May 25, 2018
Drivers in the market for Ultra High Performance All-Season tires are spoiled for choice. With so many options available from different brands and in a variety of price ranges, it can be overwhelming at times. How much do you get by selecting an entry-level product? Are the lower-priced options a true value?
To find out the performance to dollar ratio of three entry-level Ultra High Performance All-Season tires, the Tire Rack team compared the Fuzion UHP Sport A/S, RIKEN Raptor ZR A/S and Sumitomo HTR A/S P02. Our evaluation used 2017 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupes fitted with new, full tread depth 245/40R18 tires mounted on 18x8.0 wheels.
Our 6.0-mile loop of expressway, state highway and county roads provides a great variety of road conditions that include city and highway speeds, smooth and coarse concrete, as well as new and patched asphalt. This route allows our team to experience noise comfort, ride quality and everyday handling, just as you would during your drive to school or work.
Light handling is typically a strong point for Ultra-High Performance All-Season tires, and the entry-level options in our test performed reasonably well in that regard. The RIKEN Raptor ZR A/S felt the most athletic, with solid on-center feel, smooth, linear response to steering inputs and a natural eagerness to change direction. The Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 was a small step back. The steering response was linear and intuitive but was a little slow. Combined with the relatively high effort required, this resulted in a moderately dull or lethargic feel. The Fuzion UHP Sport A/S was slightly delayed in its response to inputs compared to the other two tires, which hurt its score with our testers some, but its light handling was still respectable.
Subjective ratings for ride and noise comfort shuffled the tires’ order, with the Sumitomo finding the most favor due to its composure over impacts and comparably quiet demeanor on both smooth and coarse surfaces. The Fuzion’s ride delivered an interesting blend of firm-yet-wobbly, and the tread created noticeable noise over all road conditions. With the firmest ride of the group and considerable tread growl, the RIKEN felt like an old-school performance tire and would benefit from some added refinement.
Our 1/3-mile per lap test track course includes 90-degree street corners, a five-cone slalom and simulated expressway ramps. Run in both dry and wet conditions, the test track allows our team to experience the traction, responsiveness, handling and drivability normally only encountered during abrupt emergency avoidance maneuvers or competition events.
All the tires in the test were easily controlled on the track, with no bad habits or nervousness, and the objective data in the dry was very close. Less than half a second separated the average lap times, with a minimal 1.4-foot difference in 50-0 mph stopping distances. While the Sumitomo set the slowest average lap time, it synced up well with many of our drivers, earning the highest subjective score. The Fuzion’s responsive front end inspired confidence in the slalom, and it fell in the middle both objectively and subjectively. In the hands of our more skilled drivers, the RIKEN felt adept on track and set the fastest average lap times, but its blend of traits did not find favor with the majority of our team.
Wet testing revealed considerable separation in the group, with sizable steps from one tire to the next. The Fuzion was balanced and reasonably capable, and led the way with the fastest lap times, highest lateral g-force and shortest 50-0mph ABS stops. This capability was a big departure from the last time we tested the UHP Sport A/S, so we did a little research and discovered the tire is now produced in a different facility, which means there may have been changes to the components and/or construction, as well. The Sumitomo had noticeably less traction than the Fuzion but was still balanced when driven at its modest limits. The Sumitomo’s average lap times were a second and a half slower than the Fuzion’s, and it required an additional ten feet to stop from 50mph. With only limited traction, drivers had no choice but to slow down and drive delicately on the RIKEN to avoid demanding too much from the tire, as evidenced by average lap times that were nearly four seconds slower than the Fuzion and 50-0mph stopping distances that were over 30 feet longer.
Winter weather is often unpredictable, and snow-covered roads change with every passing vehicle as they churn snow into slush or pack it down to polished ice. For accurate results we use a dedicated winter testing facility in Northern Sweden with acres of groomed snow that provides the consistency needed for reliable acceleration and braking comparisons. A groomed handling course allows us to evaluate stability and control during abrupt maneuvers. To simulate the icy conditions found at intersections or the black ice experienced out on the highway, we use ice at a local hockey rink and measure acceleration and braking traction.
Driving in snow the Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 delivered a reasonable level of traction, with good acceleration and braking traction, plus good controllability during our handling test. The Riken Raptor ZR A/S displayed modest traction, enough to get our test vehicle started and stopped. But it struggled during cornering, and didn’t track very straight during hard acceleration. The Fuzion UHP A/S delivered poor snow traction overall, with no other surprises, as the tire’s feedback made the driver immediately aware of the low grip level.
All three tires struggled during our ice test, with relatively similar weak acceleration and braking results that were far behind what a dedicated winter tire delivers.
Our Real World Road Ride features a relatively flat 6.0-mile loop of 65 mph expressway, 55 mph state highway and 40 mph county roads along with three stop signs every lap. Our team drove each tire approximately 500 miles over the course of several days. Since we wanted to compare fuel consumption results that typical drivers would experience, our drivers were instructed to maintain the flow of traffic by running at the posted speed limits and sustain the vehicle’s speed using cruise control whenever possible. They did not use hypermiling techniques to influence vehicle fuel economy.
The tires in our test exhibited a nominal difference in fuel economy of .8 miles per gallon. This difference would result in an additional 13.9 gallons of gasoline used per year for drivers driving 15,000 miles annually.
| Tire | Test MPG* | Gallons/Year @ 15,000 Miles |
% vs. Most Efficient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuzion UHP Sport A/S | 29.0 | 517.2 | -2.8% |
| RIKEN Raptor ZR A/S | 29.1 | 515.5 | -2.4% |
| Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 | 29.8 | 503.4 | -- |
| *Our evaluation used Race Technology DL1 data loggers to record true distance travelled. | |||
It’s important to note our test’s fuel consumption measurements follow consistent procedures designed to minimize variables that could influence the results; however, they do not represent an exhaustive long-range fuel consumption study. While our procedures require the test vehicles in each convoy to run under the same prevailing conditions, the week-to-week differences in ambient temperatures, barometric pressures and wind speeds that we experience over a season of testing can influence vehicle fuel consumption and prevent the absolute mpg values of this test from being compared directly against those of others.
Larger differences in consumption between tires may indicate a difference that might be experienced on the road, while smaller differences should be considered equivalent. As they say, your mileage may vary.
As the Ultra High Performance All-Season tire category continues to expand, drivers have more and more options to choose from while looking for a tire to fit their needs. These three entry-level tires show that while you can’t quite have it all at a budget price, you also don’t necessarily have to sacrifice performance in the quest for value.
The Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 presents a nice balance of attributes. Its relative comfort on the road and approachable nature on the track, along with good winter traction, make it our testers’ choice. The Fuzion UHP Sport A/S delivers confident traction in the wet, paired with reasonable on-road refinement, but it really struggles in winter conditions. RIKEN’s Raptor ZR A/S feels the most like a performance tire, with a firm ride and crisp handling, though tread growl over all surfaces and a noticeable lack of wet traction somewhat hurt its value proposition.
Fuzion UHP Sport A/S (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The UHP Sport A/S is the Fuzion brand’s Ultra High Performance All-Season tire developed to meet the needs of sport compact and sports car driving enthusiasts looking for tires with an aggressive appearance and all-season traction at an affordable price. The Fuzion UHP Sport A/S is designed to provide responsive handling and predictable traction in wet, dry and wintry conditions, even in light snow. Read more.
RIKEN Raptor ZR A/S (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Raptor ZR A/S is RIKEN’s Ultra High Performance All-Season tire developed for the drivers of sporty coupes and sport sedans looking to combine responsive steering and performance-focused handling with capability in inclement weather, even in very light snow. Read more.
Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 (W-Speed Rated) (Ultra High Performance All-Season): The Sumitomo HTR A/S P02 (High Tech Radial, All-Season, Premium 2nd Generation) tire line includes W-speed rated Ultra High Performance All-Season radials developed to meet the year-round driving needs of sports car, sporty coupe and performance sedan drivers by blending dry and wet road performance with all-season wintertime traction. The HTR A/S P02 radials use Sumitomo’s high-tech materials and manufacturing methods to blend ultra-high performance with all-season traction, even in occasional light snow. Read more.
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