Founded: 2002
Founder: Shengtai Group
Headquarters: Dongying, China
Parent: Shengtai Group
Website: https://rapid-tyre.co.uk/
Rapid is one of the primary brands produced by a Chinese company called ‘Shengtai Group’. They are only about 20 years old, but the preceding company dates back even longer, which signifies that they have some experience and expertise on the market.
This expertise would come in handy, considering that they are trying to create advanced and technologically superior tires. Virtually all the tire manufacturers claim the same thing, so you shouldn’t take these commitments too seriously.
Rapid specializes in versatility and longevity of their tires. For one thing, they have many sorts of rubber for all kinds of vehicles, including the usual urban cars, high-performance autos, trucks and much more.
Whatever the circumstances, Rapids tend to last a lot. On usual passenger cars, they can withstand ~30.000 km of usual speed and mild weather. When the weather gets rougher (during blizzard or harsh rain), the grip tends to give in. This reduces the comfort and increases the risk, but not untenably so.
Rapid tires are considered medium to premium quality. Naturally, they issue all sorts of rubber – some tougher and more comfortable. The general consensus is that Rapid tires in general are better than average rubber, but not by much. This coincides with the price.
They tend to cost a bit more than you would usually spend on rubber. For this price, Rapids are an alright deal, but you should pick them carefully. The cheaper options are actually not much better than usual Chinese tires, and Rapids overall aren’t suitable for very harsh weathers.
They tend to wear off fast when they aren’t in their usual element. So, if you expect natural obstacles along the road, it’s better to pick higher-performance options, even if they might be costlier.
In the end, there are better options in this price category. If you don’t trust other candidates, Rapid won’t disappoint you – but they won’t surprise you either.