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Bridgestone Turanza 6. Words: Richard Edwards | Photos: Richard Edwards Published 11 April 2026 Its long-term Atto 3 has just ticked over 40,000km on its original rubber. The Bridgestone Turanza 6 is the replacement. Early impressions are promising. There's something quietly significant about a set of tyres. Most drivers give them little thought until they go flat or wear out, at which point the default is to replace like-for-like and get on with life. But tyres are arguably the most consequential component on any car, the sole interface between vehicle and road, and swapping them can transform how a car behaves more dramatically than almost any other change short of a full suspension overhaul. Autotrader has been running a BYD Atto 3 as a long-term test vehicle, one of the first examples to land in New Zealand, and it has now ticked past the 40,000km mark. And when Autotrader say long-term, Autotrader mean it: this is the Managing Editor's actual family car, purchased with actual money, and pressed into daily service accordingly. That's enough mileage to establish a meaningful baseline, and enough wear on the original tyres to justify replacing them. Autotrader has chosen to fit Bridgestone's newly launched Turanza 6, the Japanese brand's new flagship touring tyre, to find out whether a premium upgrade makes a tangible difference to one of the country's best-selling EVs. At around $400 a tyre, the Turanza 6 sits firmly at the premium end of the market, so the expectation is high. Why the Turanza 6? The Turanza 6 is a significant product for Bridgestone. It marks the mainstream introduction of the company's ENLITEN technology to the Australian and New Zealand market. An immediate benefit: the original Atlas Batmans that came on the Atto 3 always struggled for grip on its awkwardly steep and tight driveway. The Turanzas don't. Through ENLITEN, Bridgestone has engineered the Turanza 6 specifically with EVs in mind; low rolling resistance to extend battery range, robust wear tolerance to handle the added weight and torque that electric drivetrains demand, and reduced noise levels to complement the near-silent character of EV powertrains. That last point matters more on an EV than a petrol car. Remove the engine noise and road and tyre clamour become the dominant acoustic experience inside the cabin. The Atto 3 is a quiet car, and if the tyres aren't up to scratch, you'll know about it. The Turanza 6 counters this with what Bridgestone calls an innovative new tread shape and compound, featuring S-shaped sipes, varied tread block spacing, and precisely placed slit silencers to absorb road noise. On paper, it's well-suited to the application. Autotrader reviewed the Turanza 6 at launch and came away impressed. Now it's time to live with them. Bridgestone Turanza 6 - first impressions. Autotrader'll be honest: the change is immediately noticeable. In dry conditions, the Turanza 6 offers a marked improvement in grip over the Atto 3's original rubber. Turn-in feels more precise, the car sits flatter in corners, and there's noticeably less body movement when changing direction. The steering, which on the standard fitment could feel somewhat vague in faster directional changes, now communicates more clearly. The Atto 3 feels like a tidier, more confident car. In the wet, and Autotrader has had a few opportunities to test this already, the difference is even more pronounced. The Turanza 6's new tread pattern is designed to channel water away from the contact patch efficiently, and that engineering is felt in practice. Where the outgoing tyres could feel uncertain on wet roundabouts or when braking on damp tarmac, the Turanza 6 inspires genuine confidence. Bridgestone's own benchmark testing at Tailem Bend's skidpan showed the Turanza 6 achieving 0.85G of lateral grip in wet conditions, and Autotrader can believe it. The flip side, and this may be an early observation that settles over time, is that the Turanza 6 feels like a stiffer tyre. The ride is still comfortable, but it has a slightly different character to what Autotrader were used to. On coarse chip surfaces in particular, there seems to be a touch more road noise than Autotrader experienced before. Whether that's a genuine property of the tyre or simply a consequence of swapping from heavily worn rubber to brand-new compound remains to be seen. Tyre noise often changes significantly as a new tyre beds in, and the Bridgestone's noise-reduction technology may yet prove its worth as the kilometres accumulate. The long game. This is, deliberately, an early report. A few hundred kilometres is enough to draw some initial conclusions, but it's nowhere near enough to pass final judgement. The real test of the Turanza 6 will play out over the next six months, through winter wet, summer heat, and the full variety of New Zealand road surfaces. Autotrader'll be watching tread wear carefully and tracking how the ride character evolves. Autotrader'll also be monitoring efficiency closely. The Atto 3 has established a long-term average of 15.1km/kWh over its 40,000km, a solid benchmark. Bridgestone's ENLITEN technology is specifically engineered to reduce rolling resistance and extend EV range, so Autotrader is curious whether the Turanza 6 will move that number in a meaningful way. It's one of the more interesting real-world data points an EV long-termer can track. For now, the verdict is: the Turanza 6 has made its Atto 3 a noticeably better car to drive. More grip, more confidence, more precision, particularly in the wet. The potential noise question on coarse chip is one to monitor. Autotrader'll be back with a full update once the tyres have had a proper chance to prove themselves. Watch this space.

Bridgestone partners with academic institutions to boost natural rubber sustainability through genetic analysis. * By TT News * April 10, 2026 From left: toshihiro uchiyama, general manager, sustainable technology strategy and research department, Bridgestone Corporation; Masashi Otsuki, Executive Director, Institute of Advanced Technology, Bridgestone Corporation; prof Dr Tito Latif Indra, M.Si, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia and Dr retno lestari, M.Si., Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia. Bridgestone has initiated a collaborative research project with Universitas Indonesia, Public University Corporation Yokohama City University (Yokohama City University), and Public University Corporation Maebashi Institute of Technology (Maebashi Institute of Technology) focused on the genetic analysis of para rubber trees. The partnership draws on tree samples and genetic data from Bridgestone's own natural rubber farm in Indonesia, combined with the advanced capabilities of the academic institutions. The primary goal is to develop a marker assisted selection technique that can identify elite trees, characterised by high and stable yields, at an early stage. A formal signing ceremony took place at Universitas Indonesia on 7 April to mark the beginning of this joint effort. Sustainability is central to Bridgestone's management philosophy, reflected in its business model that links operations to carbon neutrality, a circular economy and nature positivity across the entire value chain from production to renewal. This research directly supports that vision by aiming to improve the sustainability of natural rubber. Ultimately, the company seeks to contribute to a more circular and regenerative business model where natural rubber production becomes increasingly efficient and environmentally responsible. A stable supply of natural rubber is essential for tyre manufacturing and safe mobility, yet para rubber trees grow only in narrow equatorial bands and face threats from climate change and disease. With global vehicle ownership rising, demand for natural rubber is increasing, creating pressure to boost productivity without expanding farmland into forests. Bridgestone has therefore pursued multiple technological paths, including disease diagnostics and big data driven planting optimization on limited land. The company also supports smallholder farmers by sharing these technologies and providing training based on know-how from its own farms, thereby enhancing productivity, improving livelihoods and strengthening the long-term sustainability of natural rubber. In this specific research initiative, Bridgestone supplies latex samples and existing genetic information from its rubber trees. Universitas Indonesia handles the extraction of DNA and RNA data, while Yokohama City University and Maebashi Institute of Technology perform genetic analyses to pinpoint genes linked to rubber productivity. Together, they will build a marker assisted selection method for rapid, high-precision identification of elite trees, significantly shortening traditional breeding timelines that once took decades. After validating the technology and establishing propagation and nursery systems, Bridgestone plans to replace ordinary trees with elite varieties over the medium to long term, thereby raising productivity and stabilising yields within finite land resources. Prof Dr Tito Latif Indra, M.Si, Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, said, "In this project, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), will play a key role in supporting the scientific framework of the project by leveraging its expertise in molecular biology and genetic data acquisition. This collaboration is such an important foundation in strengthening FMIPA UI's academic contribution in impactful global research. Through research in the field of sustainable natural resources, we are trying our best to reinforce the ecosystem of global natural rubber production and provide significant innovation to support sustainable rubber plantations in Indonesia." Yukihisa Shimada, Director, Kihara Institute for Biological Research, Public University Corporation Yokohama City University, said, "In this project, Yokohama City University will serve as a strategic and technical advisor, supporting collaboration with Indonesian government agencies and the establishment of research infrastructure. Through international collaboration, we will drive high-precision genome analysis and the selection of promising lines, contributing to the creation of scientific knowledge for sustainable resource use." Kensuke Nakamura, President, Public University Corporation Maebashi Institute of Technology, said, "In this joint research, Maebashi Institute of Technology will lead the bioinformatics analysis, contributing to the advancement of natural resource research through a data-driven approach. As a public university, we are dedicated to fostering both locally grounded research and international research partnerships. By leveraging these strengths, we seek to generate impactful knowledge that will contribute to building a more sustainable society." Masashi Otsuki, Executive Director, Institute of Advanced Technology, Bridgestone Corporation, said, "By co-creating with stakeholders across the natural rubber industry and promoting the sustainable use of natural rubber, Bridgestone strives to achieve the corporate commitment of 'Ecology: Committed to advancing sustainable tire technologies and solutions that preserve the environment for future generations' described in its Bridgestone E8 Commitment.

Bridgestone to showcase lunar rover tyres at 41st Space Symposium. * By TT News * April 07, 2026 Bridgestone has announced its participation in the 41st Space Symposium, the largest space conference in United States, taking place in Colorado Springs from 13 to 16 April 2026. The company's exhibit will be hosted within the Japanese Space Industry pavilion organised by Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), marking its third consecutive year at the event since 2024. A key focus of Bridgestone's presence is its ongoing development of lunar rover tyres, a project that embodies the company's belief that 'tyres carry life'. Since 2019, Bridgestone has advanced research on lunar rover tyres and pursued co-creation with international partners to commercialise space mobility technology. In 2024, the company collaborated with Astrobotic Technology, followed by a basic agreement with ispace in 2025. These efforts aim to generate new value in the rapidly evolving space mobility sector. At the symposium, Bridgestone will demonstrate tyres for small and medium lunar rovers, first unveiled in 2025, by mounting them on a mobility vehicle. Attendees can see and touch the tyres, experiencing their high traversability on simulated lunar challenges like fine sand and rocky ground. Through this showcase, Bridgestone seeks to expand its space business network and foster co-creation opportunities, ultimately supporting safe lunar mobility and humanity's exploration goals. The lunar rover tyre project applies Bridgestone's AirFree technology, an exploratory business under its 2024-2026 Mid Term Business Plan. By refining this technology in the extreme lunar environment, the company aims to eventually bring those innovations back to Earth, enhancing conventional tyres and contributing to broader social value.