Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires

Bridgestone is a popular brand in the tire industry, with the company being the largest tire manufacturer in the US. It has brands across all categories such as all-weather, UHP (Ultra High Performance), and others, but we will be talking about all-season tires here. In this comparison, we say how the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 flexes its muscles against Kumho Solus TA51a tires.

Both Bridgestone and Kumho are integral parts of the US tire industry, having brought forward several innovations and technological advancements that have shaped modern tire technology. They have a reputation for producing good quality tires for all types of passenger cars, minivans, and SUVs.

Designed for passenger vehicles, the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 and Kumho Solus TA51a are efficient all-season tires that offer great year-round performance in dry, wet, and light wintry conditions. While high grip, great traction, and favorable handling performance are common between the two, the Bridgestone tire offers a higher limited manufacturer tread life warranty. So, which is the perfect tire for your car? We shall complete this Ecopia EP422 vs Solus TA51a tires comparison based on our proprietary SimpleScore for you to figure out the best option as per your vehicle.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 tires

The Ecopia EP422 is one of Bridgestone's environmentally-oriented touring tires that ensures great performance across different parameters while minimizing its carbon footprint. Made of recycled tread compounds, the touring tire uses an all-season compound that features Bridgestone's NanoProTech for low rolling resistance that leads to high fuel efficiency. In fact, the fuel efficiency is further boosted by the company's Fuel Saver compound. Various innovations are available for enhancing dry and wet traction. Expect four circumferential grooves to evacuate water from beneath the tire's footprint, leading to minimal hydroplaning and safe wet traction. The Ecopia EP422’s internal structure consists of twin steel belts that are reinforced by nylon on a polyester casing, resulting in better durability and ride comfort. The figure for the limited manufacturer tread life warranty shall be revealed later, but what we can tell you is its average SimpleScore — 8.6.

Kumho Solus TA51a tires

One of the greatest selling points of the Kumho Solus TA51a is that it will allow you to enjoy a whisper-quiet ride due to ribs in the main channel grooves that break up the resonant noise. A unique high-grip compound is available for consistent year-round traction and the tire gets a variable limited manufacturer tread life warranty that is higher than Bridgestone. As all-season tires, you can be sure that Kumho Solus tires will be more sports-oriented than family-oriented, which means that they tilt in favor of great performance and handling on dry, wet, and light snow roads.

Apart from the above features, the Solus TA51a's price point also makes it an attractive purchase. The tire showcases wide grooves that eliminate water for minimal hydroplaning and better wet traction. There is no need to worry about stability on various surfaces as the 3D interlocking sipes take care of the same, along with steering control. Not just the Bridgestone, but the Kumho also generates favorable mileage figures due to its low rolling resistance design. Additionally, the healthy warranty limited manufacturer tread life warranty here is backed by Kumho's road hazard warranty and a 30-day trial. Available in several sizes, the Solus TA51a is suitable for an average SimpleScore of 8.8.

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on traction

Traction is essential for vehicle safety as a tire can sustain skid-free forward motion. Whether tires are all-season, Ultra-high Performance (UHP), all-weather, or any other type, we think that traction is still the most crucial characteristic for them. Both tires have been built to give great traction under different driving conditions, but only one of them will come out on top.

The recycled rubber compound on the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 is responsible for year-round traction on wet, dry, and light winter roads. It uses a combination of an all-season composition with Bridgestone's NanoProTech for minimal rolling resistance and energy loss, leading to great fuel economy and better grip. Additionally, there's a Fuel Saver compound to further boost the fuel efficiency, as the name suggests. Expect four circumferential grooves to drain water from beneath the tire's footprint, ensuring low hydroplaning and safer wet traction. Based on the above, it achieves an average traction score of 8.9.

The Kumho Solus TA51a's high dispersion silica and multipurpose polymers in the tread maximize grip during the winter. Four circumferential grooves are also seen here as they ensure effective water evacuation and lower hydroplaning. The Solus TA51a manages to achieve high traction using 3D interlocking sipes. The differences in the two rubber compounds are likely to be the major cause for different scores, as the Solus TA51a scores an average traction score of 8.6.

ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on handling

While the recycled rubber compound on the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 is responsible for grip, the tread depth also helps enhance handling performance. A symmetric tread design that includes intermediate ribs with independent center blocks and notched shoulders is available for better dry road tracking, As per the above, the Ecopia EP422 is suitable for an average handling score of 8.8.

The pleasure of riding is doubled and the driving confidence is increased with responsive steering. Both tires are designed for great handling and stability in dry, rainy, and light snow conditions during the year. For the Kumho Solus TA51a, a silica chamfer block edge bites into the road to ensure secure braking performance on wet roads. Great contact with the road during acceleration and braking shows great handling performance, leading to a handling score of 8.6.

ADVANTAGE: Bridgestone Ecopia EP422

Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on longevity

A tire's longevity is the potential number of years or miles it could last. Though the Kumho is somewhat ahead of the Bridgestone in the above, both tires have specialized all-season rubber formulations and high tread depths.

Reinforced sidewalls on the Ecopia EP422 minimize damages due to punctures, cuts, and abrasions, resulting in longer tread life. These sidewalls are also made using recycled rubber compounds and enable the tire to support heavy loads. A limited manufacturer tread life warranty of 65,000 miles is available with the Ecopia EP422. Additionally, sipes are responsible for ensuring even wear. We found the tire to be suitable for an average longevity score of 8.9.

On the other hand, there are 3D interlocking sipes on the Kumho Solus TA51a that also ensure uniform wear. A low rolling resistance design will allow you to derive the maximum mileage from these tires. The strength and durability of Kumho Solus tires are guaranteed with a strengthened belt construction. There's a limited tread life warranty of 75,000 miles for T-rated sizes and 65,000 miles for H-rated sizes, further backed by Kumho's Road Hazard warranty and a 30-day trial. As a result, this tire has an amazing average longevity rating of 9.3.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

When to use each

Designed to provide optimal traction, grip, handling, durability, and control in many driving conditions including dry, wet, and light snow, all-season tires are meant to provide a longer limited manufacturer tread life warranty and better year-round performance on paved roads than other tire types. You will see that both the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 and Kumho Solus TA51a offer low rolling resistance that results in good fuel economy. Apart from the above, these tires are made robust and durable. The Kumho tire shows greater longevity than the Bridgestone in this tire comparison.

Compared to the above, all-weather tires provide the same year-round usability but present a greater resistance to lower temperatures and better braking, grip, and traction in moderate to severe winter, largely due to the nature of their compounds. Similarly, it is best to shift to dedicated winter tires if the temperature stays below 45 degrees Fahrenheit for several months a year.

Which one should you choose?

It's great to notice that both manufacturers are keen for these tires to return healthy mileage figures on the respective vehicles since both feature low rolling resistance designs. The Bridgestone is ahead of the Kumho in 2 out of 3 parameters, but what remains to be compared is the price. While comparing prices for the 205/55R17 size, the Bridgestone turned out to be more expensive, costing $203 per tire ($812 for 4) as opposed to $160 per tire ($640 for 4) for the Kumho.

If you plan to buy the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422, here are the reasons to be considered:

• You drive vehicles like the Mini Cooper Paceman, Porsche Boxster, and Volkswagen Jetta
• You are looking for better traction
• You want a tire made with the use of recycled eco-friendly compounds for a smaller carbon footprint
• You want better handling performance

Here's why the Kumho Solus TA51a can also be a good choice:

• You drive vehicles like the Subaru Outback, Nissan Rogue, and Dodge Caravan
• You need a tire with higher strength and durability
• You want to experience a whisper-quiet ride
• You need a tire with higher limited manufacturer tread life warranty

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.