Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus Review: Quiet as a Temple

We live in an era when transportation finally migrates from internal combustion engines to electrification. This will immensely help our environment – CO2 emissions will drop significantly for a brighter (and colder) future. That said, to make cars that are more efficient, there are other parts that need to be improved. For example, even an electric or a hybrid vehicle can benefit from tires that have low rolling resistance for longer range and thus even less CO2 emissions.

The Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus is one of those tires. Thanks to its eco-friendly technologies, the EP422 will lower the fuel consumption of any vehicle you install it on, thus limiting the overall impact of the car on the environment. These tires are specifically designed to lower the costs of driving without losing in the performance department.

Thanks to these qualities, the Ecopia brand is one of the most popular in the world – it helped its parent company Bridgestone reach the number one place for the best-selling tire company and the one with the highest revenue. Consequently, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is a tire that is very easy to recommend for drivers that want a dependable all-season solution.

That said, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is a grand-touring tire, which means that it is primarily designed for owners who cover a lot of miles annually. These tires are designed to offer high levels of comfort, dependable grip, traction, and braking performance in most conditions, and long-lasting treadlife. In the case of the Ecopia EP422 Plus, Bridgestone has also thrown low-rolling-resistance into the mix, which is always welcome in this day and time.

Available in sizes ranging from 15-18 inches, the Ecopia EP422 Plus covers a wide range of passenger cars in the subcompact, compact, mid-size, minivan, and crossover categories. Cars that are best suited to the Bridgestone are Toyota Corolla, Yaris, Camry and Matrix, Nissan Sentra, Altima and Maxima, Subaru Legacy and Outback, Mazda 3, 5 and 6, Volkswagen Golf and Jetta, Hyundai Accent, Elantra and Sonata, Honda Fit, Civic and Accord, Chevrolet Aveo, Cobalt and Sonic, Kia Soul, Forte and Optima, etc.

The Ecopia EP422 Plus will also be a great choice for drivers of hybrid versions of popular cars, and also for hybrids like the mighty Prius itself. On top of that, due to the eco-friendly nature of the tire, it can be installed on many premium vehicles with eco credentials. In other words, every vehicle that might benefit from low-rolling resistance.

It seems like the Ecopia EP422 Plus checks all the boxes on paper as far as the average driver is concerned. However, if you want to find how it handles every type of situation in detail, you can read our Ecopie PE422 Plus Review down below. Before you read our unbiased analysis, check what Bridgestone has to say about their popular tire.

What are the features of the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus?

When you land on Bridgestone’s website, the first thing that you’ll read about the Ecopia EP422 Plus is that it was engineered to be more fuel-efficient and get more miles from your tank. The Japanese company will also tell you that this tire was designed to be durable and to offer dependable all-season performance, confident handling, and a comfortable ride.

To achieve these things, the EP422 Plus has several key technologies built into it. First and perhaps most important is the enhanced all-season tread compound with Bridgestone’s proprietary NanoPro-Tech (Nanostructure-Oriented Properties Control Technology). This compound helps the tire achieve its outstanding low-rolling-resistance without losing in dry, wet and snow traction. That is something that most eco-friendly tires fail to achieve, so it will be good to see how the Bridgestone handles everyday situations.

The tread compound is aided by a symmetric tread design with notched shoulders and intermediate tread blocks with independent center blocks. This combination provides very good on-center feel when driving in a straight line, good responsiveness, and high levels of grip. Wet traction and grip are covered with four circumferential grooves that channel the water out of the tire, thus helping to limit hydroplaning.

The tire is full of notches and sipes as well, which further helps in wet conditions, while also increasing traction in light snow. Interestingly, the sidewalls of the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus also feature a Fuel Saver compound that additionally lowers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Like most grand-touring tires, the Ecopia EP422 Plus has an internal structure of twin steel belts reinforced by spirally wrapped nylon on top of a polyester casing.

What are the maintenance indicators?

Bridgestone doesn’t put any exotic indicators of worn-down tread, like letters for example, but the Ecopia EP422 Plus is still equipped with the usual indicators that are built into the tread. These indicators can’t be seen when the tire is new (only if you inspect the tire closely), but become visible as the tread wears down. When the tread is worn down to 2/32 inch (1.6 mm) of tread, the indicator bars will be completely flush with the surface. When that happens, the tire should be replaced immediately because it lacks enough tread depth for wet or snow driving.

Luckily, this won’t happen soon – the Ecopia EP422 Plus comes with 70,000-mile / 5-year treadwear warranty for every available speed rating. Truthfully, there are grand-touring tires in the premium category that offer even longer warranties, but 70,000-mile still isn’t bad for higher speed ratings. On top of that, Bridgestone will give you outstanding 90 Day Buy & Try Guarantee, better than any other tire in its category. Overall, according to experiences of other drivers, the Ecopia EP422 Plus seems to be very tough, especially in the treadwear department.

Is it good for off-road driving?

Let’s clear some things out. If you want a set of tires that will work in off-road conditions, then you at least need a set of all-terrain tires. The Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus is designed to work primarily on the road, which means that the manufacturer hasn’t made any design decisions that will help it for off-roading. That said, while the tire is not sufficient for demanding terrains, it can still provide enough traction for driving on gravel. You just need to be careful with the speed, as traction and grip will be much more limited than is the case on the street.

How does it behave on dry tarmac?

Pretty well, actually. Sure, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is not built for those who want sporty handling in the corners – it lacks the responsiveness and ultimate grip when compared to some high-performance tires. However, as far as grand-touring tires go, the Bridgestone is one of the best out there. For the category, the tire is responsive, and its sidewalls are tough enough for the tire to remain composed during hard cornering.

On top of that, traction is on a very high level, even on some more powerful cars, while the cornering grip is commendable. Braking performance is very strong, too – the Ecopia EP422 Plus is a perfectly safe tire for your whole family!

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

Even the first few miles we drove with the EP422 Plus on wet surfaces showed that paying a little bit extra for a premium tire has its benefits. Traction is very good in wet conditions with a set of these tires, almost on the level of the best in the category. Cornering grip is also very good, while braking performance is top-notch. Thanks to the multiple notches and sipes, the EP422 Plus resists hydroplaning like a champ – we didn’t have any issues driving over puddles of water.

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

Like with most all-season tires, the Ecopia EP422 Plus isn’t designed to be used in very demanding winter conditions. Seriously, if you one a set of all-season tires and live in areas with very harsh winters, you should replace them with winter tires. That said, as far as grand-touring all-season tires go, the Bridgestone is one of the best. It has enough traction and braking performance in light snow for a safe driving experience, and it also puts a great show in freezing but dry weather.

Is it comfortable and refined?

Absolutely! This is one of the most comfortable and quiet tires we’ve tried, even at very high speeds. The tires are almost inaudible in the cabin – you’ll be hearing mostly the wind. On top of that, the Ecopia EP422 Plus is outstanding at minimizing vibrations and harshness from the road, making for a very pleasant driving experience. If you’re into comfort and refinement, we can’t think of better tires than the Ecopia EP422 Plus.

Should I buy the Bridgestone Ecopia EP422 Plus?

It is always easy to recommend tires from premium manufacturers like Bridgestone. The Ecopia EP422 Plus does everything buyers in this category ask from it, and that’s why it gets a very easy recommendation. It is supremely quiet and comfortable, durable, usable in almost every weather, and lowers the fuel consumption of any car. Highly recommended!