Goodyear Eagle LS2 Review: Starts to Show it Age

When you’re buying the second set of tires for your car, probably the best option is to purchase the same model you had from the factory. Or is it? On some exotic vehicles that were developed with the OEM tires, that might be true. On regular passenger cars, though, it’s better to purchase newer models more often than not.

That’s because tires are becoming more advanced as time goes by. Each year some premium tire manufacturer announces new models with even more advanced technologies, which lead to better performance overall. And, if you want to have the latest technology, the Goodyear Eagle LS2 might not be the best choice out there.

The Eagle LS2 was a very popular OEM choice for various manufacturers, including Toyota, Volkswagen, and Audi. That’s usually a good thing – car manufacturers test a variety of tires before they put them on new vehicle models. The problem is, the Goodyear Eagle LS-2 was a popular OEM choice over a decade ago. In tire technology terms, that’s a generation ago.

Now, there are some older tires that maintain to be a good overall buy. That’s mainly because manufacturers lower the prices significantly, which compensates for the loss of performance to newer tires. The Goodyear Eagle LS-2 continues to be expensive, though, at least in the most popular sizes.

At the time when the Eagle LS-2 was launched, it was among the best grand-touring all-season tires in North America. Moreover, Goodyear marketed the Eagle LS-2 as a performance-oriented and luxurious touring tire, designed for modern luxury cars.

So, should that mean that this tire isn’t a good choice for buyers? Well, I’ll try to answer that question in my Goodyear Eagle LS2 review. Down below, I’ll cover the dry, wet, and snow traction of the tire, the comfort levels, and the treadlife. Moreover, I’ll try to find out if it still competes favorably, especially when compared to premium competitors.

And, even though the Eagle LS-2 is over a decade old by now, Goodyear offers the tire in many popular sizes. These include small 15-inch wheel diameter and up to 20-inch wheel diameter.

With these dimensions, Goodyear covers a very large portion of the market, including compact cars, mid-size sedans, performance sedans, luxury sedans, coupes, crossovers, and minivans. Nonetheless, Goodyear markets the tire mostly to American, German, and Japanese luxury sedans.

With that said, let’s see what are the main features of the Goodyear Eagle LS2 before we jump to my thoughts and conclusion.

What are the features of the Goodyear Eagle LS-2?

According to Goodyear, the Eagle LS-2 is a quality performance tire designed for a smooth and quiet ride and confident cornering throughout the year.

To achieve those things, Goodyear utilized a premium all-season tread compound. This rubber should provide the driver with a better cornering grip than “normal” grand-touring all-season tires. Moreover, the compound is also designed to work in a wider temperature range.

The rubber compound is molded into a symmetric tread pattern with triple tread blocks. Goodyear used computer-aided design to optimize the blocks on the tread pattern for a quieter ride, without damaging the overall performance of the tire.

Meanwhile, the Eagle LS-2 also features four wide circumferential grooves, designed to channel large amounts of water. These grooves, together with the grooves on the outer tread blocks, improve hydroplaning resistance and traction in rainy conditions.

For better snow traction, Goodyear engineers added sipes into the tread blocks of the tire. However, these sipes aren’t waved nor zig-zag like in more modern all-season tires.

The internal construction of the Goodyear Eagle LS-2 is standard for a grand-touring all-season tire. It features twin steel belts reinforced by nylon for added high-speed capability and better ride quality.

What are the maintenance indicators?

Goodyear utilized the industry-standard treadwear indicators (TWI’s) in the Eagle LS-2. These indicators are crucial for safety because they help the driver monitor the tread depth more easily.

Without sufficient tread depth, the tire won’t be able to provide the driver with usable wet traction. Moreover, the hydroplaning resistance also gets worse as the tread wears down. That can lead to severely worsened stability, especially at higher speeds.

On grand-touring all-season tires, the minimum tread depth for safe driving on wet roads is 2/32-inch. Anything less than that and the tire is considered unsafe for wet conditions. And, that’s not only something that Goodyear tells you, but it’s also accepted by authorities.

So, how can you utilize the tread wear indicators to tell if you have sufficient traction? Well, these indicators are narrow rubber bars that sit inside the circumferential grooves of the tire. They are recessed when the tire is new, but they become more visible as the tread wears down.

When the tread depth is 2/32-inch, the narrow rubber bars will be completely flush with the surface. At this point, you should immediately replace your tires if you want to retain good wet traction. However, I suggest doing that even sooner, especially if you live in areas where it rains or snows frequently.

Sadly, the Eagle LS-2 isn’t exactly known for its impressive treadlife. The experiences of most owners of the tire are mixed – some say the treadlife is okay, others not so much.

If we go by the treadwear warranty, though, the Eagle LS-2 is the worst tire in its category. Goodyear doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty on the tire, which is a shame in this day and age.

Some similarly-priced competitors offer up to 80,000-mile treadwear warranty, such as the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack. And, it’s not like the Eagle LS-2 is better in other areas to compensate for the lack of warranty.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

One of the main attractions of the Eagle LS-2 is that it offers an elevated driving experience. And, even though it’s over a decade old by now, the tire continues to deliver.

You can feel that immediately behind the steering wheel. The Eagle LS-2 is very responsive for a grand-touring tire. Moreover, the tire also communicates well with the driver.

In terms of outright grip and traction, the Eagle LS-2 is still up there with the best premium tires. Truth to be told, it has been overtaken by some tires, but it’s still very competitive.

Lastly, the high-speed stability of the Eagle LS-2 is still one of the best in the category. This includes exceptional straight-line tracking, which makes you feel like you’re in total control.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

Sadly, this is the one area where the Eagle LS-2 didn’t age well. And, I expected this, to be honest. The most significant advancement tire producers made in the last decade is wet traction, so it’s understandable for newer tires to perform better.

The Eagle LS-2 isn’t bad in the rain, but the competition simply does it better. The tire exhibits more understeer than you’d come to expect from a premium model, and the braking distances aren’t very short. Also, while the hydroplaning resistance is good, it isn’t on the level of newer models.

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

The Eagle LS-2 is an all-season tire, but only on paper. The tire simply doesn’t provide usable traction in severe wintry conditions for a safe and carefree driving experience.

And, that’s not only true for severe wintry conditions. The Eagle LS-2 suffers over light snow, where it doesn’t have the traction and braking performance of more modern competitors. Also, if you run into ice on the road, don’t expect to be able to control your car. Overall, a disappointing winter performance.

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

The Goodyear Eagle LS-2 isn’t designed with off-road in mind. Not only the tire lacks enough traction on slippery surfaces, but it also doesn’t have any protection from cuts, chips, and punctures. Use it only for short excursions out of the road.

Is it comfortable and refined?

The Goodyear Eagle LS2 was designed mainly for luxurious sedans, and fortunately, it delivers on this front. The tire doesn’t transmit a lot of vibrations from the road, especially from smaller imperfections. Also, the road noise is minimal, even at highway speeds. That said, some owners report that the tires get noisier as they wear down.

You can see more Goodyear Eagle LS2 Review here: Video created by HILLYARD’S RIM LIONS

Should I buy the Goodyear Eagle LS-2?

The Goodyear Eagle LS-2 is a curious grand-touring all-season tire. It possesses some premium qualities, such as a responsive and comfortable driving experience, but it falters on many other ends.

First of all, Goodyear doesn’t provide any treadwear warranty on the tire, something that has no place in 2020. Moreover, the Eagle LS-2 starts to show its age when it rains or snows – the competitors are leaps and bounds better in those regards.

So, where does that leave the Eagle LS-2? Considering the very high price of the tire, I wouldn’t consider it for my sedan. Instead, I would look at other options, such as the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack, Continental PureContact LS, and Michelin Premier A/S.