The Nifty Fifty Awards showcase editor's picks of the best new products among hundreds of new product articles appearing in the magazine during 2003. The 50 winners were judged on their usefulness to the truck operator in terms of innovation, serviceability and performance. Comments from the June 2004 Heavy Duty Trucking Nifty Fifty article stated:

"The EcoPlus tires combine an optimized casing and new tread designs and compounds that are said to make them the most efficient long-haul tires available. Other features of the on-highway tires include a unique angled shoulder-protection rib for both steer and trailer tires. Also featured on the steer tires are Visual Alignment Indicators to quickly identify front- end misalignment problems before the tire becomes severely worn."