Sumitomo Ice Edge

This is a solid Sumitomo entry for the Price. Simply because the regular winter tires have become so good on snow, ice Stud able winter tires aren’t as frequent as they were in the past. Nevertheless, in places with extremely harsh wintry conditions, there is still a market for them. on snow, studs still provide better traction and that won’t change soon. But you might be wondering if you need a stud able winter tire. We tested the Sumitomo Ice Edge, which is one of the most affordable studs able tires on the market. Down below in our review, we will try to answer some of the questions that might be in your mind.

Top Pick

Features of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires

The Ice Edge is a studded tire for passenger cars and SUVs that have been designed to give you the edge on snow, ice, and slush-covered roads and this is stated by Sumitomo, the tire manufacturer. Sumitomo used its most advanced winter tread compound to achieve that. This way, the tire delivers an outstanding combination of cold-weather grip and superior stability, handling performance, and smooth ride comfort.in addition to that, the Sumitomo Ice Edge tire features Sumitomo’s 3D Sipe technology. The function of this technology is to give the needed biting edges for driving on snow, slush, and ice. To increase traction, even more, you can always add studs.

Performance of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires on a Dry Tarmac

On dry roads, the Sumitomo Ice Edge certainly won’t impress you with the way it drives. Most winter tires don’t impress on dry roads if truth is to be told. The reason for this is the soft rubber that bends significantly. The soft rubber in the tire also can’t keep reliable grip and traction the fact that its physics being applied here. Nonetheless, the Ice Edge can’t compete with the class best even with those things in mind, not even close. This is so true especially if they are compared to non-studded tires. These studded tires provide an overall much better driving experience.

See also: Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 Review

So you might be wondering where the Sumitomo Ice Edge falters, well, it’s far from the most responsive tire for starters. There is no question about it, you just need to get used to how this tire drives. Despite all of this, you won’t get the best possible grip. And even though the longitudinal traction is good, the cornering grip of the ice edge leaves a lot to be desired. In addition to that, the braking distances are a tad longer than what you would want, Even though they are not bad or unsafe, sure, but they are too long. Despite this, you have to keep in mind that the Sumitomo Ice Edge is an economy tire. Many things are reserved for premium brands; therefore, you can’t expect this tire to perform excellently everywhere. But this doesn’t mean that you won’t be safe, the differences aren’t that big.

Performance of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires Wet and Slippery Roads

The Sumitomo Ice Edge has no problem channeling out water, and this is all thanks to the deep grooves and many sipes across the tread blocks. This way, the hydroplaning resistance is excellent. This means that at higher speeds, your vehicle will not lose control when you enter big puddles of water. On slush-covered roads, this also helps. However, instead of just hydroplaning resistance, there is more to wet traction. Specifically, how it sticks on the road, the quality of the rubber plays a big role as well. So you see that there is still a damp surface beneath it, even when the tire channels all water. All tires which have higher-quality tread rubber stick better. On damp surfaces, that’s especially true. So, you might wonder how the Sumitomo Ice Edge handles those conditions.

Excellent is the simple answer. They might not be exceptional like some premium tires from other competitors, but they are still very good. We would say it’s among the best in its price range considering the price. There braking is also very good. They offer enough grip in the corners, and longitudinal traction is admirable.

Performance of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires on Snowy Roads

You should at least expect it to offer safe and reliable traction, the fact that it’s a winter tire. And, especially when compared to all-season tires, it surely does. If you want to replace your all-season tires during the winter and save cash, there is no doubt about these tires. The Sumitomo Ice Edge from the Sumitomo lineup is an excellent choice. So you might be wondering if this Ice Edge Tire can compare to premium winter tires. Not really, but you can compare it to something like the Bridgestone Blazek WS90 and Michelin X-Ice Snow. Even though there will be a difference but the difference won’t be very large.

More importantly, you probably won’t notice the discrepancy for regular driving. They have few feet longer stopping distance. They are also equipped with a tad that is more nervous when handling, and slightly less longitudinal traction, that’s the only thing about it. So, yes, throughout the winter, the Sumitomo Ice Edge will serve you well and there is no question about it. These tires are not just as good as other premium tires from competitors. But at that price, you shouldn’t expect it to. Having said that, let’s start with how the tire handles.

You will feel completely in control of packed and unpacked snow with this tire. Without slipping much, the Sumitomo Ice Edge quickly accelerates forward. It also gives you much more confidence in the snow by stopping reasonably well. It performs safely and without any surprises to the driver in terms of handling. Again, without any issues, you will be able to control your vehicle.

By installing studs on the Sumitomo Ice Edge, every parameter can be greatly improved. Once those have been installed, the snow traction, handling, and braking improve dramatically. The only problem comes in demography because some states won’t allow you to use them, although most areas with harsh wintry conditions do. As soon as the snow melts, just be sure that you remove them. This means that you shouldn’t use them on the pavement. But you might wonder about ice, well, the truth is, that’s where things become interesting. See, the Sumitomo Ice Edge is only an average ice tire without the studs attached. This is so when you compare it to competitors from Bridgestone, Michelin, and Continental tires. However, it performs outstandingly well with the studs attached. You will be able to accelerate, all thanks to the bite the studs provide. You will also be able to steer and stop without an issue.

Suitability of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires for Off-Road Driving

The Sumitomo Ice Edge offers good off-road traction and this is suggested by the more aggressive tread compound with multiple sipes that have been installed on it. And, even if that’s the case, we won’t recommend that to you. All winter tires are designed from softer and more pliable rubber. These rubbers can be damaged much more easily. On the tread rubber, any sharp stone your winter tires encounter will take a toll. When this happens, the tread life significantly shortens. Avoid going off-road, if you want to keep your Sumitomo Ice Edge’s in good shape, except if it’s the snow of course.

Comfort and Refinement of the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tires

The ride quality is very comfortable, and all thanks to the soft rubber on the Sumitomo Ice Edge. Even though there will be a thump here and there, you won’t have any major problems with it. On both smooth and broken surfaces, the tire is comfortable. There is not much to say here, but we can’t say the same things when we talk about noise. Even at lower speeds, significant tread noise is produced by the aggressive tread pattern with openings for studs. Even though, most winter tires are noisy the Ice Edge is more so. On the highway, you will especially feel this, where the tread noise becomes overly intrusive.

Pros

• Offers excellent traction and braking on packed and unpacked snow
• Also provides outstanding traction on ice with studs attached
• Works well on slush-covered roads
• Has very good hydroplaning resistance and good wet traction
• Also comfortable over bumpy surfaces
• Are outstandingly affordable for a studded winter tire

Cons

• Wears more quickly than premium winter tires
• The Sumitomo Ice Edge is that great when Ice traction has no studs attached
• Dry handling of these tires is average, and its steering isn’t very responsive
• They can become noisy on the highway

FAQs

Q. is the Sumitomo Ice Edge a great Passenger Tire?

A. Currently, the passenger tires with a normal height that the Sumitomo Company is offering are in seven different models. Among the seven is the Sumitomo Ice Edge, which is an all-season tire designed for a comfortable ride and long tread life.

Q. is the Sumitomo Ice Edge Tire is the best for an SUV, Crossover, or Light Truck?

A. No it is not. The Touring CX and HTR Sport H/P are the two best Sumitomo’s tires for a crossover, SUV, and light-truck lineup. These models are all-season touring tires for small and compact crossovers. The manufacturer has given them a 50,000 and 60 000 mile treadwear warranty respectively.

Recommendations

The Sumitomo Ice Edge is not the best winter tire out there and so it depends on what you want and needs. It is neither the best-studded tire in the Sumitomo tire lineup. When compared with the premium competition, it simply falters in too many performance categories. But you might wonder if you should care about that. We reckon not.

The Sumitomo Ice Edge will serve you quite well in the winter if you’re prepared to sacrifice some things. On a positive note, it’s much cheaper than the perfect premium competitors, so at least you get a discount for the sacrifices you make. Crucially, for the conditions it is designed to be, the Sumitomo Ice Edge is an excellent tire. With the studs attached, it performs excellently on snow, packed or unpacked, this tire becomes even better, and it also champions ice-covered surfaces. We can’t think of a better tire for harsh wintry conditions for that price, which is high praise indeed.

Read also: Sumitomo Tire Review