The best way to put a vehicle and its tires to the test is certainly to take the whole family to a slightly remote cottage. It is often a long drive on roads that can be uneven and poorly maintained. It is also important to make sure you leave with enough luggage, filled with clothing and food for the duration of the vacation. This is the ultimate test of your car’s cargo volume! In our case, we also had to find enough space in the PHEV Mitsubishi Outlander to comfortably accommodate our two dogs, each weighing over 80 pounds. What better way to go out in nature than with a plug-in hybrid and environmentally friendly Bridgestone Ecopia tires?
Once everyone is settled in, we head for Sainte-Christine-d’Auvergne, a small municipality of less than 600 inhabitants located in the Portneuf region. A modern chalet awaits us there, peacefully installed on the shores of a small lake. The goal is simple: to get away from the sometimes tiring pace of the city. To do so, however, we have to drive for a few hours on winding roads that are damaged in places. The Ecopia can withstand shocks well, although they are sometimes a little noisy on dry roads. It must be said that the primary purpose of these tires is not necessarily comfort, but to increase fuel efficiency. With their energy-efficient rubber and stiffer sidewalls, they allow you to travel a considerable additional distance per tank.
Already time to go back
Only a few days of lazing around later, however, it’s already time to go. This time the drive home will have to be done under very different conditions. It has rained all week and the day of our return is no exception. It’s on a wet asphalt like the one on the way back that the Ecopias show their real potential. Their grip on the road is more than satisfactory, taking corners without any difficulty. That’s because their structure features circumferential grooves, specifically designed to channel water outward, reducing hydroplaning and increasing fuel efficiency. It’s hard to determine the exact amount of fuel we’ve saved, but one thing’s for sure: a single tank of fuel will have been more than enough to cover those few hundred kilometers.
Conclusion
To get a proper break, the ride had to be quiet, and the Bridgestone Ecopia, although a little noisy on dry pavement, did the job. Stable on slippery asphalt and efficient enough to conserve fuel, we were able to easily get in and out with complete peace of mind, without even having to stop for gas. It’s proof that choosing the right tires can really make all the difference, especially when it’s time to rest rather than worry.
