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Last updated 12/12/2024 - Originally published 12/12/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Founded in 1912, Armstrong Tire is an American company that once rose to be the world’s fifth largest tire manufacturer. Fresh energy and the legacy of over a century has enabled the brand to roll out top-quality tires in categories such as all-season, all-weather, performance, winter, and highway-terrain. Similarly, the Taiwanese tire maker Kenda is another favorite among buyers looking for great quality tires at reasonable prices. Introduced in 1962, it has been manufacturing tires for passenger cars, CUVs, SUVs, minivans, and light trucks in several categories including all-terrain, mud-terrain, rugged-terrain, and all-season. The all-season tires – Blu-Trac PC from Armstrong and the Kenetica (KR217) from Kenda – are known to offer a longer service life with solid mileage warranties.
Designed for various types of passenger cars, the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC and Kenda Kenetica (KR217) are great all-season tires that offer adequate traction, grip, handling, and wearability in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions. They last longer and provide a fantastic grip in changing weather conditions except for moderate to severe winter conditions. The Armstrong and Kenda tires are offered with solid limited manufacturer warranties assuring superb longevity and value for your money. So, which one will you go for? Let’s compare Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs. Kenda Kenetica (KR217) based on our proprietary SimpleScore system and find out the winner.
Armstrong Blu-Trac PC tires
Launched a few years back, the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC delivers adequate traction, braking, and control with exceptional tread life. With a symmetrical tread pattern designed for passenger cars, the Armstrong tire offers smooth ride quality with reduced noise and vibration levels along with uniform wear throughout its lifespan. While the self-locking sipes system allows increased water evacuation for improved braking and traction, the Blue-Trac PC’s lateral chamfered edges enhance tread rigidity and reduce rolling resistance for high fuel savings. Backed by a solid 85,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC has a 6-year limited warranty, 24/7 roadside assistance, road hazard repairs, and a 30-day money-back guarantee scheme.
With an average SimpleScore of 8.5 out of 10, the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC guarantees great year-round performance in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions.
Kenda Kenetica (KR217) tires
Introduced in 2018, the Kenda Kenetica (KR217) is an all-season touring tire focused on delivering reduced noise and vibration levels for a comfortable and quiet journey. The second-generation Kenda tire features four large circumferential grooves for quick water dispersal to avoid the risk of hydroplaning and boost wet performance. While the strategically placed tie-bars improve block stiffness for great dry handling and wearability, the Kenetica (KR217)’s high sipe density allows increased traction in rainy and snowy weather. The symmetric tread design not only helps boost performance and lower noise levels but also aids in great wearability across dry, wet, and light snow conditions. With an M&S rating, the Kenetica comes with lightweight construction for enhanced durability and a solid 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
With an 8.3 average score, the Kenda Kenetica (KR217) assures all-around performance in traction, handling, and longevity.
Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Kenda Kenetica (KR217) tires on traction
With changing weather conditions, tire traction becomes highly critical as it maintains the grip on the surface. All-season tires are the jack of all trades-type as they offer great traction around the year in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. Let’s check the traction scores of the Blu-Trac PC and Kenetica (KR217).
Scoring 7.9, the Armstrong tire features a symmetric tread pattern with circumferential grooves for effective water removal and consistent traction in dry and wet conditions. Moreover, the self-locking sipes regulate the water flow for increased braking and traction in rain.
On the other hand, the Kenda scores 8.3 thanks to its four circumferential grooves that mitigate the risk of hydroplaning by flushing out water from the tread. Additionally, dense sipes and deep tread depth maximize snow and wet traction.
The Kenda Kenetica (KR217) proves to be better ‘armed’ than the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC.
ADVANTAGE: Kenda Kenetica (KR217)
Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Kenda Kenetica (KR217) tires on handling
Handling is directly proportional to your safety on the road as it helps you control the vehicle. Both tires provide adequate steering response on different surfaces.
Boasting an 8.2, the Blu-Trac PC features systematically designed chamfered edges of the lateral grooves to help improve tread rigidity for better steering response and increased control over the vehicle.
With a fantastic 8.7 handling score, the Kenetica (KR217) features thoughtfully placed tie bars that boost block rigidity and improve handling in dry conditions. Its solid center rib, shoulder design, deep tread depth, and computer-optimized pitch sequence aid in lending great stability and steering response.
The Kenda wins the handling section too by offering more control and accurate steering response than the Blu-Trac PC.
ADVANTAGE: Kenda Kenetica (KR217)
Armstrong Blu-Trac PC vs Kenda Kenetica (KR217) tires on longevity
The longevity of a tire is defined by how long a tire can survive on the road. Factors such as tire maintenance, weather and road conditions, tire pressure, and driving habits impact the tread life of a tire. The Armstrong Blu-Trac PC and Kenda Kenetica (KR217) ensure a longer service life.
Boasting an exceptional 9.7 longevity score, the Armstrong features a symmetric tread pattern that ensures smoother rolling of the tire on the road promoting gradual, even wear throughout its lifecycle. With a comprehensive policy that includes an incredible 85,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty as well as a 30-day money-back guarantee, and a 6-year limited warranty, you can be rest assured of its tread life.
Contrarily, the Kenda Kenetica (KR217) features a computer-optimized pitch sequence and a symmetric tread pattern that not only reduces road noise but also ensures even wear. Dense sipes also contribute to low wear, leading to a longevity score of 8.2. It is backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
The Armstrong Blu-Trac PC finally flexes its muscle and beats the Kenda in the longevity department.
ADVANTAGE: Armstrong Blu-Trac PC
When to use each
All-season tires offer exceptional performance in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions thanks to their all-season rubber compound, which adapts to the mildly changing weather conditions. They carry the longest tread life warranties from the manufacturer and offer great comfort and a quieter ride quality experience. The Armstrong and the Kenda all-season tires assure adequate performance considering their value-seeking drivers.
However, if you want year-round performance and better traction and control in moderate to severe winter conditions, the all-weather tires are the perfect choice as they are designed for unpredictable weather conditions. If the temperature in your region consistently remains below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 6 months at a stretch, winter tires should be your obvious choice.
Which one should you choose?
In a nutshell, the Kenda Kenetica (KR217) is a great option for drivers wanting better year-round traction and handling while the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC is the go-to tire for folks wanting lasting tread life and longer mileage warranty.
Based on SimpleScore, you can pick the Armstrong Blu-Trac PC if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Cadillac CTS, Hyundai Elantra, and Mitsubishi Mirage
- Want superior longevity (9.7 vs 8.2)
- Want a longer limited manufacturer tread life warranty (85,000 vs 60,000 miles)
You can go for the Kenda Kenetica (KR217) if you:
- Drive vehicles like the Honda Civic, Chevrolet Malibu, and Toyota Highlander
- Prefer better traction (8.2 vs 7.2)
- Want increased control and stability (8.7 vs. 8.2)
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.