Bridgestone Ecopia HL 422 Review
Well, Bridgestone may have just the product for you. We are talking about the Ecopia H/L 422 Plus of course. Not only is it a sturdy set of all-season tires, but it also improves the economy by a fair bit. If you are environmentally conscious, this is one tire set you just cannot overlook!
After putting the tire set through some extensive testing, we were quite impressed with its performance. So, if you are wondering whether this Bridgestone model can replace your current set of treads, just read along.
- Engineered to be Fuel-Efficient
Last updated on 2020-11-13 at 08:37 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Table of Contents
Ecopia H/L 422 Plus Review Oct 2024: Why buy this product?
We tested it on our 2017 Honda CR-V. After driving it for just a few miles, we noticed a significant improvement over the stock tires offered on the CR-V.
We drove the vehicle over dry, wet and even snowy conditions, and these are the things that stood out to us.
All-Season Performance
This is one of the biggest selling points of the Ecopia H/L 422 Plus, especially if you live in a place that doesn’t face harsh winters.
This tire set handled admirably under dry conditions. In fact, we felt that the grip, stability and cornering performance were miles better than the stock offering. And on top of that, it inspired confidence at speeds north of 120 mph.
What impressed us even more was the performance in wet and slippery conditions. For most all-season treads, dry conditions aren’t a problem at all. But some tires, especially the cheaper ones, falter under slippery conditions.
Fortunately, the Ecopia H/L 422 Plus holds its own when driving on wet roads. However, we can’t say the same about icy conditions. Honestly, it’s not bad, but we expect more at this price point.
Improved Rolling Resistance
One of the biggest benefits of getting the Ecopia series over any other all-season treads is the improved economy. In fact, the company claims that the H/L 422 Plus offers up to 23% better rolling resistance compared to the original EP422, which translates to an extra 20 miles per tank.
Honestly, those figures sound even more impressive when you consider the fact that the predecessor was also aimed at improving gas mileage. In our testing, the CR-V showed an approximate improvement of 25-30 miles over the standard set of tires.
- Engineered to be Fuel-Efficient
Last updated on 2020-11-13 at 08:37 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Cornering and Straight Line Stability
While the H/L 422 Plus isn’t a performance model, we can surely say that it doesn’t take the fun out of your vehicle. If you own a sporty sedan or crossover and still want to chuck your car into winding corners, this tire set will certainly put a smile on your face.
Moving on to the straight-line stability, we felt the Bridgestone tires showed a substantial improvement over the stock ones. At speeds of 120 mph and beyond, the CR-V’s ride felt smooth and stable, and that’s not something we can say about the factory tires.
Warranty and Reliability
This Bridgestone tire comes backed by a 5-year or 70,000-mile warranty, and that should be more than enough for most people. In our opinion, Bridgestone’s excellent reputation will also give you peace of mind.
What could’ve been better?
Although nothing significant cropped up during our testing, we felt that the traction on cold, slippery surfaces could be better. The tires don’t seem to grip that well compared to the competition. It’s not the worst, but honestly, we expect more from the Bridgestone brand.
Having said that, we felt that the overall traction is quite good. Even under wet conditions with moderate to high temperature, the Ecopia H/L 422 Plus performs admirably.
Pros
- Low rolling resistance improves mileage quite a bit
- Performance in dry and wet conditions is among the best in class
- Good straight-line stability
- Backed by a good warranty
Cons
- Doesn’t perform up to expectations on icy roads
Verdict
Honestly, apart from the underwhelming performance on icy roads, we really couldn’t fault the Ecopia H/L 422 Plus. In fact, considering its performance on dry and wet conditions, along with the impressive rolling resistance, this is among the best all-season tires we have tested.
If you don’t live in areas that face harsh winters, this is surely a tire set you must consider.
- Engineered to be Fuel-Efficient
Last updated on 2020-11-13 at 08:37 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You should also check out our reviews of other Bridgestone tires: