What may have started as a bit of a left-field alternative has become one of the most prolific and popular products in its segment: we're talking about the Honda HR-V, which came into the world at a time when nearly every automotive manufacturer had a dog in the fight at both the global and local levels.
The popularity of the Honda HR-V can be owed first to the strength of the Honda brand in our local market and second to the incredible practicality of this compact crossover SUV. The HR-V is a showcase of just how good Honda is at developing packaging solutions and providing a well-designed cabin with plenty of storage areas, legroom, and boot space.
The relative simplicity of the design, layout, and powertrain also helps to keep running costs relatively low, which is why the HR-V is used more than its intended purpose, where it has become more than just an urban vehicle, as owners in Malaysia seem to use it for every occasion, including touring.
Judging by owner usage, the Honda HR-V is regarded by many as a complete car, so all the HR-V actually needed outside of factory equipment was a set of quality tyres, which complement its excellent all-around usability.
So when engineer Sassindren Selvaraja won our CarTell x Bridgestone tyre giveaway contest six months ago, we were pretty excited to find out that he drove a Honda HR-V as we wanted to see how Bridgestone's Turanza T005A would pair up with the ever-popular vehicle.
The Turanza T005A is Bridgestone's touring tyre, designed to deliver greater comfort, superior quietness and assured safety for both short and long-distance journeys. Although most associate touring tyres with larger and premium sedans, it is actually built for many different vehicles. Considering what crossovers provide to many Malaysians these days, where they can do it all, it is also highly suitable for crossovers like the Honda HR-V.
As an engineer, Sassindren travels a lot around the country with his HR-V. When it is not utilised for work purposes, the HR-V is primarily commandeered by Sassindren's father, who uses it as his run-around town vehicle.
Since the T005A was also designed with Bridgestone's advanced technologies, enabling a safer, smoother and seamless drive to support individuals and their families to move, live and play, the tyres seem to be a perfect fit for Sassindren, his car and his family.
During the first three-month catch-up with Sassindren, after he installed the Bridgestone Turanza T005A on his Honda HR-V, he was pleased with how they had performed.
The tyres performed admirably in the first three months, where Sassindren commented that they provided him with great confidence when driving on dry or wet roads.
“Compared to my previous tyres, these Bridgestones provide me with great confidence when taking corners, where I feel like the car is sticking to the ground and provide me with no concerns. It made no difference to whether the roads were wet or dry, they just gave me confidence”, said Sassindren.
He also commented that its braking performance on wet roads is also good, providing a predictable outcome. Since Sassindren also shares the car with his father, he too has given the tyres some good feedback.
“My father rarely gives any feedback on tyres, but this time, he mentioned that he realised that the sound levels of the tyre are quieter compared to the previous set that we had on the car. He also mentioned the tyres are smooth and comfortable”, said the engineer.
After another few months, we again caught up with Sassindren to get feedback on how the tyres were performing after six months. Since this catch-up period happened to be during the rainy season, we were intrigued to find out how the tyres had performed, especially when we knew that Sassindren had been driving it a lot on wet roads.
Sassindren said there's no difference between now and when It was installed, as the tyres are still quiet, supple and comfortable. He also said he's glad that he has the Turanza T005A anchoring his vehicle to the ground in the rainy season, as he is confident of their abilities.
“Unlike harder tyres, which tend to slide over surfaces, the T005A’s softer compound provides essential grip for acceleration and cornering. This also applies on wet roads as the tyres have given me excellent grip and good traction, and there is no aquaplaning issue. I sound like a broken record, but it gives me great confidence in facing the current monsoon season. I feel safe driving in the rain.”
When we asked how the braking performance was in the wet after six months of usage, he said they were good, and that the level of grip has not decreased as they still provide good braking performance. We suppose due to the T005A's rounded edges, which can prevent tyre deformation and ensure even contact with the road, we're not overly surprised by his answer.
We've arranged for another catch-up with Sassindren around when he has used the tyres after a year, so we'll know more about how the tyres have performed after being used for that period.
So far however, the Bridgestone Turanza T005A has been the perfect set of tyres for Sassindren and his HR-V as it has given his car a good set of rubbers for him to carry out his daily routine as well as other activities.
When we catch up with Sassindren next, we'll be able to tell you about its wear life, but so far, it has given him a quiet and comfortable ride and confidence on wet and dry roads.
If you want to find out more about the Turanza T005A touring tyres, you can visit: https://www.bridgestonetyre.com.my/en/tyre/turanza-t005a
Keyword: Bridgestone Turanza T005A touring tyres: 6-months Honda HR-V owner review