What's The Difference Between Kelly And Goodyear Tires?

If you're shopping for Kelly tires, you might be surprised to find yourself on the Goodyear site. No, this isn't a fluke: Goodyear and Kelly have been sister brands since 1935. Today, Goodyear is the Tire & Rubber Company's premium flagship brand. It's the more high-end of the two, offering more durability across a wider range of different driving conditions than Kelly. Rain, snow, or rugged terrain, Goodyear probably has a tire for you.

Kelly Tires is more straightforward. Of the two, it's definitely the most budget-friendly option. The Kelly brand is technically older than Goodyear itself, but it's existed under the Goodyear corporate umbrella since the 1930s. It might not be on the cutting edge of innovation, and it might not be advertising the same top-tier performance specs, but Kelly does do one thing better than Goodyear: Give you fine-enough tires at a lower price point. You still get all-season traction and year-round reliability, but just at a much more accessible cost per tire. Beyond pricing, the product lines are pretty different. Goodyear has six different tire types for over half a dozen different kinds of vehicles, but Kelly's lineup is much simpler.

Goodyear's full lineup covers snow, sport, heavy-duty, and all-season tires for cars, trucks, SUVs, trailers, and more. Kelly's selection is much smaller and more streamlined than that; just five tire models, and all five of them are all-season, no winter tires or summer tires. Not a lot of variety there compared to Goodyear, but that's okay. It's not trying to be Goodyear.

Then there's the respective warranties. Goodyear has one of the best tire warranties around; a 60-day satisfaction guarantee that basically gives drivers two whole months to think about their purchase. Kelly also has a satisfaction guarantee, but it's a little more limited than Goodyear's; 45 days compared to Goodyear's 60, or about a month and a half. Still, both Goodyear and Kelly give you price matching and access to post-purchase customer support. When it comes down to it, the difference is less about quality versus inferiority, and more about intended use and budget. Goodyear's more premium, while Kelly's more affordable.