What’s Treading with Tire Review
Episodes
Why Formula E Drivers Use Just One Tire for Both Wet and Dry
17 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
At the Formula E race in Miami, the Formula E EV tire plays a bigger role than most fans realize. Beneath the car, Hankook’s iON Race tire must hand...
Can Point S Reach 500 Stores? Leadership Talks What’s Driving Growth
03 Mar 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Three years ago, Point S set an ambitious goal: 500 stores in 50 states within five years. At its 2026 Annual Owners Meeting in Phoenix, AZ, leadershi...
Whats Treading K&M Booth Visits - audio
17 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
A 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake tire (3PMSF tire) is a tire that meets severe snow service requirements and carries the three-peak mountain snowflake symb...
Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport In-Depth Tire Review
03 Feb 2026
Contributed by Lukas
This video reviews two new passenger tire launches from Nexen Tire, offering a detailed Nexen N’Priz S and N’Fera Sport review while also explaini...
How the HawkEye Elite X Helps Tire Dealers Prepare for ADAS Growth
20 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
Today, we take you inside Hunter Engineering’s St. Louis headquarters for an in-depth look at the Hunter HawkEye Elite X, the company’s latest exp...
Testing Three Hankook Dynapro Tires Through the Great Smoky Mountains
06 Jan 2026
Contributed by Lukas
What can real trail time in the Great Smoky Mountains reveal about where today’s light-truck tires truly fit? In this episode of What’s Treading...
Seven Conversations That Will Shape How Tire Dealers Win in 2026
23 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This year’s What’s Treading conversations gave tire dealers a direct line to some of the industry’s most influential voices – Bridgestone, Con...
The Most Talked About SEMA New Tires and Shop Upgrades
09 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The SEMA Show always offers a first look at the tools, tires, and technologies shaping the next year in the industry, and this year’s trip to Las Ve...
Hunter’s Road Force WalkAway Cuts Tire Bay Time by 44%
25 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Shops want faster workflows, fewer bottlenecks, and equipment that keeps technicians moving. On this episode of What's Treading, we set out to learn h...
Why Schrader Thinks Retrofit TPMS Could Be the Next Big Shop Upgrade
11 Nov 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A growing number of vehicles on the road still lack tire pressure monitoring systems, and Schrader is hoping to change that with its new Aircheck BLE ...
Let's Review Sailun's Atrezzo SVA2, Terramax AT2, and Terramax RT Tires
28 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Three tires, one incredible day at the track. At the scenic Burt Brothers Motorpark in Salt Lake City, we spent the day doing a good, old-fashioned Sa...
Can the Cosmo Tires Gripit XT Handle the World’s Toughest Sand?
14 Oct 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Cosmo Tires wanted to prove its newest extreme all-terrain tire, the Gripit XT, in a place that could push it to its limits. That’s how I ended up i...
Are Drive Tires Undervalued in Terms of Fleet ROI?
30 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Today's the day that we put drive tire ROI front and center. On this episode of What's Treading, Valentino Faraone, Regional Vice President & New ...
Kumho Tire’s Road Venture RT Blends On-Road Comfort with Off-Road Confidence
16 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
There’s something satisfying about hammering through a muddy trail and then cruising home comfortably on pavement. That’s exactly the kind of perf...
Maverick Pro Tire Changer Brings New Solutions to Old Shop Challenges
09 Sep 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The Maverick Pro tire changer is Hunter Engineering’s latest leap forward in tire service technology, and we went hands-on at their St. Louis facili...
The Nokian Tyres Dayton Factory Secret to Setting Production Records in 2025
19 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
From its “From Tennessee, For America” production philosophy to this year's record-setting output, the Nokian Tyres Dayton Tire Factory in Tenness...
What Tire Dealers Should Know About Continental Tire Tread After 120 Years
05 Aug 2025
Contributed by Lukas
When you look at a tire, the tread pattern seems like a given... but that wasn’t always the case. Over a century ago, tires were just smooth rubber....
Hankook’s iON HT Fills the Light-Truck EV Tire Gap
22 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
EVs aren’t just sedans anymore — they’re trucks. And those trucks need tires built for weight, torque, and traction. That’s where the new EV t...
Global Air Cylinder Wheels on Re-Inventing the Tire & Wheel
08 Jul 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Dramatic innovations can sometimes be a tough sell in the tire and wheel industries. After all, how many times have you been told "No need to re-inven...
Meet the Tire Industry Leaders Recognized in the 2025 Class of Club 3633
17 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
This episode of What’s Treading highlights five tire industry leaders who join the 2025 class of Tire Review’s Club 3633. Named after the patent f...
Hankook Formula E Tires Deliver Grip, Speed and Consistency in Miami
20 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Formula E returned to Miami this year for the first time in over a decade, and Hankook's Formula E GEN3 Evo iON Race tires once again took center stag...
Inside Kumho’s Push to Redefine UHP Performance with its Ecsta Sport UHP Tire Lineup
06 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
You learn a lot about a tire when you push it to its edge — and even more when you’re the one doing the pushing. That’s exactly what Kumho Tire ...
Can Pirelli’s Scorpion XTM AT Performance Handle Death Valley’s Toughest Terrain?
22 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Ever wonder what happens when you take a tire from Pirelli, a brand best known for race tires, and throw it into some of the toughest terrain on the p...
SUV Tire Selection Tips for Tire Dealer Customers
08 Apr 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What’s the secret to standing out in the crowded world of selling CUV and SUV tires? These vehicles made up 58% of new car sales in the U.S. in 2024...
Friends, Products and Industry Insights from the K&M Tire Dealer Conference & Trade Show
25 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The K&M Tire Dealer Conference and Trade Show remains one of our favorite events each year. From fantastic education sessions featuring the latest...
Experience the Nokian Tyres Surpass AS01 UHP All-Season Tire in Our Performance Review
11 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nokian Tyres is making a splash in the North American UHP tire market with the release of the Surpass AS01 ultra-high-performance all-season tire. Tir...
How Bridgestone Is Using 4.5 Million Connected Vehicles to Improve Fleet Efficiency
25 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Bridgestone plans to improve its fleet service strategy and optimize service networks to enhance the customer experience – and it only takes 4.5 mil...
Dive Into the Details of the Nokian Tyres Surpass AS01 With Us
04 Feb 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Nokian Tyres recently launched the Nokian Surpass AS01, an ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tire for high-horsepower sedans, SUVs, and electric...
Hankook Weatherflex GT review tests all-weather tire performance
21 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
During the waning weeks of 2024, Hankook Tire invited Tire Review to Joliet, Illinois, just outside Chicago, to experience the Weatherflex GT. It's th...
What the January 1995 Edition of Tire Review Tells Us About Tire Industry History
07 Jan 2025
Contributed by Lukas
What can tire industry history from 30 years ago tell us about today's trends? In this episode of What's Treading, Editor David Sickels takes a nostal...
The best of What's Treading 2024
17 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
We produce a lot of content on this show, and we know it can be hard to keep up. That's why we feel you deserve an easy-to-digest, condensed version o...
Watch Tire Review surprise our 2024 Top Shop: Best-One of Indy
03 Dec 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Not every tire shop can claim that they attract “raving fans,” but at Best-One of Indy, it’s actually what they’re known for. It’s literally...
How Turbo Wholesale Tires is taking a go-to-market approach for growth
19 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Between dealing with inventory, competition, or adapting to retailer and consumer needs, there's a lot for a tire wholesale distributors to deal with....
What the last-mile delivery boom means for Hercules Tires in 2025
05 Nov 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It shouldn't be news to anyone that the last-mile delivery segment is going absolutely bananas. Supercharged by the COVID-19 pandemic, online retail i...
Testing the off-roading capabilities of the RoadX RX Quest R/T from Sailun
22 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The off-roading tire segment has seen a lot of growth since the pandemic, and it's only going to get bigger in the coming years. According to SEMA’s...
How leadership, trust and family values help propel the growth of RNR Tire Express
09 Oct 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There's running a business, and then there's running a family business – and as it turns out, many running a tire business are in the latter. Buildi...
Let's put Goodyear's new Assurance WeatherReady 2 all-weather tire to the test
24 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All-weather tires are becoming a popular choice for drivers, particularly as colder weather approaches. According to the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Assoc...
Understanding the all-season vs. all-weather tire differences with Kumho Tire
16 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How big is the knowledge gap between you and your customers when it comes to the difference between all-season and all-weather tires in your region? W...
Zeroing in on ZC Rubber's tire production plans in Mexico
06 Sep 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Flying into Monterrey, Mexico, the first thing you'll notice is the serene & green mountain ranges all around you. After getting off the plane, th...
Teeing it up from this year’s OTAA golf outing
20 Aug 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, members of the Ohio Tire & Automotive Association gather at the Country Club at Muirfield Village in Dublin, Ohio for OTAA's annual go...
An inside look at how Hankook designed its Formula E iON Race Tires
23 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
There’s no better place to find out how a tire performs than up close and personal on the track, which is why Hankook Tire, as the official technica...
Will AI-powered virtual sensors transform tire maintenance?
02 Jul 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Take a look at the next vehicle that rolls into one of your bays. If it was manufactured in the past 5-10 years, I'm willing to bet you'll be able to ...
Kumho Tire's latest EV-specific tire lines aim to exceed expectations
18 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The EV tire sector is red-hot – and for good reason. Kelley Blue Book reported there were 1.2 million EVs added to the car parc in the U.S. in 2023...
Sonic Tools USA offers tools to beat back the technician shortage
12 Jun 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How long have we been talking about the technician shortage now? Too long. It's been an issue for nearly every shop owner I've ever spoken to and seem...
How organizers of the first T.I.R.E. Summit plan to bridge technology with tire industry needs
21 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
I don't care if you've been in the tire industry for 40 years or 40 days – a lot has changed since you got started. Recently, some of the biggest c...
How Cosmo Tires fuels growth through authentic connections
07 May 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ask anyone in business long enough to find success and they'll likely tell you that relationships got them there. Cosmo Tires, operated by Tire Group ...
MatraX Tyres on navigating the diverse needs of the U.S. marketplace
16 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Launching a brand in a new market is never easy... even if that brand has nearly 60 years of established history behind it. This is the case with Matr...
Continental Tire's biggest lessons from over 120 years of retreading
02 Apr 2024
Contributed by Lukas
They say that 10,000 hours of practice will make you an expert at whatever task you've set your mind to. If that's the case, what does 120 years of ...
Omni United CEO: How tire manufacturers can drive dealer profits in diverse markets
20 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Succeeding as an independent tire dealer isn't ever a "copy and paste" operation. What works for the dealer down the street isn't necessarily going to...
How commercial tire dealers have adapted to the needs of the market in 2024
05 Mar 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Commercial tire dealers had their hands full in 2023, dealing with supply chain disruptions, fluctuating raw material costs and oversupply leading to ...
K&M Tire's president discusses her vision for progressive tire dealers in 2024
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What does "leveling up" your tire business in 2024 mean? It's an easy question to write off while your bays are filling up, or when your phones are ri...
Hankook Tire America president unpacks the details of the new Dynapro HPX
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A successful tire launch seems to fall somewhere in the middle of innovation, customer satisfaction and dealer support. By that account, Hankook Tire ...
Treads app aims to steer drivers to tire dealers using AI
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In only the past year or so, AI has opened a Pandora's box of opportunities to better care for customers and their vehicles – so much so that today'...
Why BKT wants to maximize the sustainability of OTR tires
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
It's hard to think of many places where electrified and autonomous vehicles are more welcome than underground. Large mining outfits depend on the adva...
Tire Agent Hopes to Reinvent the Online Tire Retail Buying Experience
19 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Jared Kugel, the CEO of online tire retailer Tire Agent, made waves in the tire industry last August when the business appeared on Inc.'s 5000 list of...
Linglong's New North American Subsidiary President Maps Out Growth Strategies
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In August, Linglong Tire established a new subsidiary, Linglong North America Sales, headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The company appoint...
Nokian Tyres Delves Into the EV Tire Design Details
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rolling resistance, durability and overall comfort all play a huge role in tire design, but these characteristics are under a bright-hot spotlight in ...
How Bridgestone Technology Shines in the Company's Latest UHP A/S Tire
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In September, Bridgestone Americas released its new Potenza Sport all-season UHP tire. As with many UHP tire offerings, the company says the tire is t...
Why Tire Dealers Need to Fortify Their Data – and How to Do It
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of your shop's most valuable assets, what comes to mind? Perhaps it's expensive shop equipment or the price that comes with employing s...
We Surprise Tire Review's 2023 Top Shop: Black’s Tire & Auto Service
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
If you support your community, it’s going to come back around to your business. It's a simple mantra, but sticking to it has worked wonders for Blac...
What a Steady Market Means for OTR Tire Dealers
19 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reading the tea leaves is never simple for an OTR tire dealer. With the market so closely tied to typically cyclical industries like construction, min...
How Diversification Opens Doors for Wegmann Automotive
05 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Over the last few years, Wegmann Automotive has found diversification to be a huge boon for business, whether that comes from various wheel weights op...
From Manual to Robots: RoboTire's Impact on the Tire Shop Floor
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There are four particular American tire shops where the shop floor looks quite a bit different than what you might be used to. Two enormous robotic ar...
Kumho Tire Discusses the Solus TA51a, Tire Line Consolidation Strategy
15 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kumho Tire recently launched the Solus TA51a tire, a grand touring all-season tire that consolidates two products into one. Kumho has also been simpli...
This is How a Continental Marketing Executive Maximizes Tire Sales
02 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When your Average Joe or Jane hears the word Continental, what do think first comes to mind? A hotel breakfast? An airline? Plate tectonics? In large ...
Making Race Tires for Formula Drift with Giti Tire USA's Dave Poling
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A cloud of smoke arises from the GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS tires as Formula Drift Driver Odi Bakchis brakes to a halt. The tires are hot and worn afte...
Tire Changer Technology to Help Improve Productivity with Coats
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A myraid of tire changers exist on the market today, so how do you know which one is right for your shop? Saying a new tire changer is a huge investme...
EV Tires: An Editor's Guide on What You Need to Know
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The number of electric vehicles sold in North America is only going up, which has led many a tire dealer wondering how the characteristics of these ve...
Big O’s Brian Maciak: ‘We Have Aggressive Plans’ for Growth
03 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Already this year, Big O Tires added 12 locations to its network of stores and is promising even more growth in the years to come. The franchise hit t...
Maine Right to Repair Update with VIP Tires & Service's Tim Winkeler
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When we talk about the hot-button issues in the industry, we can’t have a conversation without mentioning right to repair. Right now, the fight is o...
Top Shops: Tips for Recruiting and Retaining Employees
04 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, technician recruitment and retention has been a pain point for tire dealers and shop owners. An emphasis on college degrees over the year...
Making Sense of Today's Ag Tire Technology with Scott Sloan
22 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Over the past three decades, ag tire technology has evolved. No longer do your farmer customers have one choice for their tractors, sprayers and other...
Tire Pros' Greg Bell Shares Franchise's Growth Strategy for 700 Stores This Year
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thoughtful growth has fueled the Tire Pros franchise. Not only does it want to grow with more dealers across the US, but it also wants those dealers t...
Falken Tires Update with Rick Brennan, VP of Marketing
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Like many tiremakers, the Falken brand experienced the supply chain woes brought on by the pandemic, and as recovery continues, it’s looking forward...
Innovations in Shop Management Software with TCS Technologies
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We can all accomplish tasks with an easy click of a button today. Take shop management systems, for example. With a few clicks, you can order new tire...
Top Shops: Opportunities & Challenges in Today's Tire Industry
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As we head into a new year, there’s definitely some skepticism about what the tire industry—and the economy as a whole—has in store. I mean, we’...
Kenda Updates UHP Tires to Win Racing Podiums, Talks ‘Four-Season’ Tires
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
After a few years of supply chain challenges and navigating tariffs, Kenda Tire is looking to expand, as it has released new and updated products in k...
Understanding Digital Vehicle Inspection Data with Hunter Engineering
28 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether we like it or not, data rules our world today—you know it and your customers want it. Haven't you noticed that some customers are more infor...
Hercules Tires's Simpson: New Products & Adapting to Light Truck Tire Trends
16 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the past year, Hercules Tires has launched around six new products—including its first ag tire. Most recently, the company debuted its new mud-te...
Why You Shouldn't Leave Right to Repair on the Back Burner
29 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are so many issues going on in the automotive aftermarket – like labor shortages and kinks in the supply chain – and it’s easy to put an o...
2023 Legislative Issues Tire Dealers Need to Know About with Roy Littlefield IV
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With the final races in the midterm elections decided or nearly there, the 2023 Congress will be take their oath come the new year, which means a new ...
2022 Top Shops: Our Most Successful Marketing Tactics
31 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the digital age, there are so many ways to market your business, you might be thinking: What will work for me? You have limited time on your hands,...
The OTAA’s Month of Training & Using Training as a Retention Tool
05 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re hiring new people or wanting to “upskill” your current technicians, frequent training is a must for your staff to stay on top of ...
AAPEX 2022: What Tire Dealers Can Expect
20 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s that time of year again—show time! With about a month and a half before the SEMA and AAPEX Shows, we’re gearing up to bring you live covera...
The Latest Consumer Buying Data on Major Auto Purchases [Audio]
07 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The way consumers shop for tires has evolved over the years–you’re probably installing more tires from an online purchase than ever before and hav...
Digging into CEMB’s Expansion in the US & Wheel Balancing Roots with David Martin
23 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to tire equipment, your mind can spin at the many options to choose from in each category. Each company makes a wheel balancer, tire cha...
4 New Tires in 1 Year: Nexen Talks Product Strategy, Marketing Goals
10 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In the last year, Nexen Tire America has launched four tires in key segments with no plans of stopping. It has also moved its headquarters from southe...
An Inside Look at the Goodyear-Cooper Tire Integration Process with Goodyear's Renee Radabaugh
26 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A little over a year ago, Goodyear acquired Cooper Tire for $2.5 billion, promising synergies among the two companies and streamlined services for dea...
Toyo Tire's Michael Graber: Hot Tire Segments and Toyo's Plan to Ship More Tires to US Dealers
13 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When tire dealers tell you, “Keep doing what you’re doing, I just need more tires,” that’s a simple yet hard mandate to follow, especially in ...
Why Tire Supply Chains Are 'Anything But Normal' and They Won't be for a While
24 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
For the last several years, the one word that constantly comes up in conversations about the tire business is supply–No. 1 getting the tires, and No...
Johnny g & Friends: Creating Consistency & Scaling Up - Lessons from Tires Plus’ Jarid Lundeen
14 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Even when Jarid Lundeen worked in the restaurant and banking industries, one thing about the customer experience always stood out to him: Consistency....
Sullivan Tire CEO Eyes 'Controlled Growth' in New England, Emphasizes Employee Development
01 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
With 77 locations across the New England states, Sullivan Tire &Auto Centers is definitely "one of the big guys" in the northeast. Like its competitor...
Tires Made Out of Tires? And Plants? Bridgestone Talks Guayule Rubber, Circular Economy
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Now more than ever, going green is permeating the industry. Automakers are required to meet certain sustainability requirements, which means everythin...
Commercial Tire Service Safety Basics That Save Lives w/ Russ Devens
03 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Downtime is the enemy of fleets everywhere–a tire problem while on the road is a cog in the supply chain wheel, so to speak. Luckily, independent ti...
TIA's Dick Gust Talks Labor, Training & OTR Tire Recycling
13 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In an industry that either makes or sells those four round circles of rubber that go on your vehicle, there's quite a lot going on. Tire dealers are b...
Top Trends in Today's OE Wheels With Blackburn OEM Wheels
30 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Wheels, especially on high-performance vehicles, are often a part of any vehicle that stands out. They come in different finishes, with various pieces...
Sun Auto's Record Acquisition Growth & What's to Come with Tony Puckett
11 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard of Sun Auto Tire & Service. The company, formerly known as GB Auto Service, started in 2017 and just last year, it had record growt...
The Shift Toward Compact Equipment & How it Will Affect OTR Dealers with Bruce Besancon
15 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Drive by any construction site today, and you'll probably see tractors, loaders, skid steers - the mainstays that sites need to keep running. However,...
How Hunter Engineering is Using IOT to Help Dealers Operate Smarter
26 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
You may have heard of the "Internet of Things," or IOT, as it's often referred to. But, if you’re scratching your head thinking, um…how does this ...
Vredestein Previews New 2022 Products, Long-Term Strategy
10 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
On the heels of its latest all-terrain tire launch with the Pinza AT, the Vredestein brand is making its mark in the North American market. In 2019, t...