Full review
This article takes a look at the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tire to help you decide if this tire is right for your ride.
We have researched all aspects of the AVID Touring-S and taken a deeper look at the manufacturer’s specifications to research how well this tire is made, and how the Yokohama AVID Touring-S was tested in many various environments.
We then compiled the data and compared it with customer reviews for a full-spectrum view of this tire and its performance. We will be looking at handling, noise, comfort, durability, and price to help you decide if this is the tire for you.
Don’t have time to read everything? Here’s a quick summary of our review as well as pros & cons listed.
Now, let’s get between the treads of the Yokohama AVID Touring-S and see what it’s made of.
Yokohama AVID Touring-S – Overview
Yokohama’s AVID Touring-S is the company’s standard touring all-season tire. It was developed for coupes, sedans, SUV crossovers, and minivans primarily. This tire puts together quality of ride, smooth handling, durability, and traction for driving in any season so that you don’t need to worry about switching tires when the first light snowfall of the year hits.
Though the AVID Touring-S is classified as an “all-season tire,” it is best on the pavement rather than off-road conditions. So if you are planning to be driving in snow for the majority of the winter season, it might be best to consider a dedicated snow tire.
In its class, the AVID is more affordable than most of its competitors, ranging from $70-110 per tire, but performs at a higher level than its price reflects.
It is designed with a triplex tread compound backed up by a 5 Year / 65,000-mile warranty, which is impressive for its class. Its symmetrical design allows all four tires to rotate interchangeably as well.
Performance Breakdown
Let’s look at a more comprehensive breakdown of the Yokohama AVID Touring-S all-season tire.
Performance
Wet
According to tests conducted by TireRack.com, The Yokohama AVID Touring-S was impressive in wet performance. They scored high in hydroplaning resistance, as well as wet tracking.
The tire tread blocks are designed with tapered rain channels and circumferential grooves which work together to pass water without compromising the wet traction.
The AVID’s construction contains conical rain, diagonal trench, and perimeter grooves wrapping around the tire and helping to drain and absorb water from under the tire.
Dry
According to TireRack.com, the AVID Touring-S tested well in cornering stability, traction, and steering response in dry conditions.
Yokohama has also added interchangeable tread blocks to increase turns in tight corners, steering, and dry traction. There are Cross Traction tread grooves that apply beveled edges for grip enhancement in dry conditions as well.
Snow
The AVID Touring-S tested the lowest in the snow. As it is a standard all-season tire, the AVID is not designed for snowy conditions beyond a light dusting and can struggle in the winter.
Its traction is enhanced with the cross-traction sipes. These sipes increase traction in the snow and ice, but it still leaves room for improvement here still. Again, it’s better to have a dedicated snow tire if you are driving in snowfall all winter.
Braking
According to user reviews, the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tires had impressive braking distances in rainy and dry conditions alike.
Some customer reviews indicate that in wet conditions, the tire struggled to stop at a comfortable distance.
Handling
According to customer reviews, these tires feel solid in turns and at high speeds on straight roads.
The tire’s structure has twin steel belts with nylon edge strips to stabilize the wheel and assist in shock absorption on bumpy conditions from slow to high speeds. It also has a double rail stabilizer for additional stability and steering.
Noise and comfort
Noise
Customer reviews often noted how quiet the Yokohama AVID Touring-S was in lower miles, though some higher-mileage reviewers claimed that the noise increased as the miles went up.
The tire’s construction includes a molded symmetric design with silent shoulders, variable tread blocks and a twin rail stability rib, both of which decrease tire noise and seem to have done so successfully.
Comfort
Similar to the AVID’s noise reviews, customers reported that the tires are a smooth and comfortable ride in their lower mileage. However, as they age, the comfortability decreases.
Durability
Yokohama sought to increase this tire’s lifespan with the new design that we’ve covered above, and they have backed that up with a 5 year / 65,000-mile limited treadwear warranty as well as a 30-day trial satisfaction guarantee.
User reviews have ranged in this area. Some claim that the tires only lasted 40,000 miles before needing new ones, while others have claimed that the tires lasted up to 90,000 miles. This is likely dependent on how often you rotate these symmetrical tires, and what conditions they are used in.
Price
According to reviews by users, the Yokohama AVID Touring-S rated second-highest in its price class all-around, only falling behind the Firestone MultiSeason Gen 02.
For its price-quality and durability, it is a smart purchase.
Recommendations & Conclusions
Recommendations
Overall, the Yokohama AVID Touring-S is a great option on a budget, but there are certainly better options out there if you can spend a little more. We recommend looking at tires such as:
- Kleber Quadraxer 2
- Goodride SW602
- Kumho Solus HA31
And based on consumer reviews of TireRack.com, the best alternatives in the AVID Touring-S’s price-class include:
- Continental TrueContact Tour
- Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
- Yokohama AVID Ascend LX
Conclusions
Based on our research, we can conclude the Yokohama AVID Touring-S tire is one of the best within its price range. From the data and user experiences that we have gathered for this review, it is suggested that this tire will serve drivers best on dry pavement, though they can also work well in wet conditions with caution.
For snowy conditions, you will want to consider a dedicated snow tire. It’s important to take into account that all-season is what this tire is designed for, and won’t be the best buy in any one of the seasons.
After long periods of use of this tire, we found that Yokohama’s AVID Touring-S has a great steering response and creates a solid, smooth, and comfortable experience while driving.
In its higher miles, the level of noise increased, and so did its performance as the treads wore. Though it is also important to note that this is the nature of most tires, and with Yokohama’s high-mileage guarantee, there’s not too much to worry about.
Our research also shows that though this is an all-season tire that should be adaptable from Summer to Winter, the grip, braking, and acceleration in snowfall are inferior to some competitors.
Overall, the AVID Touring-S doesn’t outperform more expensive tires in its class, but within its price range, it’s hard to beat. We think you will have a satisfactory ride with the Yokohama AVID Touring-S and we hope you enjoyed the review.
References
Yokohama AVID Touring-S Review | Tirerack.com
