MotoMaster Hydra Edge Plus Tire Review

Clarington, ON – Canadian Tire is an institution that, from coast-to-coast, generations of Canucks have been visiting for a plethora of needs over the past century. For those outside Canada, unfamiliar with Canadian Tire, imagine a store that’s a combination of Napa Auto Parts and Home Depot, but also sells sporting goods, pet supplies, and small appliances. Still, with the word tire right in the company’s name, the brand better know a thing or two about when the rubber hits the road.

This is where MotoMaster comes in. Although it is Canadian Tire’s in-house brand for a variety of goods, one of the marquee product segments is the company’s lineup of passenger vehicle tires. Canadian Tire started making tires in 1933 and has a full lineup of offerings for consumers.

Putting the Plus in Hydra Edge

The reason for our visit to Clarington is for the launch of one of the brand’s latest offerings, the Hydra Edge Plus. Manufactured in conjunction with Sailun Tires, development of the tire began in 2023 and is aimed at crossovers and road-going SUVs.

The tire includes plenty of MotoMaster-branded technologies like Hydra Control Technology (HCT) that should help reduce hydroplaning, maintaining traction in heavier rainy conditions. Another technology built into the tire is high-tension cap ply strength that should deliver sharper steering and high-speed stability, according to the manufacturer.

There are four circumferential grooves that HTC utilizes to channel rain and slush away from the tire’s contact surfaces. Along with a new generation rubber compound, traction is further enhanced on the Hydra Edge Plus tire as it also incorporates a large outer void on the 2nd and 4th ribs, as well as the center rib receiving a full void.

Finally, MotoMaster has built a Multi-Pitch Tread Design into the Hydra Edge Plus all-season tire. The goal, according to the brand, is to reduce road noise and enhance ride comfort.

Wet Weather Testing – Check

Our day of testing began at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, formerly known as MoSport. Utilizing this world-class racetrack is just part of the brand’s Road Rated quality assurance program, which also tests in various climates across North America. For our testing, we would take the tire on a road drive across various surfaces and speeds, as well as partake in a dynamic autocross-style test course.

All vehicles we would drive are all-wheel drive, previous-generation Toyota RAV4 SUVs, which is one of the key target markets for this new tire. We started our day on the road in what could only be described as near monsoon conditions. Canadian Tire wanted us to experience the new Hydra Edge Plus in wet conditions, and well, they got their wish and then some.

On country roads, the soft sidewall does a good job absorbing minor bumps and broken pavement. It really shines through on dirt/gravel roads, where we were very impressed by how well the tire smoothed out washboard sections of the road and minimized impact from larger rocks/stones. In deep water, the tread kept constant contact with the road and never felt like it was slipping or hydroplaning. Our only real complaint on the road drive had to do with a bit of tire noise, as there’s a mild hum at most speeds, in the wet or dry.

On the autocross test course, we began with a hard acceleration run from 0 to 80 km/h (50 mph) and then applied full braking. Of course, this was done in fully wet conditions. The tires did not slip a bit under acceleration on the all-wheel drive RAV4s, while under braking, in conjunction with the anti-lock brakes, there was minimal brake lock-up as the SUV stopped quickly and in a straight line.

Lateral grip through the skid pad and emergency lane change maneuvers were predictable and more than adequate. Some all-season tires do offer a bit more grip in maneuvers like these, but rarely at the Hydra Edge Plus’ price point.

For a Variety of Vehicles

That final point is the goal behind the new MotoMaster Hydra Edge Plus all-season tire. Its mission is to provide near tier 1 level tire performance at a price point much lower than that of a tier 1 tire. In this regard, it succeeds. Some of the largest names in the tire world may offer a fractionally better tire, but the cost to buy that tire is significantly higher than the purchasing price of the MotoMaster Hydra Edge Plus.

As of this writing, the tire is available in 32 sizes, in speed ratings of V, H & T. Of course, it is only available at this time to Canadian consumers and comes with a 120,000 km limited warranty.

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