BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions

BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions

      **Chris Gill/WestBoundary Photography**

      

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      If you’re passionate about driving, BFGoodrich’s new G-Force Phenom summer tires should definitely catch your attention. This latest offering enters a competitive category: performance tires suitable for daily use at a reasonable price. The value is impressive. After a few days of track testing, I would be eager to use them on any of my sporty vehicles.

      **BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Overview**

      Andrew P. Collins

      The new BFG Phenom is a high-performance summer tire tailored for sports cars that are driven enthusiastically. It’s designed to optimize grip in street conditions. While it can handle a track day or high-performance driver education session, it isn’t intended for racing. This tire is formulated for warm weather and should not be used or stored in cold environments.

      The Phenom features a rigid sidewall and shallow shoulder blocks. Its offset shoulder grooves aim to enhance feedback at the limit and improve cornering stability. A stiffer sidewall may lead to a rougher ride over bumps, but it also enhances responsiveness during turns.

      **Andrew P. Collins**

      The tread design is divided into a wet zone and a dry zone, with flat sections on the outside for better dry traction and additional grooves on the inside to help disperse water. Deep sipes, which are small cuts in the tire that maintain some level of flexibility, are textured internally, which BFG claims contributes to better adaptability across various conditions.

      Chemically, BFG indicated that an increased amount of silica has been included in the composition (tires are composed of over 200 chemicals—it's more complex than just "rubber"), which reportedly plays a crucial role in improving wet-weather performance without compromising tread longevity.

      **Applications and Availability**

      BFGoodrich Phenoms are available in a wide array of standard car sizes, fitting 16- to 20-inch wheels. The BFG website provides a complete list of sizes. Currently, a set of four in the original equipment size for a current-gen Miata (205/45ZR17) is priced at $563.96 on TireRack. The Phenoms come with a six-year limited warranty and a “60-Day Satisfaction Guarantee,” allowing you to return them within 60 days for a different set of equal or lesser value.

      The warranty stipulates that if a tire fails prematurely, you can receive a partial refund depending on the usage after it’s removed by your shop. I had a similar experience years ago when using BFG Comp 2 summer tires (the predecessor to Phenom) on my old Acura, where I got some money back after noticing unusual splits on the sidewalls. Just remember to keep your receipts, track your mileage, and return to the same shop where you purchased your tires for assistance. Essentially, it's like a discount on replacements if the tires fail unexpectedly.

      As of now, there seems to be a good supply of Phenom sizes readily available. You should have no issues in acquiring a set.

      **Testing Conditions**

      - **Size:** 235/50 ZR18

      - **Vehicle(s):** Fifth-gen Ford Mustang race car, EcoBoost Mustang convertible rental car

      - **Driving:** Lead-follow track laps, skidpad exercises

      - **Mileage:** Under 100 miles

      - **Weather:** Light rain

      **Driving Impressions**

      Andrew P. Collins

      I can only comment on the performance of these tires at their mid to upper stress levels rather than their comfort on regular roads. We completed numerous laps at Sonoma, including dry conditions and light rain, as well as some skidpad exercises, but did not engage in regular street driving. Noise? I didn’t notice it—only the loudest tire squeals managed to break through the engine and interior noise of the stripped rental race cars we were using.

      **The Good**

      The primary advantage of these tires is their wet-weather braking performance. This is especially significant if you live outside the Southwest.

      What intrigues me most about these tires is their value for money. As a new entry in a market dominated by brand loyalty, BFG has priced the Phenoms competitively to encourage trials. Not to spoil the rest of this review, but if your tire shop is offering them at a good price, I would recommend purchasing them confidently. The main competitors being outpriced include Falken Azenis FK510, Yokohama Advan Apex C601, and Firestone Indy 500 Firehawks, the last of which I have personally used on my own vehicles.

      Additionally, I find the appearance of the Phenoms quite appealing. If you care about tread design aesthetics, you may appreciate the clean blocks and grooves.

      **Skid pad antics with some street cars. Andrew P. Collins**

      **The Good**

      I experienced a consistent feel from these tires. While locked in a donut on a skidpad, it

BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions

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BFGoodrich G-Force Phenom Tire Review: An Excellent Performance Street Tire That Performs Well in Wet Conditions

BFGoodrich's latest summer performance tire demonstrated a smoothly increasing grip at track speeds and impressive performance in wet conditions.