Table of Contents
Overview
Once a dominant force in the US market, Uniroyal’s presence in the tire market today is limited. They are currently owned by Michelin (in the US) and Continental AG (in Europe). Uniroyal is a company that prides itself on producing budget-friendly tires made for drivers who are looking for a durable all-season tire. Their most popular product line is the Tiger Paw line, which was actually the same name for their high-performance tires made for muscle cars in the 60s’ and 70s.
Nowadays, Uniroyal faces a lot more competition, mostly from tire manufacturers such as Kumho, General Tire, Firestone, and Hankook who are known for producing high-quality tires at consumer-friendly price points. Uniroyal boasts about the fact they use technologies from their parent company, Michelin, however, customer reviews indicate the competition seems much better at the moment. If we’re looking at the Tiger Paw Touring, this is a tire that can hold it’s own on dry roads but can’t stand up to the best on wet surfaces. I wouldn’t call it a bad tire – it’s still perfectly reliable and safe, but the competition is better.
The Tiger Paw Touring is an all-season, grand-touring tire which means it’s made for subcompact cars, compact cars, coupes, sedans, crossovers, and minivans. The main perks of this tire are its great durability, all-season traction, affordable price point, and high comfort level. A good grand-touring tire should offer the driver a combination of all things a tire can offer and Uniroyal does that well.
Pros
- Very durable
- Excellent tread life warranty
- A wide variety of sizes
- Affordable
- Outstanding customer service
- 45-day satisfaction guarantee
Cons
- Customer reviews indicate there are noise issues when driving on the highway
- Worse winter and wet performance than competitors
Key Features
Affordable & Long Lasting
The Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring A/S was designed to put your mind at ease. Uniroyal designed this tire to protect you in any weather condition with it’s optimized tread pattern. According to Uniroyal, the Tiger Paw Touring is “an affordable, long-lasting passenger tire that provides a quiet, comfortable ride on the highway and around town.”.
True All-Season Tire
The Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring is an all-season tire, which means it works well in all seasons from Spring to Winter. It drives well in warm and cold weather as well as in light snow. However, since the Tiger Paw Touring is only M+S rated, it is not recommended to purchase this tire if you expect heavy snowfalls.
Durashield Construction
One of the features that sets this tire apart is the incredible durability thanks to Uniroyal’s Durashield Construction. This tire contains two steel belts, insulated belt edge strips, and a very thick liner that provides resistance to punctures and superior traction by keeping the tire tight against the road.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring A/S Performance Review
Treadwear and Durability
Another one of the unique selling points of these tires is the limited warranty. Uniroyal offers special warranties based on the speed rating of your tire. They offer a 120,000km warranty on H speed rated tires and a 105,000km warranty on V speed rated tires. This is extremely long for a tire of this class making them durable & reliable. Their limited warranties are some of the best you can find on the market.
As discussed earlier, thanks to Uniroyal’s Durable Construction these tires are extremely durable. They are fitted with two steel belts, insulated belt edge strips, and a very thick liner making these excellent tires for someone looking for durability.
In order to maximize the tread life and durability of your all-season tires, it’s important they are stored properly. If these tires aren’t stored properly you can risk cracking or damaging them.
So, how can you store these tires without reducing their life span? I would try to keep them in a heated indoor space – if this isn’t an option and you have to keep them outside, make sure they are elevated off the ground away from moisture and snow.
Dry Performance
One of the main selling points of this tire is its high level of traction in dry conditions. The Tiger Paw Touring provides the driver with a strong grip in corners at high speeds, with spectacular braking performance. User reviews indicate that high-speed stability is sufficient and driving at 120km/hr feels very safe.
Another plus is the responsiveness of the Tiger Paw Touring is great for a tire in this category. To be honest, almost all budget-oriented competitors offer tires with excellent dry grip, braking and traction so it’s a staple in today’s market. With that being said, it doesn’t take away from the fact that Uniroyal has designed a well-rounded tire.
Wet Performance
One of the most important metrics to look for when purchasing a tire is its performance in wet conditions, especially if you live in a region with lots of rain. Loss of traction or hydroplaning on wet roads can be extremely dangerous so it’s important to know if your tire can handle these conditions.
We found that these tires did well when faced with hydroplaning. When going through puddles, the rounded channels sufficiently funneled water through the tire while maintaining contact with the ground. One of the main features of these tires are its full depth channels which allow you to drive through deep puddles while still maintaining contact with the road. Although this feature isn’t uncommon in an all-season tires, it’s one of the key indicators of a great tire.
Compared to Uniroyal’s European cousins, the wet traction is lacking. Sure, it proves a safe driving experience and has great resistance to hydroplaning but the grip and traction leave a lot to be desired.
Snow Traction and Braking Performance
Considering these are all-season tires, the performance in the snow is reasonable. Since they are M+S rated, they are ideal for slush & light, compressible snow. The rubber is a little softer than most summer tires, giving it the elasticity it needs in winter conditions. The center channels are wide and physically grip the ground, helping them keep traction in wet & slippery conditions.
It’s important to remember these aren’t winter tires, meaning they are not great tires for someone living in an area with lots of snow (I’m speaking to you Ottawans). I wouldn’t recommend ripping around in icy conditions at full speed, but if you drive carefully you’ll notice that you have a lot of traction and control over your vehicle.
The Tiger Paw Touring snow performance makes it ideal for areas that get a light blanket of soft snow, or for cities that only receive snow occasionally (Hello West Coast!).
Comfort & Noise
The Tiger Paw is not as quiet as we anticipated but it provides a smooth driver over bumps and potholes. A little disheartening considering grand-touring tires are specifically aimed at consumers who want a comfortable and quiet driving experience. Compared to their competitors, you’ll notice the noise is a little higher than usual due to the deep grooves in the tires. Customer reviews indicate that the noise on highway driving is excellent but is pretty rough on grooved roads.
Honestly, you’re never going to find a tire that excels in every category, unless you’re willing to pay a premium price. With that being said, this is one of the only tires we’ve seen that refused to compromise their performance. You may find a touring tire that’s a little quieter but you’ll almost always get worse performance in the rain and snow.
Tire Warranty
Uniroyal offers a great warranty for the Tiger Paws depending on the tire’s speed rating. Here is what you can expect if you purchase these tires:
- 45-day satisfaction guarantee
- 120,000km limited warranty on H speed Rated tires
- 105,000km limited warranty on V speed Rated tires
Tire Sizes & Specifications
The Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring is available in sizes ranging from 14″ to 18″. This tire is ideal for these vehicle models:
- Toyota Camry
- Kia Optima
- Hyundai Sonata
- Mazda 6
- Honda Accord
- Ford Fusion
- Nissan Altima
- Toyota Sienna
- Honda Odyssey
- Chrysler Pacifica
- Jeep Patriot
- Toyota RAV4
- Honda CR-V
- Toyota Corolla
- Ford Focus
- Mazda 3
- Honda Civic
- Volkswagen Jetta
- Kia Spectra
- and more
Should you buy these tires?
The Uniroyal Tiger Paw Touring is an ideal choice for anyone who wants an affordable way to drive in most conditions. If you live on the coast and don’t see heavy snowfalls these are definitely the pick for you. Although they aren’t the cheapest tires on the market, they are extremely affordable and provide great value for the price.
FAQs
Are Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires noisy?
Considering these tires were designed for durability and all-season performance the noise level on these tires is higher than usual. You’re not going to get the same smooth, quiet ride as you would with premium summer-tires, however, we consider this a good compromise due to their versatility.
How long do Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires last?
Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires last 6 years. According to Uniroyal tires website, all of their tires of a standard manufacture’s limited warranty which covers defects in workmanship and materials for the life of the original tread, or for 6 years from the date of purchase – whichever comes first.
Is Uniroyal owned by Michelin?
In 1990, Uniroyal was acquired by the French tire maker Michelin in a deal valued at $1.5 billion, a deal that created the world’s largest tire company. Today around 1,000 workers are currently employed by Michelin in the US to make its Uniroyal brand products.