Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus Review – Most Comfortable Run-Flat Tire

Bridgestone has been the industry leader in tires that can provide you with longer mobility at no pressure ever since it created the run-flat tires for the revered Porsche 959. Now that most sports cars come equipped with all-wheel drive, the Porsche 959 revolutionized the supercar industry.

However, despite the fact that more automakers now utilize run-flat tires, they have yet to win over non-OEM customers. There are a number factors that contribute to this, but the main ones are their astronomical cost, significantly uncomfortable ride, and shorter treadlife than equivalent normal tires.

Through the years, the Japanese tire manufacturer kept inventing and released more advanced run-flat tires. The company’s most well-known design is the DriveGuard, the first run-flat tire that combine a comfortable ride with zero-pressure maneuverability.

Bridgestone, however, didn’t sit on its laurels and introduced the enhanced DriveGuard Plus in 2022. The updated model has several enhancements, including increased comfort, longer treadlife, and greater wet/snow grip. Bridgestone claims as much, at least.

However, the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus is still pricey. For instance, depending on the retailer, the Turanza QuietTrack ordinary grand-touring all-season tire from Bridgestone costs around $180. When compared to the DriveGuard Plus, which costs around $220, the convenience of running on run-flat tires will cost you more than $150. If you choose larger sizes, the difference will be significantly greater, however to be fair, the DriveGuard Plus often has higher speed ratings.

Should you choose the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus or is there another run-flat tire that belongs on your car if you finally want to get rid of the spare tire (or tire repair kit) and enjoy peace of mind on longer trips? That’s precisely what I’ll show in my thorough DriveGuard Plus review, in which I contrast it not just with its top run-flat competitors but also with common grand-touring all-season tires.

What are the features of the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus?

Bridgestone’s NanoPro-Tech (Nanostructure-Oriented Properties Control Technology) rubber compound, used to make the tire, was developed through molecular design to enhance the bonding between the molecules of rubber and silica. As a result, the compound loses silica’s great wet grip while becoming hydrophobic (silica is hydrophilic). The Bridgestone tires are routinely supplied with the greatest treadwear guarantees in their respective categories, which increases wear life.

But how did Bridgestone achieve the DriveGuard Plus’ claimed level of comfort? The business won’t say, but I assume it’s because of its dedication to its run-flat tires and ongoing development of the idea. Bridgestone is one of the few firms that tweaks the recipe to consistently enhance its run-flat tires, and this should be evident in how well they perform on the road.

What are the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus’ maintenance indicators?

The Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus has the industry-required tread wear bars, which may alert the driver when the tread hits the lowest allowable tread depth in the majority of countries across the world—2/32 inches.

Bridgestone does not provide wear indicators that may reveal the tread depth in more detail, in contrast to its rivals Continental. This is significant because, for acceptable snow traction, the wintertime required minimum tread depth is 5/32 inches.

And it’s important to keep track of tread depth for road safety. It’s not uncommon to see tires with nearly little tread still on them or to see worn tires being utilized in icy weather. Sadly, using a tread depth gauge is your only choice when using the DriveGuard Plus. Although it’s a cheap item that doesn’t belong in your automobile, few people really use it.

What is the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus warranty?

How does the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus behave on dry roads?

Furthermore, the DriveGuard Plus needs to be pushed hard in order to reach its limitations because the lateral grip approaches the industry-leading non-run-flat tires. Although stopping distances are a little bit longer than they would be on conventional tires, they are still highly competitive, and the longitudinal traction is also quite strong.

When pushed over 90%, the DriveGuard Plus is less effective. It becomes more difficult for the driver to maneuver the vehicle into a turn when the handling balance shifts to oversteer at that point. Fortunately, unless you drive like a crazy, this is probably not going to happen to you on a public road.

However, the current crop of normal grand-touring all-season tires, such as the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack, Continental PureContact LS, and Goodyear Assurance ComfortDrive, will perform better at the limit.

It has good resistance to hydroplaning. The many sipes and broad, deep grooves significantly reduce hydroplaning. As a consequence, even if your car strikes a large water puddle, it will still stay stable.

With that being said, how is the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus on snowy roads?

No, driving over rough terrain is not recommended with the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus. It is an all-season grand touring tire that is solely intended for paved roads and the rare dirt or gravel route.

Long-term use of the DriveGuard Plus’s tread might harm the surface because of uneven and abrasive surfaces. Even more significant problems like tread separation, cuts, and bulges may result from it.

The Dueler A/T Revo 3 all-terrain tire from Bridgestone is made to be driven on both paved and unpaved routes.

Is the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus a run-flat tire?

However, there are several drawbacks to run-flat tires that you should think about before purchasing. To begin with, run-flat tires weigh 5–10 pounds (2–5 kg) more than standard tires. Although it may seem little, this weight is unsprung, meaning that the suspension system is not supporting it. A vehicle’s handling may be impacted by more unsprung weight, but it will also be more difficult for the suspension to respond to wheel movement, such as when striking a pothole.

However, the additional rotating mass also hinders the engine’s ability to accelerate, resulting in somewhat reduced performance and increased fuel usage. Although removing the spare tire and wheel repair kit might help, the rotating mass is typically worse than hauling baggage.

How are the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus’ road noise and comfort performance?

The DriveGuard Plus, however, is a run-flat tire that can compete with ordinary tires in terms of ride comfort. The smoothest run-flat tire was its predecessor, but this model ups the ante. Now, on most roads, the DriveGuard Plus rides as smoothly as a set of conventional grand touring all-season tires. Driving on the highway is as smooth as it gets since the tires handle minor road irregularities quite well and don’t shake the cabin at all.

Larger and sharper undulations certainly make the ride a little more choppy than, say, the Turanza QuietTrack, but I’ve also driven on worse conventional tires that made louder noises while driving over potholes. Most people, I believe, would not notice the difference if they did not sample two sets of tires side by side.

Also not a problem is noise. At greater speeds, if you listen carefully, you can hear a high-pitched noise, but by then the wind noise has probably drowned it out. Again, the DriveGuard Plus is very quiet and smooth at high speeds for a run-flat tire.

I’m happy that Bridgestone finally made run-flat tires affordable for automobile owners whose vehicles were originally equipped with standard tires. Your automobile will be as comfy as before with the DriveGuard Plus, and you’ll never have to stress about replacing a tire in the middle of nowhere.

Drivers of high-end vehicles who already have run-flat grand touring tires from the factory should anticipate a significant improvement in comfort with the DriveGuard Plus at practically no performance cost.

Should I buy the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus?

What sizes does the Bridgestone DriveGuard Plus come in?