Goodyear Eagle RS-A Review: A Mid-Range Tire with Both Strengths and Weaknesses

Check Price

at Amazon.com
at TireAmerica.com
at TireRack.com
at DiscountTire.com
at TireBuyer.com
at PriorityTire.com
at SimpleTire.com

The modern tire market is saturated with products from a variety of manufacturers, each with their own unique models. In addition to selecting the make and model of your preferred tires, you will also need to choose from a few other options. Additionally, the majority of consumers find that the categorization of tires to be a little bit complicated.

Suppose you are interested in purchasing a pair of tires that may be used in any season. You discover that there are numerous models available to choose from while shopping at internet merchants. However, you are surprised to learn that some tires are labeled as “grand-touring,” while others are classed as “high-performance.” Does this imply that the second option is preferable? It’s interesting that you should ask, because the solution can be found in the review I did on the Goodyear Eagle RS-A.

This is the case due to the fact that the Eagle RS-A borrows many characteristics from grand-touring tires, despite the fact that it is rated as a high-performance all-season tire. To be more precise, Goodyear manufactured this tire with the intention of providing the driver with a livelier driving experience while still maintaining a reasonable level of comfort. Does this sound familiar? The reason for this is that these topics are typically covered in marketing discussions.

However, there is a rationale behind Goodyear’s unwavering self-assurance. The Eagle RS-A is a type of tire that is typically selected by the original equipment manufacturers (OEM) of a great number of cars that are manufactured in the United States, as well as in other nations. This indicates that the tire is evaluated by the automaker for its good overall performance as well as its treadlife.

However, the passage of time has demonstrated that it is possible to locate tires that are even superior to the OEM option, particularly in terms of their treadlife. This is due to the fact that automobile manufacturers aim to increase their earnings on new automobiles while simultaneously reducing the amount of money spent on tires. To answer your question, the answer is yes, you will eventually be able to upgrade the tires on your car.

But after all of that, what is the status of the Goodyear Eagle RS-A? Is this product able to compete with the top premium high-performance all-season tires? If so, what are those qualities? Or, with grand-touring all-season tires that are comparable to those? In the following section of my evaluation for the Goodyear Eagle RS-A, I will provide in-depth responses to the questions raised. There, I’ll discuss every facet of the tire, such as its traction in dry, rainy, and snowy conditions, as well as its comfort levels and treadlife.

The Eagle RS-A is available from Goodyear in a wide variety of tire sizes, beginning with a wheel diameter of 15 inches and going all the way up to a diameter of 20 inches. Because of these measurements, the corporation is able to cover a wide range of automobiles, such as small cars, mid-size sedans, minivans, performance sedans, sports coupes, sports cars, crossovers, and SUVs.

Before we get to my ideas and findings, let’s look at the elements that Goodyear incorporated into the Eagle RS-A that set it apart from its rivals and helped it stand out from the crowd.

What are the features of the Goodyear Eagle RS-A?

Goodyear describes the Eagle RS-A as a “quality performance tire for all-season traction in dry, wet, and snowy conditions.” Goodyear makes this claim about the Eagle RS-A. In addition, the manufacturer of the tire claims that it was developed with sport performance in mind. Because of this, you can find it sold as a high-performance all-season tire at online stores.

In order for Goodyear to accomplish those goals, they equipped the Eagle RS-A with an innovative tread compound. This tire’s rubber compound is designed not only to provide increased cornering grip and traction, but also to maintain its pliability at lower temperatures, which results in improved winter traction.

The Eagle RS-A tire has an asymmetric tread pattern that was designed to provide a quieter ride without sacrificing performance in any way. This was accomplished by molding the tread compound into an asymmetric pattern. In addition, the tread pattern has aggressive shoulder tread blocks that interlock with one another. These shoulder tread blocks extend the contact patch during heavy cornering, which results in enhanced grip and stability.

The tire, on the other hand, has wide lateral grooves and four circumferential grooves that are meant to divert water away from the contact patch. Additionally, the circumferential grooves are wide. These grooves aid to boost overall wet traction and braking, which in turn helps to lessen the likelihood of the vehicle hydroplaning in puddles of water. In addition to that, the grooves improve traction when walking in slush.

The Eagle RS-A contains several sipes across the tread blocks of the tire, making it suitable for use in wintry weather. The increased number of biting edges provided by these sipes contributes to improved snow traction and braking performance.

The Goodyear Eagle RS-A has a conventionally constructed tread compound and sidewalls, as one would expect from a high-performance all-season tire. It has dual steel belts that are reinforced by nylon, giving it the capacity to travel at higher speeds while also improving the ride quality.

What are the maintenance indicators?

On the Eagle RS-A, Goodyear installed the standard tread wear indicators (TWIs). Without the need for specialized measuring instruments, these indications make it much simpler for the owner or tire technician to keep track of the tread depth of the tire.

Additionally, this is a very essential point with regard to safety. The performance of the tire in snow and on wet surfaces is directly correlated to the tread depth of the tire. Without an adequate amount of tread depth, the tire will not be able to channel enough water to provide consistent resistance against hydroplaning, especially while traveling at higher speeds. In addition, as the tread wears down, the sipes on the tire lose their capacity to bite into snow, which makes the tire less effective in snowy conditions.

On wet roads, a minimum tread depth of 2/32 of an inch is required for safe driving. Not only does Goodyear encourage doing that, but the authorities also recommend it. To put it another way, you run the danger of getting a ticket in addition to the risk of driving on tires that are unsuitable for driving on wet roads. Because of this, you should immediately replace the tires after the tread depth reaches 2/32 of an inch. Alternately, if you are concerned about your safety, replace them even sooner.

However, let’s circle back around to the TWIs. Indicators of treadwear are thin rubber bars that are positioned within the circumferential grooves of the tire. When the tread is new on the tires, these bars are hidden inside the tire in a recess; however, as the tread wears down, they become more evident. When the tread depth of the tire reaches 2/32 of an inch, the TWIs will be entirely flush with the surface. This is an indication that the tires need to be replaced as soon as possible.

Now, in terms of treadlife, all-season tires are significantly better than summer or winter tires. This is the case for all-season tires. In spite of this, the treadlife of the Eagle RS-A is not even close to being spectacular. According to previous purchasers, these tires have a lifespan of approximately 40,000 miles, which is significantly lower than that of grand-touring all-season tires and also lower than that of some ultra-high-performance all-season tires.

In addition, the Eagle RS-A is not covered by any treadwear warranty offered by Goodyear. I am aware that the majority of tire manufacturers do not offer treadwear warranties on tires built for original equipment manufacturer use. Having said that, you are not a car manufacturer, and as such, you really shouldn’t be concerned about that. It is recommended that you purchase a treadwear warranty for your new all-season tires in 2020.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

When driving on dry roads, the Eagle RS-A really shines. When driving, the tire has a highly responsive feel to it and maintains good two-way communication with the driver. In addition, the cornering grip is superior to that which you would get on the majority of grand-touring tires, and the braking performance is also very good. The Eagle RS-A also gives the driver exceptional stability on the highway, even when traveling well above the maximum speed limit.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

Unfortunately, the exceptional performance in dry conditions is not transmitted to the wet roads. Even when it’s raining, the Eagle RS-A still has that eager feeling, but it doesn’t have enough traction to offer the driver the assurance they need to move forward.

The tire understeers earlier than comparable high-performance all-season tires offered by other manufacturers and it does not cease in the same amount of time. The Eagle RS-A is not the best tire to use in wet circumstances; even some newer grand-touring tires perform better.

Therefore, the Eagle RS-A is not terrible when it comes to performance in wet weather; but, there are better options available on the market, particularly from premium brands.

With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?

The tire’s bid to dominate its class faces another challenge in the form of poor snow traction. The Eagle RS-A simply does not have sufficient grip for driving with confidence in light snow, and especially in deep snow.

In addition, even with an all-season tire, the distances required to come to a complete stop might be rather lengthy. And while I won’t advocate any all-season tire for extremely severe winter conditions, I would say that some of the Eagle RS-A’s competitors perform considerably better in this regard.

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

Even though some sizes are suitable for crossovers and SUVs, the Goodyear Eagle RS-A is not intended to be used for off-road driving. The tread depth of the tire is just insufficient for driving on slick conditions, and the compound is not protected from cuts, chips, or punctures in any way. If you insist on using it, you can do so for a few miles on gravel as long as you take precautions to avoid hitting any sharp rocks.

Is it comfortable and refined?

The Eagle RS-A demonstrates that it deserves another chance in the comfort testing. Although the tire has sturdy sidewalls, it is nevertheless able to smooth out both minor and significant flaws in the road. In addition, while it is not the quietest tire available, the level of noise is not a significant problem when traveling at highway speeds.

Should I buy the Goodyear Eagle RS-A?

The Goodyear Eagle RS-A is a quality tire that comes at a lower price than its competitors, performs exceptionally well on dry pavement, and provides a comfortable ride.

However, that is not sufficient for a simple recommendation at this point. Although the price of the competitor’s product might be higher, it does come with a treadwear warranty, a longer treadlife, superior wet performance, and usable snow traction.