Armstrong Tru-Trac SU vs Americus Recon CUV tires

The US-based tire manufacturer, Armstrong, was founded in 1912 and is run by its parent unit ZAFCO International. This tire manufacturer is admired for its value offering and high-quality tires used on passenger cars, light trucks, CUVs, SUVs, farm equipment, commercial vehicles, and lawn & garden equipment. Its portfolio includes all-season, UHP all-season, all-terrain, mud-terrain, winter, highway-terrain, and commercial van tires.

Coming from Armstrong, the Tru-Trac SU is the brand’s dependable all-season tire chosen as the first choice for the comparison here. It is built and designed for great year-round performance in dry, wet, and light snow conditions and sports advanced features and technologies.

Americus is also a US-born tire manufacturer and a part of Americus Omni Trading (AOT). Established in 1990, Americus has consistently offered reliable tires at affordable prices. Their tires are built and designed to suit the US driving conditions, and the variety of tires offered by the manufacturer includes light trucks, passenger cars, trailers, and commercial vehicles. The different tire types offered by Americus include all-season, all-terrain, UHP summer, mud-terrain, highway, and touring.

Featuring Americus’ reliability and innovative features, the Recon CUV is another great choice chosen as the second tire for the comparison here. This all-season tire is also engineered for year-round use, and comes with design and technologies to improve drive and performance in dry, wet, and light winter weather.

Out of the two, which one is better for your driving needs? Let’s find out in this Tru-Trac SU vs Recon CUV tires comparison based on our proprietary tire rating system, SimpleScore. Here, we will analyze three most important attributes of these tires, namely traction, handling, and longevity on a scale of 0-10, to find out which tire excels in what area. So, read on and be ready to find a suitable tire for yourself!

Armstrong Tru-Trac SU tires

First, we will talk about the Armstrong Tru-Trac SU, an all-season tire made for use on CUVs and SUVs. It is optimized for reduced rolling resistance, improved ride comfort, increased wet grip, confident stability, and long-lasting service. Thanks to the solid all-season compound and an array of features ensure longevity, handling, and traction are all balanced. Plus, there is a backing of an excellent tread life warranty for warranty seekers. All these abilities contribute to the Tru-Trac SU’s impressive overall SimpleScore of 8.5.

Get Armstrong Tru-Trac SU tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Americus Recon CUV tires

The Americus Recon CUV is also compatible with CUVs and SUVs, and sports the true all-season characteristics to offer solid traction and performance in dry, wet, and light winter weather. Americus has optimized this tire for long-lasting durability, dependable traction, hydroplaning resistance, and great handling response. It earns an overall SimpleScore 8.2, attested by its long-lasting service, better controllability, and strong year-round traction.

Get Americus Recon CUV tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Armstrong Tru-Trac SU vs Americus Recon CUV tires on traction

Now, let’s start our comparative analysis with traction, which will help us find the tire that has better surefootedness throughout the year.

Commencing with the Tru-Trac SU, it is rated an 8.1 SimpleScore in traction, assuring solid grip and consistent surefootedness in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. The tread features four circumferential grooves for optimum water channelling to resist hydroplaning, and the presence of sipes across the footprint further improves grip and traction on wet and slick surfaces. The advanced all-season compound also adapts to varying seasons for reliable traction and grip.

On the other hand, the Recon CUV is rated an 8.0 SimpleScore in traction, staying competitive enough to offer all-season traction and grip. The sharper tread block edges improve the tire's surface grip, while the lateral and circumferential grooves evacuate water and snow from the contact patch to boost its performance throughout the year. The sipes, as well as extended shoulder blocks, further improve the road grip for a reliable year-round traction.

In traction, we saw a tough competition; however, the Tru-Trac SU was the winner with an extra 0.1 score.

ADVANTAGE: Armstrong Tru-Trac SU

Armstrong Tru-Trac SU vs Americus Recon CUV tires on handling

Handling is all about things like steering response, braking efficiency, ride control, cornering, and stability. So, let’s find out which of the two tires is a better option for those who want commanding controllability throughout the year.

Starting with the Tru-Trac SU, its score for handling stands at a great 8.5. The construction and design of the tire reduce rolling resistance to limit the motion lag and relay commanding steering power to the driver. The ribs and shoulders, along with a flat and wide footprint, improve stability and offer confident lane-changing on highways. Likewise, its stiff sidewalls absorb impact and enhance ride comfort.

Comparatively, the Recon CUV is rated an 8.1 SimpleScore in handling, ensuring better ride control and decent steering response. The all-season, silica-based rubber compound offers strong braking performance and ride control on wet and light snow roads. Likewise, the improved water channelling through the tread grooves also enhances control and stability in wet conditions.

On the handling front, it is again the Tru-Trac SU that leads with a better score and beats the Recon CUV.

ADVANTAGE: Armstrong Tru-Trac SU

Armstrong Tru-Trac SU vs Americus Recon CUV tires on longevity

Longevity analysis is relatively important, as most tire buyers who are very particular about affordability also look for something that can last for miles.

The Tru-Trac SU is excellent in this area with a 9.1 overall SimpleScore rating and also comes backed with an excellent 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The shoulder base of this tire inhibits block wriggling and tire deformity for long-lasting service. Likewise, its sidewalls and inner construction are reinforced enough to promote a longer service life. Additionally, the optimized pattern also contributes to even and longer wear.

On the contrary, the Recon CUV also stands as a great choice with an 8.9 in longevity. This tire is also backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, which is good enough to prove it can go the miles in the budget. The solid tread blocks carved from a tough compound and a reinforced inner construction definitely provide it with adequate strength to control wear and keep the tire in shape for longer use.

While the Recon CUV might be great, it is yet again the Tru-Trac SU that wins by a 3-0, taking a clean sweep in the comparison race.

ADVANTAGE: Armstrong Tru-Trac SU

When to use each

Both the Tru-Trac SU and the Recon CUV are all-season tires, and therefore, they are optimized for year-round use in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. However, none of them is Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified, and therefore, don’t consider them for use in the areas where winter conditions are moderate or harsh. It is also to be noted that these tires are made for use only on paved roads and not on unpaved paths.

Talking about rim sizes, the Tru-Trac SU is offered in 16- to 22-inch choices, while the Recon CUV is available in 15- to 20-inch choices.

Which one should you choose?

Based on the overall SimpleScore, the Tru-Trac SU is better than the Recon CUV (8.5 vs 8.2). However, both tires have their own abilities and unique attributes, and therefore, you must choose the one that better aligns with your needs, budget, and rim size compatibility.

As far as prices are concerned, the Tru-Trac SU is available at a starting price of at least $94 per tire, while the Recon CUV is offered at a starting price of at least $81 per tire. This means, a set of four Tru-Trac tires is available at a starting price of at least $376, while a set of four Recon tires will cost you at least $324.

Looking at SimpleScore, you should choose the Tru-Trac SU if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Honda Pilot, Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Honda CR-V, or Ford Explorer.
• Need tires that are better in traction (8.1 vs 8.0).
• Need tires that are better in handling (8.5 vs 8.1).
• Need tires that are better in longevity (9.1 vs 8.9).
• Need tires backed by a better, 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
• Are comfortable paying more to buy better tires for year-round use.
• Want more vehicle compatibility options in the rim size range of 16- to 22-inch rims.

On the other hand, you should prefer the Recon CUV if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Equinox, Cadillac Escalade, or Ford F-150.
• Want tires covered by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.
• Want tires that are offered at more affordable prices.
• Want tires available in 15- to 20-inch rim sizes.

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.