Fuzion is a budget tire brand owned by Bridgestone. Since its inception, Fuzion has committed to making low-priced tires to satisfy the need of budget-conscious buyers.
Fuzion tires lack the performance and aesthetic appeal of premium tires, but are recommendable for those with tight budgets.
Are Fuzion tires quiet or noisy?
Given their cheap price, Fuzion tires do not have advanced noise-reduction technologies that help minimize road noise. This makes them significantly noisy compared to other premium brands. However, some Fuzion tires offer manageable levels of noise and are a bit comfortable to ride.
Table of Contents
Are Fuzion Tires More Quiet Than Other Brands?
Fuzion’s approach to tire manufacturing is simple: make tires with only basic features and sell them cheaply. Thus, noise-reduction technologies found on premier and mid-range brands are absent on their products.
This translates into higher noise output on the Fuzion tires.
Which is why we can safely assert that Fuzion tires are not as quiet as most tire brands.
However, there’s a caveat: Fuzion tires are among the quietest in the discount tire segment.
This makes Fuzion tires a worthwhile option if you want to shop for quiet tires on a budget.
They may not offer completely noise-free performance as high-end tires, but give a somewhat quiet and comfortable ride. In other words, you can get quality ride experience without breaking the bank.
Nonetheless, we advise against becoming too optimistic about these tires.
They are cheap, and perform averagely in many areas, including noise reduction.
Besides, some of them are prone to increased noise levels as they wear. We recommend buying a mid-range tire, or even a premium one, if you consider quiet performance important.
Quickly scan our article that talks about Are Bridgestone Tires Quiet or Noisy?
How Are Fuzion Tires Tested for Noise?
Although quiet performance is hardly part of Fuzion’s priorities, its tires still have to comply with regulations concerning noise emissions. Typically, Fuzion will conduct tests to measure noise output on its tires before production.
The in-house assessment occurs prior to official tire approval tests and appraisals by independent bodies.
Below is a rough guide to the testing process of Fuzion tires:
Like other manufacturers, Fuzion conducts both indoor and outdoor tests to determine noise on its tires.
The indoor tests are mostly to measure internal tire-induced vehicle noise, while outdoor tests determine external rolling noise on tires. Test vehicles used in both tests are fitted with the Fuzion tire under assessment.
Outdoor tests take place on a track with microphones on both sides. These microphones act as sound sensors and analyze the intensity of the noise from the test vehicle.
The first test carried out is the ‘coast-by test’. Here, the test driver coasts through the track and the microphones pick up the sound from the vehicle as it passes.
However, there are various stipulations that the driver must meet:
- He must approach the track at a constant speed (e.g. 50mph)
- He must switch off the engine and engage neutral once he reaches the test zone
The second test carried out is the ‘cruise-by test’. Also called the fixed speed test, the cruise-by test involves the test driver ‘cruising’ through the test track.
He advances towards the track at a stable speed and maintains such as he moves through the test zone.
The third test carried out is the ‘acceleration test’.
Like the previous tests, this involves the driver moving through the track. The major difference is that the driver speeds up upon entry to the test area.
Therefore, instead of coasting or cruising past the microphones, he speeds past them.
The internal noise assessment can either take the form of a rotating drum test or a dummy test. In the former, the tire under examination is placed in an apparatus called a rotating drum.
The rotating drum will spin the tire in a mimicry of actual real-life operation. Microphones placed near the drum record the noise from the tires and calculate the volume of the sound.
For the dummy test, engineers place a dummy in a car fitted with the to-be-examined tires.
Afterwards, they accelerate the car up to a certain speed. Via microphones placed in the dummy’s ears, engineers can gauge the intensity of tire-induced interior noise.
What Fuzion Tires Are the Quietest?
As explained earlier, silent operation is not a strong suit of Fuzion tires. However, we found some that are fairly noise free and comfortable to ride. Here is our guide to the quietest Fuzion tires:
1. Fuzion SUV Tire
The Fuzion SUV Tire is an all-season type, meaning it can handle virtually any terrain. Whether you are driving over snow-covered roads or dry pavement, the Fuzion SUV tire has you covered.
Although hardly spectacular, it offers dependable year-round performance at a lower cost than its rivals do.
A combination of all-season tread compound and asymmetric tread pattern gives the Fusion SUV good traction and improved handling capabilities. In addition, tie-barred shoulders help increase grip, and cornering capacity on dry pavement.
Also, a center rib ensures consistent steering response and road stability.
A collection of circumferential grooves on this tire helps expel water from the tread, reducing chances of hydroplaning. Similarly, multiple deep-cut sipes improve grip on low-traction surfaces such as snow-covered roads.
Thanks to its unique tread patterning, the Fuzion SUV tire is surprisingly quiet and comfortable on the road. With this tire’s lengthy tread life, you will enjoy comfortable rides for long.
2. Fuzion XTi
The Fuzion XTi is an all-terrain tire in every sense of the word and handles both on-road and off-road driving.
Even better is that it costs significantly lesser than many tires in its class. It offers trusty performance anytime, anywhere you want it, both on roads even, and roads uneven.
This tire’s off-road performance credentials result from the combination of various design elements. For instance, it boasts a tread compound with high ‘Long Link Carbon’ content.
L.L Carbon boosts the toughness of the tire, increases resistance to punctures and cuts on the trail.
Over-the-shoulder and half-pipe tread design also contribute to the tire’s confident performance in off-road conditions.
The Fuzion XTi is no slouch on wet surfaces, either. It features circumferential and sideway grooves that eliminate water from the tread and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
Furthermore, a series of deep-cut sipes give the tire a biting edge that enhances traction on snow.
Reviews we found for this tire praised its quiet performance, rare for an off-roading tire, and rarer for Fuzion products.
If you desire a low-cost tire that performs well off-road and is comfortable on-road, the Fuzion XTi is a sensible choice.
What Fuzion Tires Are Noisier?
Since we have given you the quietest Fuzion tires, it is time we picked out the noisy ones as well.
Below are the noisiest Fuzion tires:
1. Fuzion Touring All-Season Radial Tire
The premise of the Fuzion Touring is good: provide high performance for vehicles at low cost. It also delivers well on its performance promises, particularly on snow and ice.
However, ride quality on the tire leaves a lot to be desired, and they are reputed to be noisy on the road.
Going through customer reviews for the Fuzion Touring, we found reports of excessive noise output from many buyers. Many customers said the tire was cheap, but the noise made riding uncomfortable.
A particular owner said his Fuzion Touring tires wore out at just 11,000 miles and made “the worst noise ever” during rides. Another buyer said his tires made a whirring noise between 20-40 mph, forcing him to buy a new set.
In addition, an owner said his Touring tires were so noisy he resorted to turning up his radio to drown out the sound.
Seeing these complaints, we advise considering a quieter set of tires if you want to enjoy tranquil drives.
2. Fuzion UHP Sport A/S
The Fuzion UHP Sport A/S is an attractive option for drivers who want better performance at a cheap price. However, this comes at a cost: acute road noise.
Reviews we found for the model indicate that users should expect additional noise from the tread.
Customer complaints also confirmed this fact, with buyers complaining about the tire’s excessive noise output.
While a bit of noise is expected on Ultra-High-Performance tires, the Fuzion UHP takes the noise a notch higher. Consequently, ride quality on the tire is dismal.
Can You Make Fuzion Tires Quieter?
If you have noisy Fuzion tires (that you are sure are not worn), you can do the following to make them quieter:
- Replace faulty wheel bearings
- Take the tires for periodic rotations
- Get a technician to align the wheels
- Rebalance the tires
- Inflate the tires properly
Which Tire Brand Is The QUIETEST?
Due to fierce industry-wide competition, it is hard to pick the quietest tire brand.
To help you, we have created a list of the quietest tire brands money can buy:
• Michelin:
Michelin uses its renowned Acoustic Technology to reduce noise output on its tires.
• Goodyear:
Goodyear tires feature SoundComfort technology that helps reduce road noise and vibrations.
• Pirelli:
Pirelli has developed its Pirelli Noise Cancelation System (PNCS), which helps to decrease tire cavity resonance, and by extension, tire noise.
• Continental:
Continental fits its tires with ContiSilent technology that cuts down on road noise and provides a serene riding experience.
• Hankook:
Hankook tires feature Sound Absorber technology that keeps road noise and vibrations to a minimum. This enhances the smoothness of the ride and bolsters ride quality.
• Bridgestone:
Bridgestone tires take advantage of Resonance Noise Attenuated silencer grooves for guaranteed noise-free performance.
References
https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=336
https://www.oponeo.co.uk/blog/tyre-rankings-how-are-tyre-noise-and-comfort-tested