About Firestone
Harvey Firestone founded the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio, in 1900, and the company became a major supplier to Ford's early mass-produced cars. Firestone tyres won the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911, and the brand still supplies the IndyCar Series today. Japan's Bridgestone bought Firestone in 1988, and since then Firestone has been developed alongside Bridgestone, sharing research centres and many factories. In the Middle East, Firestone is positioned as Bridgestone's value-for-money brand, with products tuned for comfort and wear rather than outright sportiness.
Strengths
- Bridgestone engineering and quality control at a lower price
- Comfortable, quiet touring tyres
- Good tread life on sedans and SUVs
- Balanced wet and dry grip for the price
Weaknesses
- Smaller UAE range than Bridgestone, so some sizes are hard to find
- Not a sporty brand; steering is soft on performance cars
- Off-road range is less established than BFGoodrich or Cooper
Firestone ranges and prices
| Model | Type | Rims | Price per tyre |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firestone Roadhawk 2 | Touring / high performance | 15–20 inch | AED 290 – AED 620 |
| Firestone Destination HP | SUV highway touring | 16–20 inch | AED 380 – AED 720 |
| Firestone Destination A/T2 | All-terrain 4x4 | 15–20 inch | AED 480 – AED 850 |
| Firestone Destination M/T2 | Mud-terrain off-road | 15–20 inch | AED 650 – AED 1,100 |
| Firestone Vanhawk 2 | Van / light commercial | 14–17 inch (C-rated) | AED 330 – AED 560 |
Cars it suits
- Toyota Camry
- Nissan Altima
- Honda Accord
- Hyundai Sonata
- Toyota RAV4
- Nissan X-Trail
- Toyota Prado
- Toyota Hiace
Our ratings out of 10
- Wet grip
- 7
- Dry grip
- 7
- Comfort
- 8
- Quietness
- 7
- Tread life
- 8
- Heat resistance
- 7
Performance
Firestone's strongest point is balance. The Roadhawk 2 has performed well in independent European tests for wet braking among mid-range tyres, and on UAE roads it is calm, quiet and easy to drive. Dry grip is solid rather than sharp, which suits family sedans and crossovers. The Destination HP is a comfortable SUV highway tyre, the Destination A/T2 gives a capable all-terrain option for light desert use, and the Destination M/T2 is a robust mud tyre for rock trails. The Vanhawk 2 serves vans and minibuses with good load capacity.
Durability and tread life
A Firestone Roadhawk 2 on a Camry or Altima typically lasts 45,000–60,000 km in the UAE when rotated every 10,000 km. The Destination HP on SUVs commonly reaches 50,000–60,000 km, and the Destination A/T2 50,000–65,000 km depending on how much sand driving is done. Bridgestone's compounds resist heat ageing better than most value brands, but the standard advice still applies: inspect for cracking from year 4 and replace about 5 years from the DOT manufacture date.
Firestone in UAE conditions
Firestone is distributed in the UAE alongside Bridgestone, and popular sizes such as 205/55 R16, 215/60 R16, 225/45 R18, 265/65 R17 and 195 R15C for vans are generally available. It is a smart pick for sedan and family-SUV owners who would otherwise buy a value brand: the extra AED 60–120 per tyre usually returns more kilometres and shorter wet braking. Always confirm the DOT date and ask for nitrogen or air at the placard pressure. Mobile fitting is available 24 hours in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah.
