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Last updated 10/16/2024 - Originally published 10/16/2024
Written by SimpleTire
When you’re in the market for premium all-season touring tires for crossovers and SUVs, there is a head-spinning array of options to choose from – so many that it can be a little overwhelming. In the course of this head-to-head comparison review, we’re going to zoom in for a closer look at the Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra and Falken Ziex CT60 A/S, both of which are strong performers and excellent values in their own right. These are tires that have a lot in common and some notable contrasts as well as their own unique sets of strengths and weaknesses, and we’ll get a bit deeper into all that as we go along.
In the course of this product comparison, you’ll see us make frequent references to SimpleScore numbers. If you’re not familiar with that, SimpleScore is a proprietary ranking system that the SimpleTire team developed for tires. We look at the tire’s technical details, specs, manufacturer info, customer reviews, and other data points to determine numerical values for the categories of traction, longevity, and handling on each tire, as well as an overall average SimpleScore for each. It’s designed to be a quick and handy way to get an overview of a tire’s capability and performance in those respects. In the case of the Falken Ziex CT60 AS and Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra, the SimpleScore ratings break down this way:
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra:
- Traction: 9.7
- Handling: 9.5
- Longevity: 9.8
- Overall average: 9.6
Falken Ziex CT60 A/S:
- Traction: 8.5
- Handling: 8.7
- Longevity: 8.8
- Overall average SimpleScore: 8.6
As you can see, these tires are pretty closely matched but there are also some disparities in SimpleScores. SimpleScore is a handy at-a-glance resource, but it’s also a 30,000-foot view that doesn’t give you a comprehensive, detailed idea of what you’d be getting into with a tire. Let’s go in for a closer look with this Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra vs. Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tires comparison, shall we?
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra tires
First up in this tire shootout review is the Alenza A/S Ultra from Bridgestone. The Alenza A/S Ultra is a tire that’s designed to let you get to the outer edges of your vehicle’s handling and braking performance while still offering year-round traction and ride quality that’s accommodating and plush. The Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra uses a next-generation silica-rich tread formulation for great wear properties and consistent all-season performance. On wet roads, the Alenza features a symmetric all-season tread design with a system of circumferential and angled grooves that reroute water through and behind the tire’s contact patch to help resist any tendency to hydroplaning.
When the snow starts flying, the Alenza A/S Ultra has a dense network of sipes- hundreds of tiny hair-thin slits distributed through the tread blocks to multiply the tire’s surface area and enhance traction, helping slice through snow and slush. It also incorporates Bridgestone’s innovative Snow Vices- grooves that collect and retain snow to build snow-to-snow friction in wintry weather. The internal design of the A/S Ultra helps deliver a balance of durability and stability with ride comfort and handling. Internal construction details include a two-ply polyester casing, a twin steel belt package, and a single nylon reinforcement ply that helps cushion the ride. The Alenza A/S Ultra is quiet on the highway too. Bridgestone’s QuietTrack design suite reduces road noise and harshness by canceling certain frequencies and harmonics. Bridgestone backs the Alenza A/S Ultra with a phenomenal 80,000 mile limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty. When it comes to SimpleScore ratings, the Alenza A/S Ultra is a tire that looks pretty strong all around, pulling in an overall average score of 9.7. SimpleTire’s price on the Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra starts at $191.99 per tire.
Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tires
Up against the Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra, we’ve got the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S, another very capable and competent premium all-season tire. Handling and traction both get a boost from Falken’s 3D Canyon Sipes, a system that’s designed to interlock, stabilizing the tread and resisting premature wear that goes with the higher center of gravity of CUVs and SUVs. Rigidity is a key part of any tire’s handling properties, as the weight and momentum of a vehicle try to keep pushing it in a straight line as you round a corner. That momentum puts a lot of stress on the tire’s sidewall and shoulder and can lead to deformation and “tread squirm,” sometimes with the inboard side of the tire leaving the pavement completely. The reinforced shoulder rib of the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S resists tread squirm for handling and cornering ability that are sharp and crisp.
On wet roads, the Falken’s symmetric tread pattern with polygonal-shaped inside grooves and wide circumferential grooves help to resist hydroplaning by evacuating water and slush from the tire’s footprint. The wet-weather grip also gets a boost from a silica-enriched tread formulation, cutting braking distances and delivering great wear properties. The Falken’s contact patch is redesigned to put more rubber in contact with the road for optimized handling, braking, and control, and low rolling resistance helps to cut fuel consumption and emissions.
Available in 16” to 22” sizes, the Ziex CT60 A/S is backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty along with a 30-Day test drive and optional road hazard coverage. SimpleTire’s price on the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S starts at $118 per tire.
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra vs Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tires on traction
How do the Bridgestone and the Falken look against each other when it comes to traction? With a SimpleScore of 9.7 for the Bridgestone and 8.5 for the Falken, it’s not close. While neither tire has the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake rating for severe winter service, the Bridgestone’s Snow Vices feature (designed to develop snow-to-snow friction and grip) gives it a definite advantage in light snow. That’s along with a strategically placed set of sipes and a groove network that delivers a confident grip in wet weather. Our decision:
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra vs Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tires on handling
In the handling category, the margin between SimpleScore ratings is a lot closer with 9.5 for the Bridgestone and 8.7 for the Falken. First, remember that these are all-season tires, and if you’re looking for the white-knuckle, adrenalin-squirting cornering and steering response of a UHP tire, you might be disappointed. These are tires that are designed to be predictable and stable on winding roads and on-ramps, with few vices and composed stable road manners. The Alenza A/S Ultra is designed with reinforced shoulder blocks that resist the tread deformation and “tread squirm” that go along with hard cornering, helping to keep the tread firmly planted on the road for great control. While the SimpleScores are so close (and customer reviews moved the needle a bit as well), we have to give the nod to:
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra
Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra vs Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tires on longevity
In the longevity category, this one is a little interesting. The Falken’s 65,000 mile limited manufacturer’s tread life coverage is commendable, and it’s the kind of thing you would seldom see on any tire – helping to pull down a very solid SimpleScore of 8.8. As strong as that SimpleScore is, though, it barely compares to the 9.8 with the Bridgestone and its 80,000 mile coverage. A couple of decades ago, a tire with an 80,000 mile limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty would have been unheard of – tread compounds and tire engineering just could not deliver that kind of service life. That was then, though, and this is now; our decision is:
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra
When to use each
What are your needs and your driving habits, and how does that affect your choice of tires? If you’re living in a part of the country that experiences rough winter conditions every year, with the kind of winter storms that come through and leave several inches of snow that lingers for days at a time, all-season tires like these might not fit your needs. If you’ve got a 4WD-equipped SUV or crossover and like to go off the pavement in loose dirt, mud, sand, or rough terrain like ranch roads or oilfield lease roads, you might not be satisfied with the Bridgestone or the Falken. If, on the other hand, you’re driving a late-model high-end SUV or crossover and you’re looking for refined and hushed ride quality, handling that’s sharp and precise, long tread life with a generous warranty, and year-round performance in every kind of conditions other than heavy snow, the Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra and Falken Ziex CT60 A/S could both be a great fit for you.
Which one should you choose?
So, here’s what it all comes down to. With an overall SimpleScore of 8.6 for the Falken vs 9.6 for the Bridgestone, it all seems pretty lopsided and the Bridgestone tops the Falken in all the pertinent categories as well. It doesn’t mean that the Falken isn’t a good tire or a great value, though; the 65,000 mile limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty with the Falken says a lot about the tire just by itself. So let’s consider prices as part of the equation too, then: the Bridgestone starts at $191.99 per tire vs $118 per tire for the Falken. After taxes and installation, that will mean almost a $400 difference in price for a whole set of four, and that’s not exactly a chump change. Yes, the Bridgestone is a superior tire, but we’d break it all down this way: if you can afford the Bridgestone Alenza A/S Ultra, that’s the tire you should choose. If you want to save a considerable amount on a set of four, opt for the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S. It’s our legitimate take here at the SimpleTire headquarters that you won’t be making a bad call either way.
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.