Firestone Destination LE3 Review
The latest generation of the Firestone Destination LE tire, the LE3 is an all-season tire designed for trucks, SUVs and crossovers that put in a lot of highway miles.
PROS
- Long tread life
- Wet weather grip over the life of the tire
- Extensive list of sizes
- Excellent price point
CONS
- Old-fashioned styling on some sizes
Firestone seems to be taking a page from the folks at Michelin who relatively recently rolled out a new line of tires built to deliver superior wet weather traction as they age. That’s exactly what’s being promised here.
The Destination LE3 uses what Firestone calls its TractionTech package with tread elements that last the full length of the tire to deliver consistent performance mile after mile and year after year. Included in those are Firestone’s Hydro-Grip technology features, including open slits in the tire’s shoulder blocks to channel water away from the contact patch. This, combined with the deep circumferential grooves (to reduce the chances of hydroplaning) and the tire’s silica-infused tread pattern, helps give excellent wet weather traction.
Larger and deeper tread block sipes also work to give traction in light snow.
Equipped with a 70,000 mile tread life warranty, that’s 10,000 miles more than the comparable Michelin. And to make sure it’s not just the tire tread that holds up over all those miles, the tire’s internal structure is built tough with a polyester casing and two steel belts for durability, while a nylon reinforced carcass helps with stability at highway speeds.
The next-generation of Firestone’s all-season offering for modern SUVs, crossovers and trucks, the Destination LE3 makes its biggest improvements in tread life and wet weather grip.
Who Should Buy This Tire?
We’re seriously impressed with this tire, offering amazing refinement and all-season traction, with an extremely long life for a very affordable price. The only drawback we can see is that some versions come with Firestone’s old-fashioned white letting on the side, which looks dated. Many, however, do not.
About the only area this tire lacks compared to tier-one brands is in a bit of summer performance, but that drawback is extremely limited, while the savings are not.
We’d recommend this tire for any crossover, SUV or truck buyer looking for a practical and affordable all-season tire.
Firestone Destination LE3 Price
As a very new tire, pricing is subject to change. Check online retailers for exact pricing for your vehicle.
Firestone Destination LE3 Warranty
Firestone backs the Destination LE3 with a 70,000 mile tread life warranty. It’s also covered for defects in materials and workmanship and is eligible for a full replacement within the first three years of wear, and then a pro-rated replacement until the final 2/32-inch of remaining tread depth. Plus, Firestone offers a 90-day Buy and Try guarantee
Firestone Destination LE3 Sizes
15-inch sizes
215/75R15
225/70R15
225/75R15
235/75R15
265/75R15
16-inch sizes
205/70R16
215/65R16
215/70R16
225/70R16
225/75R16
235/65R16
235/70R16
235/75R16
245/70R16
245/75R16
255/65R16
255/70R16
265/70R16
17-inch sizes
215/60R17
215/65R17
225/55R17
225/60R17
225/65R17
235/55R17
235/60R17
235/65R17
235/70R17
245/65R17
245/70R17
255/65R17
255/70R17
265/65R17
265/70R17
18-inch sizes
225/55R18
225/60R18
235/50R18
235/55R18
235/60R18
235/65R18
245/60R18
255/55R18
255/65R18
255/70R18
265/60R18
265/65R18
265/70R18
275/65R18
19-inch sizes
225/55R19
235/45R19
235/50R19
235/55R19
245/55R19
255/50R19
255/60R19
275/55R19
20-inch sizes
235/55R20
245/50R20
245/60R20
255/50R20
255/55R20
265/50R20
275/45R20
275/55R20
275/60R20
22-inch sizes
285/45R22
Firestone Destination LE3 vs LE2. What’s The Difference
Firestone made a short list of improvements to the new LE3 over the old LE2 tire. While few in number, the changes are significant.
Most noticeable from a numbers point of view is a tread life warranty that has been increased by 10,000 miles to 70,000 miles. This is the result of a new compound that’s designed to resist wear.
But perhaps the most significant change to the tire is the introduction of full-depth sipes. Sipes help give the tire added biting edges in wet or snow and the deeper sipes mean that the LE3 retains its grip better even when worn.
Are Firestone Destination LE3 Tires Good in Snow?
We’d describe the snow performance of the new Firestone Destination LE3 as passable for an all-season tire, though still far short of true winter capability and maximum safety. The tires feature some siping for added grip on snow-covered roads, but ultimately they will freeze up in colder temperatures and do not feature the three-peak mountain snowflake logo.
How Many Ply is Firestone Destination LE3?
All Destination LE3 tires come with a 2-ply sidewall. As for the load rating, almost all are a 4-ply/Load B rating, while a select few are 6-ply/Load C. There are no 10-ply/Load E rated versions of this tire.
Where is the Firestone Destination LE3 tire made?
Firestone manufactures this tire at numerous different plans in the US, Mexico and Costa Rica.