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Last updated 10/30/2024 - Originally published 10/30/2024
Written by SimpleTire
There are plenty of States that experience cold weather conditions for three or more months a year. As long as the snowfall is not extremely severe and for more than six months at a stretch, you can make use of all-weather tires. As the name suggests, these can be used throughout the year and fall between all-season and winter tires. They are capable of handling harsh winter conditions involving deep snow and temperatures below 45 degrees Fahrenheit and also do not have to be stored for months on end, unlike winter tires. Not having to purchase another set of tires for winter can be a huge advantage here.
Now that you’re convinced about them, we would like to compare two of the best all-weather options: Bridgestone Weatherpeak and Kumho Solus HA32. Both tires can be fitted on various kinds of vehicles, including sedans, CUVs, coupes, SUVs, and minivans. There may be a huge difference in terms of prices for both tires, but the features are not all that different, as you will soon find out. There’s a slim difference in terms of tread depths and both tires showcase the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol for grip and handling in deep snow and slush.
We shall make use of an in-house rating system called SimpleScore to know how well each tire performs across parameters such as traction, handling, and longevity. We will also provide an average SimpleScore for the tire to give you a holistic idea. To know more about which one will be a better purchase for your vehicle, read this Weatherpeak vs Solus HA32 tires comparison further.
Bridgestone Weatherpeak tires
Despite being Japanese, Bridgestone has become well-known in the US since 1967. This tire giant enjoys a great deal of customer trust, which already contributes to its products being innovative. Bridgestone Weatherpeak has several top-of-the-line features, including full-depth 3D sipes that minimize uneven wear, open shoulder slots for wet grip, snow vices, a groove channel for improved traction, and more. These all-weather tires are also covered by a limited manufacturer tread life warranty and can be given an outstanding average SimpleScore of 9.7. Such a score makes it fairly evident that there’s nothing much Bridgestone can really do to improve it, it is already equipped with various great capabilities!
Kumho Solus HA32 tires
Kumho Solus HA32 is an innovative all-weather tire that possesses several cutting-edge design elements. It is packed with new features and innovations. Having been created with European and American road conditions in mind, its distinctive V-shaped directional tread and angled grooves improve performance in wet weather by rerouting water and slush away from the tire's contact patch, preventing hydroplaning. Pine resin is mixed into its recently created tread compound to provide long wear, reduced stopping distances, steady winter traction, and environmental sustainability. The 3D slope tie-bars connect the center blocks of the tread for improved rigidity, turning ability, and straight-line road manners.
The hourglass-shaped visible wear indicators that are integrated into the tread are very useful since they give the driver an early warning when winter performance will begin to decline as a result of tread wear. The winter and wet weather grip available here is further multiplied by 3D sipes. The Kumho Solus HA32 is available with an attractive tread life warranty and achieves an overall SimpleScore of 8.7, which makes it a great option for anyone searching for a trustworthy set of all-weather tires.
Bridgestone Weatherpeak vs Kumho Solus HA32 tires on traction
Customers primarily choose all-weather tires over all-season tires due to the former's superior winter grip as the latter are only effective in light snow. These two tires include the Three Peak Mountain Snowflake emblem, which denotes excellent deep snow performance. The Weatherpeak has snow vices and a special groove channel for superior grip. It also has full-depth 3D sipes and evolving sipes for even more traction. To facilitate wet traction by rapidly eliminating water from the treads, there are open shoulder regions.
However, to improve both dry and wet traction, 3D sipes and a tread compound soaked with pine resin are highly advantageous. Furthermore, compared to the Weatherpeak's symmetrical tread design, the Solus HA32's directional tread pattern is more helpful for gaining traction.
We found the Bridgestone tires are suitable for an exceptional average traction SimpleScore of 9.8. Compared to this, the Kumho is good enough for a score of 8.5.
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Weatherpeak
Bridgestone Weatherpeak vs. Kumho Solus HA32 tires on handling
Bridgestone Weatherpeak tires showcase a slightly higher tread depth than Kumho Solus HA32, which is why the latter holds an edge in terms of performance. Full-depth 3D sipes and an optimized tread pattern are useful for providing performance with grip on wet and snowy surfaces. Central ribs and open shoulder slots provide better driving control in wet and snowy conditions by resisting hydroplaning for better wet performance. As per the above, we feel that the Weatherpeak is suitable for earning a marvelous score of 9.5.
With a SimpleScore of 8.8 for the handling category, the Solus HA32 is another squeaker.
Granted, neither of these tires could be expected to offer the overall handling characteristics, cornering abilities, or steering reaction of an Ultra-high-performance (UHP) tire given their scores below 9.0. But when it comes to handling, they're as adept and quick. A directional tread pattern is helpful for good handling and a combination of sipes and lateral grooves prevents hydroplaning for better wet performance. Natural compounds are used to make this tire which means that it is eco-friendly and an innovative tread leads to better braking performance.
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Weatherpeak
Bridgestone Weatherpeak vs. Kumho Solus HA32 tires on longevity
Both tires are available with limited manufacturer tread life warranties, although the warranty is slightly longer on the Weatherpeak. While the Weatherpeak receives a 70,000-mile tread life warranty, the Solus HA32 manages to give you peace of mind for 60,000 miles tread life coverage. Full-depth 3D sipes on the Bridgestone tire also help keep uneven wear at bay. On the other hand, the innovative tread and 3D interlocking sipes on the Kumho are useful for long-lasting wear.
It’s the quality of the tread compound that leads to a major difference between the two. Expect the Weatherpeak to be good enough for an average longevity SimpleScore of 9.8 and the Solus HA32 to be 8.9. The gap is relatively big here, but not without reasons.
ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Weatherpeak
When to use each
The Bridgestone Weatherpeak and Kumho Solus HA32 are both great options for all-weather tires if you're looking for reliable, consistent traction all year round. Both of them offer exceptional year-round performance, are certified by Three Peak Mountain Snowflake for winter traction, and have extensive tread life warranties. All-weather tires are an excellent, adaptable option when you have to deal with severe winter weather, as we mentioned from the outset, and also because specialized winter tires are a bit more hassle than you may wish to deal with.
Winter tires are made using a softer tread compound that stays flexible for grip at subfreezing temperatures (think of the traction from a soft rubber boot vs a hard-rubber hockey puck). While their winter traction is unbeatable, there’s a downside: that tread compound becomes softer with time and will wear down quickly on warmer days, especially at temperatures above 40-45 degrees.
Which one should you choose?
Between the two, the Bridgestone Weatherpeak trumps the Kumho Solus HA32 on almost all the above parameters. However, the Solus HA32 does hold an advantage not just in terms of its tread pattern, but also in terms of price. While the Weatherpeak starts at $167.99 ($672 for 4), the Solus HA32 is priced from $102 ($408 for 4) onwards.
To summarize, buy the Bridgestone Weatherpeak if:
- You want a higher warranty
- Winter safety is an important criterion
- You want access to a wider service network
- You want better dry and wet traction
Consider choosing the Kumho Solus HA32 if:
- You want better braking and stability
- You want performance wear indicators
- You want the cheaper tire
Still unsure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help. Our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.