Yokohama Rubber launched the new Ice Guard 8 SUV studless tire, featuring a high-load structure designed specifically for SUVs. It uses Winter Tech and optimizes the arrangement of grooves and blocks with AI design technology.
According to data from the Japan Automobile Tyre Manufacturers Association, studless tire sales have remained broadly flat over the past 10 years, while the share of SUVs among vehicles sold in Japan has been increasing, driving growth in demand for studless tires for SUVs. SUV users place importance on driving on snow and ice, and tend to cover longer distances at high speeds during the period of studless tire use than passenger-car users. Against this backdrop, Yokohama Rubber has introduced a new product for SUVs.
The new Ice Guard 8 SUV uses a dedicated structure designed to handle the high loads and speeds of SUV vehicles, meeting the needs of users who prioritize wear resistance as well as performance on ice and snow. Its tagline is, "Gripping the ice, working longer. Yokohama's new SUV studless tire."
The model is the second product to adopt Yokohama Rubber's Winter Tech winter-tire concept, which is designed to maximize grip on icy roads. Its features reportedly include a micro water-absorbing rubber compound and high-density formulation, as well as a design using the HAICoLab AI design technology to maximize the tire's contact area with the road surface.