Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Tire Review

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‍About the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

Launched in 2017, the Assurance WeatherReady is one of the company’s most popular grand-touring all-season tires.

But unlike other tires from the Assurance series, the WeatherReady comes with the three-peak snowflake mountain symbol or 3PMSF certification. And this is an indication that it has been certified safe for driving in severe wintry conditions.

According to Goodyear, the Assurance WeatherReady is engineered to deliver excellent all-year-around performance.

So, whether you are driving on dry roads or slippery surfaces, damp conditions or snow-covered roads, you can rely on this tire to deliver a safe and reliable driving experience.

Design Features and Technologies

As noted above, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is engineered to deliver reliable and capable dry and wet performances.

It’s also engineered to provide outstanding traction and safe handling in severe wintry conditions. Simply put, it can handle almost all types of weather conditions, as its name suggests.

To achieve these goals, Goodyear has outfitted it with several performance-oriented features like:

All-weather Tread Compound

Goodyear has equipped the Assurance WeatherReady with a soy-based, all-weather tread compound.

This soy-based tread compound remains flexible even in freezing temperatures. And this helps to enhance the tire’s traction and grip in snow-covered and ice-covered roads.

Asymmetric Tread Pattern

The Assurance WeatherReady’s tread compound has been formed into an asymmetric tread pattern.

This tread pattern features Goodyear’s exclusive Evolving Traction Grooves. According to Goodyear, these grooves will widen as the tire wears down.

Consequently, it will continue providing reliable and adequate traction in wet and snowy conditions, even after losing some percentage of its tread depth.

Circumferential and Sweeping Traction Grooves

The Assurance WeatherReady also sports four wide and deep circumferential grooves, as well as sweeping traction grooves.

These two types of grooves on the tire’s tread help to evacuate water away from the tire, thus increasing its hydroplaning resistance. Also, these grooves can help to boost the tire’s performance in slushy conditions.

Weather Reactive Technology

Goodyear has also provisioned the Assurance WeatherReady with its proprietary Weather Reactive Technology.

This technology works together with 3D Tredlock Technology, helps to improve the tire’s cornering grip in both wet and dry surfaces.

In addition, the 3D Tredlock Technology helps to lock the tire’s tread blocks during cornering, resulting in a stronger grip.

Also, it opens the tread blocks in rainy conditions, thus helping the tire to deliver better traction.

Zigzag Sipes

Unlike other all-season grand touring tires, the Assurance WeatherReady comes with zigzag biting edges.

These zigzag sipes are similar to what you would find in a standard winter tire. So, what’s their role in this tire?

Well, these zigzag sipes provide additional biting edges, resulting in enhanced snow and ice traction.

Three Peak Mountain Snowflake Symbol

As earlier mentioned, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady also sports the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol.

The 3PMSF designation is an indication that this tire has been certified safe for safe driving in harsh winter conditions.

Performance in Different Conditions

As noted earlier, this tire is designed to provide drivers with a safe and reliable driving experience in all weather conditions. But does it deliver as advertised?

I mounted a set of this tire on a Ford Focus and assessed its performance in a nearby tire providing ground. And I made the following observations.

Dry Tarmac

As much as all-season grand-touring tires may not outperform dedicated summer tires on dry tarmac, you can expect them to deliver a stellar performance.

And the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is no exception. It felt extremely responsive immediately after I hit the tarmac.

The steering response was top-notch, the cornering grip was great and acceleration traction was excellent.

Also, it delivered short braking distances throughout the test ride, even when I was bringing the Focus to a stop at higher speeds.

However, I must mention that its dry performance is slightly lower than some of the grand-touring tires in this category.

So, if you are looking for a tire that will deliver spirited dry performance, then the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady may not be the choice.

But, overall, its dry performance will be more than adequate for standard driving.  It will satisfy the daily driving needs of most drivers who own passenger cars.

Wet and Slippery Conditions

The Assurance WeatherReady performed as I had expected in wet conditions. It delivered adequate traction and grip, even on extremely wet surfaces.

Also, its aquaplaning resistance in wet conditions was top-notch, thanks to the presence of the wide and deep circumferential grooves on its tread.

Furthermore, the braking distances remained fairly short and the acceleration grip was even better than I had expected.

One of the issues I observed with this tire in wet conditions is that it exhibited some form of understeer, especially in heavy rain.

Overall, their wet performance is satisfactory in wet and slippery conditions. Some grand-touring all-season tires may outperform the Assurance WeatherReady in these conditions. However, such tires usually come with a higher price tag.

Performance in Snow and Ice

The Assurance WeatherReady delivered an impressive performance in snowy conditions and icy surfaces.

Its longitudinal grip and traction were great, meaning it’s almost impossible to get stuck anywhere in these conditions.

Also, its handling was excellent and it returned short braking distances on snow, ice and slush.

As much as the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady may not replace a dedicated winter tire, its performance on ice and snow is top-notch.

So, if you live in an area that experiences mild wintry conditions, then the Assurance WeatherReady will be more than capable.

On the other hand, if your area experiences harsh wintry conditions for several months, you should simply outfit your vehicle with a proper set of winter tires.

Off-road Driving Performance

The Assurance WeatherReady sports an aggressive tread pattern. So, does it mean you can use it for off-roading?

As much as this tire may provide you some traction in off-road conditions, it’s not built for such terrains.

It lacks the protective features found in mud terrain tires and all-terrain tires, meaning it’s vulnerable to chips, punctures and cuts.

Also, its tread may be severely damaged if you drive with it on hard-packed surfaces or terrains with sharp elements.

To this end, I didn’t bother testing this tire in off-road conditions since it’s not engineered for such terrains.

Ride Quality

As an all-season grand touring tire, you expect the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady to provide a refined ride. So, is this the case?

Without a doubt, the Assurance WeatherReady is one of the most comfortable tires in this category.

It will absorb both larger and smaller imperfections with ease. Also, you will not deal with road noise or excessive vibrations in the cabin.

Overall, the ride is smooth, quiet and cozy. If you are looking for a comfortable all-season touring tire for daily driving, then the Assurance WeatherReady deserves consideration.

Warranties and Guarantees

The Assurance WeatherReady comes with two distinct warranties. A workmanship and materials warranty and a tread life limited warranty.

Workmanship and Materials Warranty

Under this warranty, Goodyear promises to replace your Assurance WeatherReady tire if it’s removed from service due to workmanship or materials defects.

If the tire becomes unserviceable during its first 2/32-inch of the original usable tread or within the 12 months from the purchase date, the company will replace it with a comparable new one, free of charge.

And if the tire becomes unserviceable outside the free replacement period, Goodyear will replace it on a prorated basis. Coverage extends for six years from the date of purchase.

Tread Life Limited Warranty

The Assurance WeatherReady comes with a 60,000-mile tread life warranty. So, if this tire is worn down to its treadwear maintenance indicators without attaining this mileage, Goodyear will replace it with a new one.

However, all replacements under this warranty will be done on a prorated basis, meaning you will contribute a percentage of the tire’s replacement costs.

Sizes and Fitment

Goodyear produces this tire in numerous sizes, ranging between 16 inches and 20 inches. Here are a few of the vehicles that this tire can fit:

• Ford Focus, Taurus, Mustang GT and Flex
• Hyundai Elantra, Genesis and Sonata
• Chevrolet Impala, Cobalt, Sonic LTZ and Malibu
• Kia Soul, Optima, Forte and Rondo
• Dodge Avenger, Neon, Dart and Grand Caravan
• Subaru Impreza Outback and Legacy
• Nissan Leaf, Maxima, Sentra, Versa, Altima and Cube
• Toyota Solara, Camry, Sienna, RAV4, Avalon and Prius
• Honda Accord, Civic, Insight and CR-V

Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Pros

• Excellent wet and dry traction
• Outstanding performance in snow and ice
• Refined ride quality
• Remarkable handling and steering response

Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady Cons

• Short treadlife warranty

Should You Buy the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady?

The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady lives up to its name. It delivers outstanding traction, grip, handling and steering response in almost all conditions. It also provides a comfortable ride. And with its reasonable pricing, you are assured of getting value for your money with this tire.