Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires

All-season tires are designed to offer consistent performance across different weather conditions, including dry, wet, and winter scenarios. These versatile tires are a popular choice for everyday driving. Among the notable brands in this category, Kumho and Firestone stand out for their reliable performance.

Both the tires are all-season and are known to deliver as per the customer's expectations. They both offer good tread design, giving confidence and reliable traction on the road. The same is visible in the tire range of the Kumho Crugen HP71 and the Firestone Destination LE3. While both tires offer great performance, one has to be better than the other, right? Let’s compare Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires using SimpleScore to show where each tire excels and which one might be right for you.

Kumho Crugen HP71 tires

Kumho Crugen HP71 is an all-season tire designed for crossovers and sport utility vehicles, offering good traction on most road surfaces. This tire has a Variable Pitch Technology to reduce road noises for a quiet, comfortable drive and full-depth tread sipes deliver improved traction, handling, and solid braking. Plus, the innovative tread compound delivers all-season confidence. It is backed by a 65,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

This tire is designed to provide reliable performance in dry, wet, and light winter conditions. With a solid average SimpleScore of 8.7 offering great durability and traction for everyday driving.

Firestone Destination LE3 tires

The Firestone Destination LE3 is an all-season tire that's designed for use on coupes, sedans, CUVs, and SUVs and offers drivers strong traction in dry, wet, and winter weather plus a 70,000 mile limited warranty. The tire is equipped with wide lateral grooves, a special shoulder design, stiff tread blocks, and an optimized tread design which helps offer a low rolling resistance for even distribution of wear.

This tire shows a great SimpleScore of 8.6. Additionally, it is backed by Firestone's 90 day Buy and Try Guarantee on tires sold in sets of 4 or more (certain restrictions and limitations apply).

Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires on traction

Traction plays an important role in taking care of grip on wet and dry roads, and a tire that delivers good traction also says good grip on the road. Both tires are designed to provide grip across various weather conditions. These tires aim to strike a balance between performance in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions.

The Kumho Crugen HP71 has a score of 8.3 out of 10 in traction. This is thanks to the tire's four wide grooves that channel water away from the tread to minimize hydroplaning risks, while its sipes help clear slush from the tread, enhancing traction in winter conditions.

When comparing both the tires you will see that the Firestone Destination LE3 is designed with symmetrical tread, Hydro grip technology along with 3D sipes and wide grooves funnel water out of the tread to reduce the risk of hydroplaning on wet roads, and the Destination LE3 features dense siping that bites into the road for extra grip year-round. This has helped this tire to reach an average traction SimpleScore of 8.3 which is great when it comes to performance.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires on handling

The handling of a tire is improved by different elements of the tire’s tread pattern, in addition to the tire’s overall design. All-season tires are designed to balance performance for various weather conditions, including dry, wet, and light snow.

The Kumho Crugen HP71 tire comes with a SimpleScore of 8.6. Featuring a symmetrical tread pattern that allows for excellent traction, handling, and braking performance year-round.

On the flip side, the Firestone Destination LE3 sports a solid 8.3 SimpleScore for handling, which is largely driven by the tire’s wide circumferential tread grooves, which allow it to be more durable and deliver improved handling.

If superior handling makes you tackle the roads easily, you will see that the Kumho Crugen HP71 will give you more confidence over the Firestone Destination LE3.

ADVANTAGE: Kumho Crugen HP71

Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires on longevity

Traction and handling play a crucial role in a tire’s life and so does longevity. It is equally important to traction and handling when purchasing a tire. A tire's longevity depends on several factors, including the quality of the tire, driving habits, road conditions, and maintenance.

The Crugen HP71’s 8.9 SimpleScore in longevity is because of a reinforced construction made with strengthened center rib and shoulders, its innovative tread design gives drivers a quiet, comfortable ride, plus even wear to extend the tire's tread life.

Conversely, the Firestone Destination LE3 offers an exceptional SimpleScore of 9.4 out of 10 on the longevity front. The tire’s Tractiontech technology, rugged rubber compound, and reinforced construction work together to increase handling which allows for a longer tread life. Outside of that, the tire’s optimized design and tied shoulders put more rubber on the road which prevents irregular wear by evenly distributing road forces (in addition to boosting handling).

Here you will notice an elevated increase in terms of longevity for the Firestone Destination LE3 over the Kumho Crugen HP71.

Both the tires perform solid when it comes to longevity, the Kumho Crugen HP71 has a tread life warranty 65,000 miles where whereas and Firestone Destination LE3 comes with a 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty and is also backed by Firestone's 90 day Buy and Try Guarantee on tires sold in sets of 4 or more (certain restrictions and limitations apply).

ADVANTAGE: Firestone Destination LE3

When to use each

All-season tires are designed for year-round use in moderate, consistent temperatures. They provide a balance of convenience and versatility, offering a longer lifespan compared to tires tailored for specific weather conditions like winter or summer tires. This durability is due to their tread compound, which is optimized for handling and performance in varied seasons.

If you live in areas that receive heavy rainfall throughout the year, neither the Kumho Crugen HP71 nor Firestone Destination LE3 will provide optimal performance as they are not built to be used in extreme winter weather conditions. Their usage is limited to areas with heavy snowfall. What will work best here is a set of winter tires that will deliver improved traction and safety. That said, all-season tires are an excellent choice if you live in an area that only gets light snow.

Additionally, cautious driving habits and avoiding harsh conditions can help preserve the tread and overall integrity of the tires.

Which one should you choose?

So, which all-season tire is the right option for you? When looking at SimpleScore, the Firestone Destination LE3 comes with an 8.6, on the other hand, the Kumho Crugen HP71 excels a little with a score of 8.7. As noted above, there are key differences between the two tires and these need to be weighed against each other to determine what’s best for you. Finally (and maybe, most importantly), pricing on these two tires is a bit different as Kumho Crugen HP71 tires cost approx $145 per tire while Firestone Destination LE3 tires cost approx $130.96 per tire. That means a set of four Kumho Crugen HP71 all-season tires will cost you approx $580 for a set of four, while a set of four Firestone Destination LE3 tires will cost you approx $523.84.

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Kumho Crugen HP71 if you:

• Drive a Ford Escape, Buick Envision, Honda CR-V, Nissan Rogue or a Fiat Toro
• Want a tire with great handling capabilities (8.6 vs 8.3)

Conversely, you should choose the Firestone Destination LE3 if you:

• Drive a CUV, SUV, or minivan like the Mazda CX-50, Toyota RAV4, or Honda Odyssey
• Looking for excellent longevity (9.4 vs 8.9)
• Want a more affordable tire

Kumho Crugen HP71 vs Firestone Destination LE3 tires might not seem a close comparison on the surface, but the above clearly shows that either is a great option. Remember, both of the tire brands are some of the best tire manufacturers on the market, and that tradition continues with the Kumho Crugen HP71 and Firestone Destination LE3. At the end of the day, the decision to buy one or the other depends on your vehicle, where (and how) you drive, and what you care more about in terms of traction, handling, longevity, and 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.