be safe.

2. Above-Average Treadlife

Kenda tires aren’t the most durable on the market. Let there be no second thoughts about this.  Tires from premium manufacturers – Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental – will last longer. But their asking price will also blow a hole in your pocket.

Considering their price, Kenda tires definitely boast a long tread life. We have seen Kenda tires lasting as many as 20,000-miles longer than other cheap Chinese tires. Aside from that, they venture into premium tire territory with warranties of up to 65,000 miles.

3. Decent Wet Traction

Here is one thing that cannot be said about most budget or even mid-range tires. Kenda tires are more than capable of holding their own in mild-to-moderate wet conditions. Braking distances remain shorter, handling stays predictable, and hydroplaning is avoided.

Kenda’s touring tires, Vezda and Kenetica, have what it takes to handle wet conditions. Its mud-terrain and rocky terrain offerings have aggressive treads with deep channels to facilitate quick water evacuation. For this reason, most Kenda tires are safe for areas that receive a lot of rainfall.

4. Good Fuel Efficiency

Frustrated by the rising prices of gas? Make sure to check out Vezda and Kenetica. Both these tires have the lowest rolling resistance and, by extension, the highest fuel efficiency of any Kenda tire. This makes them ideal for cross-country rides.

Keep in mind, though, that these tires aren’t as fuel efficient as some of their pricier counterparts, especially those that have relied on technologies to keep the fuel bills down. Still, considering their price, the fuel economy is pretty decent.

5. Warranty

Most cheap tire manufacturers offer no warranty on their products. Want us to name names? Ironman and Sailun are two prominent tire makers that offer zero treadlife warranty, leaving you with no choice but to order a replacement the moment the tread depth gets dangerously low.

That is not the case with Kenda. This Chinese tire maker backs its products with warranties ranging between 45,000 and 65,000 miles, depending on models. The treadwear warranty is the longest in all-season category, with high performances tires’ warranties reflecting their smaller tread.

Why Should You NOT Buy Kenda Tires?

Here are the negative aspects of Kenda tires:

1. Not the Quietest

With a few exceptions, most Kenda tires aren’t ultra-quiet. The exceptions include the touring tire Vezda and the super-versatile Kenetica. Both these tires are relatively quiet on the highway. They are also stable and smooth to drive on, per drivers who have used them.

However, the Klever models are the loudest of the lot. The same is the case with Kenda A/T and R/T models, which might get noisy on the highway.

2. Not for Snow

Another area where Kenda could have done better is snow performance. The Chinese tire maker doesn’t have a dedicated winter tire, making its products ineligible for snowy winters. That said, some of its all-season tires can handle their own in light snow.

Still, if there are more than a few inches of snow on the road, Kenda tires won’t be ideal. In such situations, we recommend opting for dedicated winter tires, such as the Michelin X-Ice Xi3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the queries people have about Kenda tires:

Who makes the Kenda tire?

Kenda Rubber Industrial Company manufactures these tires in manufacturing facilities located in Taiwan, Vietnam, Mainland China, and Indonesia.

Does Cooper make Kenda tires?

Cooper tires struck a marketing and distribution deal with American Kenda Rubber Industrial Company in 2004. However, in 2019, both the companies decided to bring an end to the partnership. The Kenda USA Corp. is now performing these functions in the US. 

How long do Kenda tires last?

On average, Kenda tires last 20,000-miles longer than other products from other cheap tire makers. Their long road life is reflected by the warranties (up to 65,000-miles) that some Kenda tires enjoy.

Are Kenda tires loud?

Most Kenda tires aren’t super-quiet.

The exceptions to this are the touring tire Vezda and the super-versatile Kenetica. Both are quiet on highway speeds and offer a comfortable ride to passengers. However, be ready to hear lots of noise if you opt for any of the Klever models.

How much do Kenda tires cost?

The fact that Kenda tires are super-cheap is evident from their price. You can get a high-quality Kenda tire for as low as $45 per tire. While it’s higher than what cheap brands charge for their products, it is still pretty low what most mid-range and premium brands want you to pay for their tires.

Where are Kenda tires made?

Kenda tires are made in manufacturing facilities located in Taiwan, Vietnam, Mainland China, and Indonesia. At the cost of sounding repetitive, these facilities are owned by the Kenda Rubber Industrial Company.

Are Kenda tires good in snow?

Almost all Kenda tires can hold their own in light snow. However, if you live in an area which receives more than a couple of inches for snow, dedicated winter tires are a better bet.