Review of the Ikon Character Summer Lineup

Last December, it was announced that Ikon Tyres had completed the rebranding of its mid-range lineup, and all tires that were previously called Nordman are now released as Ikon Character, while the patterns and characteristics remain the same. At the same time, with the change of name, the size range of tires has also been expanded, i.e. some sizes of Nordman tires were not produced.

We have already reported on the Character winter family, and now it's time for the summer lineup, which currently includes two models for passenger cars and one for crossovers and SUVs:

Ikon Character Eco (formerly Nordman SX3). Economical tires for compact and medium-sized cars, which inherited their tread pattern from the Nokian Hakka Green 2 model, released in 2015. Fuel savings are ensured by a special compound that reduces rolling resistance, and the rubber mixture also has increased wear resistance, including when used on uneven surfaces.

The tire has an asymmetrical tread pattern with expanding diagonal grooves, whose purpose is to quickly remove water from the contact zone, while the densely spaced blocks in the outer zone improve stability when cornering. Another feature is the presence of semi-circular depressions in the groove walls, which reduce air turbulence and reduce noise levels, improving acoustic comfort. Size range: 13–16 inches.

Ikon Character Ultra (formerly Nordman SZ2). Ultra-High Performance tires designed to provide good controllability at high speeds. The pattern consists of rigid shoulder zones and wide central ribs, which increase the tread's resistance to deformation, thereby improving handling when driving in a sporty style. In addition, deep grooves accelerate water drainage, and in the shoulder area, there are additional wavy depressions that, when the tread is compressed under pressure, accommodate increasingly large volumes of water, removing it from the contact patch.

The Ikon Character Ultra rubber compound is designed to work effectively in a wide temperature range and also withstand loads when driving on uneven roads, and the tires also have a reinforced breaker belt and a two-layer carcass, which increase their reliability. The depressions in the groove walls for improved comfort are also present. Types: 16–20 inches.

Ikon Character Aqua SUV (formerly Nordman S2 SUV). A tire for SUVs and crossovers, whose name suggests that one of its advantages is an improved level of grip and, consequently, safety in difficult weather conditions. Expanding grooves that accumulate liquid and accelerate its movement from the main grooves to the transverse ones are responsible for the rapid dissipation of water, and the tires are suitable not only for asphalt but also for moderate off-road driving, and, for example, shoulder mud catchers are added to improve handling on sand and other soft surfaces.

In the main grooves, there are protrusions that repel stones, not allowing them to get stuck in the tread and become a cause of damage to the carcass, and the rubber compound is optimized to improve resistance to cuts, as well as to impacts, for example, when hitting a pothole. In addition, the tires also have a reinforced carcass and sidewall construction, and a wear indicator is located on the central rib. Size range: 16–20 inches.