Kumho Tire U.S.A. Inc. says more than 600 dealers and other industry participants have taken part in its ride-and-drive program so far this year, as the tiremaker expands hands-on product training around its newest light truck, SUV and crossover tires.

The program has included regional events in five U.S. cities, as well as a national ride-and-drive at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Wash., where more than 70 dealers, media members and content creators tested Kumho's new Road Venture HT and Crugen GT Pro.

Kumho plans to hold its final regional ride-and-drive events of 2026 in Detroit, Mich., and St. Louis, Mo., in September. The company also says the program will continue in 2027.

"You can read all about a tire, but nothing compares to driving it yourself, which is why Kumho has made a significant investment in ride-and-drive events in 2026," says Ed Cho, CEO of Kumho Tire U.S.A.

"These events give our dealers, wholesale partners and retail partners the opportunity to experience firsthand how our latest tires perform in real-world driving situations."

Cho says putting dealers behind the wheel allows them to evaluate characteristics such as braking, handling and ride comfort themselves and can give them "greater confidence when recommending our products to their customers."

Dealers test new Kumho tires

During the Seattle-area event, attendees drove vehicles equipped with the Road Venture HT and Crugen GT Pro through several controlled exercises.

Those included a wet handling course, an autocross course designed to demonstrate braking and vehicle control and higher-speed freeway driving focused on on-road ride, handling and comfort.

Kumho engineers and product specialists also provided technical education about the two tires and fielded questions from participants.

Chris Corwin, director of procurement at Discount Tire & Service Centers, says the opportunity to test the products provides dealers with information they can take back to the sales counter.

"A spec sheet has never sold a tire to a customer standing at our counter," says Corwin. "That is why the Kumho Tire ride-and-drive in Seattle was worth every minute. We got real seat time, instead of a sales pitch, running the all-new Crugen GT Pro and Road Venture HT back-to-back in real-world scenarios."

Corwin adds that the opportunity for dealers to provide feedback is also valuable.

"Having a seat at that table means a lot to me, and it says something about how seriously they take dealer input."

Expanding its SUV, CUV and LT lineup

MTD previously reported that Kumho introduced the Crugen GT Pro during the Seattle-area event and also showcased the Road Venture HT, which debuted earlier this year.

The Crugen GT Pro is an all-season touring tire designed for increasingly larger and heavier crossovers and SUVs. It will launch in 85 sizes that Kumho says cover more than 85% of today's crossover and SUV market.

H- and V-speed-rated Crugen GT Pro sizes carry a 75,000-mile treadwear warranty, while W-speed-rated versions come with a 65,000-mile treadwear warranty.

The tire is designed to balance tread life, ride comfort and all-weather performance. Kumho has also positioned the Crugen GT Pro as EV-compatible.

The Road Venture HT is an all-season highway-terrain tire for light trucks and SUVs. It is also EV-compatible and is designed to provide enhanced wet and snow traction while maintaining a quiet, comfortable on-road ride.

Available in more than 40 sizes, the Road Venture HT carries a 75,000-mile limited treadwear warranty on P-metric sizes and a 50,000-mile limited treadwear warranty on LT-metric sizes.

Kumho officials told MTD during the Seattle event that the company is also consolidating its light truck tire lineup under the Road Venture name, a move designed to simplify the product range for dealers and consumers.

The ride-and-drive program gives Kumho another way to support that product expansion by putting dealers in direct contact with the tires and the company's technical experts.

Kumho says it plans to continue offering hands-on product testing, technical education and access to those experts through ride-and-drive events around the country in 2027.