BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus Review – Excellent UHP All-Season Tire for the Price

Are you looking for a tire that will give you the thrills in the corners but still be effective in the winter? Chances are you are fancying an ultra-high-performance all-season tire. A recent invention, UHP all-season tires aim to give owners of performance vehicles the grip usually associated with summer tires but with significantly increased snow traction.

These tires are becoming increasingly popular, and today, they are available in sizes that also fit regular vehicles. As such, they are the perfect gateway to a more enjoyable driving experience, even for owners of cars that were previously fitted with regular touring all-season tires. Should you make the jump, though?

Well, there is a plethora of UHP all-season tires to choose from nowadays, with premium, premium/budget, and budget manufacturers all having their take on the category. Using its years of engineering and manufacturing prowess, BFGoodrich also has a strong competitor in the segment – the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus.

The name is a mouthful, but this article isn’t about terminology – it is about how the tire performs. The g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus promises excellent performance through all seasons. It builds upon the g-Force COMP-2 A/S model (there is no plus in that one), which was already very popular among customers but not very competitive due to its old design.

BFGoodrich engineered a new tread compound for the “Plus” model, though the fast-looking directional tread pattern remained almost unchanged. But that is not bad because this pattern has proven excellent in many premium tires.

Besides, the previous tire’s performance difficulties were largely due to the compound, and BFGoodrich says that the new one provides the company’s best dry/wet traction in an all-season tire. Not that this is hard to believe – UHP all-season tires are the premium offering of any tiremaker when it comes to all-season tires.

Still, BFGoodrich’s rivals didn’t stand still, and most of them launched new UHP all-season tires recently. Models like the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ and Falken Azenis FK460 A/S are also very popular among buyers, and let’s not forget the older but still viable General G-MAX AS-05, Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 and Kumho Ecsta PA51. Also, there are many high-class premium tires, which, in most cases, outperform budget-oriented tires.

So, where does the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus stand in the ever-increasing UHP all-season landscape? And, more importantly, does it deserve its place on your car? Well, tighten your belt because we will dive deep into the performance aspect of BFGoodrich’s g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus and tell you whether it’s the right tire for you!

The tread is made from the company’s advanced all-season compound with “ULTRAGRIP TECHNOLOGY” and is the biggest change over the predecessor. It improves not only the wear characteristics of the tire but also traction on snow-covered surfaces.

BFGoodrich also paid a lot of attention to the internal construction of the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus, which is important for a UHP all-season tire. Notably, apart from the usual twin steel belts, this tire features spirally wrapped nylon as part of the Equal TEnsion Containment System (ETEC System) package and Performance Racing Core construction.

All these internal systems are designed to increase steering response, elevate stability at higher speeds, and increase traction. The g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is also equipped with g-Control Sidewall Inserts, increasing steering response and giving the tire a performance-oriented driving feel.

However, BFGoodrich didn’t forget about comfort. It is also equipped with g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus with its Dynamic Suspension System, designed to increase control and stability further and make the ride more pliable and comfortable.

That particular tread depth was chosen because it is considered that a tire with less deepness won’t have successful hydroplaning resistance, leading to serious stability and traction issues. But the problem is that rain isn’t the only weather phenomenon detrimental to road safety: snow, ice, and slush are even more challenging for cars, tires, and drivers.

Not to mention, 2/32 inches is already very low. Namely, even a tire with 3/32 inches (2.4 mm) of tread depth won’t perform safely in rainy conditions, particularly at highway speeds. You could always slow down and be safe if your tires are worn that much, but let’s be real – nobody does that. Therefore, our tires must always be up to the task, even when the weather goes foul.

Some manufacturers started employing cleverly designed maintenance bars to help the driver monitor the tread depth more effectively. For instance, one of the best UHP all-season tires currently on the market, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, has the letters D, W, and S imprinted on the tread.

When all three letters are visible, the tire is operable through all weather conditions, including dry, wet, and snow-covered roads. However, once S becomes invisible, the tire has only enough tread depth left for driving on dry and wet roads. Then, when only the letter D is visible, the tire is only adequate for driving on dry roads. This is very clever, as it is easy to understand even by people who know nothing about tires.

Unfortunately, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus can’t tell the driver whether there is enough traction in snow conditions. Perhaps BFGoodrich will utilize better wear indicators in the next generation, but for now, owners of this tire are stuck with the regular wear bars.

Still, if you own this tire, you can be smart and purchase an inexpensive tread depth gauge. This tool will allow you to precisely measure the tread depth of various tire grooves. As such, it is useful to measure not only tread depth but also whether the tire wears evenly across the tread.

However, its competitors offer longer warranties. For example, the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ has a 55,000-mile warranty on all sizes, while the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S and General G-MAX AS-05 have a 50,000-mile warranty.

Owners are generally satisfied with the treadlife of the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus, though some report accelerated wear, particularly on more powerful RWD vehicles.

That said, compared to its closest rivals, BFGoodrich’s UHP all-season tire might have a slightly lower treadlife. And by slightly lower, we mean around 5,000 miles. This might push away some buyers, but it shouldn’t be the sole determining factor when buying a UHP all-season tire.

At the end of the day, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is more than durable enough and should provide you with around three years of driving through all seasons.

This tire is also easy to drive fast, as it feels surefooted through the corners without significant understeer or oversteer. Its steering is nicely weighted and precise, though perhaps not as involving as some of its rivals.

So, in general, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is a very good dry tire, but it is not without its shortcomings. Namely, while the handling is very stable, it lacks the playfulness of some of its rivals, like the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S. In that sense, it is perhaps not as fun to drive, but we could only come to that statement when we tested it against rivals. In isolation, particularly on public roads, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is fun and engaging to drive.

Besides, you will get some of the highest grip at its price point. This tire stops with authority and provides some of the shortest stopping distances in its price range, along with a lateral grip close to that of premium UHP all-season tires.

Furthermore, the highway stability is excellent, with the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus allowing quick lane changes without too much fuss. Although not very engaging, the steering provides a good on-center feel and straight-line tracking, making highway cruises very comfortable for the driver.

Overall, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus won’t be out of place on most performance cars. Still, we think it is a better fit for performance sedans since automakers emphasize the stability of these vehicles rather than playfulness.

Meanwhile, lightweight sports cars that are lively in the corners might be better suited by the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S or a more premium alternative like the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4.

It is a big step forward over the predecessor, which was fine in rainy conditions, but nothing more than that. The improved g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus now provides much shorter stopping distances and higher lateral grip while feeling much less nervous and, crucially, safer at the limit.

The elevated wet traction of the new tire allows owners to continue enjoying driving when it rains and push the vehicle to its limits. Not that we suggest that, but you can lean on this tire more than on other tires when it rains.

Notably, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is now among the highest-performing tires in its price range, with some of the shortest stopping distances and the highest lateral grip. Of course, it can’t compete with more expensive premium tires, but it comes close regarding how it feels subjectively.

What we liked about the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is that it can drive fast on wet roads without too much fuss. Again, it is not as playful as some of its rivals, but stability and safety are more important when it rains.

Thanks to the way it performs, this tire invites you to drive faster, as it never feels nervous or unsafe. Even at the limit, it loses traction slowly and predictably, providing amateur drivers enough time to catch the slide and keep the vehicle in control.

For comparison, the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S has a better grip and is more playful in the rain, but perhaps to a fault. On public roads, we prefer the stable and safe behavior of the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus. Also, the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ offers slightly lower traction while feeling less planted.

In any case, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is a mightily impressive tire in winter, especially because it works well in dry and wet conditions. It far exceeds the longitudinal traction of its rivals, meaning it accelerates faster and stops sooner. Thanks to this, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is a safer tire in the winter than most of its similarly-priced rivals, including the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+.

But BFGoodrich’s tire isn’t only impressive in a straight line – it also has the highest lateral grip in the budget end of the UHP all-season segment. Moreover, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is easy to drive, with balanced handling and calculable behavior at the limit. This means that even amateur drivers won’t have difficulty keeping their vehicles planted in the corners.

To top it all off, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus also provides solid traction on ice, at least when compared to its closest rivals. Still, the ice grip is far from that of a winter tire, so the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is only usable on ice at lower speeds.

BFGoodrich did push the boundaries with the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus, as it performs excellently considering the category and price. However, this tire won’t be well-served by drivers who casually encounter foul winter weather, like deep snow or ice. The g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is more of a light-snow tire, and it’s not designed for very challenging winter conditions.

If you live in an area where it snows more frequently, we would still recommend going for a set of winter tires from November to February. Or, at least, a set of 3PMSF-rated all-season tires, aka all-weather tires, like the Michelin CrossClimate 2, Bridgestone WeatherPeak, or Pirelli Cinturato WeatherActive. Currently, there is no 3PMSF-rated UHP all-season tire on the market.

Fortunately, BFGoodrich has one of the best portfolios of all-terrain and off-road tires. The All-Terrain T/A KO2 is one of the most popular all-terrain tires, thanks to its versatile nature, while the Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 is the tire of choice among off-road enthusiasts.

The ride quality is not surprising, as most UHP all-season tires trade softness for solidity. Some drivers might prefer a softer tire, but in our experience, stiffer tires work better on roads with repetitive impacts, as they limit secondary motion. That said, a softer tire, like the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+, will be smoother on the highway or any road devoid of large undulations.

It’s the same story with noise – the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is audible at speed. The tread can be heard even at urban speeds, but the tone isn’t high-pitched and generally not troublesome. Crucially, this tire is livable on the highway – it’s not too loud or problematic on longer journeys.

Still, some of its competitors, like the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S and aforementioned ADVAN Sport A/S+. Many premium rivals, like the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus and Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+, are also quieter on the highway.

In isolation, though, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is a fairly comfortable tire, enough so that owners who already owned UHP all-season tires probably won’t notice a big difference in ride quality or noise.

Sure, this is not a perfect tire. While it has outstanding traction regardless of the surface, it is not as engaging as some of its rivals. Moreover, it can be noisy on the highway and has a slightly lower treadwear warranty than its similarly-priced competitors.

But regardless of that, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is the budget UHP all-season tire to beat right now. It perfectly balances dry, wet, and snow performance, along with a relatively smooth ride and good durability. As such, it is the perfect tire for most drivers of performance cars but also anyone who wants to add some spice to the driving experience.

The tire that first comes to mind is the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S. It is a generally more comfortable tire than the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus, with a smoother ride and quieter tread growl at speed, and one that offers similar dry and wet grip.

Meanwhile, the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ has a lower overall grip than the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus but has a superior 55,000-mile warranty and is generally more comfortable.

If the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus is too expensive for you, the General G-MAX AS-05 offers a compelling set of characteristics, like a solid dry/wet grip and a quiet ride on the highway at a lower price point. It even comes with a longer 50,000-mile treadwear warranty.

There are also some excellent premium tires on the other end of the spectrum. For instance, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus offers a higher dry/wet/snow grip than the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus, with a generally smoother ride and longer warranty.

Meanwhile, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 offers a higher all-season grip but feels more engaging in the corners. Still, Michelin’s tire also suffers from jittery ride and comes with the same low-ish 45,000-mile warranty. It is probably unsurprising because Michelin is BFGoodrich’s parent company, and they share technology.

The Vredestein Hypertrac All Season is another excellent premium tire that provides the best dry/wet/snow grip, a smooth and quiet ride, and a good 50,000-mile warranty. It costs slightly more than the g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus and performs better in some areas.