Goodyear Nordic Winter Tires Review
The Goodyear Nordic winter tires received a lot of great reviews from various auto forums. Does it really live up to the claims? Read on for a detailed first hand review.
Tire Information:
The Goodyear Nordic is a uni-directional winter tire that fits most sedans. The rotation arrow is clearly marked on the sidewall. Like most winter tires, the rubber is softer than most all season tires, which gives better traction on snow and ice, but probably wears quicker on dry pavement. (That may be why winter tires do not have milage rating like the summer and all season tires) The v-shaped tread looks somewhat aggressive, and it extends almost all the way to the edge of the sidewall. This makes the side profile look thicker than the regular all seasons of the same size. Also on the sidewall it says “Made in USA”. According to the advertisement, the Nordics can stop 60′ shorter in distance compared to other all season tires. I have yet to verify such claim (and probably will not), but the claim certainly sounds pretty impressive. On the sidewall you will notice there are a few other symbols and letters: M+S, 89s, and the “snow” symbol. M+S stands for “mud and snow”. Theoretically, the tires should work well in mud as well, though I wonder how many people would actually do so. According to the Goodyear website, 89 denotes the load index. Each tire can withstand a maximum of 1279 lbs of weight. The “s” is the speed rating that indicates the tire is designed to work properly with a maximum speed of 180km/h (112 mph). Click HERE for details about the Load and speed rating. Last but not least, the “snow” symbol means that the tire is approved by Rubber Association of Canada and it has met the RAC severe snow conditions standard set by the association – another safety assurance.
Price Point:
Prices vary depending on the size. A 195/65 R15 costs $ 97.49 when it is on sale. A set of four cost around $400 before taxes. The price is competitive considering a set of Michelin X-ice Xi2 costs about $650 per set for the same size.
Ride Impression:
The ride is quiet provided the mechanics installed them properly. Shortly after the installation, I took the car out for a test drive on a local street. The ride was extremely noisy. There was a periodic “click” noise coming from the rear passenger wheel. I inspected the tires and found that the manufacturer’s sticker label was still on the tire! By then the sticker had already been melted onto the tire, and it took a good ten minutes to remove it bit-by-bit. The ride was nice and quiet afterwards. At 60km/h, the noise level is only slightly noticible with the windows rolled down. On highway, only the wind noise can be heard at 100km/h.
Performance:
The Nordic delivers a comfortable ride on dry surface. Handling is about the same as the all seasons I had in the summer time. The only major difference is that the steering feels lighter with the winter tires on.
On snow and slush, the Nordic provides predictable handling and above average traction. With ten centimetres of snowfall, driving around an unshovelled parking lot is a piece of cake. The tires firmly “bite” into the snow and gain traction almost instantly.
Summary:
The Goodyear Nordic provides great performance in winter conditions at a very reasonable price. The ride is quiet and it delivers good traction in snow. The tire is exclusively available at only one retail chain, which is unfortunate because the auto shop service is below average from my personal experience. I would suggest purchasing the tires and bring them to a more reputable tire shop for proper installation.
Pros:
- Good traction in snow
- Quiet ride (if installed properly)
- Great price
- Good reputation and quality assurance
Cons:
- Only available from one retailer
- Installation service from retailer not up-to-par
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Re: Goodyear Nordic Snow Tires. The previous Nordic Tire (pre-2009?) was excellent in all respects, surpassing “top of the line” winter tires in terms of quality & performance, (in addition to superior price point). Handing in snow was excellent. Rain performance was great. Handling on dry roads was super! – No road noise and none of the “squirm” you’ll get from some high prices top of the line snows, (I could mention specific manufacturer but I will refrain.) Tire wear on dry pavement was OK despite relatively soft compound – in fact I used these tires year-round on my previous car for over 5 years. I can only surmise that it was taken off of the market because it was too good a product. The new Nordic (since 2009?) looks inferior in every way and I will now be forced to look elsewhere for good snow tires. Do you know if GoodYear still sells the old Nordic tire ?
Ross McKenzie. Victoria, BC.
@ross mckenzie Canadian tire sells them for a very reasonable price. I purchased them today and they were $122.00 ea. (on sale).
Canadian Tire is now advertising this tire from $52.49. I wonder is this due to the inferior quality??? I don’t want to pay extra for a winter tire that’s similar to an all-season
Sam: The Nordics start at that price but it depends on the tire size you need and whether they’re on sale or not. I just bought my first set of Nordics last winter and was then and am now very pleased with them. I run a pretty decent all-season tire the rest of the year but I have to say I feel much more confident driving in the winter since I got my Nordics and so far haven’t had any problems. $850 incl. taxes for 4 steel rims, 4 tires, enviro fee, mounting of tires on rims and protection plan for tires. I think that’s a darn good deal….
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This review was extremely helpful. I am in the midst of purchasing snows. The Nordic was a tire recommended to me. After some research and reading your review, it has made my decision a lot easier. Thanks for the helpful advise!!
When Canadian tire advertises a tire from a certain price, they usually pick a very obscure size that almost nobody will need to purchase, and mark it down to nearly their cost. Tire prices vary heavily based on the size, popularity and type.
I PURCHASED I7 INCH NORDIC GOODYEAR IS IT NORMAL THAT THEY ARE SO NOISY ON THE HIGHWAY IS it POSSIBLE THAT THEY WERENT INSTALLED RIGHT
Nordics are great value for $$$ and handle very well. The only problem that I have is that they are LOUD !!! – but I guess most ( if not all ) winter tires are little louder than summer or all seasons.
Money well spend.
should the tires be installed all one way- my vehicle 2010 grand caravan – snow tires nordic
Good information. I totally agree with the comment on taking the tires else where for installation. I ordered the Goodyear Nordic. The mechanic at the location in question broke 2 tire bolts and installed the wrong tires. They charged me $145 to replace the bolts that they broke. I have owned cars for 25 years and have never seen that happen. I am going back to get the tires that I ordered and will comment on the new tires. Stay tuned.