Lion Sport 3
Today, automobile tires with a sporty nature of operation are becoming more and more popular. As if "sports" tires are in the assortment of most modern manufacturers. These are ordinary passenger tires with improved driving characteristics. Usually, the price of such tires is higher than the price of ordinary rubber and the name is marked "sport".
Is the purchase of conditionally "sports" tires justified? Certainly justified, as buying these tires will ensure the optimum handling of your family sedan or minivan. And in some cases, thanks to the installation of sports tires, an ordinary car starts to drive like a sports car, well, perhaps not so fast.
This review is devoted to just such conditionally "sports" tires, namely, Lion Sport 3.
About tires, price, and workmanship
Leao Lion Sport 3 is a tire designed for all-season use in passenger cars, compact crossovers, and minivans. The tires are originally designed for optimum performance at high speeds up to 240 km / h.
The main difference about other sports all-season tires is the affordable cost of Lion Sport 3. These tires are inexpensive - as practice shows, unnamed tires of unknown origin or generally used tires will cost less. So why are Lion Sport 3s inexpensive and how will this benefit affect their quality of use?
The affordable cost is primarily because the tires are manufactured in China, and the Leao brand is little known outside the countries of Southeast Asia. Nevertheless, even though the Leao brand is not the most famous, these tires are standardly equipped with several inexpensive European cars. Again, despite the unknown brand Leao, this manufacturer is a subsidiary of Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd., which is the largest tire manufacturer in China and one of the largest manufacturers in the world.
Now for the combination of cost and quality. Tires are inexpensive, but not at the expense of their quality. According to the brand representatives, a quality control system has been implemented at each production stage. Moreover, the enterprise uses the most advanced production equipment and the most advanced technologies. Therefore, the likelihood of a factory defect is minimal. Again, let's not forget that the manufacturer's warranty is 50,000 miles. This proves once again that the tires, despite the favorable price, are reliable and durable.
About manageability and how it is ensured
As previously stated, the Lion Sport 3 is an all-season tire that should perform well in a variety of weather and climates. The versatility of the running characteristics of these tires is ensured by the tread features.
Linglong Tire specialists have developed a unique rubber composition and an equally unique tread pattern. All this ensures optimal control on dry and wet surfaces. That is, in summer the tire is not much different from normal summer tires. The situation in winter is a little more complicated. On loose and rolled snow, the tires manage well, but on ice, directional stability is absent in principle and the car is prone to entering an uncontrollable skid. On the other hand, take any all-season tire and it won't provide good handling on ice either. The way out is to buy snow chains that can be put on wheels in ice.
About the tread and its features
The first thing we see when looking at the Lion Sport 3 is 4 deep longitudinal grooves, which are responsible for directional stability on wet road surfaces and loose snow. The tire, thanks to these grooves, is directed forward and it does not drift into the side skid. Also, these grooves minimize the negative effect of aquaplaning, since due to the smaller contact area, the tread surface is in contact with the road, while moisture is forced out through the groove cavity.
There is a certain number of diagonal grooves on the tire - sipes. They are necessary to provide sufficient friction and, as a result, grip on the road surface. The intricate tread pattern is designed and built with the most advanced tire design techniques in mind. However, we draw your attention to the fact that the tread design was not copied from the products of more famous and popular brands, but was independently created and patented by Shandong Linglong Tire Co., Ltd.
The tires are asymmetric, which, on the one hand, increases the efficiency of their use, and on the other hand, complicates their positioning on the rims. Tires are originally designed for dense and even surfaces such as asphalt and concrete roads. These tires are not intended for off-road use. That is why the tread is not very pronounced and its height does not exceed 13 mm.
How the tire works from the inside
Like all modern tires from Linglong Tire, the products featured in the Lion Sport 3 range are lightweight and well-balanced. This is because the tire is based on a synthetic nylon carcass, which, with a high weave density and high tensile strength, weighs significantly less than a metal carcass.
There are still metal parts in the construction of these tires. Firstly, longitudinal metal strips are used here, which reinforce the central rib of the tire. This ensures that the tire adheres evenly to the road over the entire contact patch. Because of this, the tread wears out evenly, and wear takes longer.
Secondly, metal rings are fused along the inner radius of the tires, with which they adjoin the wheel rim. This solution allows to ensures sufficient tightness and tightness of pressing against the wheel rim - this is important since the tire is tubeless. For the same reason, the inner surface of the tire is covered with a layer of latex compound, which excludes depressurization of the tires and even with minor breakdowns.
Reasons to buy
So, we talked about the tires, it remains to decide - to buy or not to buy.
These tires are inexpensive and durable. This already suggests that they are practical, but isn't that what you wanted? In addition, these tires ride well in all weather conditions, except for severe frosts, when the roads turn into an ice rink.
Another important reason for buying these tires is their excellent balance. As a result, there is less noise in the cabin when driving. Again, by balancing the tires, the vehicle uses less fuel as the rolling resistance is minimal. Finally, these tires have a great design and are sure to suit both modern and classic cars.
Probably, the listed reasons are more than enough for buying Lion Sport 3. It remains to find a dealer where these tires can be purchased at reasonable prices.
Are there any disadvantages? Perhaps there are drawbacks, but these characteristics are inherent in most all-season tires presented in the budget price segment. Yes, these tires handle-less cold weather than good winter tires. And in summer, these tires don't ride as well as summer tires. But these qualities distinguish any all-season rubber, which, as you know, represents a kind of compromise, when for the versatility of use you have to sacrifice certain running characteristics.