The US tire market is dominated by a handful of big brands such as Goodyear, Firestone, Continental, Bridgestone, Michelin, and Pirelli. However, this market has no clear winner.
So, how do you which tire brands to buy? Well, the answer is in the small details. This post compares two of the top tire brands in the US, Goodyear versus Firestone. Here are a few of the things we shall cover:
- History of both companies
- Where their tires are manufactured
- Which areas do these companies excel
- Compare their warranties
- If they offer free installation
Goodyear vs. Firestone – Comparison Table
Before getting into that, here is a quick comparison table comparing the two brands.
| Goodyear Tires | Firestone Tire | |
| Country | Akron, Ohio, U.S | Nashville, Tennessee, US |
| Founded | 1898 | 1900 |
| Ownership | Owns Cooper Tire | Owned by Bridgestone, a Japanese Company |
| Production | 48 production facilities in 21 countries | 23 US states. 10 countries |
| Auto service spots in the US | 1100 locations | 1700 locations |
| Common Warranty | 30-Day Pledge | 90-Day Buy & Try Guarantee |
| Price Match | Yes | Yes |
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About the brand: Goodyear
1. Goodyear
Founded in 1898, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company is one of the largest tire manufacturers in the world. The company was founded by Frank Seiberling and is headquartered in Akron, Ohio.
Goodyear and Cooper Tires are the only two fully American tire brands. The founder, Frank Seiberling invented vulcanized rubber, which is the process whereby rubber is chemically treated by heating it with sulfur and accelerator to improve its resilience, elasticity, tensile strength, hardness, and weather resistance.
This 120-year-old brand now employs more than 70,000 people and operates in over 23 countries, including the US. In 2021, it was the 3rd leading tire brand in terms of revenue after Michelin and Bridgestone.
Where are Goodyear tires made?
Goodyear tires are made across their 55 production facilities that are spread across 23 countries. In the US, Goodyear has more than 10 production facilities. To know if a Goodyear tire is made in the US, the tire should have one of these DOT codes.
Goodyear production facilities in the US
- M6 – Lawton, Oklahoma.
- MB – Akron, Ohio.
- MC – Danville, Virginia.
- MD – Gadsden, Alabama.
- MJ – Topeka, Kansas.
- MK – Union City, Tennessee.
- MM, PJ – Fayetteville, North Carolina.
- MN – Freeport, Illinois.
- MP, PL – Tyler, Texas.
It’s worth knowing that Goodyear owns these other tire brands.
- Cooper Tires
- Dunlop Tyres – (North America, New Zealand, Australia, and Europe)
- Douglas Tires – (USA) Sold exclusively on Walmart
- The Kelly Springfield Tire Company (USA)
Goodyear Key Tire Technologies
- Evolving Traction Grooves – Improved traction even as the tire’s tread wears out
- Durawall Technology – Sidewalls that are more resistant to cuts and puncture
- ActiveCornerGrip and ActiveBraking technologies – Better handling even under hard braking
- SmartWear technology– Revealing new grooves as the tire wears out
- EfficientGrip – To reduce fuel consumption
- EfficientGrip Performance – The best tires for wet grip
- TOPIndicator Technology – a way to monitor tread wear during winter
- SmartTred technology – Tread zones that adjust according to conditions of the road
- Silent Armor Technology – Advanced resistance to cuts and punctures
- WearControl Technology – for shorter wet braking
Most Popular Goodyear tires on Tirerack
- Eagle LS Grand Touring All-Season
- Eagle RS-A High Performance All-Season
- Integrity Passenger All-Season
- Wrangler SR-A Highway All-Season
- Fortera HL Edition Crossover/SUV Touring All-Season
About the brand: Firestone
Firestone Tire is named after the founder Harvey Firestone. The company was founded in 1900 in Akron, Ohio. In 1988, the American company was acquired by Bridgestone, a Japanese tire brand.
Today, Firestone employs more than 30,000 employees and does business in over 10 countries. In the US, Firestone operates in 23 states.
Where are Firestone Tires manufactured?
Firestone tires are made across the 10 countries where they have production facilities. Firestone tires made in the US will have one of these DOT codes indicating the production facility location.
- 0B, W2, Y2 – Wilson, North Carolina.
- 1C, HY – Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
- 2C, 4D, 5D – Morrison, Tennessee.
- D2, E3, W1, Y7 – Lavergne, Tennessee.
- YD – Decatur, Illinois.
- 2M, 3M – Bloomington, Illinois.
- 7X, 8X, 9X – Graniteville, South Carolina.
- 8B, VE, YE, YU – Des Moines, Iowa.
Firestone Tire Key Technologies
- 5 Pitch Noise Reduction – a tread pattern to reduce tire noise
- WeatherGrip HP Tread Compound – an advanced tread compound to improve wet traction and durability.
- Power V Tread Pattern: improved water discharge to improve wet performance.
- Spiral Wrap Shoulder Strip: Circular Nylon wraps to reinforce tires
- EPC Tread Compound: A rubber compound to mitigate rubber hardening.
- Dual-Layer Tread: Tread with dual layers to maintain traction even as the tire wears.
- A Key Hole Sipe: A configuration to promote consistent tread pattern
Most Popular Firestone Tires on Tirerack
- Destination A/T On-/Off-Road All-Terrain
- Destination LE 2 Highway All-Season
- Firehawk Indy 500 Ultra-High-Performance Summer
- Affinity Touring Standard Touring All-Season
- Transforce AT On-/Off-Road Commercial Traction
Key Differences Between Firestone and Goodyear
Price
While it’s not always the case, most Firestone tires are cheaper than Goodyear tires. Generally, Firestone tires are more affordable.
Warranties
Goodyear tires come with a 30-day return policy. If you buy Goodyear tires and you are not satisfied with the performance, you can return them in 30 days for a full refund. Firestone tires come with a 90-day buy and try warranty. There is also a mileage warranty for most tires but it differs depending on the type. When it comes to treadwear warranty Firestone’s offerings are within the range of what most other brands offer.
Performance Tires
Firestone has fewer high-end performance tires than Goodyear. Firestone has better summer tires, while Goodyear has better winter and off-road tires.
Auto services
Goodyear has more than 1,100 auto center spots in the US, while Firestone has over auto centers in over 1700 locations. The companies regularly offer different free services and promotions from these locations. For instance, you may get free tire installation, if you buy four tires from a brand.
Goodyear is an American Company
Goodyear is an American Company, while Firestone is now owned by Bridgestone, a Japanese company.
Wrapping
Goodyear and Firestone tire brands are two of the top tire brands in the world. The two brands have a wide range of tires for different types of cars and driving conditions. Each brand has great tires in each of these categories. The choice between Firestone and Goodyear comes down to personal preference. Firestone tires are cheaper compared to Goodyear tires. When it comes to warranty, Firestone has a 90-day buy and try warranty, while Goodyear has a 30-day return policy. Overall, Goodyear has a wide range of tires across all categories and their tire quality is above average.
Sam is Automole’s editor-in-chief and classic car enthusiast. Sam is studying mechanical engineering at Cockrell School of Engineering, Austin. He also writes for many top automotive publications and appears on the Collecting Cars Podcast.