Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus Review: Excellent All-Season Tire for SUV and Truck Owners

There is certainly no shortage of options for people that want an SUV, crossover, or truck. Car manufacturers seem to have more elevated vehicles in their lineups than “regular” cars, which is a consequence of people wanting more functional and practical cars.

Fortunately, tire manufacturers quickly followed car companies by launching tires that can be used on these vehicles. Their main focus is to provide owners with safe and reliable handling in most conditions, long-lasting treadlife, and high levels of comfort.

One such tire is the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus. The Japanese tire manufacturer was one of the first to launch touring all-season tires for drivers of SUVs, crossovers, and trucks, and this is their latest model.

With the Dueler, Bridgestone wants to show all the experience they gathered with the previous generations of touring tires. Overall, they were always near the front of the pack, joined by competitors from Michelin, Continental, and Pirelli.

Now, most of those manufacturers already updated their touring tires, and it will be great to see if Bridgestone still has trump cards in its sleeve. At first look, the Dueler has a lot going for it, namely in the warranty department (an 80,000-mile treadwear warranty), but also in other categories.

The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus comes in many different sizes, ranging from 15-inch wheel diameter to 22-inch wheel diameter. That covers a significant amount of the crossover, SUV, and truck market. In other words, if you own one of these vehicles, chances are there will be a size that will fit your wheels.

That said, the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is only a touring tire, so it isn’t available in LT-metric sizes. This implies that drivers of very large trucks and SUVs that want bigger load capacity will need to look for other tires.

The Dueler isn’t well-suited to hauling very heavy cargo and pulling very large trailers. The “toughest” model can carry 2,601 lbs per tire, which is lower than what you will get from highway all-season tires.

After clarifying that, let’s cut the chase see if this tire really lives up to the promise.

What are the features of the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus?

According to Bridgestone, the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is an all-season touring tire designed for owners of light and medium trucks. The main focus of the engineers was to deliver a comfortable and quiet ride, which is something that most Bridgestone touring tires are known for.

Furthermore, Bridgestone puts emphasis on low-rolling resistance, which brings with itself an improved fuel economy. Like with most all-season tires, Bridgestone promises year-round performance from the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus.

To achieve these things, the company utilized several premium technologies that you won’t find in other tires. A perfect example of that is the Variable Tread Pitch Technology, which claims to reduce road noise by a significant margin.

Moreover, Bridgestone designed the tire with a symmetric tread pattern, which promises higher levels of comfort, but also excellent performance in various conditions. The tread consists of notched shoulder blocks and a continuous center rib that claims to boost responsiveness and improve stability at highway speeds.

For wet and snowy surfaces, Bridgestone’s engineers employed four wide circumferential grooves, lateral notches, and a high number of sipes. That said, Bridgestone didn’t include zig-zag sipes on the tread, which in my experience, improve snow traction even further.

Like most tires in its category, the Dueler Alenza Plus has an internal construction that utilizes twin steel belts reinforced with spirally wound nylon for support of the tread area, and polyester cords to stabilize the sidewalls and enhance ride quality, while also improving stability.

Ultimately, it’s important to note that Bridgestone utilizes eco-focused manufacturing methods on some of the tire’s sizes. Along with the tire’s excellent low-rolling-resistance technology, the Dueler Alenza Plus is one of the greenest tires for crossovers, SUVs, and trucks right now.

What are the maintenance indicators?

Every Bridgestone product has indicator bars built into the tread, which can help the owner track the wear and tear of the tire easily.

These indicators can be seen even when the tire is new, but you should really inspect the tire closely to notice them. As the tire wears down, they will become more visible.

When the tread isn’t safe for the road anymore, specifically for rainy and snowy weather, the maintenance indicators will be flush with the tread.

Like most tires, the minimum tread depth on Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus tires is 2/32 inch. That said, I suggest replacing the tires before the indicators are completely flush with the surface.

When it comes to durability, the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is arguably one of the best crossover/SUV touring tires right now.

The company offers an exceptional treadwear warranty of 80,000-miles for T- H- & V-Speed Rated, which is more than almost any competitor out there.

Moreover, tires with W-Speed ratings come with a 55,000-mile treadwear warranty, which is again exceptional for the size and speed rating.

And, even if you don’t trust in warranties much, I can confirm that many owners of the Dueler are extremely satisfied with this tire.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

When it comes to handling, you need to set your expectations right with the Dueler Alenza Plus. Even though this product is available in larger sizes, it’s still an all-season touring tire designed for safety and comfort.

That said, I still feel like the tire could’ve been more responsive. So, don’t expect to have fun behind the steering wheel. However, in every other area, the tire is up there with the best premium models in the category, if not better.

Traction is excellent, even on some more powerful SUVs and crossovers. The grip levels are also exceptional for an all-season tire, even during hard cornering. Moreover, Bridgestone’s touring tire also provides the driver with excellent stability at higher speeds and short braking distances.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

Fortunately, the Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus continues to be brilliant over wet surfaces. I found that the tire performs admirably over damp tarmac, providing the driver with high levels of traction and grip, and short braking distances.

Furthermore, the four wide circumferential grooves seem to limit hydroplaning greatly. As a result of that, your vehicle will handle very wet roads with stability and safety that you won’t see on other tires. Definitely one of the best rain tires in the category right now.

With that being said, how is it on snowy roads?

Many people expect miracles from their all-season tires in the winter, and that’s very wrong. All-season tires are only designed for very light snow or slush, and not for very harsh wintry conditions.

If you set your expectations right, the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is pretty good for winter driving. The tire provides the driver with good traction over light snow, safe handling, and short braking distances.

Nevertheless, you should drive really carefully over deep snow. Also, this tire doesn’t feel very safe over ice, so it’s not the best choice for people that live in areas with freezing winters.

Is it good for off-road driving?

I know, the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is a tire designed for crossovers and SUVs, but that doesn’t mean that you should trust it over very slippery surfaces. Touring tires are primarily designed for driving on the street and highway.

Now, you can use this tire in a stretch over dirt and gravel. However, don’t do that too often as it might damage the tread of the tire. Also, surfaces with very large rocks or mud should be out of the question.

Is it comfortable and refined?

This is where the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus flexes its muscles the most. Right now, this tire seems to be the quietest in its category, even at very high speeds. On the highway, you might not even notice the slight noise that comes from the tires. On top of that, the ride quality is super-smooth, even when driving over large potholes.

You can see more Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus review here: Video created by HILLYARD’S RIM LIONS

Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus Review – Should I buy?

The Bridgestone Dueler H/L Alenza Plus is one of the most expensive all-season touring tires for owners of SUVs, crossovers, and trucks. However, it is also one of the most accomplished products, especially for drivers that value year-round safety, high levels of comfort, and exceptional treadlife.

With a set of these tires, your vehicle will feel sure-footed over dry and wet surfaces. Moreover, the tire provides usable traction and braking over light snow, something that can’t be said for most competitors. Ultimately, your family will be extremely satisfied with the absence of noise and plush ride quality.

So, yes, if your budget allows it, you should buy the Dueler H/L Alenza Plus. Overall, this is one of the best tires in its category, and it deserves the place on every crossover, SUV, or truck.