If you want to test a tire designed for wet grip, rain is essential. And at this time of year in Southern Ontario, there’s usually a lot of it.
Such was the case on a recent spring day, when PASMAG was invited to test out the new MotoMaster Hydra Edge Plus tire. This new all-season replaces the Hydra Edge Tour in the MotoMaster lineup. We put it through its paces in some very wet conditions at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park, located about 90 minutes northeast of Toronto.
Like all MotoMaster products, the Hydra Edge Plus is sold exclusively at Canadian Tire (CT) dealers across Canada. This tire, designed as a replacement for crossovers like the Toyota RAV4, began development in 2023 with CT partner Sailun.
The Hydra Edge Plus was benchmarked against other tier one competitors and was extensively tested in the same environments, using the same evaluation processes and same evaluators as those used by major tire manufacturers. Testing locations are in Germany, Sweden, and the United States.
We drove several Toyota RAV4s equipped with the Hydra Edge Plus and here’s what we learned.
Design
As the name suggests, the Hydra Edge Plus is designed to deliver top-notch wet handling, through Hydra Control Technology (HCT). One of the key goals with HCT is to reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
The design features four circumferential grooves to channel rain and slush. Traction is enhanced with the use of large voids located between the second and fourth rib, and a full void along the center rib.
The Multi-Pitch Tread Design, with staggered lugs, is designed to reduce road noise and improve ride comfort. On the performance side, the Hydra Edge Plus aims to deliver a sharper steering response, and high-speed stability via high-tension cap ply strength.
CT is tight-lipped about the rubber compound being used, but said it is, “next generation”.
Sizes and warranty
The Hydra Edge Plus all-season is available across Canada at Canadian Tire dealers in 32 sizes, ranging from 15 to 20 inches. Of those 32, 19 are 18 to 20 inches and are designed for larger rim diameters. It’s available with V, H, and T speed ratings. The Hydra Edge Plus carries a limited warranty of 120,000 kilometers.
Performance
Wet traction is the name of the game with the Hydra Edge Plus. According to CT, it carries a wet traction rating of 100, which is the highest score possible on their Road Rating system. CT didn’t provide data sets but it claims the Hydra Edge Plus is 13 percent better in wet braking than the Hydra Edge Tour and has earned the highest wet braking score in all-season testing.
The Hydra Edge Plus carries a dry traction rating of 100. Comfort / Road Noise is rated at 92.9, and Fuel Economy is 93.1. The overall Road Rating score is 98.6.
Road and track evaluations
We tested the Hydra Edge Plus on several Toyota RAV4s on public roads and a closed course. The public roads were two-lane country variety mostly, with some brief highway in the mix. The close course was an autocross setup that tested wet braking, wet grip, and wet handling. All test sessions were conducted in wet conditions. Road driving occurred in heavy rain.
Pluses and Minuses
On road and during closed course testing, the Hydra Edge Plus displayed impressive wet performance. On the road, the tire delivered excellent wet grip from launch, at speed during lane changes and passing maneuvers, and under braking. General ride handling and comfort are also impressive, and there is only a moderate amount of tire noise.
On the autocross course, the Hydra Edge Plus is equally impressive. The soaked track proved to be no bother for the tire, which delivered excellent straight-line braking, good cornering grip, and handled the slalom course with ease. We ran the course multiple times, and while we weren’t measuring results, the Hydra Edge Plus performed well each time. It is an excellent tire for wet conditions.
There aren’t many negatives to report, a couple things stand out. The first is we were unable to test the Hydra Edge Plus against competitor tires. This isn’t a knock against the Hydra Edge Plus, but it would have been useful to see how it stacks up against the competition. Also, we were unable to test the tire in dry conditions, so we can’t vouch for its dry-handling capabilities. CT says it performs well in the dry, so we’ll have to take that at face value.
Verdict
Overall, the MotoMaster Hydra Edge Plus all-season provides impressive wet weather performance. From grip level, to handling and braking, this tire delivers the goods. Braking distances are short, handling is confident, and the ride is comfortable and quiet.
While we didn't experience it in the dry, and are unsure about how it stacks up against competitors, we think the Hydra Edge Plus all-season would likely perform well in those conditions due to its rigorous development and third-party testing. Bottom line, with its excellent wet performance, wide size availability, strong warranty, and competitive pricing, the Hydra Edge Plus all-season is a tire worthy of consideration.
Photos by Lee Bailie
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