Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires

When it comes down to Pirelli vs Goodyear tires, in the big picture, it can be a tough call. Both are premium tire manufacturers with decades of experience in developing top-quality tires that serve all kinds of drivers’ needs. At one time it could be argued that Pirelli and Goodyear have different missions with their products – that Pirelli tires are aimed more toward drivers of performance or luxury vehicles, while Goodyear tires are aimed more at family-sedan drivers who want a tire that’s dependable and presents a great value. In other words, the images of the two companies are quite a bit different, with Pirelli’s motorsports heritage vs. Goodyear being easily pigeonholed as a quintessential American tire maker. Here at SimpleTire, though, we’re not so sure that’s still the case anymore as both manufacturers have a wide variety of tires for all kinds of needs.

That takes us to this comparison, with the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive. Both are premium all-season tires that are designed for a quiet and accommodating ride with low noise and great, stable road manners, both have generous warranty coverage, both are designed for capable year-round performance, and both are a great prospect for a replacement tire for a wide variety of coupes, minivans, crossovers, and sedans. That said, while the two tires are pretty similar in many ways, there is also a considerable number of contrasts between the two.

At SimpleTire, we’ve developed the SimpleScore system that assigns a numerical value for the categories of traction, longevity, and handling for every tire, as well as an overall average SimpleScore. The idea is to give you a quick, at-a-glance idea of what a tire has to offer, making it easier for you to narrow down your choices. Let’s get into that a little deeper with this head-to-head tire comparison of the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus and Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive:

Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus tires

So what is the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus all about, anyway? The Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus is designed for a quiet and luxurious ride as well as handling and steering response that’s sharp and direct without ever being overly sensitive or touchy. Pirelli designed the P4 Persist AS Plus with an advanced tread formulation that’s infused with silica and over 18 other polymers and compounds, for reduced rolling resistance, excellent wear properties, and year-round traction, especially on wet pavement.

It features a symmetric all-season tread pattern with independent tread and shoulder blocks that are loaded with variable-angle grooves for improved traction in wet or wintry conditions. A continuous center rib gives the P4 Persist AS Plus a secure sense of stability for on-center driving on the highway, as well as steering response that’s quicker and more nimble. Reinforced shoulders help promote even wear as well as reducing tread squirm and deformation during hard maneuvers by helping the tire resist the inertia and momentum of cornering. The P4 Persist AS Plus resists hydroplaning with a pair of wide circumferential grooves that evacuate water from the tire’s contact patch in wet weather.

For winter conditions, the P4 Persist AS Plus has a dense network of sipes (hair-thin slits in the tread) with extra density toward the center rib and lateral tread blocks. These sipes multiply the tire’s surface area and traction to slice their way through standing water or light snow, giving the tire hundreds of extra biting edges for dependable and consistent traction.

The internal construction of the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus includes a casing that’s optimized for equal tension and strength, with twin steel belts, a spiral-wrapped nylon layer, and polyester cord body plies that enhance the tire’s strength and high-speed stability as well as giving a boost to ride quality. The P4 Persist AS Plus is also designed with a contact patch that’s optimized to keep the most rubber in contact with the road at all times, for braking performance, cornering ability, and long, even treadwear.

Pirelli engineers used computer modeling to help design the randomized pitch of the tire’s tread, canceling and negating certain resonances and frequencies to keep road noise muted. Pirelli backs the P4 Persist AS Plus with a best-in-class 85,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires

Now we come to the Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive, another premium Grand Touring tire that’s designed for ride comfort and low noise as well as year-round performance. The rubber compound of the Assurance ComfortDrive is infused with sustainable ingredients like soybean oil (and rice husk ash silica on select sizes), among other components, for increased traction and long tread life. Consistent grip and stability are a couple of real strong points with the Assurance ComfortDrive; it features Goodyear’s AquaChannel Grooves and large lateral notches for resistance to hydroplaning. Goodyear’s innovative Evolving Traction Grooves open up and widen to continue delivering traction even as tread depth gets shallower, and a thick pattern of sipes helps boost traction in wintry conditions. All these tread elements work together as a system, known as Goodyear’s TredLock Technology.

The Assurance ComfortDrive is designed with a real emphasis on a compliant and forgiving ride. Goodyear’s ComfortFlex technology absorbs shocks, vibrations, and impacts to keep passengers comfortable, and its tread pattern is computer-optimized to reduce airborne road noise and cancel out certain harmonics and resonances. ComfortFlex technology also helps with enhanced handling properties, for cornering and steering responses that are consistent and predictable. Goodyear covers the Assurance ComfortDrive with a 60,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires on traction

When it comes to traction, the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus and Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive are both designed with tread packages that ensure confident traction on dry or wet pavement as well as braking performance that’s decisive and precise. Reviews indicate that the Goodyear delivers better wet-weather traction than the P4 Persist AS Plus, but it’s worth noting here that neither tire has the tire industry’s Three Peak Mountain Snowflake certification for severe winter service, so traction in deeper snow is rather an open question with both tires. This one’s a tough call since both tires get a very solid SimpleScore of 9.7 for traction.

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires on handling

Pirelli tires have traditionally been the preferred choice as the OEM tire for sports sedans and high-end crossovers and coupes and, of course, Pirelli has an extensive backstory in motorsports as well. That might be coloring our observations when it comes to handling, but it’s true – reviews show that the P4 Persist AS Plus has steering feel and driver feedback that’s more light and nimble than the Assurance ComfortDrive. Reviews of the Goodyear mention on-center feel that’s a little numb and sluggish, although other reviews speak pretty highly of the Goodyear’s handling and control, for a SimpleScore of 9.5 for handling. With the Pirelli, of course, the reinforced shoulder design helps boost confidence when carving up corners and taking on interstate offramps or twisty roads, with a SimpleScore of 9.2.

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus

Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus vs Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires on longevity

Here’s a pretty clear-cut comparison. Both tires are built to be durable and have great wear properties (plus the Goodyear has treadwear indicators built into the tread so a driver can easily keep tabs on alignment problems or excessive wear). However, the Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus is covered by an 85,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, while the warranty on the Goodyear is only good for 60,000 miles. That comes out to SimpleScores of 9.9 for the Pirelli and 9.1 for the Goodyear. The numbers don’t lie.

ADVANTAGE: Pirelli P4 Persist AS Plus

When to use each

This is one of those that comes down to a fairly tough call since both tires are excellent values and premium quality with strong performance all around. Indeed, the SimpleScore averages are 9.6 for the Pirelli and 9.3 for the Goodyear.

Both the Pirelli and the Goodyear tires are designed for low noise and a compliant, refined ride. The Pirelli has an edge in handling, while the advantage in traction goes to the Goodyear model. They’re both at about roughly the same price point, so it probably comes down to your preference and what your priorities are in a set of tires. The Goodyear tire does come in a wide range of sizes from 16” to 20”, making it a good choice for all kinds of fitments.

The Pirelli tires does have a more expansive warranty, although that’s probably counterbalanced somewhat by Goodyear’s 60-day no-strings-attached satisfaction guarantee, as well as their comprehensive nationwide dealer network.

Which one should you choose?

What kind of vehicle are you driving? Our gut feeling is that the Goodyear would be a great tire for a luxury SUV from Lincoln or Buick, as well as for a variety of premium sedans. If you’re driving a sporty crossover or sedan like an Audi or Lexus and you want handling that will complement your vehicle’s potential go with the Pirelli. Additionally, the Pirelli tire can be used on daily drivers like a Honda Civic, Toyota RAV4, or Chrysler Pacifica thanks to its well-rounded performance and excellent longevity.

Both are excellent tires that have their distinct plus and minus traits, with a soft and forgiving ride that transmits little in the way of roughness to the passengers and driver. Both have the kind of road manners that are pretty composed even on rough and irregular pavement. Both deliver consistent and confident traction (although Goodyear has a slight edge in that category).

Finally, price is a big sticking point for tires as most drivers don’t have an unlimited budget. Starting at $98.96/tire, a set of four Pirelli P4 Persist tires will cost drivers at least $400. On the flipside, the Goodyear tire is much more expensive and starts around $162/tire. This means a set of four Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive tires would cost drivers at least $650, which is a $250 difference between the two.

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.