Nokian WRG3 SUV (ongoing review)

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RDX Aspec Adv.
These were installed roughly 3500 miles ago on my CX5. They replaced Continental LX20 CrossContacts.


-They are louder than the LX20's new, or used.
-The side-walls are very stiff, and this can be felt in less lean in the corners, also, the balance is VERY particular, since the sidewall absorbs less vibration. They were 1/2 an ounce off, and it was dramatic. They got a re-balance and are fine, now.
-MPG is unaffected from the USED LX20's, which is pretty impressive.
-It snowed lightly once, and I got to experience them on a few ice patches. So far, I am a bit underwhelmed, but remain open-minded. They did not seem THAT much better than my LX20's, but again, the snow and ice was just patches, so I cannot really offer a true opinion.

Now the BAD. The rears are still at 10/32, but the fronts in just @3500mi, are bilaterally down to 7/32. That is exceptional, and not in a good way. The tires were rotated front to rear (directional) today, and I will mind them carefully.

Handling vs. the LX20's is better in dry weather (new or used), and in the rain they seem similar. The tires do have less feedback and at the limits, they simply slide. Feedback is about 90% tangible and 5-10% audible. With the LX20's, you got some squealing going on before anything really gave. The WRG3's just give, but it IS progressive and controlled.

So far, I am left feeling less than warm and fuzzy over these, but if they last long enough to make it to this coming winter, I'll have a definitive opinion one way or the other, since their purpose is first and last, to get me to and from work in the nastiest weather and hills the Ozarks have to offer. If they can do that, I can afford a new set every year.
 
It has been roughly 1800 miles since I rotated the rear tires to the front, 1400 of that, a road trip. The wear indicator stamped in the tires is indicating that I lost roughly 1.5 to 2/32 of tread during my road trip. This, plus the very stiff side walls and low speed tread noise have killed this tire for me. Each paycheck I am buying one Altimax43T H rated, and by the time I'm ready for my next oil change, I'm replacing these and relegating them for winter use only.
 
Wow, that is pretty bad treadwear.

I got my Blizzaks new and they are all down to 10/32nd and its been quite warm here lately. So they've only lost 2mm. Putting my all-seasons back on Friday.

All seasons will need to be replaced next year. Still not sure with what.
 
It has been roughly 1800 miles since I rotated the rear tires to the front, 1400 of that, a road trip. The wear indicator stamped in the tires is indicating that I lost roughly 1.5 to 2/32 of tread during my road trip. This, plus the very stiff side walls and low speed tread noise have killed this tire for me. Each paycheck I am buying one Altimax43T H rated, and by the time I'm ready for my next oil change, I'm replacing these and relegating them for winter use only.

That's unfortunate..Pirelli Scorpion Verde 235/65-17 V rated XL load 148per on TR or even..grabber HTS60.. This tire is all you need though your Nokians will be marginally better in snow.
 
That's unfortunate..Pirelli Scorpion Verde 235/65-17 V rated XL load 148per on TR or even..grabber HTS60.. This tire is all you need though your Nokians will be marginally better in snow.

I went with the Altimax. I have had excellent service from my Continentals, but wanted to try the General division of the brand as others on here speak well of it, and I found many positive reviews. The first of 4 was delivered today, and the side-wall and tread bottom were like putty compared to the steel rebar of my WRG3's. I suspect they will be MUCH quieter, if nothing else. My WRG3's literally remind me of driving some of the jacked up 4x4's we had at the dealer I worked at. Wowowowowowowwo whhhrrrrr whrrhrrrrwhrrrrr wwwwawawwaawwawawawa depending on whether you're turning, concrete vs. asphalt, speed, etc.
 
Sorry to hear your experience on Nokian WRG3 SUV. Hope you'll have much better experience on General AltiMAX RT43 like I have on my CR-V. The weight of your General 225/65R17 is only 24.3 lbs. your should feel some difference because of that. Please report back your initial experience on your new RT43 tires, may be under AltiMAX RT43 related thread.
 
I have now worn these tires out, and can comment more definitively, having owned them for their life-span.

Usage:

98% paved, concrete and asphalt, 2% S2 compact at 20-35mph (my drive and subdivision).

Maintenance:

Forward to rear, rear to forward (directional tread) rotation every 7500mi.


Actual Performance:

Side-walls give very good turn-in and corner stability. Very stiff. Feels almost like a low-profile tire. Traction on dry pavement was excellent once the release agent from the mold was worn off, which is normal for tires, although I felt that these took a little longer 100+ miles. Traction on wet pavement as well as across painted surfaces like lines on the road, etc. was very poor, even when standing water was not present. Definite decrease in adhesion to the road in all circumstances in the rain. Braking, turning, accelerating. In a hard rain, I could provoke the traction control at the top of 1st gear (My vehicle is AWD). Their rain and dry performance were very polar. I had a VERY limited chance to try them on snow-ice, which amounted to about a 20' section of road in the shade that had some re-frozen slush on it. I was honestly not impressed over my worn LX20 CrossContacts, but I fully acknowledge that slamming the brakes and then gas on a tiny patch is not definitive, only that these are not going to be some magical savior for the winter, if that's what you're hoping for. They might out-do a good all-season. Maybe. I'm unsure.

Daily tractability:

The tires were loud new. Loud worn. Just loud. They made my CX5 sound like a semi. They warbled. They whined. They whirred. Wind noise was a forgotten creature, because they drowned it out. The ride was rough, especially over gravel, due to very stiff side-walls. Their lack of traction in the rain made commutes in wet weather a timid affair. During hard rain, you could feel the front end do things you didn't feel 100% comfortable about at normal cruising speed that my replacement tires absolutely do not do. Not hydroplaning, but just...getting a little touchy. Traction control objected on more than 1 occasion. They were definitely a "tire with character", and it wasn't an endearing one.

Physical assessment of the product:

The tires never were balanced well, even though the dealer zeroed them on the machine twice. Maybe they were out of round? They did wear evenly, with the 2 on the right, and 2 on the left, each wearing in their own way, but equal front to rear. Maybe I turn left or right more often? I had these tires for just shy of 20,000 miles, and they have "4","6", and "8" stamped into the tread as way of monitoring wear. The 4 stands for 4mm, and is the lowest Nokian advises driving on the tires in snow with. When I traded them in, the tires on the right had completely lost their "4" (or was it the left?), and the other had just the ghost of a "4". Their lack of wet weather performance even when new inspired me to simply shitcan them, as they were now, in my mind, only good for driving on dry pavement, and annoyingly loud at that! The quality of these tires is absolute s***. Maybe that's a bit blunt, but I can think of no other way to word it. They lasted less than 20K miles, and my prior set (CrossContact LX20) lasted 50K miles (albeit to about 2/32). The Nokian was rated by Consumer Reports to last 55K miles, and Nokian states they should last even longer. Lasting 20K miles was absurd, given this.

In short, I wasted my money on these, and I hated them by the time this nearly 20K miles of shaking and whining and sliding around was over.

I have submitted this review to Nokian, minus any profanity or mention of competitor's products by name. let's see if they actually post it on their site.
 
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