Yokohama Tire Corp.’s new Avid Ascend, first shown at the L.A. Auto Show earlier this year, will officially hit the market on March 1.
And it’s going right at Michelin’s fuel efficiency claims.
“The Ascend’s orange oil technology creates a compound resulting in a perfect balance of extended treadlife, all-season handling and great fuel economy,” said Dan King, Yokohama senior vice president of sales and marketing. “All this and a quiet ride, too. Today’s drivers can now expect more from a touring tire than ever before an accomplishment made possible through Yokohama innovation.”
According to King, “independent test results reveal that the Ascend can last up to 6,000 more miles than the Michelin HydroEdge. Testing also shows the Ascend has lower rolling resistance, rolling 11% easier than the Michelin HydroEdge. For consumers, this can represent a savings of 58 gallons of gas and more than $200 over the life of the tire. Plus, the Ascend’s CO2 reduction is better by over 1,000 pounds.”
Available in 45 sizes, the new tire features Yokohama’s orange oil technology, and the tiremaker claims the tire is “first to collectively achieve without compromise exceptional all-season performance, remarkable treadlife and excellent fuel efficiency.”
Produced at Yokohama’s plant in Salem, Va., the Avid Ascend targets cars, minivans and crossovers, and will be available in T-, H- and V-speed ratings and sizes covering 15- through 18-inch wheel diameters.
“Harnessing the technological advancements made with the Super E-spec (the tiremaker’s first tire with orange oil), Yokohama has now mastered the ability to utilize our orange oil technology on a larger, mass production scale,” said King. “Tires with conventional compounds have to make trade-offs, but not the Ascend: the orange oil is the differentiator. Ascend truly is a revolutionary touring tire.”