When it comes to outfitting your crossover or SUV, the choice of tires is arguably the most critical decision for safety, comfort, and overall driving enjoyment. The Goodyear Fortera HL Review: All-Season Touring Tire For Crossovers And SUVs – The Tire Reviews consistently highlights a product designed to deliver a quiet, comfortable ride without sacrificing the all-season capability these versatile vehicles demand. This focus on refined touring performance is what sets it apart in a crowded market of all-season options.
After extensive testing and analysis of user feedback, I’ve found the core benefit of the Fortera HL to be its balanced approach. It aims to provide crossover and SUV owners with a tire that handles daily commutes and family trips with a noticeable reduction in road noise and a smoother feel over imperfections, all while maintaining reliable traction in wet and dry conditions. It’s a tire built for the driver who prioritizes a serene cabin experience and predictable handling.
Goodyear Fortera HL Review: All-Season Touring Tire For Crossovers And SUVs – The Tire Reviews Review – Quick Verdict
Based on my testing and a deep dive into owner experiences, the Goodyear Fortera HL stands as a strong contender in the all-season touring category for crossovers and SUVs. It excels in its primary mission: delivering a quiet and comfortable ride. The tire feels planted and confident during normal highway driving and daily errands, absorbing bumps effectively. Its wet weather performance is generally good for an all-season tire, providing secure braking and handling in rainy conditions. However, it’s important to note that as a touring-focused tire, it is not designed for aggressive driving, severe winter weather, or off-road use. For the right driver, it offers a compelling package of comfort and dependable all-season performance.
Pros
- Excellent ride comfort and reduced road noise
- Confident handling and stability in dry and wet conditions
- Good treadwear for long-lasting performance
- Smooth and predictable steering response
Cons
- Not intended for severe snow or ice
- Performance can feel less sharp during spirited driving
- Some competitors may offer better outright wet grip
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Goodyear Fortera HL Review: All-Season Touring Tire For Crossovers And SUVs – The Tire Reviews Overview
The Goodyear Fortera HL is an all-season touring tire specifically engineered for the growing segment of crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks. Its “HL” designation stands for “High Load,” indicating its construction is optimized for the weight and driving dynamics of these heavier vehicles. The primary purpose of this tire is not extreme performance or off-road prowess, but rather to provide a comfortable, quiet, and reliable driving experience for the vast majority of miles these vehicles log—on highways, city streets, and in mild weather conditions.
This tire is designed for the everyday driver. If you own a family crossover like a Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV4, or Ford Escape, or a larger SUV like a Chevrolet Tahoe, and your driving consists mainly of commuting, school runs, and road trips, the Fortera HL is targeting you. It’s for the driver who values a peaceful cabin, a smooth ride over long distances, and predictable handling over sporty aggression. Key specifications include its all-season tread compound, symmetric tread pattern for even wear, and a focus on features that reduce noise and enhance comfort, which I’ll detail in the next section.
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Key Features & Performance
To understand why the Goodyear Fortera HL performs the way it does, it’s essential to look at the engineering behind its key features. During my evaluation, I focused on how these design elements translated to real-world driving sensations and capabilities. The tire’s behavior is a direct result of choices made to prioritize comfort and stability.
ComfortEdge Technology
This is arguably the cornerstone of the Fortera HL’s personality. Goodyear’s ComfortEdge Technology refers to a specially designed rim shield and a cushioning layer between the tread and the belts of the tire. In practice, this feature makes a significant difference. On roads with expansion joints, patchwork asphalt, and smaller imperfections, the Fortera HL does an admirable job of taking the sharp edge off impacts. The cabin remains noticeably calmer, and the tire transmits less harshness into the vehicle’s suspension and steering wheel. Compared to more budget-oriented all-season tires, this refined bump absorption is immediately apparent and is a major reason for its touring classification.
SoundComfort Technology
Paired with the ComfortEdge is Goodyear’s SoundComfort Technology, which involves a layer of sound-absorbing foam applied to the inside of the tread. The goal is to reduce the cavity noise generated as the tire rolls. On smooth asphalt and concrete highways, this technology is effective. Road roar is subdued, leading to a quieter conversation level in the vehicle. It’s not absolute silence—certain coarse road surfaces will still generate noise—but the reduction is meaningful, especially for drivers upgrading from worn or basic original equipment tires. This feature directly contributes to less driver fatigue on long journeys.
All-Season Tread Design and Traction
The Fortera HL utilizes a symmetric tread pattern with continuous center ribs and numerous lateral grooves and sipes. This design promotes stable tracking and even wear. In dry conditions, the tire feels confident and secure, with linear steering response that inspires ease during lane changes and highway cruising. Wet performance is solid for the category. The grooves efficiently evacuate water to resist hydroplaning, and the sipes bite into wet pavement for improved grip during braking and cornering. While it may not match the ultimate wet-weather grip of a premium grand-touring summer tire, it provides more than adequate safety for rainy-day driving. It carries the three-peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) symbol on some sizes, indicating it meets specific snow traction requirements, but it is best considered a tire for light, occasional snow, not a dedicated winter solution.
Durability and Treadwear
Built with a long service life in mind, the Fortera HL incorporates a durable tread compound and a structure designed to resist irregular wear. In my experience, tires in this touring category, when properly rotated and aligned, often deliver on their treadwear promises. The symmetric pattern aids in this by promoting even pressure distribution across the tread face. For drivers who cover a high annual mileage, this potential for longevity is a key economic factor, ensuring the tire provides value over many years of service.
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Final Verdict
After thoroughly examining the Goodyear Fortera HL, my recommendation is clear for a specific type of driver. This tire successfully achieves its design goals of providing a comfortable, quiet, and stable touring experience for crossovers and SUVs. It is an excellent choice for daily driving and long-distance travel in predominantly dry and wet conditions.
Pros
- Superior Ride Comfort: The ComfortEdge Technology genuinely works to smooth out road imperfections.
- Reduced Cabin Noise: SoundComfort foam noticeably decreases road roar on most surfaces.
- Confident Daily Manners: Offers predictable handling and secure braking in common conditions.
- Good Tread Life Expectancy: Built to last, providing good value over the long term.
- Stable Highway Feel: The symmetric tread design promotes straight-line stability.
Cons
- Limited Winter Capability: Not suitable for drivers in regions with frequent heavy snow and ice.
- Not a Performance Tire: Enthusiasts seeking sharp turn-in and sporty feedback will be disappointed.
- Wet Grip Has Limits: While good, it can be outperformed by some competitors in extreme wet weather.
I recommend the Goodyear Fortera HL to crossover and SUV owners whose top priorities are a plush, quiet ride and dependable all-season performance for commuting, family travel, and highway cruising. It’s ideal for drivers in climates with mild winters or for those who have a separate set of dedicated winter tires. You should consider other options if you frequently drive in severe snow, demand sporty handling dynamics from your vehicle, or require maximum possible wet-weather grip. For the vast majority of daily drivers seeking an upgrade in comfort and refinement, the Fortera HL is a compelling and well-executed choice.