Review of the new summer tire Cordiant Run Tour
In March 2025, a ceremony was held at the tire plant in Ulyanovsk to officially restart production. The enterprise previously belonged to Bridgestone, after which it became part of the Cordiant holding, and production began with the release of a new passenger summer tire called Cordiant Run Tour. As with Ikon Tyres, which operates on the former Nokian Tyres facilities, the tread pattern was taken from the former production owners, and this time the "donor" was the Firestone Touring FS100 tire, which was introduced to the Russian market in 2017 and is still offered in a number of countries around the world.
The word Touring in the name indicated that the tire was created with an emphasis on improving comfort, and Cordiant emphasizes that Run Tour also differs in improved fuel efficiency and reliability. "Thanks to the use of advanced technologies and modern solutions in production processes, it was possible to achieve a balance of characteristics and an optimal price," the company says.
The reduction in rolling resistance was achieved thanks to a new recipe for rubber compounds for both the tread and sidewalls, and the manufacturer reports that Run Tour received a higher rating ("B") in the European marking system compared to the previous generation tire. This can reduce fuel consumption by 0.45 l/100 km (a Toyota Camry with an automatic transmission was used in the tests), which means that with a mileage of 15,000 km per season, the savings will be up to 1 tank (about 67 liters), and the company notes that this "becomes tangible with frequent and long trips".
Cordiant Run Tour has a tread pattern optimized for uniform load distribution in the contact patch, improving handling and braking efficiency on dry and wet surfaces. In addition, the sidewall design has been improved to increase puncture resistance, the block layout scheme simultaneously reduces vibrations and prevents uneven wear, and the diagonal grooves, located at a sharp angle to the direction of movement, reduce tread deformation, while also reducing the braking distance on a wet road.
The tire design includes a reinforced nylon belt that reduces the likelihood of tread punctures, while the "ultra-high" strength cord has increased the tire's strength, and the two-layer sidewall design provides protection against damage.
In February 2025, Cordiant announced that the production of winter studded tires Gislaved SpikeControl (previously Bridgestone Blizzak Spike-02, released in 2016) has also been launched in Ulyanovsk, and what's more interesting, the legendary Bridgestone Ice Cruiser 7000 (introduced in 2010) will return to the market, which has already undergone several "reincarnations" and was sold as Firestone ice Cruiser 7 and Lassa Iceways 2, and will now be called Cordiant Snow Max 7000.
Cordiant Run Tour tires are available in 11 sizes from 175/70 R13 to 215/55 R17. According to the manufacturer's official website, the cost ranges from 4370 to 8790 rubles.