Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations Nets Three Best Buys In Recent Consumers Digest Tire Ratings

Nashville, Tenn. (March 5, 2009) — Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) earned three “Best Buys” ratings from Consumers Digest in the recent tire evaluation conducted by the magazine. A Bridgestone-brand tire and a Fuzion-brand tire were honored in the Performance Car Tires category along with a Bridgestone-brand tire in the Touring Car Tires classification.

In the Consumers Digest evaluation, testing ranged from all-season passenger and performance tires to those for light trucks and SUVs. The summary of the Consumers Digest findings is detailed in “Wheels of Fortune – Top Rated Car and SUV/Truck Tires” (Consumers Digest, February 2009).

According to Consumers Digest, “Research shows that 62.7% of consumers actually bought a product based on Consumers Digest Best Buy Seal.”

“We are very honored to earn this kind of recognition for our Bridgestone and Fuzion-brand tires,” said John Baratta, President, Consumer Replacement Tire Sales, U.S. and Canada, BATO. “Consumers Digest is an important and influential resource for consumers when they go to make buying decisions.”

In the Touring Car Tires category, the Bridgestone Turanza with Serenity Technology was selected as the Premium Selection Best Buy. According to Consumers Digest: “Touring tires are all about creating a quiet, comfortable ride and the Turanza [with] Serenity delivers that better than any other touring tire out there thanks to a number of innovations… This tire provides impressive handling for a touring tire, with a tread-life rating near the top of the list.”

The Bridgestone Potenza RE960 AS Pole Position captured accolades as the Premium Selection Best Buy in the Performance Car Tires category. Also in the Performance Car Tires category, the Fuzion HRi, a tire in the BATO family of associate brand tires, was voted the Best Buy Economy Selection.

In reference to the Bridgestone Potenza RE960 AS Pole Position, Consumers Digest says, “Balance makes [this tire] the best performance tire you can buy. Its steering response and traction is as good as any performance tire on the market, but unlike the other scorchers, you don’t need to swap this model out when winter comes. It’s at the front of the pack when it comes to delivering a comfortable ride.”

According to Consumers Digest, “The [Fuzion] HRi … delivers unmatched value. Its wet and dry traction is excellent for the price and it produces respectable longevity for a performance tire.