For trucks and SUVs, a set of highway tires is the most suitable tire type for these kinds of vehicles. Highway tires perform well on paved surfaces and for this reason, this tire type has become the most-sought tire type around the world.
If you will try to compare a highway tire to an all-terrain tire, you will easily identify the difference. They provide more comfort, lesser noise, stronger grip and traction, and greater stability at high speed.
Be that as it may, you will see a wide range of highway tires that are being offered in the market. This makes choosing the best tire set for your car or your driving preference harder than it should be.
To make your search easier, look no further because you might want to consider the Firestone Destination LE2 Highway Terrain SUV Tire. Firestone is a tire company that merged with Bridgestone in 1988. Since then, their company has become one of the leading tire brands across the globe. They have a wide range of light truck portfolios featuring commercial and passenger trucks.
The Firestone Destination LE2 at a glance
This highway tire model is specially designed for vehicles such as SUVs, vans, and light-duty pickups. However, the LE2 has a heavy-duty archetype, which was commonly used for trucks for its superb traction and affordability. Consequently, this tire model is being improved from its predecessor in all aspects.
Firestone claims that the highway tire model may be suitable for crossovers as well, but we highly suggest that you use the tire for three-row seating crossovers only. If you are wondering why it is because this highway tire may ruin your expectation when it comes to responsiveness. Good responsiveness is the main factor most crossover owners look for in a highway tire.
Pros
- Excellent traction and grip on dry surfaces
- Exceptional hydroplaning resistance
- Powerful brakes even in a wet climate
- Outstandingly comfortable and quiet
- Affordable
Cons
- Unappealing treadwear warranty at 60,000 miles
- Performs slightly well either on ice or snow
- Not the best highway tire in terms of responsiveness
Features and performance
The all-season highway tire is structured “to keep up with you” and is suitable for all-season performance. The manufacturer stated that this tire model has good traction even in wintry weather. And just like most highway tires offer, it is also very smooth and quiet to drive.
Excellent internal construction
To achieve the tire model’s unique features, many designs that are common with most highway tires were integrated into it. One special feature with this all-season highway tire is its closed shoulder blocks, which help improve traction on dry conditions, as well as the tire’s wear life.
Moreover, it is constructed with circumferential grooves whose function is to throw the water out of the tire during heavy rains. It is also designed with zigzag sipes and stepped inside notches for better light-snow traction. Additionally, it is enhanced with pitch sequencing for reduced noise while driving on the road, and sweeping slots that help boost traction on wet surfaces.
The interior design of this all-season highway tire is notable for its standard quality. It includes twin steel belts that are supplemented with nylon spiral wrap. These two incorporated features intensify the tire’s endurance for light and medium-weight trucks. Also, the tire model is built with a polyester cord, making your ride experience smooth, even on bumpy roads.
Decent overall performance
Without a doubt, this tire performs very well in dry conditions. It has outstanding traction that is as good as the leading premium tires have. It also provides consistent stability and short-distance brakes on highway driving. Additionally, it includes a side-to-side grip, which is a plus for highway tire models.
However, its responsiveness and handling performance may not be on par compared to crossover tires and other leading tire brands, and it may not be impressive for sporty drivers. But considering its affordability, this all-season highway tire is worth more than its value. Its performance is suitable for average drivers for SUVs and trucks.
Reliable in wet conditions
When we talk about the tire’s traction and grip in wet conditions, its performance is not impressive. Maybe the manufacturer can improve the tire’s traction especially when the car needs to do a hard acceleration. Yet, if you don’t drive your car like a maniac, this tire should match your driving performance.
What’s the most impressive about this highway tire is its outstanding hydroplaning performance, which can be compared to famous high-performing tires. It is also valued for its precise and short-time brakes on wet surfaces, which gives us confidence when it comes to safety. Overall, we can say that this tire model has a lot to offer although it is offered at a low price.
Comfortable on the road
For a highway tire, this tire model performs very well, providing a quiet and smooth driving experience. We could say that this tire is the quietest and the most comfortable highway tire for SUVs and trucks, which is a great advantage, especially for a budget-friendly tire. Hence, if you will travel on a long drive with these tire sets, you will feel as if you are riding a luxurious car.
Firestone Destination LE2 specifications
This model is the latest variation of the LE tire model and is currently the highest-rated tire model among their whole tire selection. The tire is ideal for different vehicle types including SUVs, crossovers, pickups, and vans. It provides an outstanding handling performance and superb ride quality compared to its predecessor model, the LE.
Vehicle compatibility
With regards to vehicle compatibility, the all-season highway tire fits well the following cars, including Chevrolet’s Colorado, Equinox, and Silverado. It is also ideal for the Ford models, such as the Escape, Explorer, Ranger, and F-150. For GMC models, the tire is perfect for Acadia, Sierra, and Yukon.
Moreover, the tire is compatible with the Jeep Compass, Patriot, and Cherokee. Also, it befits Kia’s Sorento and Land Rover’s LR2. This tire is also perfect for Nissan’s Frontier and Range Rover, Toyota’s Tacoma, Tundra, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, and Highlander, among others.
On the other hand, the tire’s other available sizes may be compatible with more compact crossovers. These include the Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V, Hyundai Santa Fe, or Mazda CX-7. But you can still choose other tire brands for the aforementioned cars.
Available sizes
To perfectly fit various car types and sizes, this all-season tire is made available in a wide range of sizes. It has a dimension of 15-20 inches, a width ranging from 215 to 275mm, and a sidewall that is 50-75cm. That is a generous size but it may be better if the tire has higher load ratings.
Hence, many people agree that this tire model fits more for lighter truck hauls and tows. Take note that the standard load rating for a highway tire is approximately 2,601 lbs. each tire.
FAQs
Is the Firestone Destination LE2 suitable for off-roading?
Since this highway tire is initially designed for SUVs and trucks, it is safe to assume that it fares well for off-road driving. However, this principle does not apply to all highway tires, including this tire model. Strictly speaking, this tire model is exclusively for paved surface use only and is not recommended for off-road driving.
But if you have a car with an all-wheel-drive system (AWD), it is still possible to drive on lighter terrain because it may still have enough traction for such road types. Likewise, this tire model also provides a good traction performance on those road conditions, giving drivers and passengers alike safe driving.
Surfaces covered with mud or sand are not suggested for this tire model to drive on as well or else, you’ll only end up getting stuck.
Is it safe to drive on snowy roads?
Although Firestone claims that their highway tire model works smoothly on snow, it does not give us the assurance that it does. Better yet, look for a tire that will excellently work during winter if you are living in an area where harsh winters occur. But if there is only little to no snow during winter where you live, this highway tire is good to go.
The tire’s brake, grip, and traction perform equally great whether in the summer or the cold season. Additionally, its traction fares well in light snow.
Just like what we have stated earlier, it is better to find another tire model, which is designed for wintry cold weather because this highway tire may only disappoint you in that aspect. You will only experience slow brakes and insufficient traction on the road.
Most drivers have noted that the tire performs poorly on the ice. Hence, get yourself a winter tire set for more dependable performance.
Final Verdict: Is the tire worth it?
Although the Firestone Destination LE2 Highway Terrain SUV Tire does not work well during the winter season, it is generally a great deal for a tire, since it is offered at an affordable price and performs very well especially on dry surfaces. So, if you are out there looking for a tire set, then this tire model is a must-have.
Read also related articles: Firestone Weathergrips Review, Firestone firehawk Indy 500 Review, Firestone Firehawk AS Review, and Primewell Valera H/T Review.