Firestone All-Season vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires

More than 80 percent of drivers in the US pick all-season tires as their companion for year-round performance. Indeed, a wise decision as it evades the hassle of swapping tires with changing seasons. Choosing an ideal all-season tire often means balancing comfort, handling, and reliable performance across diverse weather conditions. In this highly popular segment, two strong contenders offering everyday excellence are the Firestone All-Season and the Kumho Solus TA51a. Both tires are designed for passenger vehicles like sedans and coupes, focusing on providing a smooth, quiet ride and dependable grip, regardless of whether the roads are dry, wet, or dusted with light snow.

The All-Season from Firestone is a long-standing, value-driven option known for its accurate handling and strong longevity, positioning itself as a reliable workhorse for the daily commute. In contrast, the newer Solus TA51a from Kumho often highlights advanced tread compounds and complex siping to maximize wet braking and enhance cold-weather traction, frequently boasting high ratings for comfort and noise reduction. A direct comparison reveals whether Firestone's proven durability or the Kumho's modern engineering and emphasis on refinement offers the better value and performance package for an aspirant.

Let’s do the Firestone All-Season vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires comparison based on their traction, handling, and longevity SimpleScores. For your reference, SimpleScore is our prioritary scoring mechanism that judges all three traits, as aforementioned, on a scale of 0-10.

Firestone All-Season tires

Launched in 2017 as the successor to the FR710, the Firestone All-Season is a great entry-level choice for drivers of sedans, coupes, and minivans who need reliable year-round performance.

Backed by an excellent 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Firestone tire is an economical choice for maximizing longevity during daily commuting. The All-Season’s conventional, symmetric tread design features deep grooves and multiple sipes to ensure consistent traction in dry, wet, and light snow conditions, while its durable construction delivers precise steering response and a comfortable ride.

Boasting an overall SimpleScore of 8.4, the Firestone All-Season is a great option for consistent performance across varied driving conditions.

Get Firestone All-Season tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Kumho Solus TA51a tires

A more recent tire, the Kumho Solus TA51a, debuted in 2023 and provides great comfort and all-season performance for passenger cars, CUVs, and SUVs. The special rubber compound utilizes high-dispersion silica and multi-functionalized polymers to enhance wet and winter grip while improving tread wear and durability. Cornering and braking capabilities are enhanced by chamfered block edges and interlocking sipes, which increase road contact and tread block rigidity. Furthermore, the tire is backed by a superb limited manufacturer tread life warranty of up to 75,000 miles (T-rated sizes) or 65,000 miles (H-rated and above) and includes a 30-day satisfaction trial and road hazard assistance.

Boasting an overall SimpleScore of 8.8, the Kumho Solus TA51a delivers solid performance in traction, handling, stability, and service life.

Get Kumho Solus TA51a tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Firestone All-Season vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on traction

Traction is defined as the tire’s ability to stick to the ground without skidding. The Firestone All-Season and Kumho Solus TA51a promise consistent grip and traction all year-round. Let’s analyze their traction traits.

For traction, the Firestone All-Season scores an 8.4 and provides confident grip. Its conventional symmetric tread design, coupled with strategically placed deep sipes, ensures reliable and enhanced grip and traction on both dry and wet roads. The new-generation tread design and special rubber compound further help reduce braking distance, acceleration, and straight-line maneuvering.

Scoring a solid 8.7 in traction, the Kumho Solus TA51 is equipped with four wide circumferential grooves that efficiently clear water from the tread, effectively resisting hydroplaning and boosting wet grip. Moreover, the high silica content and special rubber compound further aid in improving traction across dry, wet, and light snow conditions.

With a better score, the Kumho Solus TA51a wins the traction tussle and beats the Firestone All-Season.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

Firestone All-Season vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on handling

Better control and steering response drive more confidence in dry, wet, and light snow conditions. The Firestone and Kumho all-season tires return adequate control and steering response. While both are equally matched, one of the tires scores marginally better than the other.

The Firestone All-Season achieves an 8.4 in handling. Responsive control and stability in dry, wet, and light snow conditions are delivered through its advanced rubber compound and next-generation tread design. Additionally, the optimized tread pitch sequencing ensures that road noise is reduced, providing a quiet and comfortable driving experience.

On the other hand, the Kumho all-season tire scores a strong 8.5 in handling. Its responsive control across various weather conditions is possible due to 3D interlocking sipes, which provide essential biting edges for enhanced stability, precise steering responsiveness, and confident control in different driving conditions.

With a marginal edge, the Kumho Solus TA51a wins the handling section too. The score is 2-nil.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

Firestone All-Season vs Kumho Solus TA51a tires on longevity

Longevity is defined as the number of miles or years a tire can survive. Both all-season tires last long and offer superior tread life. However, one of the tires is way better than the other. Let’s delve into details.

In terms of longevity, the Firestone All-Season achieves its highest score of 8.7. This superb lifespan is backed by a solid 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. Its long service life is aided by a deep siped design that effectively curbs and prevents uneven wear, promoting uniform wear over time.

Achieving an excellent 9.2 in longevity, the Solus TA51a is built for extended service throughout the year. Its durable performance is ensured by high dispersion silica and multi-functionalized polymers, which not only boost grip but also lead to improved tread wear. This longevity is backed by an exceptional limited manufacturer tread life warranty of up to 75,000 miles (T-rated sizes) or 65,000 miles (H-rated sizes).

With an incredible score, the Kumho Solus TA51a scores much higher than the Firestone tire.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Solus TA51a

When to use each

All-season tires offer versatile, year-round performance for drivers in moderate climates. They use flexible compounds and balanced tread patterns to provide reliable traction and handling on dry roads, in wet conditions, and during light snow. This versatility makes them a practical, durable, and cost-effective option for daily driving.

While the Firestone All-Season is great for those seeking a stylish all-season tire, the Kumho Solus TA51a is designed for drivers wanting superior longevity, longer mileage, improved traction, and great handling.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, the Kumho Solus TA51a is the winner of the comparison as it beats the Firestone All-Season in traction, handling, and longevity by 3-0. However, every tire has its unique traits that should be considered before buying one. There is one more aspect, often the decider, which is yet to be compared, the price!

For the 185/60R15 84T size, the Firestone costs $122 per tire, while four tires cost $488. Similarly, the Kumho costs $102 per tire, while four tires cost $408 (a difference of $80 on four tires).

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Firestone All-Season if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Impala, Honda CR-V, and the Toyota Corolla
• Want a tire with reduced noise and vibrations
• Want a better-looking tire

Contrarily, you should go for the Kumho Solus TA51a if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Cruze, and Kia Carnival
• Want a tire with an exceptional tread life (9.2 vs 8.7)
• Prefer an all-season tire that offers superb traction (8.7 vs 8.4) and handling (8.5 vs 8.4)
• Prefer a superb all-season tire at an affordable price

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.