The Japanese publication Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun published a list of the best automotive industry products in several categories.
In 2020, the Japanese publication Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun (Automotive News Daily) for the 33rd time around published the ranking of the best car components of the year, the «tire» category being topped by Yokohama that has already many times successfully participated in this competition.
This time, Yokohama got the award for its all-season tires Yokohama BluEarth-4S AW21, available both in Japan and in Europe. This tire model was chiefly designed for the city drivers, and, according to manufacturer, is capable of ensuring excellent traction in the event of a sudden snowfall.
The directional tread pattern improves the handling response on wet and snowy roads, while the 3D lamellas prevent the deformation of the tread blocks for better performance on dry pavement; the tire’s snow capabilities are evidenced by the three-peak mountain snowflake sign on its sidewall. In Japan, the tire is available in sizes ranging from 14 to 19 inches; it can be fitted on a great variety of vehicles.
Yokohama BluEarth 4S AW21
- Available Sizes in Line: 68
- Year Released: 2018
- Regions for sale: Europe, East Asia
In 2020, the Grand Prix of the competition was also won by another tire maker — Sumitomo Corporation with its summer tire model Dunlop Veuro VE304, which is positioned as belonging to the «premium comfort» category.
The tread pattern of the Veuro VE304 was further improved for an even quieter ride. The company says that the noise emission has been reduced by 24–29% compared to the predecessor model.
Achieving such impressive results was possible, among other things, due to the equipping the tire with an extra layer of noise-cancelling material (the Silent Core technology); in addition, the construction featuring a «hybrid» cord of two materials of different stiffness served to ensure an extra smooth ride. In Japan, the tire is offered in various sizes with fitting diameters ranging from 15 to 21 inches.
Dunlop Veuro VE304
- This tire replaced Dunlop / Veuro VE303
- Available Sizes in Line: 65
- Year Released: 2020
- Regions for sale: East Asia
The first Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun award ceremony took place in 1987, and this time, according to the publication, it evaluated not just the sales volumes but also the innovativeness of ideas, potential contribution into the development of the automotive industry, and many other factors. In addition, there was a poll of Japanese car component dealers.