Sumitomo Tires – Reviews & Ratings

Quality is always a priority for most drivers, a greater majority goes for affordability. Drivers will always prefer a reputable and well-known tire brand but in the midst of this huge market exist little-known, yet excellent masters of the tires craft such as Sumitomo Tire Company.

In this review, we explain the desirable features of Sumitomo tires, explore its history and gather opinions from customers on the quality, pricing, and durability of their products.

Sumitomo Overview

Though the company is little known by most consumers, it is part of the biggest tire manufacturers and has been in existence since 1909. It is headquartered in Japan and is an affiliate of Goodyear Tire Company. The company produces a number of its tire brands and complements its sister companies in the production of Dunlop, Falken, and Ohtsu tire products.

Aside from automotive tire manufacturing, Sumitomo is engaged in the mass production of sporting equipment like tennis balls and golf balls. The company opted to produce and market cheaper tire products as they have actively been engaged in acquisitions of major tire manufacturing companies.

The company banks on innovative design procedures, the use of high-quality raw materials, and precision engineering to cut down production costs and meet market demands.

Sumitomo Tire Industries in collaboration with its subsidiaries is currently the world’s fifth-largest tire manufacturer with plans to expand its facilities further. Its humble beginnings saw it engage in the manufacture and marketing of bicycle tires, following in the vision of Dunlop Tires, Japan.

At the moment, the company has upgraded its facilities managing to distribute original equipment and replacement parts for multiple passenger vehicles, light trucks, SUVs, crossovers, commercial trucks and earth-moving equipment.

Sumitomo Popular Brands

Sumitomo HTR Z5

They are high-performance tires that have been fabricated to provide excellent responsiveness and easy handling for sports vehicles and sport-tuned coupes. They are manufactured for use in dry conditions and as such are unadvisable for use in wet, snowy, or freezing temperature conditions.

The tread features an asymmetric pattern and a continuous center rib that has been designed to optimize stability and increase sensitivity to steering controls. Internal layers of this tire brand are fitted with double-layered polyester casings that are reinforced with steel belts for ultimate strength.

The rigidity of the sidewalls is enhanced, thanks to the high-strength steel bead incorporates in its manufacture.

The tires rely on circumferential grooves and a series of notches between the ribs that evacuate water and enhance traction while driving over wet roads.

Sumitomo HTR A/S PO3

This is a range of all-season tires that have been designed to offer ultra-high vehicle performance with excellent traction, stability, and handling. The rubber compound contains a high amount of silica content that raises its resistance to wear and tear and consequently improves surface grip characteristics. The tread pattern is asymmetric and has been designed to withstand deformation especially while cornering at high speed.

The tire’s casing contains two plies of polyester that are essential for increasing durability and boosting the tire’s shock absorption and noise cancellation capabilities for an ultimately comfortable ride.

Water evacuation when driving under wet conditions is improved using grooves that have been carefully crafted on the outboard shoulder and circumferential chutes around the tire.

Sumitomo HTR Sport H/P

Do you like to don nicely looking, high-performance tires on your light truck, SUV, or pickup truck? Well, Sumitomo has a product in their range to cover you through all seasons. The tire brand is preferred for its excellent traction and superb load-bearing capacities.

The treads are symmetrically patterned and have a continuous center rib that provides assurances of maximum grip and stability while driving on the highway. The tire’s defense against hydroplaning and wet weather skidding is improved using the lateral and circumferential grooves which have been deeply crafted. The durability and strength of the tires have been enhanced by using twin steel belts and layers of polyester cords that are instrumental in increasing driving comfort.

Sumitomo HTR Enhance LX2

An all-season touring tire brand that is recommended for coupes, sedans, and small crossovers whose design is centered on high response to steering controls, durability, and enhanced traction.

The tire is manufactured using a special blend of rubber and silica, providing the tire with adequate flexibility and strength. The asymmetrical tread patterns feature deeply seated grooves that enhance pressure distribution. Lateral and circumferential grooves protect the tires from hydroplaning while an increased number of sipes ensures maximum contact surface areas and biting edges are available for driving over snow.

Sumitomo Warranty Conditions

The company has an attractive warranty package that takes care of defects due to manufacturing or poor workmanship for a maximum period of 6 years, effective from the date of purchase. Based on the company’s product catalog, Sumitomo offers a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty.

Our Opinion

Most of the products manufactured and sold by Sumitomo have ranked highly based on the tire industry ratings. The tires have been fabricated with durability at the center, with a strong focus on overall car performance. Based on its online resources, the company is committed to driving innovation and seeks to use sustainable, eco-friendly, and inexpensive materials for its automotive tire products.

Sumitomo, which ranks among the world’s largest tire manufacturing companies has locations across the globe and produces a wide range of original equipment and replacement parts, making them a brand of choice for several drivers. To clearly understand Sumitomo’s market perception, it is important that we consider reviews from verified buyers.

There are clients who are completely satisfied with the quality and longevity of Sumitomo products. One thing that stands out is the enhanced handling that comes with Sumitomo’s tires. Customers have categorically stated that the tires have excellent braking capabilities and provide great traction, just as described in most of their product offerings.

However, there are previous clients who’ve voiced their concerns over comfort issues. Complaints abound about tires that are noisy and few brands that wear out fast.

A parting shot, Sumitomo is an excellent choice for a driver who is after quality, albeit at a lower price.