Full review
This is a review of Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS tires.
Bridgestone is a major brand, but that doesn’t mean it gets a free pass. We tested these tires next to other big-name tires so we could gauge if they were truly worth the investment. We compared factors like performance, handling, and comfort.
When you’re investing in tires, durability and price are key concerns. We researched the longevity of these tires across various climates and road conditions. We gathered consumer reviews to ensure that drivers were satisfied with everything these Bridgestone tires provided.
Don’t have time to read everything? Here’s a quick summary of our review as well as pros & cons listed.
It’s simple to boil our research down into pros and cons, but there’s more to consider before you buy a new set of tires. You want to know the details about the performance and handling on different types of roads.
It’s also crucial to know what noises are normal with Potenza RE97AS tires. In addition to the driving responsiveness, you also want a comfortable ride without bumps and shocks. We analyzed all results to properly determine how these tires ranked in our research.
Before you decide if Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS tires are right for you, read on to get the full breakdown from our team.
Overview
Bridgestone developed the Potenza RE97AS tires as a quality solution for people driving anything from crossover vehicles to sedans to luxury coupes. These all-season touring tires provide all of the basics you’d want in long-lasting tires with some upgrades that make them feel like a premium option.
In 2013, these tires were considered the height of luxury, coming standard on the 2013 Cadillac XTS Platinum Collection Luxury Sedan, the 2013 Chevy Impala, and the 2013 VW Golf. Our research found that as technology and tire innovation have improved, this has become less the case. The Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS is more realistically considered middle ground in the tire world.
This tire is an excellent option for your daily driver or grocery getter but less ideal for your recreation drivers or performance cars. While the test results did not show this tire as a failure, there was nothing to write home about. They didn’t outshine the competition in any tests and proved to be a perfectly suitable mid-level tire.
Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS Tires
Adequately testing a set of tires means you need to drive them in various conditions, like wet, dry, snow, and ice. In each type of weather, you record braking distance, handling, noise, and comfort. An overview of these aspects gives you a general idea of how the tires will handle everyday use.
Performance
The asymmetrical pattern on the tire tread is what makes the Potenza RE97AS handle well across both wet and dry roads. Bridgestone constantly revitalizes its treads with the latest polymers that give optimal traction. In the Potenza RE97AS, they use a high silica tread compound.
The design of the tread helps it handle wet roads without hydroplaning. There’s a center rib with grooves to help water flow off of the tire.
While this innovative tread technology makes the tires ideal for wet and dry conditions, that’s basically their limit. If you’re going to drive in snow or ice, these tires aren’t the best for the job. Lateral grooves help the tire maintain traction in light snow, but anything more than an inch will overtake the treads.
On snowy test drives, it took the Potenza RE97AS tires more than 40 feet to stop, even at a relatively low speed of 20mph. In dry conditions, there’s no issue with braking distance. Even on wet roads, Bridgestone’s custom tread design deflects water so that braking is almost as responsive as in dry conditions.
Handling
When you’re driving on twisting roads, you’ll find that these tires are incredibly responsive to the steering. They accelerate without spinning, which would cause the tread to wear unevenly. This is where Bridgestone’s innovative tread design makes a huge difference in handling.
The stiff shoulder tread on these tires improves the handling, especially in terms of cornering. You’ll feel just as confident taking turns in the rain as you would on a sunny day.
Since these tires are recommended for street use, you don’t want to take them off-road. The treads have a certain degree of stickiness that is ideal for road traction, but they hold onto dirt and rocks on rough terrain. After an off-road drive or two, you’ll ruin the Potenza RE97AS tires.
Noise and Comfort
As the tread wears down, you’ll notice more road noise to the point it can become a distraction. However, the tread life on these tires is above-average with a 480-A-A rating. You won’t hear anything, even at high speeds, for several years of use with these tires.
Like with the noise, comfort on the Potenza RE97AS tires is top-notch. You won’t feel anything unless you’re going over bumps at low speeds when you’ll feel every jostle from each tire.
Durability
The tread wears evenly, so you don’t have to worry about maintenance beyond regular rotations. If you notice the tread wearing unevenly, you can contact the manufacturer. That type of wear is covered by your warranty.
In terms of warranty, Bridgestone offers a 5-year or 55,000-mile warranty on V-speed rated tires. The warranty for W-speed rated tires is 5-year or 45,000 miles. This covers materials and labor. You can get a free replacement if they wear unsafely in the first three years of use.
Price
Bridgestone priced their Potenza RE97AS tires competitively for the quality. You can find lesser brands selling tires for as low as $50, but most reliable tires range from $100 to $300. The Potenza RE97AS tires hover around the $150 price range. At some retailers, you might find them cheaper, especially if you take advantage of a coupon code or holiday sale.
Recommendations & Conclusions
There are many pros and cons to the Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS tires. You might still feel uncertain if they’re the right tires for you. These recommendations and conclusions will help you get to the bottom line of your quest.
Recommendations
- The Potenza RE97AS is a middle-of-the-road tire in terms of performance and price.
- Drivers recommend this tire if you’re driving in moderate weather, but not if you expect to encounter snow or ice.
- According to Tirerack.com’s testing, these tires scored well for braking, steering, and handling.
- If you’re looking for a better option, Michelin Primacy MXV4 mostly scored the same as or higher than Bridgestone Potenza RE97AS.
Conclusions
- The Potenza RE97AS tires are a good choice if you don’t want to break the bank for a new set of tires and don’t demand a lot from your vehicle. They’re durable and reliable for driving in everyday wet and dry conditions.
- The best feature of these tires is how the stiff shoulder tread drastically improves the cornering, steering, and handling. You’ll notice how responsive these tires are on your next drive.
References
Bridgestone Tires
TireRack – Product Page
TireRack – Testing Page
