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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife vs Kumho Solus KH21 — Compared (May 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

Tire A Goodyear

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife

Premium Touring Summer tire

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
57/100
4 owner reviews
Dry
79
Wet
42
Snow
74
Comfort
71
Treadwear
85
Handling
48

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Kumho

Kumho Solus KH21

All Season Touring tires

Kumho Solus KH21 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
58/100
3 owner reviews
Dry
63
Wet
57
Snow
–
Comfort
57
Treadwear
70
Handling
37

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Goodyear Assurance MaxLife — better dry, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Kumho Solus KH21 if wet matters most to you.
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Category breakdown

6 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Assurance MaxLife leads by 16
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
79
B — Kumho Solus KH21
63
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tire Rack owners 91 –
Tyre Reviews owners 75 63
SimpleTire owners 85 –

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Solus KH21 leads by 15
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
42
B — Kumho Solus KH21
57
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tire Rack owners 85 –
Tyre Reviews owners 30 57
SimpleTire owners 80 –

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
74
B — Kumho Solus KH21
–
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tire Rack owners 73 –
SimpleTire owners 80 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Assurance MaxLife leads by 14
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
71
B — Kumho Solus KH21
57
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tire Rack owners 86 –
Tyre Reviews owners 65 57
SimpleTire owners 95 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Assurance MaxLife leads by 15
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
85
B — Kumho Solus KH21
70
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tire Rack owners 87 –
Tyre Reviews owners 83 70
SimpleTire owners 90 –

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Assurance MaxLife leads by 11
A — Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
48
B — Kumho Solus KH21
37
Why this score
SourceAssurance MaxLifeSolus KH21
Tyre Reviews owners 48 37

Scores at a glance

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife vs Kumho Solus KH21: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryGoodyear Assurance MaxLifeKumho Solus KH21
Relative Score 65 58
Dry 79 63
Wet 42 57
Snow 74 –
Comfort 71 57
Treadwear 85 70
Handling 48 37

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Weight the categories that matter to you

Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

Neutral
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Goodyear Assurance MaxLife

The Goodyear Assurance MaxLife is widely regarded as a high-longevity tire that excels in daily commuting and highway driving, though it sacrifices performance in wet conditions. While users appreciate the exceptional tread life and quiet ride, the consensus indicates significant concerns regarding traction in rain and standing water.

Pros

  • Exceptional tread longevity and durability
  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Reliable performance for standard daily commuting

Cons

  • Poor traction and handling in wet conditions
  • Noticeable reduction in fuel efficiency compared to OEM alternatives
  • Lack of sidewall protection for rim safety

Observations

  • Tesla Model 3 owners reported significant safety concerns regarding wet-weather handling and a lack of rim protection.
  • High-mileage drivers, such as rideshare operators, report high satisfaction with noise levels and tread endurance over long distances.
Tire B Kumho Solus KH21

The Kumho Solus KH21 receives a mixed reception, with users divided between those who appreciate its value and durability for daily commuting and those who find its performance lacking under spirited driving conditions. While some drivers report satisfactory grip in varied weather, others highlight significant concerns regarding wet-weather traction and audible noise levels as the tire ages.

Pros

  • Competitive price point compared to premium alternatives
  • Acceptable dry and wet grip for standard, non-aggressive driving
  • Decent tread longevity for daily use

Cons

  • Significant loss of wet-weather performance after initial wear
  • High levels of road noise and audible squealing during cornering
  • Inconsistent grip levels on varying asphalt surfaces
  • Noticeably stiff ride quality during the initial break-in period

Observations

  • Users driving older, economy-focused vehicles like the Renault Scenic reported satisfactory performance for standard commuting needs.
  • Drivers transitioning from premium all-season tires noted a firmer ride quality and increased noise levels.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Goodyear Assurance MaxLife B · Kumho Solus KH21
CategoryPremium Touring Summer tireAll Season Touring tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available46—
Rim diameters15″ – 20″—
Tread depth11 - 13/32″—
UTQG820 A B—
Treadwear warranty85,000 mi—
SidewallVertical Serrated Band—
Max pressure50 - 51 psi—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Goodyear

Kumho

Winner: Goodyear Assurance MaxLife — better dry, treadwear and comfort. Pick the Kumho Solus KH21 if wet matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife scores 79 vs 63 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife scores 85 vs 70 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Kumho Solus KH21 scores 57 vs 42 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Goodyear Assurance MaxLife scores 71 vs 57 on comfort.

Tire A · Goodyear Assurance MaxLife
Tire B · Kumho Solus KH21

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.