Consumer Reports took a look at the CS5 Ultra Touring and CS5 Grand Touring tires from Cooper Tires when they did their annual tire review. The CS5 tires are both all-season radials that had identical performance test results in recent Consumer Reports testing. Traction News compares the two tires side by side and gets some insight from an industry insider.

Industry insider says they’re basically the same tire

An industry insider said that the quite similar scores these tires received from Consumer Reports and their very similar appearances help make them extremely similar in many ways. If you look at these tires, you’ll see that their tread patterns and the sidewalls look very similar.

He said the major difference between the two models is the Ultra has advanced construction that allows for the high speed ratings, like tighter wound plies, although the construction and basic design of the two tires are almost identical. The main reason for both an Ultra and a Grand is to make it possible to be OEM fitment for a wider range of vehicles.

Left: Cooper CS5 Grand Touring tread design. R: Cooper CS5 Ultra Touring tread design

Fitment and Sizing Information

Cooper’s CS5 Grand Touring is a “T”-rated all-season radial that can be found on minivans and passenger cars. They may also be found on light trucks. Toyota Corolla and Camry; Chevy Impala, Astro, and Uplander; Ford Edge, Flex, and Taurus; and Chrysler’s Pacifica and 300 are all examples of vehicles that the Grand Touring will fit. It’s available in 30 different sizes on wheels from 15 to 18 inches.

• Ten 15-inch sizes in 70, 65, and 60 Series
• Nine 16-inch sizes in 70, 65, 60, and 55
• Eight 17-inch sizes in Series 65, 60, and 55
• Three 18-inch sizes in Series 65, 55, and 50

The CS5 Ultra Touring is an all-performance all-season radial with “H,” “W”, and “V” speed ratings, according to both Cooper and Consumer Reports. It can be found on most of the same vehicles listed above, as well as vehicles where the manufacturer requires more than a “T” rating. Some BMWs, lower-performance Mustangs and Camaros, and many cars from Lexus are examples of these. The Ultra Touring comes in 62 sizes on wheels from 15 to 20 inch. Several of these carry a load range XL.

• Nine 15-inch sizes in 65, 60, and 55 Series
• 16 16-inch sizes in 65, 60, 55, and 50 Series
• 17 17-inch sizes in 65, 60, 55, 50, and 45 Series
• 12 18-inch sizes in 60, 55, 50, and 45 Series
• Five 19-inch sizes in 60, 50, 45, and 40 Series
• Three 20-inch sizes in 50, 45, and 35 Series

What Cooper says about the two tires

Cooper says the CS5 Grand Touring has “innovative technologies and is engineered for real-life performance on real-life roads.” The Grand Touring comes with an 80,000 mile treadwear warranty to deliver long lasting ride comfort. Cooper also offers a free 45-Day Road Test Program and Premium Limited Warranty. As an all-season radial, it is mud and snow rated.

Cooper says the CS5 Ultra Touring is a tire that “provides real-life performance, in real-life conditions for everyday drivers. The CS is crafted with leading technology and innovations that meet the needs of today’s customer.” They give the tire that carry speed ratings of “W” a treadwear warranty good for 50,000 miles; those carrying “H” and “V” ratings should last for 71,000 miles. It is also rated for mud and snow. Buyer confidence assurances include the same Premium Limited Warranty and the free 45-Day Road Test offers.

Uniform Quality Grading

Both the Grand Touring and the Ultra Touring were given traction and heat resistance grades of “A” in Uniform Tire Quality Grading testing. The Grand Touring received a treadwear rating of 780 in this testing. Those Ultra Touring that are “H” and “V” rated were given treadwear scores of 640, while “W” CS5s were bumped down to 500 due to the softer compounds that allow for the higher speeds.

Consumer Reports test results

Consumer Reports said both tires were rated “Very Good” in dry braking, hydroplaning, ride comfort and noise. Both also achieved scores of “Good” in wet braking and a score of “Poor” in ice braking. The grade of “Very Good” was given to the Grand Touring for snow traction and rolling resistance while the Ultra received a ”Good” for those categories. The Grand obtained the grade of “Good” for handling while the Ultra’s score was “Very Good.” The Ultra tested out at 60,000 projected miles while the Grand bested it to 70,000.

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Tagged: Ultra Touring

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