Founded: 1983
Founder: Ohtsu
Headquarters: Kobe, Japan
Parent: Sumitomo
Website: https://www.falkentire.com/
Falken is a product of a strange American-Japan cooperation between Sumitomo and Goodyear. At the moment, they are owned by a Japanese corporation, although they feel a lot like American tires. It’s a peculiar brand with its own quirks and rules, but it’s always worth buying these.
Who makes Falken tires? Although Sumitomo Corp heavily influences the creation process, the development, technologies and other theoretical matters are strongly in the hands of Falken brand.
Falken has tires more many sorts of cars, but the passenger versions are by far their primary product. In fact, Falken doesn’t really make winter tires, they are all about summer and all-season treads, including all-terrain and high-performance options. So, if you want to use them in winter, you’ll have to go all-in and buy all-seasons.
Where are Falken tires made? The three main Sumitomo plants where the bulk of Falken is made are in Shirakawa, Izumiotsu and Myazaki. There are also smaller plants abroad – most notably, in the US, Turkey and Brazil.
Falken really invests a lot into their tires. As a result, they cost a bit more than regular treads. The normal price on a Falken tire is about $80, but you can find options for $70 or $60. It’s all worth it, these tires are very well-done, and they won’t disappoint you.
The key feature of these tires is not their effectiveness (although they are very effective at staying on the road), but their comfort. See, they are soft, extremely quiet and stable. They don’t shake even a little bit, and their softness allows them to go over obstacles and problematic road areas with ease.
This softness is often paired with reduced durability, mainly in the sidewalls. It doesn’t seem to be the case, however. The tires are made from durable material, and they are pretty advanced technologically. You won’t damage them prematurely – not unless you want to.
The tread is equally well done. The only really disappointing part about them is their hydroplaning issues. They are noticeable, but only in cheaper variants and only under really wet conditions.
The grip itself is superb and there’s almost nothing to complain about. The handling is great. This, alongside with general obedience, softness and stability, makes them very comfortable to drive in on the road.
Who manufactures Falken tires? The assembly and testing of Falken tires is done primarily in Sumitomo facilities. Most notably, they’ve arranged three plants across Japan for the needs of Falken.
Even if you don’t drive on the roads, the all-terrain tires are equally efficient, never get stuck and reduce shaking to the appropriate minimum. It’s very beneficial to use them on uneven surfaces, because you won’t really feel anything. They won’t suffer too much from treacherous ground, either (owing to their superior strength).
In terms of longevity, they are pretty secure. Every tire is durable in its own right, and it is unclear how much you can squeeze from a Falken tire – so much contributes to it. However, they do give you a 5-year warranty. Given how the tires travel 15,000 miles per year on average, it means about you’re promised around 75,000 in mileage on these.
It’s a good statistic, overall. These tires are good at doing their job and they last long. If you can afford them, then go ahead and buy them without question.