Firestone Destination LE3 Tire Review

‍Overview

If you spend most of your time driving on the highway, then you will need a high-quality tire, which can deliver outstanding traction and grip. You also need a tire with accurate steering response as well as great handling.

As a long-distance driver, you will also need a tire that can deliver a smooth, quiet and comfortable ride. You also want a tire that can deliver reliable performances in all weather conditions.

Furthermore, you will also need a tire that will deliver a long tread life, without costing you too much. And the Firestone Destination LE3 is marketed as such a tire.

But, does it deliver according to expectations? That’s exactly what we are going to cover in this Firestone Destination LE3 review. We will explore every aspect of this tire in this guide. And by the time you finish reading this guide, you will have all the answers you need, to decide whether this is the right all-season tire for your vehicle.

About the Firestone Destination LE3

The Destination LE3 is an all-season tire, designed for drivers of passenger vehicles. It was released as a successor to the Destination LE2, which is a highly popular tire in this category. Since its release, it has become one of Firestone’s best-selling tires.

According to Firestone, the Destination LE3 is designed to deliver dependable and safe driving on dry, wet and snow-covered surfaces. It’s also built to offer a quiet, smooth and comfortable ride.

Design Features and Performance Technologies

As we have mentioned above, this tire is designed to perform well throughout the year. And this means you should expect a stable and safe ride in most conditions. Also, it’s designed to provide you with a comfortable, smooth and quiet ride.

Accordingly, Firestone outfitted the Destination LE3 with various features and technologies, so that it can meet these goals. Some of these features and technologies include:

Advanced Rubber Compound

The Destination LE3 features an advanced rubber compound, designed to help this tire perform well in all weather conditions. Firestone has also utilized a symmetric tread pattern in this tire, designed to deliver a smooth ride and comfortable ride, as well as accurate steering response and handling.

TractionTech Package

The Destination LE3 also comes with Firestone’s TractionTech package. This package features full-depth 3D features, specifically designed to help the tire maintain its performance, even as its tread wears down. So, you can expect this tire to retain its decent traction, steering response and handling even when its tread is almost worn down completely.

Hydro-Grip Technology

Firestone has also utilized its exclusive Hydro-Grip technology in this tire. This technology features an optimized tread pattern and open shoulder slots. As its name suggests, this technology is designed to enhance the tire’s performance in rainy conditions.

The Destination LE3 also comes with four circumferential grooves, as well as several lateral grooves. These longitudinal and lateral grooves work together to disperse water and slush from the tire. And this translates to enhanced hydroplaning resistance.

Full-Depth 3D Sipes

The Destination LE3 also features full-depth 3D sipes. These sipes help to increase the biting edges on the tire. And this leads to better traction and grip on snow-covered surfaces.

Durable Construction

The Destination LE3 is made using highly durable compounds, designed to resist premature wear and tear. Also, this tire comes with a three-ply sidewall, designed to protect it against damage. In short, it’s built for long-term use.

Firestone Destination LE3 Performance

Without a doubt, the Firestone Destination LE3 comes well-equipped to deliver safe and reliable driving performances across different weather conditions. However, saying the tire can deliver and actually delivering are two different things.

Therefore, the only way to prove whether this tire performs as expected is to do a test drive. And this is exactly what we did. We performed a series of tests on this tire using a 2018 Toyota RAV 4 and assessed its dry performance, wet performance, and snow performance. After several months of testing, we made the following observations.

Dry Performance

The Destination LE3 performed much better than we had expected on dry roads. The steering was timely and responsive, even during the tire’s first miles. And this was quite a surprise, considering its price.

Also, its grip levels on dry roads were equally outstanding. And this can be attributed to its advanced tread compound. As much as this tire may not outperform the premium tires in its class, it comes extremely close to beating them.

Furthermore, it delivered exceptional cornering grip and traction, even when we pushed the RAV 4 to its limits. And unlike some of the other all-season tires out there, the Destination LE3 doesn’t go hunting for traction when the vehicle is not fully loaded.

Besides, it delivered some of the shortest braking distances that we’ve observed in this class. In fact, the braking distances that the Destination LE3 delivered are almost similar to its premium competitors.

Overall, the Destination LE3 remains one of the best all-season tires for daily driving. The grip and traction were outstanding, the handling was stellar and the steering response was timely and precise.

So, if you are in the market for an affordably-priced tire for your truck, SUV or crossover, then you should check out the Destination LE3. It’s the perfect tire for your daily driving needs.

Wet Performance

Heavy rain tends to present a problem for some all-season tires. But, we can confidently say that this is not the issue with the Destination LE3. If you have a set of this tire on your vehicle, then you can expect a safe ride in rainy weather.

When performing our test drives, the Destination LE3 felt confident all through. Its cornering grip was more than sufficient while its hydroplaning resistance was outstanding. And as a result, our RAV 4 remained stable all through, even when we were cruising at higher speeds in heavy rain. Furthermore, we didn’t experience any issues of oversteer or understeer.

Its braking distances remained short, just like was the case on dry surfaces. Also, they are the shortest that we’ve recorded so far in this category. In our opinion, this is one of the best performers in this class.

We should point out that some tires out there may deliver better performances in heavy rain than the Firestone Destination LE3. But, they cost considerably more compared to the Destination LE3.

So, if you are in the market for a budget all-season tire that you can depend on to take you safely to your destination even during heavy rain, then you can never go wrong with the Destination LE3. We highly recommend this tire, based on our experience with it.

Snow and Ice Performance

The LE2’s performance in snow and ice was somehow disappointing, based on some tests that we performed. And, it’s clear that Firestone took this feedback seriously and made the necessary improvements which are reflected in the LE3. The Destination LE3 feels much better in snow and ice, compared to the LE2.

When assessing the Destination LE3, we observed that it delivered much better acceleration traction in snowy conditions, compared to its predecessor. Also, its traction in snow and ice is above average, compared to other all-season tires in its price point.

Therefore, the chances of being stuck when you are driving on light snow with this tire are minimal. In addition, it also delivered much better cornering grip as well as shorter braking distances than most of the other all-season tires. Its outstanding performance in light snowy conditions can be attributed to the full-depth 3D sipes.

Also, its steering response and handling in these conditions are great. You will drive your vehicle with confidence without experiencing any skidding or sliding from one end of the road to the other.

However, we should mention that as much as this tire is a dependable performer in snowy conditions, it’s not built for severe wintry conditions. While it will manage light snowy conditions comfortably, heavy snowy conditions are a different story altogether.

Simply put, the Destination LE3 may not guarantee maximum safety in heavy snowy conditions. To this end, we recommend that you equip your truck, SUV or crossover with proper winter tires if your area experiences heavy snowing during the winter months.

Off-roading Performance

The Destination LE3 is, without a doubt, a decent performer on regular tarmac roads. Its traction, grip, steering response, cornering and overall handling are great, based on our first-hand experience. However, this may not be the case if you venture off the beaten path.

So, if you are looking to go off-roading, then the Destination LE3 may not be the best choice for these conditions. It’s designed to be used on regular tarmac roads. Its construction is not solid enough to handle the rugged elements like sharp rocks and tree stumps, present in off-road terrains.

Ride Quality

When it comes to ride quality, this tire will not disappoint you. During our test drives, the Destination LE3 smoothed out road imperfections easily. Therefore, we didn’t experience any discomfort whatsoever. Furthermore, there was hardly any road noise or vibrations coming into the cabin, even at higher speeds.

However, there’s a noticeable level of discomfort when you are driving on rough roads filled with potholes. You may notice some loss of refinement. But overall, the ride experience is great. It’s an outstanding touring tire.

Firestone Destination LE3 Warranties and Guarantees

Firestone backs its tires with outstanding warranties and guarantees. And this also happens to be the case with the Destination LE3. It stands behind the LE3 with a workmanship and materials warranty, a treadwear mileage warranty as well as a buy-and-try guarantee.

Materials and Workmanship Warranty

Firestone offers to replace your LE3 if it becomes unserviceable as a result of defects caused by workmanship and materials. You will get an equivalent new tire free of charge or receive pro-rated credit, depending on the time the tire becomes unserviceable.

If the tire is removed from service because of materials and workmanship defects during the first three years from its purchase date, then Firestone will replace it with an equivalent new tire, free of charge.

On the other hand, if the tire is removed from service due to defects caused by materials and workmanship, you will receive pro-rated credit, which will be applied at the time of the tire’s replacement. In this case, the amount you will pay for the new tire will be minus the pro-rated credit that you get from Firestone.

Treadwear Mileage Warranty

The Destination LE3 comes with a 70,000-mile treadwear warranty. Under this warranty, if your LE3’s tread wears uniformly down to its tread wear indicators before it delivers the warranted 70,000 miles, then Firestone will replace it with an equivalent new tire.

However, you won’t get a free replacement. Instead, you will get pro-rated credit, which will be applied at the time of the tire’s replacement. The amount you will receive is dependent on the mileage percentage the tire has failed to deliver by the time it wears down completely, multiplied by its current selling price.

90-Day Buy and Try Guarantee

If you purchase a set of four or more Destination LE3 tires, you will also qualify for this guarantee. According to this guarantee, if you are not fully satisfied with your set of four or more Destination LE3 tires, you can return them to the location where you originally bought them within 90 days. You can then ask for an exchange or a full refund.

Firestone Destination LE3 Sizes and Fitment

The Destination LE3 comes in a vast selection of sizes. The sizes run between 16 inches and 22 inches. Currently, there are approximately 64 different sizes for this tire. Hence, if you own a light truck, SUV or crossover, then there’s a chance that the LE3 will fit your vehicle.