Overview: Firestone is a mid-range brand known for producing tyres that are ideal for everyday driving. It is owned by Bridgestone, a premium manufacturer, which means its tyres benefit from shared expertise, although they do not offer the same level of performance. Our favourite Firestone car tyre is the Roadhawk, rated 4.6 stars on Tyre Seeker.
Choosing the right tyres isn’t just a matter of finding ones that fit your car. It’s also essential to ensure they meet your needs, whether you want them to be highly responsive when you put your foot down, comfortable on longer drives, or able to handle challenging off-road terrain. Maybe you’d just like to save money by fitting a set of tyres that help your car use less fuel - after all, every little helps.
Whatever you’re after, our car tyre review series is here to help you find your perfect match. This guide focuses on Firestone, an iconic mid-range brand that has been creating race-winning tyres for over one hundred years.
Firestone has a laser-sharp focus on the road ahead, which is why it has paved the way with an impressive number of tyre innovations, such as the non-skid tread pattern, now a vital industry standard.
In 1988, Bridgestone acquired The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, but the two brands have maintained their unique identities. Firestone is cheaper than Bridgestone, making it an attractive option if you want quality tyres at a more affordable price.
This guide contains all the information you need to decide whether Firestone is the right brand for you, including:
Firestone tyres overview
Key design features
What tyres are available from Firestone?
Firestone tyres - full review
Frequently asked questions
Why Choose Tyres from Firestone?
Over a century of experience has helped Firestone to become one of the most recognisable tyre brands, offering a cheaper alternative to premium rivals like Continental and Michelin. According to Firestone’s website, the brand was founded on the principle of offering “the quality and service it takes to win the race, whatever that race may be.”
Firestone has close links to motorsport dating back to 1920 when a driver won the Indianapolis 500 race using Firestone tyres. Since then, the brand’s design team and engineers have continued to innovate, winning the prestigious Louis Schwitzer Award for Engineering Excellence with the Firehawk 2019 Indy 500 Race Tyre.
For many years, Firestone was the leading American tyre brand until it hit a period of financial instability in the 1970s, leading to Bridgestone’s acquisition of the brand. In fact, it was a pioneer in the mass production of car tyres, and the company’s forward-thinking ethos hasn’t gone away.
Today, Firestone’s trailblazing credentials are reinforced by the brand’s focus on sustainability through alternative and renewable sources of natural rubber. Firestone Firehawk race tyres, for example, are made with rubber from the guayule desert shrub.
Firestone’s founder, Harvey S. Firestone, was a close friend of Henry Ford, which allowed the brand to become the original equipment supplier of Ford Motor Company. More recently, the Firestone FR710 tyre was selected as standard original equipment for the Chrysler 300 Limited and 300C luxury vehicles.
Drivers often choose Firestone because it has a range of tyres for every purpose and different types of vehicles, including passenger cars, trucks, vans, agricultural vehicles and buses. Firestone offers tyres that share similarities with those of its parent company, Bridgestone, without the premium price.
Design Features of Firestone Tyres
Firestone tyre features vary but may include:
Asymmetric wall angle - gives reduced block deformation and increased lateral stiffness.
Innovative mixing technology and nano-pro tech - optimised for ultra-high-performance.
Optimised rib and void distribution - to evacuate water efficiently.
Rib variable profile - for more efficient wet friction and contact pressure.
Unique stone and mud ejectors - prevents the build up of debris to maintain performance.
Moulded asymmetric tread patterns - for improved cornering and grip.
TractionTech Technology - provides longer tread life.
What Firestone Tyres Are Available?
Firestone has many tyres suitable for different purposes and vehicle categories.
Firestone Tyres for Cars
Summer Tyres
Firehawk Sport - an ultra-high-performance summer tyre with sharp steering responsiveness and superb handling and control.
Firehawk SZ90 - a high-performance tyre with a sporty appearance, rapid braking capabilities and excellent responsiveness.
Roadhawk - a great all-round tyre designed for durability, comfort and safety.
Multiseason GEN 02 - offers improved braking and impressive mileage.
Multihawk 2 - a quiet tyre boasting an elegant design and great all-round performance.
TZ300 - a high-performance tyre for family saloons providing a quiet and comfortable drive.
Firehawk Indy 500 - an ultra high-performance summer tyre inspired by the brand’s racing heritage.
Winter Tyres
Winterhawk 3 - features a higher groove volume and innovative tread design for enhanced snow traction.
Winterhawk 4 - exceptionally capable in snowy conditions with shorter stopping distances than its predecessor.
WinterForce 2 - a touring tyre with impressive traction and hydroplaning resistance.
All-Season Tyres
WeatherGrip - an all-weather touring tyre perfect for everyday driving.
Firehawk AS V2 - ideal for sedans and minivans, this tyre delivers sporty performance all year round.
SUV/4x4 Tyres
Destination Winter - excels in wintry conditions, equally impressive performance on the motorway and country roads.
Destination HP - designed for SUVs/4x4s, this tyre goes the distance with outstanding grip and stability wherever you’re heading.
Destination LE3 - an excellent all-season tyre that handles wintry conditions particularly well.
Destination A/T2 - perfect for everyday driving or tackling off-road terrain.
Transforce AT2 - designed to handle all terrains, this tyre is longer lasting than the original AT with even better traction.
WinterForce 2 UV - contains a unique cold weather compound to take on everything winter throws at you.
Firestone Tyres for Vans
Vanhawk 2 - a summer tyre boasting outstanding fuel economy, enhanced rolling resistance and impressive wet weather handling.
Vanhawk 2 Winter - robust enough to handle the most challenging winter conditions.
Vanhawk Multiseason - excellent year-round performance with optimised fuel efficiency.
Transforce CV - designed for commercial vans, this tyre has solid traction in all conditions.
Transforce HT2 - for light trucks and commercial vehicles.
WinterForce CV - reliable traction in slush and snow for light trucks and vans.
Best Firestone Summer Tyre
Firestone Roadhawk
The Roadhawk offers 20% better wear performance than the TZ300 and best-in-class wet grip, having achieved the top “A” EU-label grade. It also has a braking distance up to three metres shorter than its main competitors. This adds up to a highly impressive tyre designed to take you further, delivering exceptional value for money.
Drivers on Tyre Seeker agree, awarding the Roadhawk 4.6 stars out of 5 based on 155 reviews. Its highest scores were 92% for value and buy again and 90% for wet and dry braking.
Best Firestone Winter Tyre
Firestone Winterhawk 4
Unsurprisingly, the Winterhawk 4 has been met with more praise than its predecessor; it offers shorter stopping distances, improved safety, and enhanced handling and responsiveness for an even better drive. In the 2022 Winter Tyre Market Overview by Tyre Reviews, it came 14th out of 57 tyres.
On the Tyre Reviews website, the Winterhawk 4 has a rating of 4.3 stars based on just three reviews; on Amazon, it has a rating of 4.6 stars based on 134 reviews.
Best Firestone Performance Tyre
Firestone Firehawk Sport
The Firehawk Sport replaced the SZ90 and brought with it a whole range of impressive features, from its innovative nano-pro tech and high silica content to its variable rib profile. Visually, the Firehawk Sport is a good-looking tyre, but it’s most impressive when you hit the road and feel how responsive it is. With a 9% shorter stopping distance for dry braking than its predecessor, this tyre has also been designed with safety in mind.
In the 2023 Sport Auto UHP Test, the Firehawk Sport came 4th of 11 tyres, beating rival products by Pirelli and Bridgestone - an impressive feat for a mid-range brand.
Best Firestone Van Tyre
Firestone Vanhawk 2
The original Vanhawk was already highly regarded - particularly for its durability - but the Vanhawk 2 beats its predecessor by a mile, thanks to its outstanding fuel economy and wet weather handling. It is versatile, tough and economical, with a highly competitive total cost.
There is a limited number of driver reviews available for the Vanhawk 2. On Tyre Reviews, one driver gave it a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5, with scores of 100% for all categories - including wet grip, buy again and handling - except comfort, for which it received a score of 50%. On the National Tyres and Autocare website, it has a rating of 8.8 out of ten based on four reviews.
Best Firestone SUV/4x4 Tyre
Firestone Destination LE3
The Destination LE3 keeps going, come rain or shine. It is an all-weather tyre backed by an attractive 70,000-mile warranty, designed for fuel efficiency, light snow performance and low road noise. Firestone has made use of TractionTech Technology for more consistent wear and a longer tyre life and Hydro-Grip Technology for enhanced water evacuation. Put simply, it’s the ultimate everyday SUV tyre.
On the Firestone website, the Destination LE3 has a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 based on 649 reviews. Drivers frequently comment on the smooth ride and good handling this tyre offers.
Are Firestone Tyres Any Good? Full Review
When you do something for over one hundred years, you’re bound to be good at it, and Firestone has been making tyres since 1903. Its tyres offer reasonable levels of performance while maintaining a competitive price point.
If you’re familiar with the outstanding reputation of Bridgestone tyres but don’t quite have the budget for a premium brand, Firestone is a good alternative. Its tyres aren’t as flashy or performance-based, but they are excellent for everyday driving in wet and dry conditions.
Although Firestone is a well-known brand in the UK, driver reviews suggest that lesser-known rivals like Toyo may produce some slightly better-quality tyres than Firestone. For example, the Proxes TR-1, our favourite car tyre by Toyo, beats the Roadhawk with a rating of 4.8 stars on Tyre Seeker compared to 4.6.
That said, Firestone’s reputation is strong within the automotive industry. At the 2023 Tire Technology Awards, the company was shortlisted in two categories. The first was Environmental Achievement of the Year - Tire Design, where its use of natural rubber from the Guayule shrub was praised, and the Firehawk AS V2 made it into the second category, which was Tyre of the Year.
One of Firestone’s flagship tyres is the Firehawk Indy 500, inspired by the brand’s motorsport heritage. It is an ultra-high-performance summer tyre designed for impressive handling and cornering. It also features Proprietary Pulse Groove technology to prevent hydroplaning. On Firestone’s website, the Firehawk Indy 500 has a rating of 4.5 stars based on 377 reviews.
Bridgestone fans will be delighted to hear that the Indy 500 is a rebranding of the Bridgestone Potenza RE003, which shows you could save some serious money by opting for Firestone tyres without compromising too much on quality.
One of the most appealing things about Firestone is that it offers a 90-day “buy & try” guarantee for certain passenger and truck tyres bought as a set of four or more. If unsatisfied, customers can return the tyres to the location where they were purchased for a refund or exchange.
Overall, Firestone is an iconic mid-range tyre brand with significant experience and influence in the tyre manufacturing industry. Its tyres are a good choice for everyday driving, especially if you want to benefit from the expertise and innovations of premium brand Bridgestone without paying extra.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Firestone tyres worth the money?
Firestone is owned by Bridgestone, so even though it is more expensive than budget brands like Accelera or Durun, its tyres benefit from greater expertise and development than some rivals, which makes them worth the money.
What are Firestone tyres known for?
Firestone tyres are known for their reliability. They are great for everyday driving, delivering solid performance whether the roads are wet or dry.
Is Firestone a good tyre brand?
Firestone is good but not outstanding. Its tyres perform as you would expect considering the brand’s price point; if you want the best tyres, you’ll have to pay a premium price.
Are Firestone tyres good for rain?
The answer to this question depends on which tyres you choose. If you’re particularly worried about driving in wet conditions, the best Firestone tyre is the WeatherGrip, an all-season touring tyre that performs confidently no matter the weather.
What tyre brands are similar to Firestone?
Other mid-range tyre brands include:
Alliance
Avon
B F Goodrich
Cooper
Crossleader
Giti
GT Radial
Hankook
Kelly
Kormoran
Marshal
Nankang
Rotalla
Runway
Toyo
Uniroyal
Yokohama
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Not sure Firestone is right for you? Check out one of our other tyre review guides.
Avon tyres review
Hankook tyres review
Bridgestone tyres review
Toyo tyres review
Nankang tyres review
Continental tyres review
RoadX tyres review
Accelera tyres review
Blackarrow tyres review
Pirelli tyres review
Uniroyal tyres review
Goodyear tyres review
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