Yokohama YK740 GTX Review & Rating

But do you actually get your money’s worth? That’s the thing I want to figure out in this Yokohama YK740 GTX review. Yes, you can buy all-season tires from lesser known brands and not pay $130 each, but where do the savings go? Does it go straight to your pocket, or did the tire compromise something to come up with a low price? In my experience, the answer is the latter.

There are reasons why the top tire companies spend a lot of resources in developing a single new tire. Even car enthusiasts will agree that when it comes to all-season performance, wet handling, treadwear, and overall durability, the more expensive tires from the best known brands will be 5 or 10 times better than a dirt-cheap set of tires.

This is the case with the Yokohama YK740 GTX. It is priced higher than a comparable set of all-season tires, but it seems to offer better value because it offers more features and plus-points for the price. In this review, I was trying to get my hands on a high-performance sedan like the BMW 5-series or Mercedes C-Class, or maybe an Audi A3 or A4. But I only managed to acquire a 2011 Toyota Sienna XLE 8-seater minivan.

Truth be told, I found it to be a bit refreshing. Let’s see how a performance touring tire will cope with the weight and long wheelbase of my test car.

There are a lot of innovative features built into the Yokohama YK740 GTX. The tire was manufactured using Yokohama’s unique ELS Orange Oil Compound. The orange oil will keep the treads pliable enough to maintain grip and composure in all-season driving, be it in the hottest of summers or the coldest of winters.

The tire is equipped with an asymmetric groove design to enhance road contact while effectively channeling water and slush away from the face of the tire. Enhanced winter and snow performance is assured courtesy of the Triple 3D Sipes that serve as teeth that bite their way into the road surface.

Since the Yokohama YK740 GTX is a touring tire at heart, it should also have a long tread life for a more economical driving experience. Well, the Orange Oil Compound and Triple 3D Sipes are also designed to enhance the mileage of the tire by decreasing the rolling resistance and retaining the block rigidity for an even wear.

Yokohama YK740 GTX Review: Test Drive

My heart has a soft spot for minivans. After all, my first car was a minivan. My test vehicle is particularly well-maintained save for some wear marks on the interior. The 2011 Toyota Sienna was equipped with stock 17-inch wheels and Yokohama YK740 GTX tires. The owner of the Sienna bought the tires about 3 months ago and have already accumulated 3,500 miles at the time of this review.

Dry Traction

It was raining intermittently during the time of my test drive. I only got the chance to test the tire on moderately damp roads in the late afternoon, but I wasn’t disappointed.

The tires gave the steering and the suspension a greater sense of security. It is natural for minivans to exhibit some body roll if your corner aggressively, but the tires never broke traction even as I was coaxing the steering to break the tail loose.

Mind you, I was on an empty stretch of damp road when I did this, and it seems there was nothing I can do (legally on a public road) that could upset the composure of the tires. If I were in a sporty sedan, maybe the results will be a bit different.

Wet Traction

There were water puddles and rain all over the place as I began my review of the Yokohama YK740 GTX. Of course, I maintained a lower-than-average speed on the highway as a safety precaution. Like I previously mentioned, the tires gave the Sienna a higher sense of security since it offered surefooted traction and grip on the wettest of roads.

Snow Traction

I didn’t get the chance to test the Yokohama YK740 in the snow. I asked the owner about this and he told me he had no problems with the tires in mild wintry conditions. However, the tires had a bit of trouble in stopping the car on icy roads. The tires will also slip for a bit before biting on the snowy surface.

Comfort

What I liked most about the Yokohama YK740 GTX is the driving comfort. Credit also goes to my test vehicle for the smooth and comfy highway ride, but the tires were really the star of the show. You will still feel a bit of jarring if you drive over deep potholes but the tires did their best to maintain the composure of the vehicle.

Noise

The noise characteristics of the Yokohama YK740 GTX is a mixed bag. The tires rolled silently at low speeds in urban driving, but the tire roar will increase as you cruise at higher speeds on the highway. Mind you, the tire roar wasn’t too bad at all, but it was there.

Treadwear

The Yokohama YK740 GTX tires fitted to my test vehicle were about 3 months old and have acquired a couple of thousand miles of mileage, but the tires were still fresh at the time of this review. I carefully examined all the tires before I handed back the keys and they still looked relatively new.