I recently had the pleasure of testing the ironman imove gen 2. This is not by choice but by default. I typically purchase my tires from Costco. Why? Road hazard and good prices. I will do a review of the Costo Buying experience in another post.
The second place I like to buy my tires is Ebay or Amazon. Why? These typically have the best prices around and brick and mortar companies like Mavis will price match them.
How did I stumble on Ironman tires? It came installed on a new to me CLA250. The CLA250 usually comes with Run Flat Tires but these showed on on the car. With a name like IRONMAN, I assumed that these would be in the same class a Westlake, Achilles and other unknown brands from overseas. Before actually driving these, I would have dismissed them as cheap tires. But I have changed my mind on these.
While the name Ironman conjures up my favorite Marvel hero, the Ironnman Imove Gen 2 All-Season tires were surprisingly compliant. Thus, this honest review of them.
The Ironman tires imove gen 2 tread design is an assymetrical design that aims to provide premium performance at a good budget price. It does deliver a compliant ride but avid car guys might scoff at the idea of overseas tires on their beloved ride. I WAS once that guy but since these came with the recent CLA250, I might as well provide my thoughts.
Read on…
Is Ironman a good tire?
A BuyCarBlog Ironman iMove Gen 2 Review
It appears that the tire market has budget friendly brands serving the value based market. I was always an upstream snob on premium tire brands like Michelin and Bridgestone but upon further research and my own experience, Ironman has roots with Cooper Tires of Ohio in the United States.
Ironman tires are from overseas, most likely China but Iphones are made in China too. Don’t count these Ironman tires out and based them on your own real-world experience.
Short answer to: Is Ironman a good tire? Yes, Ironman is a good tire for the average driver that does not need dedicated summer or winter tires. They work well for everyday driving as an allseason tire and are comfortable. You can save money and keep your car legal.
Its better to have depper treads than a premium tire at 3/32 left. This will get you by in a pinch and keep you on the road without breaking the bank.
The compound for the Ironman feel soft which would be good for grip but not so much for lifespan of the tire. For the price, its a good value overall. The Ironman tires do deliver as a UHP tire.
Ironman imove gen 2 snow
Based on my research, Ironman meets the requirements for M+S rating as an all-season. Here in NJ, we dont get too much snow so the all season tires have faired decently well. All of our vehicles are AWD of 4WD so the all season tires in the rain and the snow perform ok. Thumbs up as an allseason tire.
As for performance on wet roads, they have performed well and experienced no hydroplaning.
As for the Ironman SUV tires, it seems like they also perform well. Not exceptional as a dedicated snow tire but should be good for most drivers.
How is the Ironman imove gen 2 tread life?
The ironman tires (imove gen 2) are rated at 35,000 tread life. On my CLA 250, the car is notorious for eating front tires so with these installed, at least we have a budget tire that doesn’t break the bank. So far, the tire has worn evenly. Most tires in the M+S range have lifespans of premium top tier tires range from 55,000 to 85,000. While 35,000 – 40,000 seems low, remember, these are budget tires that keep you on the road without high costs.
I will be looking at upgrade these tires to Michelin MXM4 in the future. I have had alot of enjoyment from the Michelin brand. Plus, they have a longer tread life.
Customer reviews report acceptable snow performance. Scores of 6.0 – 9.0 are found from both car and truck owners at Mavis Tire’s website.
ironman imove gen 2 made by and where
Ironman imove gen 2 are made overseas. Most likely in China. (I will confirm later) However, they are a division of Cooper Tires in Findley, Ohio. Cooper tires have moved their manufacturing outside the United States. Lilke I said before, as long as you are aware of the origins of the product you can make an informed decision of what to buy.
As of 2020, all of SUV tires from Cooper are manufactured in China.
Are Ironman tires made by Cooper?
Ironman tires are a sub-division brand under the Hercules Brand. Hercules tire is owned by Cooper Tires. So essentially it is under the Cooper umbrella as a Hercules tire option.
Another company that is interesting to consider is Ohtsu. Ohtsu is the parent company of Falken Tires and offer competitive products in the buduget line of tires.
Are Ironman tires quiet?
Road noise for Ironman is acceptable. They are not the quietest tire on the highway. However, they are good for what they are. I noticed a little road hum around 60mph but like I said they are ok. I don’t drive with music so I hear everything in the car.
As time goes on, I will report and update the wear and road noise as the tread wears down.
Ironman tires Imove vs RFT Tires
The overall design of the Ironman imove is a nice looking sidewall and decent traction for everyday drivers. Rated as UHP, these in my opinion are legit performance tires but the average driver. These come in low profile sizes thus the UHP rating. I can tell you off the bat that these are far better riding than RFT Tires I tested before. The continental RFT were awful. The ride was hard. I also tested Bridgestone RFT Driveguards.
These are a little better in terms of ride quality but they do not rival non-runflat tires. However, the Driverguards have allow me to travel 40 miles in the rain with a blowout.
Its amazing technology but non-runflats offer a better ride. To help accomodate the risk of flats without a spare tire, I was provided a SLIME kit and tire inflator. I will be shopping for a low profile spare to store in the trunk. A review will follow.
As long as you know the risks of changing your tire to non-runflats, the pros out way the cons. Plus there is less wear and tear on the chassis and suspension of your car.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Good overall value by a reputable company.
- Affordable price range. Great pricing as cheap tires
- Decent performance for everyday driver.
- Good wet roads performance
- Rated for M+S for all season.
- Nice tread design
Cons:
- Short lifespan of tire tread life due to soft rubber compound
- A little noisy on highway
- Adequate snow performance but need to be aware of tire’s limitations
- Short treadwear warranty
Conclusion and Personal Thoughts
if you got this far in my review, I would rate these tires are a GOOD option for those looking for a budget tire that doesn’t eat your wallet. There are not high tire lifespan but you already know that. If you need tires and are not aggressive with your driving then these would be good to get. For half the price of premium tires like Michelin, these offer solid performance for the money.
These are rates as UHP tires but I would not say these are UHP. There are performance tires with a short lifespan but good performance with a relatively quiet ride.
I would say yes to this brand and to Ohtsu Brand as well too. Goodyear offers a budget line of Assurance which is also a consideration.
I am now a tire snob convert and would confidently say Ironman tires are a good buy to 80% of the drivers out there. Good luck and drive safe!