Firestone has introduced the Destination LE4, a new all-season highway tire that replaces the company’s best-selling Destination LE3. Designed for crossovers, SUVs and light trucks, the LE4 brings revised tread geometry, deeper initial tread and updated rubber chemistry aimed at extending service life while improving grip and handling.

Firestone will offer the Destination LE4 in 65 sizes for wheels ranging from 15 to 22 inches. The fitment range includes vehicles such as the Mazda CX-5, Ford F-150, Chevrolet Trailblazer and Nissan Armada.

Longer tread life than the LE3

Firestone says its internal testing shows the Destination LE4 should last 16 percent longer than the Destination LE3 it replaces. Against selected rivals, the company claims a 9 percent advantage over the General Grabber H/T and a 43 percent improvement over the BFGoodrich Advantage Control HT.

The tire’s tread design uses optimized rib widths and a deeper starting tread depth. Those changes are intended to distribute wear more effectively over the tire’s life. Firestone also says the LE4 uses greater ingredient consistency throughout its rubber compound, a change designed to support both tread wear and grip.

Wet and light-snow performance

Thinner 3D sipes are another major update for the new tire. Firestone says the revised siping improves wet-road and light-snow performance without abandoning the highway-focused character of the Destination line.

The internal construction includes high-strength body plies and steel cords. Together with the updated compound, those components are intended to provide the structural support required for heavier crossovers, SUVs and light-duty pickups.

Stopping-distance claims

Firestone reports that the Destination LE4 reduced dry stopping distance by 2.6 percent compared with the LE3, or 2.0 feet in the company’s testing.

The LE4 also stopped 8.0 feet shorter than the Toyo Open Country H/T II in both wet and dry conditions, according to Firestone. Against the BFGoodrich Advantage Control HT, the new Firestone tire stopped 2.0 feet shorter in the dry and 4.0 feet shorter in the wet.

Fitments for popular SUVs and trucks

The broad size lineup gives the Destination LE4 coverage across several of the most common vehicle categories in the United States. Its applications span compact crossovers, full-size pickups and large SUVs, with 15- to 22-inch wheel fitments.

Firestone has not provided pricing in the supplied announcement. The company’s claims are based on its own testing, so actual durability and stopping performance can vary with vehicle, tire size, road conditions, maintenance and driving habits.