Firestone, a subsidiary of Bridgestone Americas, has announced the Firestone Pathway AS, an all-season touring tire offered in 73 sizes. The company says the new line provides the broadest vehicle coverage of any Firestone tire and is backed by a 65,000-mile limited mileage warranty.
Firestone positions the Pathway AS for everyday drivers, combining what the company describes as dependable performance, long tread life and value. Leslie Sawyer, senior product design engineer at Bridgestone Americas, said that most drivers want a tire they can depend on, and that the Pathway AS is designed to deliver reliable performance and long-lasting value in everyday driving situations.
Firestone says the Pathway AS builds on the strengths of the previous model while addressing drivers’ evolving needs. The company says the new tire is designed to improve wet traction, tread life and ride comfort compared with its predecessor.
Consumer feedback shaped the development
According to Firestone, consumer feedback played a pivotal role in shaping the tire’s development, with attention to wet traction, tread life and ride comfort compared with its predecessor. The program originally planned for 48 sizes, but the lineup was expanded by 25 additional sizes during development to maximize market coverage. Firestone says the resulting range reaches nearly 77% of registered vehicles.
Long tread life and all-season traction
The tire’s tread compound is designed for longevity, while additional sipes and an optimized see-through void are intended to help the tire wear more evenly and maintain traction over time, the company says. Firestone also points to deep interlocking 3D sipes for dependable traction in conditions ranging from light snow to dry and wet pavement.
In internal testing cited by Firestone, the Pathway AS showed an 18% reduction in wet braking distance compared with the Uniroyal Laredo HT tire, an 11.7% reduction in wet braking compared with the Firestone All Season tire, and a 7.4% reduction in wet braking compared with the Toyo Extensa AS2 tire. Firestone also says the tire delivered shorter dry braking distances than six leading competitors. These are company-reported internal test results; the announcement did not detail test procedures or conditions.
Everyday performance and availability
Firestone says wear resistance supports long-lasting performance, while low rolling resistance contributes to fuel-efficient performance on internal combustion engine vehicles. The company says the tire is engineered to deliver a confident, well-rounded driving experience, and that the combination is intended to provide dependable all-season performance for daily driving.
The Pathway AS is available now nationwide. Firestone says the lineup includes fitments for popular vehicles such as the Toyota Camry, Toyota RAV4, Subaru Outback, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chevrolet Equinox.