Last Updated on August 25, 2022 by John Robinson
Touring tires offer first-rate driving comfort and durability during the long distance performance. They guarantee great controllability and, in most cases, excellent fuel efficiency with their tread design, compound construction and internal structure. These tires are designed to maintain their performing capability throughout their lifetime and to ensure a secure driving experience.
Touring tires are one of the most sought-after models on the tire market. As a result, manufacturers produce a wide range of different brands, models for varying fitments. Here at Priority Tire Outlet we have a long line-up of touring tires made for passenger vehicles.
One such tire is Bridgestone’s Ecopia EP422 Plus model, which promotes superb all weather traction, with a comfortable and fuel efficient drive. Furthermore, the tire has a 70,000 mile treadwear warranty.
- Who Makes Bridgestone Ecopia?
The Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus is a product of Bridgestone Corporation, one of the best tire manufacturers in the world. Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, this company has been around since Mar 1, 1931. It was founded by Shojiro Ishibashi, a Japanese entrepreneur.
- Are Ecopia Tires Good in Snow?
Ecopia EP422 tires are designed to enhance vehicle fuel economy by reducing tire rolling resistance along with the vehicle’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions while delivering year-round, all-season traction, even in light snow.
- Is Bridgestone Ecopia a Good Tire?
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422. The latest in our line of environment-conscious tires, the Ecopia™ EP422™ is an all-season tire that delivers a smooth, comfortable ride. … With its innovative tread compound and advanced traction technology, the tire is a strong, reliable performer on wet and dry surfaces all year long.
What Are Ecopia Tires?
ECOPIA line is designed to enhance fuel economy while delivering performance and a smooth ride. ECOPIA tires help channel water away from the tire through circumferential grooves, which improve resistance to hydroplaning and increase wet traction.
Features
Let’s explore the features of this tire that allow it to offer excellent performance and fuel efficiency.
- Bridgestone NanoPro Tech™ for Enhanced Performance
This technology controls the interaction between filler materials, polymer, and other rubber chemicals at the molecular level. By utilizing this unique tire development technology, these tires provide improved rolling resistance, reduced CO2, and enhanced fuel efficiency.
- Fuel Saver Sidewall Compound
These tires feature a Fuel Saver Sidewall compound, lowering rolling resistance by reducing heat generation and returning more energy back to the original tire.
Silica Offers Improved Traction in Wet Conditions
Made with silica to increase the flexibility of tread compound, these tires offer superior traction in wet conditions.
- Eco Friendly Construction
Five percent of the tread compound is made from recycled ground rubber, created from ground-up post-comsumer tires.
- Circumferential Grooves For Improved Resistance to Hydroplaning
To help prevent hydroplaning, these tires have circumferential grooves that help direct water out of the tire’s foot print area.
Is the Bridgestone EP422 Plus Compatible with My Vehicle?
Designed to fit most of the popular sedans, coupes, and wagons, the EP422 Plus will likely fit your vehicle. Some of the common cars that can use this tire include:
-Mitsubishi Lancer
-Mazda 3
-Mazda 6
-Ford Focus
-Ford Fusion
-Kia Optima
-Kia Rondo
-Buick Lesabre
-Chevrolet Cobalt
-Chevrolet Malibu
-Chrysler Sebring
-Dodge vehicles including the Neon, Grand Caravan, and Stratus
-Honda cars including the Civic, Accord, Fit, CRV, CR-Z, Insight
-Hyundai Sonata
-Mini Cooper
Remember, this isn’t a comprehensive list, so if your car is likely able to use this tire even if you don’t see your car on the list. It’s estimated that this tire fits about 80 percent of the vehicles on the road, ensuring the odds are in your favor that these tires match up with your car.
What We Like About This Tire
The tire’s lower rolling resistance improves fuel efficiency.
Performs well in dry and wet conditions.
This tire’s tread life is impressive.
The circumferential grooves help prevent hydroplaning, keeping you safe while driving in the rain.
What We Don’t Like About This Tire
Probably the only con of this tire is its winter performance, although, this is to be expected as the tire’s not a winter tire.
Our Impression of This Tire
The original EP422 was a good seller for Bridgestone over multiple years, due to its good performance. This second-generation tire improves on its predecessor in multiple ways. Handling and traction is really good on dry or wet roads, plus the ride is comfortable and quiet, which is to be expected when you look at the tire’s tread design.
The main problem with the old tire was tread life, and this has been fixed with the new tire. As mentioned earlier in the review, on average, this tire gives drivers an extra 20 miles per tank. While that may not sound like much, the small amount of savings adds up over time.
Some people report that this tire is a bit too grippy for about the first 1,000 miles. Because of this, the tire rides really soft and this creates a slightly numb steering feeling. But after putting some miles on the tire, this issue goes away.
Poor winter traction is this tire’s biggest issue. If you’re driving through ice or deep snow, you’re likely to struggle with acceleration and braking. In order to prevent this, it’s recommended to install a dedicated winter tire on your car if you expect to see ice and snow during the winter.
However, if winter traction isn’t an important factor in your decision, this tire is a great choice for someone looking for a fuel efficient touring all-season tire that offers good value.
ALL WEATHER PERFORMANCE
Most touring models ensure excellent all weather traction. They upgrade the dry, wet and winter weather road gripping ability by firmly gripping the road surface thanks to their tread design and all season compound. These models are more popular on the tire market as they can be used throughout the year without an incident.
The Ecopia EP422 Plus combines its tread design and all season compound to boost its year round performance. The detailed symmetric tread pattern upgrades the tire’s grip on the road surface with the optimal siping detail and notch placement. They increase the number of biting edges gripping the road surface, guaranteeing a secure performance. The tire was manufactured with Bridgestone’s special NanoPro-Tech which enhances the tire’s grip. The special compound enhances the tire’s traction on a molecular level and boosts its all weather road grip and performance.
The tire also successfully prevents hydroplaning. The tread pattern features wide circumferential grooves that channel water and slush away from the tire’s footprint. In this manner, the model avoids dangerous hydroplaning which happens when standing water and slush located on the road surface cuts off the tire’s contact with the road. The prevention of hydroplaning improves the tire’s wet and winter weather performing capability.
COMFORTABLE DRIVE
Road noise and vibrations that reach the vehicle’s cabin can ruin the driving enjoyment of the passengers. Manufacturers strive to design and produce tires that ensure exceptional comfort levels throughout their performance.
The Ecopia EP422 Plus guarantees low road noise and vibration levels. The tread pattern with its flat footprint maintains the tire’s road contact at all times. The flat footprint and the structure’s polyester cord allows the tire to closely follow the road surface. In this manner, the tire absorbs the shock of driving, which significantly decreases the vibration levels felt while the tires are in motion.
The tread design upgrades the comfort levels by reducing the road noise heard in the vehicle’s cabin. The optimized tread pattern channels the airwaves through the tire’s footprint, without allowing them to come into contact with the tread elements. This prevents the road and tread pattern noise from generating, guaranteeing a quiet and enjoyable driving experience.
FUEL EFFICIENCY
A tire’s fuel efficiency determines the vehicle’s fuel consumption. Such tires utilize their tread design, compound and internal structure to lower their rolling resistance to provide a fuel conscious and environmentally friendly performance.
Bridgestone’s Ecopia tires are known for their fuel efficient performance. They utilize the manufacturer’s NanoPro-Tech that increases the traction and eases the driving pressure off the tires. This compound and construction combination boosts the traction on a molecular level as the technology improves the silica-integration into the rubber compound. This decreases the rolling resistance, which is the external driving pressure affecting the tire, which determines the amount of energy the vehicle needs to maintain the tires in motion. The lessened rolling resistance guarantees the vehicle’s lower fuel intake and CO2 emissions.
The reduced rolling resistance also manages to lengthen the tread life. As the driving pressure does not affect the tire so severely, the tire’s tread wear rate is significantly slowed down. The slower tread wear rate extends the tread life and the tire’s usability and earns the tire it’s 70,000 mile treadwear warranty.
HANDLING AND DURABILITY
The tire’s controllability means its steering responsiveness and driving stability. In other words, how easily the tire can be controlled by the driver. The better control over the tires enables the driver to confidently maneuver the vehicle in all conditions.
The Ecopia EP422 Plus flat footprint and continuous center ribs keep the tire’s contact with the road surface at all times. This upgrades the steering responsiveness and driving stability during the model’s performance. As a result, the tire becomes faster and more accurate in its steering response to the driver’s instructions, while the structure is stabilized against the driving pressure affecting the model. The enhanced control improves the tire’s performing capability as well.
The tire’s twin steel belt internal structure features twin steel belts that keep its optimal shape. This enables the tire to perform at higher speeds with ease, without the fear of the tire shape’s deformation. In this manner, the tire guarantees a secure performance and driving experience.
Why Choose Bridgestone Ecopia?
The cost of owning and operating a car or an SUV is on the rise. Not only the fuel prices are going up but the traffic situation does not seem to get any better. Especially in large cities like Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, or Seattle.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus is a fuel saving tyre. Engineers at Bridgestone have found an ingenious way to lower the rolling resistance (the force required to roll a tyre) of the tyre. That too without compromising the safety of the passengers.
Furthermore, this tyre consists of high‑dispersing silica material. Since years, silica has been known to be the key ingredient that keeps the tyre from slipping or rolling amid rain, snow or adverse weather conditions. It also lowers the rolling resistance.
The Bottom Line
Although Bridgestone is a reputed brand, we would suggest you judge the Ecopia EP422 by the features it has to offer. Often we get caught chasing the brand name and forget to take our key requirement into account.
In this Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus review, we have shared all the necessary details about this particular tire. If you are planning to switch to Ecopia, make sure you talk to an auto expert first.
