Nexen Roadian HTX2 vs Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady tires

Established in 1942, Nexen Tire is a Korean-based tire manufacturer popular for its range of passenger, light truck, SUV, CUV, and EV tires that are categorized in all-season, winter, all-terrain, all-weather, UHP all-season, UHP summer, mud-terrain, sport, and highway types.

Goodyear, on the other hand, has been existing for over 125 years and proudly bears the badge of being the top-tier American tire manufacturer across the globe. The manufacturer has earned a massive followership with cutting-edge technologies and new-age features. The tire manufacturer offers tires for passenger vehicles, CUVs, SUVs, light trucks, EVs, farm/commercial/industrial/OTR, and trailer applications.

We will be comparing the two challenging tires from both of these brands, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 and Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady. These two all-weather tires are engineered to offer solid year-round performance and give you the convenience of driving in severe winter conditions as they are Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified. So, whether it is rain, sleet, or shine, you’ll enjoy driving with a set of either of these tires. But, it is essential as a driver to understand which of the two tires can be a perfect match for your needs.

Keeping that in mind, we present to you the Roadian HTX2 vs Assurance WeatherReady tires comparison using our advanced tire rating system SimpleScore.

Nexen Roadian HTX2 tires

Let’s start the comparison with an overview of the Nexen Roadian HTX2, which is an all-weather tire suitable for use on light trucks and SUVs. Launched in 2021, the tire comes with advanced features and technologies that offer long-lasting mileage and is built strong for optimum durability. It offers reinforced traction even in moderate to severe snow conditions and is available in 16- to 22-inch rim options and in 51 different sizes. Along with the traditional black sidewall, it comes with a raised white letter (RWL) depending on the tire’s size. In addition, there’s an attractive warranty on offer, which we will discuss later in this comparison.

Overall, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 gets a great 8.6 SimpleScore rating because of its long-lasting tread life, dependable traction, and responsive handling.

Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady tires

The Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady made its debut in 2017 and is built for use on passenger cars and CUVs. It is severe snow-rated like its peer and can tackle snowy and icy roads with greater command. Goodyear has not left any stone unturned to make Assurance WeatherReady an excellent tire and has utilized various advanced technologies to achieve the same. Like its competitor, the Goodyear all-weather tire also can be used in dry, wet, and winter weather conditions. There are advanced features that contribute to easy water dispersion, quicker handling response, and optimum surefootedness.

Overall, the Assurance WeatherReady scores an exceptional 9.2 rating, thanks to its excellent traction, responsive handling, and longer tread life.

Nexen Roadian HTX2 vs Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady tires on traction

Let’s compare the two tires on the traction front and understand how well they perform and maintain grip in all weathers.

The Roadian HTX2 tire secures an 8.4 SimpleScore rating in traction, which means the tire can offer decent grip and performance in changing weather. The severe snow rating (Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification) offers solid traction in dry, wet, and moderate to severe snow conditions. There are four circumferential grooves to prevent hydroplaning and boost wet grip. The sipes on the tread give driving confidence on icy or snowy tracks, while the shoulder edges and multiple grooves make drives easy in dry and wet conditions.

On the other hand, the Assurance WeatherReady scores an outstanding 9.5 SimpleScore rating in traction. The wet traction is increased with the optimized asymmetric tread pattern and sweeping traction grooves, while the use of Soyabean oil in the rubber compound ensures increased flexibility for enhanced grip in colder weather. The Evolving Traction Grooves and use of Weather Reactive Technology also boost traction in wet conditions. Additionally, the severe snow rating like its peer also helps in achieving superior traction performance in varying weather conditions.

There’s no doubt the Nexen tires are great on the traction performance front, but the Assurance WeatherReady is rather more surprising with a higher rating.

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

Nexen Roadian HTX2 vs Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady tires on handling

Since all-weathers are used on dry, wet, and snowy/icy roads, the handling performance of both Nexen and Goodyear tires compared here makes a lot of sense.

The Roadian HTX2 is good on handling with an 8.3 SimpleScore rating and has a wider and flat footprint to offer seamless maneuvering. The sipes and shoulder edges help the tire to stop in time and perform better while cornering, while the all-season rubber compound helps maintain surefootedness in changing weather conditions. The ribs at the center are responsible for seamless lane changes. The structure of the tire is engineered to provide maximum stability and ride control.

With an excellent 9.3 SimpleScore in handling, the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady expresses its dominance on the handling front and indicates that it is in a true sense a great performer when it comes to steering response. It utilizes Weather Reactive Technology, Evolving Traction Grooves, and Treadlock Technology that in conjunction offer enhanced cornering performance and superior wet handling. The asymmetric tread pattern and ribs improve stability, lane-changing, and braking performance. Additionally, there are deep and wider grooves on the tread for additional control in wet and severe snow conditions.

The Assurance WeatherReady, with a higher rating in handling, leaves the Roadian tires way behind the handling race.

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady

Nexen Roadian HTX2 vs Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady tires on longevity

Now, let’s also analyze, which of the two tires offers a long-lasting performance, giving you a choice to go with the one that’s more likely to serve longer.

To start with the Roadian HTX2, the tire surprises with a 9.1 SimpleScore rating, ensuring a longer service life. It is also covered by a whopping 70,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty that states how confident the manufacturer is on the Roadian tires’ long-lasting utility. While the robust rubber compound slows down the wear rate for extended use, the reinforced inner construction of this tire keeps the tire in shape to prevent irregular or premature wear.

Moving on to the Assurance WeatherReady, the tire scores an 8.8 SimpleScore in longevity and sports an asymmetric tread pattern, which means the Goodyear tires aren’t a bad choice either. Built using a tough rubber compound and strong casing, this tire nicely absorbs vibrations and pressures for a longer tread life. Backed by a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the tire provides confidence to the drivers that they can be driven for a good number of miles.

The Assurance WeatherReady tires could be better in traction and handling, but in the longevity area, the Roadian HTX2 wins the comparison.

ADVANTAGE: Nexen Roadian HTX2

When to use each

Both, the Nexen and Assurance WeatherReady tires are Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certified and they offer all-weather traction and performance. But, if you drive in a region where there is fall throughout the year or roads are covered with thick layers of ice or snow, then you must consider winter tires for better performance. While the Nexen tires are more for use on light trucks and SUVs, the Assurance WeatherReady tires are a better choice for use on passenger vehicles and CUVs. Talking about the rim sizes, the Roadian HTX2 is offered in 16- to 22-inch rim sizes and the Assurance WeatherReady tires are available in the rim size range of 15- to 20-inch.

Which one should you choose?

Looking at the overall SimpleScores of both Goodyear and Nexen tires, the Goodyear tires appear to be a better choice with 9.3 SimpleScore against the Roadian HTX2’s 8.6 SimpleScore. But, both tires have their strengths, which need to be compared against each other to conclude with a suitable choice for your drive.

Price-wise, the Nexen Roadian HTX2 is offered at a starting price of at least $137.00 per tire, while the Goodyear Assurance WeatherReady is available at a starting price of at least $163.99 per tire. This means, a set of four Roadian HTX2 tires will cost you at least $548.00, while a set of four Goodyear tires compared here will cost you at least $655.96.

Based on SimpleScore, you should choose the Roadian HTX2 if you:

• Drive a mid-size SUV like the Ford Explorer, a full-size truck car like the RAM 1500, or a full-size SUV like the Lincoln Navigator.
• Need a tire that’s long-lasting (9.1 vs 8.8 in longevity).
• Need a tire that’s backed by higher tread life warranty coverage.
• Need a tire that’s affordable yet a great performer.
• Need a tire that’s available in the rim size range of 16- to 22-inch.

On the other hand, you should prefer the Assurance WeatherReady tire if you:

• Drive a mid-size passenger car like the Nissan Altima, a 2-row SUV like the Hyundai Santa Fe, or a CUV like the Honda CR-V.
• Need a tire that offers better traction (9.5 vs 8.4 in traction).
• Need a tire that offers better handling and steering command (9.3 vs 8.3 in handling).
• Can pay extra to buy a comparatively better tire.
• Are looking for a tire that falls in the rim size range of 15- to 20-inch.

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.