Goodyear Can't Make a Tire for $12 Like China. Here's Its Plan

Goodyear is confronting a customer-and-cost squeeze as cheaper imported tires pressure legacy brands. The article frames the challenge as a chain reaction: tariffs can spike raw-material costs, higher gas prices can reduce driving and replacement rates, and consumers may opt for low-cost options rather than premium sets priced around $800. In an interview tied to The Drivecast, Goodyear CEO Mark Stewart discusses the company’s losses—$1.7 billion in 2025 and $249 million in the first quarter of 2026—attributed to weak demand, rising inputs, and competition from China and South Korea. Stewart says Goodyear has consolidated plants, laid off thousands, divested non-core assets, and refocused on tire manufacturing with a more centralized global approach, aiming for more premium sizes and tires, including through partnerships for factory-equipped applications.