Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 Review: Ultra High Performance All-Season Tire

by
cooper-zeon-rs3-g1-review
Dry
90%
Wet
88%
Winter/Snow
53%
Comfort
85%
Noise
82%
Treadwear
84%
Overall
81%

Pros

  • Excellent levels of grip in the dry
  • They can resist hydroplaning
  • Noise levels are very close to touring tires
  • Impressive wet performance
  • 45000 miles treadwear warranty
  • 45-day trial

Cons

  • Not the best snow and ice performance

Cooper is a US-based tire company that has been around for almost a century. During that time, it produced tons of tire models for all kinds of cars. With the wide range of available options, getting the right set of tires for your ride can be a struggle.

Among the many tire models in Cooper’s lineup, the one I’ll be talking about today are the Zeon RS3-G1. They are all-season tires designed for most cars or minivans. With that said, as it’s advertised as an ultra-high-performance tire, you should probably look at it if you own a sportier car with better performance than your regular hatchback.

In other words, Cooper managed to design and develop a tire capable of excellent performance in multiple weather conditions. Keep in mind that this is not an all-weather tire, so you can forget about the best snow performance. It is rated as M+S, meaning that it can work on mud and snow, don’t expect too much.

Despite that, today, I’ll be reviewing a set of the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1. I had the chance to test them in various conditions, and I’ll outline my opinion on them in various conditions in this Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 review.

What are the features of the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1?

Before a dive into the performance of the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1, first, let’s look at the features Cooper is advertising.

Right of the bat, the company claims that they offer an excellent all-season high-performance tire. You will also see a claim that the tire has improved durability and stability, along with the capability to handle light snow. So far, it ticks all the boxes for an M+S all-season tire.

The compound is mixed with silica that enables the tires to have better traction in certain conditions. In most cases, you should notice this in wet conditions, as those are the most problematic ones. Down the sides, there are 3D micro-gauge sipes “cut” into the tire blocks at a certain angle. These should help in wet as they will help the tire move the water to the sides and have a better grip on the surface. They should also help in snowy conditions as the tire can bite down to get traction. Overall, they can help with braking, accelerating, and cornering, where you would get a better grip than compared with their tires.

Cooper advertises these tires as M+S. By definition, it means that the tire can have decent performance in mud and snow, just as advertised.

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What are the Specifications and Maintenance Indicators?

Unlike the olden days when you’d have to eyeball or get a tool to measure tread depth, modern tires can help you out with that. Like most tires, the Cooper Zeon rs3-g1 are molded with maintenance indicators called VWI or Visual Wear Indicator. They are placed down the middle groove in a way that as the tread wears, different indicators will show you the percent of life remaining in the tires. Once you see the exclamation mark, it means you have 2/32 inches of treat left, and the tires need to be replaced. That is the minimal tread depth you should have as required by law in most countries.

One thing that is fairly impressive is the tread-wear warranty offered by Cooper. The Zeon rs3-g1 gets a 45000 miles tread-wear warranty if you use the same sizes on the front and the rear. If you have a staggered setup on your car, you get half of that, only 36000 miles of warranty. One good thing about Cooper is that you can get a 45-day test drive period to determine if they are the right tires for you.

These numbers are impressive, but what’s even more impressive is the fact that the warranty is for a high-performance tire.

How does it behave on a dry tarmac?

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An ultra-high-performance tire is designed to have the best performance on dry tarmac, and the Zeon RS3-G1 doesn’t disappoint. The RS3 has several variations, and the G1 series means that the tires’ lateral grip can withstand 1 g force. On paper, this doesn’t mean anything if the tires cannot deliver the “promised” performance.

During the dry tarmac testing, I found that the tires perform as advertised and even better. The flatter design, in combination with the tread design in asymmetrical shapes, increases the overall contact surface improving the levels of grip. Unlike their competitors, the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 has more rubber on the shoulders for improved cornering stability.

As a result, the tires performed like the high-performing tires you’d expect. The braking distances were not as some dedicated sports tires but were excellent for all-season. In the corners, the flatter design and extra rubber on the shoulders managed to keep the tires planted with almost no side-flex. Each time I gave the steering wheel a command, the tires complied without any issues. Even when I pushed them harder, they didn’t break traction.

How is it over wet and slippery roads?

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Cooper’s Zeon RS3-G1 are ultra-high-performance tires, but at the same time, they are all-seasons ones. In other words, you should expect great performance in wet and slippery conditions. Just like the dry testing, the wet one managed to stand up to my expectations.

The 3D micro sips work together with the tread design to ensure that the tires perform as advertised. One of the most problematic aspects of any kind of tire is wet braking. The Zeon RS3-G1 managed to stop in a relatively short distance, thanks to their design. The tread pattern kept the water out from beneath the tire, something that is important in a straight line, just as it is in the corners.

Speaking of, the wet performance in the corners was also impressive. The tires did break traction, but only in cases where I pushed them too far. Also, the design of the tires makes them more resistant to hydroplaning compared to some of their competitors.

How does it work on snowy roads?

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The snow performance of the Zeon RS3-G1 is not the strong suit. In general, tires designed to perform well in some conditions will not perform as well in others. That is the case with these tires in the snow. The M+S rating does mean that they will be okay-ish in light snow, but they can’t compete with dedicated winter tires.

The same 3D micro-gauges sipes down the tread pattern that gives them the great performance in the wat are the same ones that enable them to handle light snow.

Is it suitable for off-road driving?

Continuing with the M+S trend means that the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 can handle some muddy situations. With that said, off-roading is not the strong suit of these tires. Keep in mind that you won’t be fitting them on an off-roader, so you shouldn’t expect that from them.

Is it comfortable and refined?

It’s very hard for me to find any serious faults with these tires, and the same can be said in the noise and comfort levels.

Overall, all-season tires are not the loudest ones you can find on the market, and the same can be said about the Zeon RS3-G1. Cooper managed to fine-tune the design of the tread pattern to lower the noise levels. Even though that can sometimes depend on the type of car you’re driving and how well insulated the cabin is, but I was still surprised. I can even say that in that department, they felt like touring tires.

On the comfort side of things, the story remains the same. The sidewall didn’t flex too much in the bends but still managed to provide some decent bump absorption. You shouldn’t expect them to be as comfortable as some soft tires with big sidewalls, but for this class, I say they are great.

You can see more Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 review here: Video created by JR14

Should I buy the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1?

Whenever I get asked if someone should buy a certain tire, my answer is always “it depends,” and I’ll say the same thing here. Choosing your car tires will mostly depend on the car and the conditions you’ll be driving in.

Cooper advertises these as ultra-high-performance tires, but that doesn’t mean that they are only suited for high-powered cars. While you won’t get the most out of them in your family minivan, the high levels of grip will keep your mind at ease, knowing that you won’t slide around. Putting them on something more powerful or a car that you will be driving like an enthusiast is where you will see these tires shine.

Weather-wise, something that many people mix is all-season with all-weather. The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 are all-season tires meaning that you will have no problem driving them in summer, spring and fall. When it comes to winters, if you have relatively warm winters with little to no snow, then you’re good. Otherwise, you can get a decent winter tire and have tires for the entire year.

If both conditions are met – my answer is yes, you should get the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1.

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List of the Cooper Tire Reviews

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