Consumer Reports Rates General Grabber HTS and Pirelli Scorpion ATR Models Best in...

Consumer Reports Rates General Grabber HTS and Pirelli Scorpion ATR Models
Best in Tests of All-Season and All-Terrain Tires

CR's tests reveal consumers can save gas with the right tires

YONKERS, N.Y., Oct. 6 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Reports' latest
tests of 34 all-season and all-terrain SUV and pickup truck tires (plus four
winter tires) revealed big differences in all-weather performance, tread life,
and even fuel economy.

The General Grabber HTS, $105, earned the top spot among all-season tires and
the Pirelli Scorpion ATR, $163, rated highest among all-terrain tires, based
primarily on impressive grip in dry and wet conditions. (Prices vary depending
on the retailer, location and tire size.)

In addition, the Michelin Latitude X-Ice, $128, was top rated among the 4
winter tires CR tested, delivering excellent snow traction and very good grip
on ice while keeping tire noise low.

All tire models were tested in a size, (P)265/70R17, commonly used on trucks.
CR experts expect that most results will be comparable for other sizes of
these models. Tests were performed on a 2007 Chevrolet Silverado pickup and a
2007 Chevrolet Suburban.

Most of the all-season tires CR tested performed very well in braking,
handling, and hydroplaning resistance. The tires produced a wide range of
tread life and rolling-resistance ratings. But the fact that a number of
all-season models with very good tread-life ratings ranked near the bottom in
overall performance, shows that it's necessary to look at the big picture when
choosing tires.

"The best choice of tires for your SUV or pickup truck depends on its design
and how you use the vehicle," said Rik Paul, automotive editor, Consumer
Reports. "First, look for tires that provide overall good performance, first,
and then use tread life and rolling resistance as tiebreakers, if necessary."

The full tire ratings are featured in the November issue of Consumer Reports,
on sale October 7 and online at www.ConsumerReports.org.

Save gas with the right rubber

The tires drivers choose can affect fuel economy. That's because different
models have varying degrees of rolling resistance, a measurement of how much
energy it takes to roll a tire down a road. According to government estimates,
a tire's rolling resistance accounts for about 5 percent of the fuel a vehicle
consumes.

To show how rolling resistance affects gas mileage, CR used the Chevrolet
Silverado test truck to measure the highway fuel economy of the tires with the
best and worst rolling resistance. The Silverado got 2.4 mpg better highway
mileage with the Goodyear Wrangler SR-A all-season tire (with the lowest
rolling resistance) than with the General Grabber AT 2 all-terrain tire (with
the highest rolling resistance). That is a difference of about $300 per year,
assuming gas costs $4 a gallon and the car is driven 12,000 miles per year.

All-season vs. all-terrain

All-season tires, like those found on passenger cars, are designed to wear
well and to provide good performance under a variety of road and weather
conditions. All-terrain tires generally have a deeper, more open tread pattern
than all-season tires for off-road grip.

Many all-terrain tires scored lower in handling and rolling resistance than
the all-season models. But they also have impressive hydroplaning resistance.
Some all-terrain models are designed with a focus on off-road grip, which can
compromise their on-road performance. Consumer Reports rated only on-road
performance, however, because most vehicles that use these tires are driven
mainly on pavement.

For the first time, CR included tread-life ratings for all-season and
all-terrain truck tires. These indicate a models' wear potential, as evaluated
on a 16,000-mile test conducted at an outside lab. Results show that the
fastest-wearing models are predicted to wear out at about 40,000 miles; those
with the best wear potential will last for almost 90,000 miles.

CR also reports examples where the real-world results didn't match the
manufacturer warranties or the tread wear ratings on the tire sidewalls.
Several tires with relatively long tread wear warranties and high government
ratings wore quickly in CR's tests.

One example is the BF Goodrich Rugged Trail T/A, which had the longest tread
life in the all-season group but had the lowest government tread-wear rating
and no tread-wear warranty. It also ranked near the bottom in terms of overall
performance.

NOVEMBER 2008

The material above is intended for legitimate news entities only; it may not
be used for commercial or promotional purposes. Consumer Reports(R) is
published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization
whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all
consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this
mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and
impartiality, Consumers Union accepts no outside advertising, no free test
samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. Consumers
Union supports itself through the sale of our information products and
services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants.

SOURCE Consumer Reports

Rachel Zuckerman, +1-914-378-2417, rzuckerman@consumer.org, or C. Matt Fields,
+1-914-378-2454, cfields@consumer.org, both of Consumer Reports