Tire Test Results

Tires Tested

• What We Liked: It is exceptionally balanced whether dry or wet and seriously quick.
• What We’d Improve: We can’t help but ask for a tiny bump in dry grip.
• Conclusion: It’s a strong addition to the endurance focused options.

• What We Liked: The steering is a case study for how it should be done.
• What We’d Improve: We know it’s built for endurance lapping, but we’d love some more traction in the dry and wet.
• Conclusion: It delivers the quintessential driving experience, lap after lap.

• What We Liked: It grips and goes like you entered a cheat code.
• What We’d Improve: Except in the wet... then you should slow down.
• Conclusion: They said it was quick, and they were right.

• What We Liked: Its trademark traction in dry and wet is always impressive.
• What We’d Improve: A more neutral balance at the limit would help take advantage of the grip.
• Conclusion: A strong "Super 200" that has some fresh competition.

What We Learned on the Tire Rack 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.

Our team expected impressive performance around the dry track, and the Potenza Race delivered incredibly high subjective scores and seriously quick laps considering it’s supposed to give up a little bit of speed for better track wear. Lapping the handling course within a quarter of a second of the quickest tire and managing to feel consistently easy to drive is a time penalty a lot of drivers would happily take. The Bridgestone’s front-end authority was one of its strongest assets and was complemented by a firmly weighted and precise steering feel that communicated its intentions clearly from initial turn-in, all the way to unwinding at corner exit. It was satisfying to drive at the limit and while a small bump in outright grip would have been welcomed, our team found it hard to argue that it hasn’t succeeded perfectly at what it set out to do. Right on its heels, the ExtremeContact Force essentially matched the Bridgestone’s times but was a slight step down in ultimate traction. However, it seemed to offset some of that disadvantage with the best subjective steering in the test. Its nearly telepathic response and extremely precise changes with even the smallest inputs, let our drivers fully utilize every bit of track surface and grip. It was very much a tire that wanted to be finessed around the turns rather than chucked headlong into the corners but when driven with that deliberate style, our team really enjoyed its polished personality. Alternatively, the Nankang Sportnex CR-S’ traction wasn’t in short supply, as it achieved an impressive 1.06 gs of lateral traction, some of the shortest stopping distances, and the fastest average lap times around the handling course. When hundredths matter, the Sportnex CR-S delivered just ahead of its next closest rival thanks to its unrelenting grip through corners. Our team noted they could drive deeper into corners knowing the Nankang would still hold the intended line, rotate on cue and handle essentially all the throttle the test vehicle could deliver. It wasn’t as fluid or precise as the Continental or Bridgestone, but its absolute grip was hard to argue with. Right on its heels, the ADVAN A052 put down the second quickest laps of the test with similar grip as the Nankang, but slightly less front-end authority mid-corner which delayed throttle application, sucking up precious hundredths of a second in the tighter corners. The Yokohama would also take any input within reason and had a reasonably wide sweet spot to work in. Naturally our drivers really enjoyed the Yokohama, but similar to the lap times, subjective results were separated by razor thin margins.

On the wet track, the Potenza Race managed to pull away from the pack with the highest lateral grip and the shortest stopping distances. Its front-end grip felt stronger and yielded more positive direction changes which inspired confidence in our drivers. The Bridgestone’s higher traction levels and excellent behavior at the limit really synced up well with our test vehicles on our handling course. While it might have been slightly slower than the ADVAN A052, it did everything so nicely, it was the clear subjective favorite. The Yokohama managed very similar braking distances as the Bridgestone, but struggled more around the skidpad, perhaps due to some light hydroplaning, which can be a factor with Extreme Performance Summer tires in heavy rain. With a bit more understeer, our drivers had to wait on the car to mostly clear the corner before adding power, but then the ADVAN A052 would easily allow for full throttle on exit without any threat of the rear end stepping out. The ExtremeContact Force required more throttle discipline and quicker hands on exit, with a tendency to yaw on its axis when traction was exceeded. While objective grip was a step down, the Continental’s sublime steering was once again hard to beat and with deliberate inputs, lapped at a reasonable pace. The Sportnex CR-S was about a second off from the Continental. That said, it had significantly lower lateral traction that most likely was a combination of some hydroplaning and a larger compound traction deficit. Our team found it "good enough", but the persistent understeer forced our drivers to slow entry speeds and delay throttle inputs to keep from pushing wide.

What We Learned on the Big Track

Our local road course let our team evaluate the tires in a different environment which they compete in during track days, sprint races, and endurance events. The faster speeds, longer sweeping turns and higher energy corners put different stresses on the tires than our tighter course at Tire Rack headquarters. We’ve found that, for the most part, most tire traits stay very similar, but some can be amplified or perhaps become not as critical when scaled up, so to complete the whole picture, we tested them head-to-head on the track.

The Sportnex CR-S’ speed was on full display once our drivers ramped up their cornering speeds to the massive grip levels provided by the Nankang. It had strong front-end authority which felt "pointy" to our drivers but maintained mild understeer at the limit and a forgiving rear axle balance with easy to manage oversteer when it occurred. With the most confidence through the esses and in the higher speed corners which leave little margin for error, our drivers were able to make up time on the competition for the fastest average laps in the tests. Coming in just eight hundredths of a second behind, the ADVAN A052 had similarly impressive grip levels. Its front-end traction dissolved into mild understeer a touch sooner on our test car, which probably gave up some time. However, the braking felt like a nice improvement, with strong, consistent deceleration that never seemed to upset the chassis at entry. The Yokohama’s steering didn’t feel quite as urgent or immediate as the Nankang, but felt just as competent. It wasn’t surprising the two endurance focused tires of the group were a bit off the pace of the front runners, but the Potenza Race wasn’t letting them out of its sights with times only a half second behind the Yokohama. It didn’t feel as "sticky" especially in the long sweeping turns, but it clearly had the speed. Our drivers wanted a little more front-end authority and firmer steering feedback through corners, but besides some mild oversteer at the limit, the Bridgestone was consistently quick. About eight tenths later the ExtremeContact Force crossed the start-finish and like the Potenza Race, it demanded the driver stay within its traction boundaries, otherwise its more oversteer prone behavior at the limit would have them correcting yaw with speed-sapping counter inputs. The Continental did garner some of the highest praise for providing the most handling feedback from our team, which was appreciated once they modified their speeds. Even if the endurance focused compound seemed like it gave up some pace, the communication from the wheel and neutral balance scored points with our team for its "fun factor" and should deliver that very consistent performance lap after lap.

What We Learned on the Road

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.

The expression "there is no free lunch" tends to apply to Extreme Performance Summer tires on the road. Their amazing grip and handling are their top priority, and usually, that comes with a sacrifice in tread life and road manners. The tires in this test were no exception, but our team did find slight differences in how each coped with public roads once off the smooth surfaces of the track. As in the past, the ADVAN A052 was surprisingly "not that bad" on the street. It handily took the highest subjective evaluation for ride quality and noise comfort. Its ride was still very stiff, but the bumps felt more cushioned than the other tires and the resonance over coarse surfaces seemed like it was more successfully kept at bay. The Potenza Race was a step down in ride quality and noise comfort. The expected high-volume grind and resonances combined with very firm impacts served as a constant reminder of its true intentions. Still, impacts were well controlled, and its steering was sharp and precise, which would make taking the long, curvy way home worth it. The ExtremeContact Force just bested the Bridgestone in steering and on-road handling, with its trademark telepathic steering feeling just as nice at around town speeds as it did at breakneck pace on the track. On the flip side, the noise from the Continental was remarkably loud, with unrelenting tones and grinds over most surfaces that seemed to serve as payment for the sublime handling. The Sportnex CR-S rounded out the group on the road with the expected stiff ride that transmitted everything through the chassis and had what was the most pervasive resonance on the highways and streets. The steering wasn’t as well-executed as the others, with almost vague initial inputs that progressed into very fast direction changes without much buildup of effort. While that did make it feel a little jumpy on the street the Nankang did maintain nice on-center stability when tracking straight ahead.

Summary

Our team always gets excited for the Extreme Performance Summer tire tests as they’re a big part of Tire Rack’s DNA in the enthusiast market and close to our hearts as performance enthusiasts ourselves. Not only is testing these tires in three different environments critical to obtaining their full picture, but our team was excited to compare the two approaches to tire development in this category. Realizing there is a small instance of "apples and bananas" here, it really is a case of finding what traits are more important for a driver, course or series, instead of what is "the fastest" tire. The ADVAN A052 has previously held that title and once again shows it has the pace in the dry and wet to win races. We didn’t test durability in a competition environment, but when it comes to going fast, the Yokohama is always a strong choice. It also happens to be shockingly civilized on the road for an Extreme Performance Summer tire, which is certainly an added bonus. The Potenza Race delivers strong and balanced performance in every situation, which isn’t surprising considering it was developed initially as an original equipment tire for supercars. Still, its high-level performance, especially for a more endurance focused tire, really impressed our team. Even with a limited size lineup, we expect it should gain some ground in the segment. The other endurance focused tire, the ExtremeContact Force, leverages its impossibly good steering for a truly driver-centric experience whether on the street, or track. Like all of these, it’s not going to be confused with a street only tire, but if one is willing to forego some daily driving luxuries, they could experience what is arguably one of the most "driver’s tire" tires we’ve ever tested. The Nankang Sportnex CR-S is built for dry speed, period, and it achieves that. Better yet, it feels good doing it. Its front-end grip is absolute and it’s still forgiving at the limit which is a massive benefit in wheel-to-wheel racing or on tracks where the driver isn’t intimately familiar with each corner or is really trying to push the limit for every hundredth. Regardless of a driver’s priorities, each tire here has something to offer and has reinforced the importance of finding the right choice that fits their competition needs.