BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus Review

Step into the future of driving with the BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S PLUS, an all-season ultra-high-performance tire that sets new benchmarks especially when it comes to wet handling and snow traction. Let’s take a closer look at what else it has to offers.

Being a tire engineer, I can tell you that the BFG G Force AS Plus presents notable strengths such as exceptional lateral grip in dry conditions and impressive hydroplaning resistance in wet, but needs improvements especially in terms of wet steering, noise mitigation, and directional grip on dry asphalts.

Available Sizes (Specs)

The BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS comes in 16 to 20 inches wheels with following specifications.

• Speed ratings: W and Y.
• Load ratings: SL and XL.
• Tread depth: 9/32″ on all.
• Weight range: 20 to 38 lbs.
• Treadwear warranty: 45k miles.
• UTQG rating: 400 A A.

Side Note: Learn how to read sizes here, and all about UTQG.

Tread Design

The G-Force Comp 2 A/S+ features a very bold directional tread design.

It’s whole tread is composed of only two symmetrical ribs, where straight forward, and fat lugs are seen.

These lugs feature a very prominent “plus-shaped” grooves, which technically provide above average winter traction performance.

While the linear siping offers wet grip, (where its pretty voided up structure also gives you commendable resistance to aquaplaning).

And yes, with chamfered sides, and offset edges, you also get decent grip on dry.

(Though tire needs some improving to do in its braking efficacy).

Internally, the tire offers a singly ply polyester, with dual steel belts and a spirally wound polyamide cap ply.

Find all the tires compared with BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus.

Wet Traction

When it comes to wet traction, we look at two key areas: how well the tire grips on wet surfaces and its ability to avoid hydroplaning. Let’s talk about hydroplaning first.

Hydroplaning Resistance

Hydroplaning happens when water gets between the tire and the road, stopping the tire from gripping the road properly.

But this is not really the issue with tires having a directional tread pattern.

The BFG A/S Plus with its V shaped lugs offers a design which channels water from the center of the tire towards the outer edges, enabling rapid water expulsion.

So you get leading float speeds, (compared to other tires in the category) as seen on both straight and curved aqua testing.

By the way, its overall aquaplaning resistance is reminiscent of the Firestone WeatherGrip – click to read the review.

Wet Grip

While the majority of the water is pushed away through the grooves, the remaining needs to be dealt with using sipes, to prevent the tire from slipping.

Think of these sipes as the sponge, where they expel out the air and creative negative pressure, sucking up water particles, and allowing the tire’s tread to grip on the slightly more dried up surface.

Now the BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus features a pretty well engineering siping design, where the curved slits on the long directional arms of the tread provide this tire with above average traction.

And yes, worth reminding, about the wet steering response, you have to be careful and gentle, so you don’t push the front tires too much, when turning, or make the back tires spin, when you are exiting the turn.

In other words, it could use a little bump up in the overall under/over-steering balance.

Overall Dry Performance

When talking about dry traction, we usually focus on two things: grip and handling.

Grip is typically measured by looking at how long it takes to stop, while handling is judged by checking the lap times, and sometimes, by considering the average speeds during these laps.

Let’s take a closer look at both.

Directional Grip

Let’s begin by exploring the tire’s directional grip, a feature predominantly determined by the central area of the tire, as this section endures the maximum weight pressure, (as the tire rolls in a straight line).

Regrettably, the BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus falls short here.

Despite its directional design, characterized by densely packed lugs and a rounded contact patch, the tire exhibits significant voids longitudinally at the very middle, compromising the amount of rubber making contact with the road.

That’s why compared to its direct competitor, (Falken FK460 AS), the BFG tire lacks by almost 3 feet.

Lateral Grip

The tire’s lateral traction depends on shoulders (as those form greater friction values with the road, while the tire is cornering).

Now, the BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus where it lacked in the directional grip, makes up for it here, offering much better results.

Where in comparison to the same competitor, it registers similar levels of lateral g-force on average. (G-Force is one of a precise indicators of lateral traction).

So what’s changed now?

The shoulder area of the tire, in contrast to its middle, is less voided up and features large blocks with in-groove notches that grip the asphalt’s surface effectively.

This results in notable lateral grip, enhancing the tire’s overall performance in cornering situations.

Fuel Consumption

Fuel economy is intrinsically related to a tire’s rolling resistance.

But what affects this resistance? Well, for the most part, it gets affected by the tire’s weight, rubber composition, and tread design.

Now the BFG g-Force Comp-2 A/S+ offers a pretty decent economy here, thanks to its directional, streamlined design and somewhat shallower tread depth, especially when compared to other all-season tires (in its category).

Many of its competitors feature a tread depth of 10/32″ or even more, while the BFG has a tread depth of 9/32″ (on all its sizes).

Now, while a difference of 1/32″ may seem minor, it significantly contributes to improved fuel efficiency.

A shallower tread depth restricts excessive movement of the tire’s lugs during cornering, accelerating, or braking, conserving energy that would otherwise be used in reshaping distorted lugs.

In simpler terms, a softer, deeper tread would flex more, and restoring them to their original shape requires additional energy, which negatively affects fuel usage.

And the design of the BFG g-Force Comp-2 A/S+ mitigates this, making it a decent fuel-efficient option amongst its peers.

Winter Performance

Although the BF Goodrich g-Force hasn’t secured the prestigious 3PMSF (3-Peak Mountain Snowflake) certification, it nevertheless demonstrates a pretty decent overall handling, braking and acceleration efficacy.

But this only goes for snowy tracks, and not ice which asks for a lot of small biters throughout the tread, which this tire is missing.

Sure, the tire offers decent siping, but, it doesn’t come with the highly needed interlocking structure, and yes, its also missing with snow vices (found on its direct competitors).

But in case of softer snowy tracks, the tire does just fine, with its plus shaped in-groove notches and its directional tread pattern.

Where its V shaped lugs effectively scoop out the snow/slush backwards, producing a decent forward moving force, adding to the tire’s acceleration abilities.

And with notches the tire offers snow to snow contact, as those pick up and retain snow particles, which is crucial as snowflakes have a natural tendency to bond with each other.

So overall, while the BFG lacks in icy tracks, it does a good enough job on softer snowy terrains.

Tread Wearing Rate

Discussing tread longevity, there are two crucial aspects to consider: the tire’s inner and out construction and its rolling resistance.

In this regard, the BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus is characterized by a design that tends to wear rapidly (comparatively speaking).

Although the tire maintains moderate rolling resistance, its softer compound is still prone to accelerated wear.

Additionally, its tread depth of just 9/32″ comes down to 2/32″ (legal tread depth limit in US), faster.

However, it’s noteworthy that this tire does comes with a 45,000-mile warranty, offering some reassurance despite its faster wear rate.

Overall Ride Comfort

The smoothness of a ride is predominantly determined by two crucial factors:

• The tire’s capacity to maintain a quiet ride.
• And its proficiency in mitigating the imperfections of the road.

Let’s take a look at both in greater details.

On-Road Noise Generation

Simply put, noise is generated with air.

Air particles predominantly infiltrate through the shoulder voids, reverberating against the tread walls and generating what is referred to as tread noise.

Given this, it is no surprise that the BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus registers the highest pattern noise in tests.

And this noise manifests as a combination of harmonics and varying pitch tones.

But don’t get me wrong, the tire isn’t unacceptably loud, but its still so much that you can’t ignore, especially when you compare with its direct competitors, (well, except for the Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS+, which was equally as loud on conducted tests).

So why the BFG is not quiet enough?

Well basically, this is due to its aggressive tread design, where you get a very blocky structure (of lugs), which is also pretty voided up (relatively speaking).

This allows air particles unrestricted access to collide against the tread walls (with full force), creating significant in-groove resonance.

Impact Absorption

The BF Goodrich g-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus also needs a bump up in the impact comfort performance.

I mean sure the ride was pretty smooth, thanks to its stiffer rubber compound it wasn’t able to settle down the vibrations of the road effectively. And this goes for both the large impact, and the smaller bumps and imperfections.

But why? Well, this is mainly because of the tire’s not so pliant Equal Tension Containment System (or as BFG likes to call ETEC), where you get spirally wound cap ply.

And this combined with less flexible rubber on top, you end up getting a jittery ride.

This is further contributed by the tire’s shallower (just 9/32″) tread depth, which basically gives the vibrations less room to settle down, before entering the vehicles cabin.

So, What’s The Verdict?

The BF Goodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus exhibits a mix of strengths and weaknesses.

First off, it excels in dry lateral grip thanks to its spirally wound internal cap ply, where in wet, it comes out with pretty amazing hydroplaning resistance, with its efficient directional tread pattern.

However, it underperforms in (dry) directional grip due to the presence of significant voids in the tire’s central area, leading to compromised stopping ability.

And needs some help in its wet steering response.

And while I’m at discussing cons, the tire struggles with on-road noise generation and impact absorption, resulting in a less comfortable and noisier ride, primarily due to its aggressive tread design and less pliant structure.

And for its pros, the tire offers pretty decent fuel economy (for its category), and you also get a good enough tread life too, where the tire gives you 45k miles warranty (though this could have further improved if the tire had slightly greater tread depth).