IT’S not often a tyre manages to blend sharp handling, ride comfort, and long-term usability in one relatively affordable package.
Meet the BFGoodrich g-Force Phenom T/A.
After over a year with more than 15,000km covered on Malaysian roads and weather conditions, the Phenom in 225/40R18 and priced at an affordable RM527 per unit, it has proven itself as a surprising tyre that carries a duality about itself.
Outright, it is capable of providing daily-driving comfort for the average commuter, yet is also able to appeal to more enthusiastic drivers who appreciate that sporty edge.
First put through its paces in Thailand, the Phenom is an ultra-high-performance (UHP) tyre that hasn't forgotten about comfort and is available from 16 to 20-inch wheels.
Visually, for fitment and clearance purposes, the Phenom exhibits a less squared-off edge as the tyre transitions from its treads to the sidewall or profile for those who prefer a more technical terminology.
At first drive, the Phenom impressed with its notably low road noise - even on rougher Malaysian tarmac, road rumble was surprisingly a simple hum.
This is thanks in part to its Lateral Groove Damper design, which helps to reduce tread pattern noise to provide a more relaxing highway cruise.
Additionally, the design is quite effective on poorly patched and uneven roads, more commonly found around urban areas.
Ride comfort was equally surprising, despite the low-profile 40-series sidewall, which allowed the tyre to absorb imperfections and bumps reasonably well.
This gives the tyre a compliance that many UHP tyres do not usually exhibit well, especially with a vehicle that uses stiffer standard or aftermarket suspensions.
Its compliant construction, from its sidewall flexibility, seems rather well-tuned for Malaysian roads, managing to take the "edge" off minor potholes and broken surfaces, which often plague tyres in this performance category.
Grip is outright predictable, and this is its strongest suit, thanks to the Performance Racing Core (PRC) construction that offers a solid internal structure.
The structure is particularly effective during high-speed stability and consistent cornering response.
Paired with Larger Solid Shoulder Blocks (or the outer tread section), the Phenom can deal with quick turn-ins and provide a reassuring mid-corner feedback without becoming twitchy.
Meanwhile, the inner tread section features a more svelte design that is dedicated to water evacuation.
During spirited dry runs, the tyre remains composed despite having compliance dialled into its sidewall - allowing the steering to feel more direct and communicative, which boosts confidence along twisted routes.
Yet what’s most impressive is the tyre's ability to relinquish grip gracefully, rather than abruptly losing traction to surprise or catch unattentive drivers off-guard.
The loss of grip is fed to the driver progressively enough, allowing drivers to respond with corrective measures - making it ideal for average drivers and rewarding corner-carvers.
As dark skies loom, followed by fat, heavy pelting raindrops that we Malaysians know all too well, the Phenom is able to remain remarkably poised.
This is thanks to its Wide Circumferential Rain Grooves where standing water is able to be evacuated effectively and efficiently.
The tyre's contact patch upon the road is maintained rather well, and hydroplaning is very well mitigated, and even while at highway speeds, there's a strong sense of control and stability.
Cornering in the wet comes with predictability through its overall lateral grip, and with its limits being naturally lower compared to dry conditions, there wasn't a moment of vagueness.
After 15,000km, which includes urban and extra-urban commutes as well as harder-than-usual driving (for testing purposes), among others, its tread depth has dropped from its original 7mm to around 5mm.
For tyre noise, it has gradually increased with use as expected.
The initial 5,000km+ produced a hum on smoother highways, which has since evolved into a more noticeable drone while over coarser road surfaces.
While this is to be expected from most UHP tyres, the transition was gradual and not severe enough to affect the enjoyment of daily driving.
Another area worth noting is how tyre pressure impacts performance.
Using standard manufacturer-recommended pressures will provide a plush and balanced ride with good comfort and grip, however, being a UHP tyre, the Phenom isn't the best fuel-economy champion.
Over the course of the review period, it was experienced that fuel economy has managed to drop from an average of 530km per full tank to around 500km (+/-10km), depending on traffic and driving pace.
This suggests a slightly higher rolling resistance due to its overall grip levels, which is a natural tradeoff.
Regardless, increasing the tyre pressure by about 10% managed to restore that lost range, although this came at the expense of ride comfort and a minor increase in interior cabin noise.
Even at a higher pressure, the tyre wasn't as harsh or jarring as one might expect (to each their own), and is a testament to its thoughtful construction.
Beyond performance, BFGoodrich backs its tyres with a six-year limited warranty on all its passenger car and light truck tyres for added peace of mind.
After more than a year of daily usage, come rain or shine, potholes or uneven patches, the Phenom continues to deliver with a good concoction of comfort, control, wet and dry traction, as well as durability for daily usability.
It simply can maintain composure under pressure, provide predictability at the limit and comfort along Malaysia's sometimes unforgiving roads.
