The Torque News team begins a long-term test of a highly-rated Uniroyal tire. Will the affordable Tiger Paw be a good match for a top-selling AWD crossover SUV?
Follow us today...
Uniroyal has provided high-quality, affordable tire choices to Americans for three centuries. While many of our reviews center on tires with special abilities, such as off-road capability and severe snow duty, the truth is most Americans benefit most from a “well-rounded” tire that is great in four seasons. Many shoppers simply want a tire that is long-lasting, reliable, and affordable.
With these priorities in mind, we searched for the best tire for a crossover SUV used mainly for daily commuting in New England. Our research indicated that the Tiger Paw series by Uniroyal is considered a top pick for such duty. We are fortunate to have the support of Uniroyal, and our test has just begun. Our aim will be to determine if the Tiger Paw lives up to its stellar reputation.
Checking Uniroyal’s “References”
We checked the references of Uniroyal and its Tiger Paw tire series and discovered that our go-to mobile tire installer, Boston Mobile Tire, gives this brand and model a thumbs up. Owner Jay Condrick has so much confidence in these tires that he mounted a set on his daughter’s Prius, and she has had a great experience with them.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw - What Is It?
The Tiger Paw is an all-season grand-touring highway tire model that Uniroyal says offers all-around performance in every season, including summer, heavy rain, and light snow. This tire has a long warranty spanning 65,000 miles and a 45-day money-back guarantee. The Uniroyal brand is a member of the Michelin family of companies.
The Test Vehicle
Our testing will be conducted on a high-volume compact crossover SUV. This is one of the most popular models in New England due to its standard “symmetrical” all-wheel drive system. The vehicle is used primarily for daily suburban and urban commuting in New England but frequently visits muddy construction job sites and is no stranger to long road trips. Off-pavement driving will be limited to such job sites, as well as trailheads and rural dirt roads. This is not an off-road–SUV-oriented vehicle but more of a hatchback car for the owner and Torque News associate test driver, Emma Risken.
What Are We Looking For In This Tire?
The daily driver of this vehicle lists these as top priorities from top to bottom:
- Smooth ride
- Quiet ride
- Safety in rain and snow
- Good handling in corners
- Long life and reliability
Initial Driving Impressions As Presented By Emma Risken
These tires have breathed new life into my aging crossover SUV. Many of the bad habits I associated with the suspension have now disappeared, and I realize the issues were tire-related. The most noticeable two changes are significantly quieter ride and a much smoother ride.
Tiger Paw tires track straight ahead on he highway without minor steering corrections. The tires also offer a sharper turning sensation than the old, worn-out tires I had been driving on. I can’t say if the braking distances are any shorter, but overall, the new tires give me a lot more confidence on the road.
It rained on day two of our initial testing, so I had a chance to drive in moderate rain. There was no hydroplaning at safe speeds, and the tires didn’t slip when I would start off from a turn. They seem to have better wet-weather traction than the older tires, and I would expect that from a good all-season tire.
We prepared for the test of the Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires by first giving the test vehicle’s rims a thorough rehab treatment with Meguiar’s Hot Rims Wheel and Tire Cleaner. The rims were cacked with years of road grime and brake pad dust. The Meguiar’s wheel cleaner went on in seconds, and the formulation made the cleanup simple and effective. We would recommend this product to anyone with older wheels in need fo some TLC, or anyone who just likes to have their wheels looking great. We liked that the product is in a pump dispenser rather than aerosol can.
Our tire installation was done on-site by Boston Mobile Tire. Owner/operator Jay Condrick reported no issues with the Uniroyal tires and we observed that the mounting and balancing went smoothly. The tires that had been mounted to the test vehicle were old, fully worn Firestone winter tires. Firestone is a quality brand we respect, so we will not draw any direct negative comparisons/contrasts between the Firestone model and the new Uniroyals since they are not the same type of tire. We tip our hat to Firestone. The tires have seen well over 60,000 miles and were driven in hot summer weather.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw Price and Comparison Prices
Walmart lists the Uniroyal Tiger Paw in size 255/55-17 at just $138.97. This is a very low price for an all-season tire from a well-respected brand with such a long tread life warranty. We turned to Tire Rack for some comparison prices to see how this tire measures up in cost. Here are some comparable tires from respected brands of the identical size and their prices:
- GOODYEAR ASSURANCE COMFORTDRIVE $203.99
- FIRESTONE DESTINATION LE3 $192.99
- PIRELLI P7 AS PLUS 3 $179.61
- CONTINENTAL CONTIPROCONTACT $174.99
- COOPER PROCONTROL $168.99
- FALKEN AZENIS FK460 A/S $151
As you can see, the Uniroyal Tiger Paw tire has a much lower price point than most of the competitors in this style of tire.
Initial Test Wrap-Up and Future Plans
The Uniroyal Tiger Paw tires arrived in good condition, were defect-free, and balanced easily. There were no surprises (and we’ve had many in our tears testing new tires). The Tiger Paw seems to have matched the compact crossover SUV we chose as our test vehicle perfectly. We would also use the Tiger Paw on a family sedan or affordable coupe.
The initial driving impressions are all positive. The Tiger Paw tires have cured some minor issues we thought might be a loud wheel bearing or a suspension in need of attention. It turns out worn tires caused the symptoms. The tires handle well on the highway and in suburban driving and did very well in the rain.
With fall upon us and winter around the corner, we plan to update our long-term review when we have a chance to try the tires on snow, sleet, and ice. Watch Torque News for more updates soon.
Uniroyal Tiger Paw Tire Fast Facts:
- Size Tested: 255/55-17
- Speed Rating - V
- Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG): 600 A A
- Tire Type - All-Season Touring
- Treadwear Warranty: 65,000 miles
- Tread Depth as measured by test driver Emma Risken ~7.39 mm
- Example Price - $138.97 each (Walmart)
Test Notes: Emma Risken is the primary investigator for this long-term test, but John Goreham and Jay Condrick of Boston Mobile Tire have also contributed their thoughts and words to this review.
Review Note: Uniroyal has provided the tires for this test at no cost. However, the author has paid full price out of pocket for mounting and balancing.
Image credits: Images used in this story were contributed by Lucy Shawcross, Jay Condrick, Max Goreham, and Emma Risken.
If you'd like to add a comment under this story, please note that our comments section has returned and is in bold red at the bottom of the page.
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can connect with John on Linkedin and follow his work at our X channel. Please note that stories carrying John's by-line are never AI-generated, but he does employ Grammarly grammar and punctuation software when proofreading.
Follow us today...