In my humble opinion, the Yokohama Geolandar G055 is a brilliant choice for street-based crossover vehicles and SUVs. It’s a common fact that you don’t buy a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 to go off-roading in the same way that you don’t wear running sneakers to the corporate office. Fitting all-terrain tires to an SUV that doesn’t go off-roading for most of the time is just a terrible waste of money.
In my humble opinion, the Yokohama Geolandar G055 is a brilliant choice for street-based crossover vehicles and SUVs. It’s a common fact that you don’t buy a Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV4 to go off-roading in the same way that you don’t wear running sneakers to the corporate office. Fitting all-terrain tires to an SUV that doesn’t go off-roading for most of the time is just a terrible waste of money.
However, the argument will be a bit different if you drive a pickup truck or dedicated off-road vehicle. If your SUV or truck is the type of vehicle equipped with lift and leveling kits and chunky wheels, you’ll need the Geolandar A/T G015 for that and NOT the Geolandar G055.
In this review of the Yokohama Geolandar G055, I was excited to find out if this all-season highway-terrain tire can deliver spirited handling and excellent traction despite the rugged genepool. It’s a known fact the Geolandar family of tires from Yokohama are known for their rugged performance and are designed for the adventurous car owner. Let’s see if the tires managed to inject some refinement into the mix, shall we?
Features
The Yokohama Geolandar G055 is manufactured using Yokohama’s proprietary Orange Oil and Silica Compound. For those who are not familiar with this technology, Orange Oil will improve the tire in terms of all-season grip, fuel economy, and treadlife. My only caveat about this technology is the price. The Geolandar G055 starts at $130 to $140 each, which is at the higher end of the price scale.
But the price is relative since the tire is engineered to deliver better performance than other highway terrain tires. The tire is equipped with four main circumferential zigzag grooves to enhance water evacuation and prevent hydroplaning on slippery wet roads. The treads have transition grooves and notch sipes to create biting edges on wet or snow-covered roads.
Excellent handing is assured courtesy of the full nylon cover that extends across the belts of the tire. This feature will improve high-speed stability and enhanced handling for a more spirited driving experience. The tire is also engineered to deliver a smoother and quieter ride courtesy of the integrated shoulders and the optimized tread profile.
Test Drive
My test vehicle for this Yokohama Geolandar G055 review is a 2010 Subaru Forester 2.5XT. Yes, it’s the one with the turbocharged 2.5-liter Flat-4 that churns out 224 horsepower via a 4-speed automatic and standard all-wheel drive. The Forester was equipped with standard 17-inch wheels and Yokohama Geolandar G055 tires that were acquired six months ago.
I am a huge fan of the Subaru Forester. This is a true sporty crossover that is equipped to handle a bit of off-road driving. I didn’t get a chance to go all out off-roading in this baby, but I managed to wring out the turbocharged motor to the upper limits of the rev limiter.
Dry Traction
I was in awe on how the Subaru Forester managed the twisting roads with minimal body roll. The tires were perfectly in sync with the sporting nature of my test vehicle.
However, I have a single minor complaint: the tires felt a bit stiff when I was turning the wheel to coax the nose of the Forester inside a winding curve. It was almost as if the tires were hesitant to obey my steering commands on fast corners. But in high-speed straight-line driving, the tires felt magnificent.
I may be nitpicking here, but if you’re a sporty driver in an equally sporting SUV then you might be disappointed with the Geolandar G055. In all fairness, the braking was excellent on dry roads.
Wet Traction
It will all depend on the surface conditions and speed. If the roads are merely damp, you can attack the road at higher speeds without compromising the composure and braking of the vehicle. The tires offered average levels of traction and grip on mildly wet roads. But on soaking wet asphalt and tarmac, the tires have a tendency to break traction as you push hard on the pedal or as you aggressively turn the wheel.
Snow Traction
The Yokohama Geolandar G055 are not any better in the snow than in the wet. The tires are only applicable for light snow and nothing else. You better prepare yourself if the roads are covered with sleet or ice because the tires will have a hard time biting the slippery surface.
Comfort
Ride comfort is one of the strongest attributes of the Yokohama Geolandar G055. If you’re the average type of driver, I guess this is all you need to know. Who cares about handling or cornering if the ride is bumpy and uncomfortable, right? You’ll be glad to know the tires were extremely comfortable on the highway, and they’re not bad on pockmarked city roads, either.
Noise
Tire roar and road noise were kept to the bare minimum. The road noise will get a bit louder as you build-up speed on the highway, but it’s not as bad as you might think. If you do a lot of city driving, the tires will not disappoint even on rough concrete or coarse tarmac.
Treadwear
The wear characteristics of the Yokohama Geolandar G055 i9s on the higher-than-average side. The tires on my test vehicle were purchased six months ago and they still looked pretty decent. I gave the tires a closer inspection to search for indications of advanced wear and I found nothing to arouse suspicion.
Conclusion
The Yokohama Geolandar G055 is a sterling choice for owners of sporty crossovers, minivans, and sport-utility vehicles that spend most of their driving on paved roads. There is a rugged nature to the tires that can be a boon when the going gets rough, but this inherent ruggedness is considered a handicap if you demand sporty handling and control.
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Alvin Reyes has expertise in automotive evaluation. He collaborated with famous newspapers and is still making efforts in tire review for DrivingPress.com
These tires are okay on drive pavement. They are the WORST wet weather tires I have ever had in my 30+ years of driving. With 380hp I have to be real careful when accelerating under wet road conditions. Fortunately, my car has AWD, which helps compensate when the front or rear starts sliding on wet road surfaces. I would never buy these tires again.