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Our Editor, Julian, gets himself a new set a comfortable tyres from Bridgestone, but can he get used to them? Let's hear what he has to say...
14 Mar 2023
Comfort tyres. Right. Who would have known?
For the uninitiated and the new readers, I used to drive a 2007 Honda Civic Type R, and because of that, coupled with my inner 'beng-ness', all I knew were sporty tyres. Tyres like the Bridgestone Potenza Sport, Pirelli P Zero Corsa, Michelin Pilot Sport series, etc.
But since the family expanded, I sold my FD2 some time last June and had it replaced with an S210 Toyota Royal Crown. This meant a 180 degree change for me - not just in terms of driveability, but also in terms of size and my driving behaviour on the road.
So what about the new set of tyres you got?
An expert helping to install my new Bridgestone T005A tyres on my car
To make things 'softer', I recently got my hands on a new set of Bridgestone tyres - the Turanza T005A. Am I overwhelmed with joy when I got it? I can't say I am. But am I glad I went with this set? Oh yes, I most certainly am.
There are several things about the Bridgestone Turanza T005A that I can appreciate over my previous ones (which were from another tyre maker from the previous owner). For starters, they're really quiet. Oh, the sweet silence. When you're a couple of years away from 40, or when you're constantly hounded by the howling of your kids, driving in silence is something to treasure and talk about. I'm not sure if my car has ever been this quiet, to be honest, and I always attributed that to the badly temporary paved roads in Singapore due to the constant construction.
It's certainly an upgrade for me in terms of comfort with the new tyres
As a result, you feel a whole lot more comfortable and at peace when you're on the jam-packed roads. I'm not sure about you, but it seems to me that the number of cars on the road now feels a whole lot more post-covid than it was pre. I mean this set of tyres is certainly more comfortable and smoother than before. Listen, don't get me wrong, this isn't 'Rolls-Royce smooth', nor is it some 'Bentley cloud nine' comfortable, but it's certainly an upgrade for me and my family.
It's sticky too
Now, I know what you're thinking. "If they're so quiet and comfortable, they can't possibly be grippy, right?" Well, quite the contrary. These tyres have got more grip than my sticky-fingered daughter in a candy store (or any other stores for that matter).
The Turanza T005A is grippy and comfortable
I've taken my car around winding roads and hairpin turns, and the tyres do a good job in pushing the adhesion limits on the tarmac. It's no sports car tyres, mind you, and you'd probably seldom drive like a mad man in a car like the Crown, but it's always good to know the tyres can perform under pressure when the time arises for it.
It's a relatively surprising find, methinks. Despite their comfort-oriented design, they provide the right amount of grip. It's like the Goldilocks of tyres - not too sporty, not too squishy, but just right.
A lot of positive characteristics can be found in the brochure for the T005A, but it's comfort, quietness, and grip that I love the most
Of course, on the brochure you'll find things like how the Bridgestone Turanza T005A tyres have optimised contact shape for smoother ride, reinforced sidewall and even a new Nano Pro-Tech compound that can help reduce heat generation and increase wet performance. In reality, I can't confirm if these marketing collaterals are accurate, but what I can say is the things I value now - such as comfort, quietness, and grip - are clearly present.
It's a good change
All that's said and done, has Bridgestone shattered my expectations? Not really. I've been using Bridgestone for years with my previous cars and the tyre maker has always exceeded my expectations. What, then, has been delightful and surprising for me is the fact that I enjoyed riding in the Turanza T005A.
The guys at South East Tyre Co. installed my Bridgestone tyres for me
I guess age has changed my perception about a lot of things, cars and tyres included. The sporty tyres I used to have always felt like they were vibrating my fillings loose, and to a certain extent, I loved that. With these Bridgestone Turanza tyres, I can actually hear my oldies but goodies music instead of just feeling it in my teeth.
So, if you're like me and you're looking to drive on comfort tyres, I would recommend giving the Bridgestone Turanza T005A a try. You can just have them installed at any B-Select stores like I did at South East Tyre Co. Who knows, maybe you'll even find yourself wanting to take the longer route more often, just to enjoy that smooth and serene ride.
See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Me appreciating comfort tyres. Who would have known?
For the uninitiated and the new readers, I used to drive a 2007 Honda Civic Type R, and because of that, coupled with my inner 'beng-ness', all I knew were sporty tyres. Tyres like the Bridgestone Potenza Sport, Pirelli P Zero Corsa, Michelin Pilot Sport series, etc.
But since the family expanded, I sold my FD2 some time last June and had it replaced with an S210 Toyota Royal Crown. This meant a 180 degree change for me - not just in terms of driveability, but also in terms of size and my driving behaviour on the road.
So what about the new set of tyres you got?
There are several things about the Bridgestone Turanza T005A that I can appreciate over my previous ones (which were from another tyre maker from the previous owner). For starters, they're really quiet. Oh, the sweet silence. When you're a couple of years away from 40, or when you're constantly hounded by the howling of your kids, driving in silence is something to treasure and talk about. I'm not sure if my car has ever been this quiet, to be honest, and I always attributed that to the badly temporary paved roads in Singapore due to the constant construction.
It's sticky too
Now, I know what you're thinking. "If they're so quiet and comfortable, they can't possibly be grippy, right?" Well, quite the contrary. These tyres have got more grip than my sticky-fingered daughter in a candy store (or any other stores for that matter).
It's a relatively surprising find, methinks. Despite their comfort-oriented design, they provide the right amount of grip. It's like the Goldilocks of tyres - not too sporty, not too squishy, but just right.
It's a good change
All that's said and done, has Bridgestone shattered my expectations? Not really. I've been using Bridgestone for years with my previous cars and the tyre maker has always exceeded my expectations. What, then, has been delightful and surprising for me is the fact that I enjoyed riding in the Turanza T005A.
So, if you're like me and you're looking to drive on comfort tyres, I would recommend giving the Bridgestone Turanza T005A a try. You can just have them installed at any B-Select stores like I did at South East Tyre Co. Who knows, maybe you'll even find yourself wanting to take the longer route more often, just to enjoy that smooth and serene ride.
See? That wasn't so hard, was it? Me appreciating comfort tyres. Who would have known?
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