Tire Test Results

Tires Tested

• What We Liked: It feels great on the dry track, has the shortest dry stopping distance.
• What We’d Improve: Needs a big bump in wet traction.
• Conclusion: A reasonable option that struggles in the wet.

• What We Liked: Test-leading wet traction and on-road refinement.
• What We’d Improve: It could use a sizable improvement in light snow traction.
• Conclusion: A solid performer in the warm months.

• What We Liked: Sharp handling and sporty feel, plus satisfying light snow performance.
• What We’d Improve: The wet traction needs significant improvement.
• Conclusion: Feels athletic in the dry, but the wet performance leaves something to be desired.

• What We Liked: Solid on the road, good grip in the wet and test-leading abilities in the snow.
• What We’d Improve: It could use some minor refinement in ride and noise.
• Conclusion: Overall, it’s a good addition to the category.

On the road, all four tires in the group delivered performance that was acceptable for their positioning as entry-level Ultra High Performance All-Season tires, with some variation among the members of the group.

The Ecsta PA51 delivered the highest level of overall refinement in the test. The ride was composed over impacts, yet never felt overly firm or harsh. The experience was a very satisfying blend of comfort and control. Noise quality was good as well, with some minor impact ring that made its way into the cabin, but no significant tread noise. The steering was quick, linear, and required a fair amount of effort, but it was also somewhat vague for the performance category. The HTR A/S P03 featured a slightly softer ride that was compliant over small or repetitive impacts, but was a little out of its element on larger bumps. Noise consisted of a moderate-volume, broad tone over most surfaces. Cross-cut concrete is the worst material on our road ride route from a noise standpoint, and the HTR A/S P03 interacted with this type of surface in a way that was arguably the loudest and most distinctive of the group. Our testers voiced some displeasure with the steering feel. While it was acceptable, it was a little vague and not as satisfying as we would have liked. The UHP Sport A/S was a little stiff over bumps of all sorts. While the ride was well-controlled, a little added compliance would go a long way. The noise was slightly more noticeable than the Kumho or Sumitomo, but still nothing more significant than a medium-volume, white tone. Fast steering felt athletic and was accurate, but the response and effort built in a way that was unnatural and left our testers somewhat wanting. At the back of this tight-knit group was the Raptor ZR A/S. Similar to the other three tires here, our team had no major concerns, but weren’t blown away by the on-road characteristics, either. The ride was controlled but quite stiff, transmitting every bump into the cabin and feeling as though it skipped over close together impacts. The noise was very close to the other tires in the group, though the volume was just a touch louder. Right around on-center, the tire’s steering had resistance, though not much responsiveness. Immediately off-center, the response was very rapid and accelerated with more input. Ultimately, this minor handling complaint didn’t hurt the tire’s score significantly with our team, and once again would be acceptable for the category and positioning.

What We Learned on the Test Track

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.

Dry testing with this group revealed something we often find to be true - tires that feel the best on the track aren’t always the fastest, and the tires that are the fastest often don’t feel the best. For pure, subjective driving pleasure, the Fuzion earned the highest score with our testers. The direct and intuitive steering placed the vehicle exactly where the driver commanded, and the balanced handling plus reasonably strong lateral grip held the line and accelerated from the turn smartly. Despite the satisfying performance, the stopwatch revealed the tire was at the back of the pack objectively. The Kumho didn’t feel as nice to drive as the Fuzion, primarily due to steering that was vague and somewhat imprecise. Despite this criticism, it was apparent from the driver’s seat the Kumho was the fastest tire of the group. The impressive lateral grip meant our team could carry the most speed through turns of all types, and surprising longitudinal grip allowed drivers to give the vehicle full throttle almost immediately following a corner. RIKEN’s entry was something of a mixed performer. The sharp steering response allowed the tire to change directions rapidly and with authority, which felt very good through small transitions like the slalom. Unfortunately, the lateral traction didn’t quite live up to the promise made by the quick reflexes, so it was easy to overpower the front end on 90 degree turns, leading to understeer. Additionally, the RIKEN was the most tail-happy under power, with a peaky performance overall that required concentration to maximize. The Sumitomo was a small step behind the rest of the group, both from the way it felt and the performance figures generated. Just like on the road, the steering was a source of concern for our drivers. The slightly heavy steering was a little slow to respond compared to the other tires, which meant drivers had to add their input earlier than expected. Fortunately, Ultra High Performance All-Season tires aren’t intended to be used on the track, so this aspect of the Sumitomo’s personality is just a minor complaint.

In the wet, we saw significant separation among the group. The Ecsta PA51 led the test objectively as well as in the scores provided by our test team. Strong front end traction allowed the tire to turn down to the apex like the driver desired, and the confident braking and traction at corner exit meant it was possible to drive in a very similar fashion as in the dry. The HTR A/S P03 also had strong traction, posting objective results that were very close to the test-leading Kumho, along with the shortest average stopping distance. The recalcitrant steering once again hurt the overall score, in addition to the average lap time. Taking a big step back brings us to the UHP Sport A/S. Lower outright traction meant the driver had to look far ahead and use gentle, deliberate inputs to remain within the tire’s capabilities. Driven in this manner, though, the overall behavior was acceptable but somewhat lacking in outright grip. The Raptor ZR A/S was another significant step back, yet again. From the first turn, there was no doubt the tire lacked the traction to drive with any haste. When pushed, the performance was edgy, with abrupt breakaway when the modest limits were exceeded. The best strategy for our team was to slow down and carefully drive within the window of grip provided by the tire.

Driving in Winter Conditions

Our light snow testing revealed the HTR A/S P03 is a solid performer for an Ultra High Performance All-Season product, leading the group in acceleration, braking, and lap times in addition to earning the highest subjective ratings from our testers. Balanced handling and strong front end authority meant our drivers could actually drive the tire how they wanted, instead of feeling like they had to slow down and simply manage the tire’s lack of traction. The Raptor ZR A/S had a similar feel and was also a capable performer, though slightly lower outright grip meant it was just a touch behind objectively, and about half a point back from the HTR A/S P03 in our subjective evaluation. The UHP Sport A/S didn’t provide the traction of the two leaders, requiring over a car length longer to come to a stop from 25mph. The Ecsta PA51 delivered acceleration traction that was slightly ahead of the UHP Sport A/S, but trailed in all other metrics. Additionally, our testers found the tire had a somewhat difficult-to-drive nature, even at the reduced speeds necessitated by the lower outright traction.

Ice testing revealed the HTR A/S P03 and Raptor ZR A/S again were close in performance, with the Raptor ZR A/S just a touch behind in acceleration and braking. The UHP Sport A/S was a small step back, and the Ecsta PA51 trailed the group by a considerable margin. As we have found in the past, none of the tires in our test group come close to providing the traction delivered by a dedicated winter tire.

Fuel Consumption Results

Due to the limited number of drivers participating in our 2020 testing as a result of the global pandemic, the sample size was not large enough to provide reliable fuel consumption data.

Summary

The Kumho Ecsta PA51 is a nicely-balanced option that performs at a reasonably high level in our warm-weather testing. Its combination of comfort and composure on the road and test-leading wet traction set the benchmark among the group, and the impressive dry grip set the bar in our objective dry testing, as well. The counterpoint is light snow traction that trails the pack by a noticeable margin. The Fuzion UHP Sport A/S is acceptable on the road and feels good on the dry track, but its capability in the wet could use a significant improvement. Sumitomo’s HTR A/S P03 is a nice addition to the category, with relative comfort on the road and an overall acceptable personality. The wet traction is nearly on par with the test-leading Kumho, and the Sumitomo is capable in the dry and a standout performer for the category in light snow traction. The RIKEN Raptor ZR A/S feels sporty on the road, with category-appropriate noise comfort and very responsive steering, but the ride is noticeably stiff, even for a performance product. The sharp handling feels good on the dry track, but modest levels of ultimate grip combined with edgy behavior at its low limits mean the tire doesn’t earn much favor with our team in our wet testing. Its light snow capability is satisfying, especially for an Ultra High Performance All-Season product.