August 30, 2024
Ultra High Performance All-Season (UHPAS) tires are given an incredible mantle to carry. As a category, they've evolved over the years from being a niche group with a limited focus to everyday drivers on all kinds of vehicles. Certainly, high levels of performance are a natural expectation of the category, in all environments, dry, wet, and - to an extent - even during wintertime conditions. They're also expected to be comfortable, quiet and refined, a "brute in a suit", to match the sports and luxury vehicles they're often paired with.
Because of the evolution of the category, and because there's such a variety of expectations placed on them, we'll be testing a wide swath of tires offered today. Our team has mixed in a range of tires, including premium options, to provide a broad picture of what's available in the category and explore the push-and-pull of tires focused on sophistication on the road compared to their ability to maximize grip in dry and wet environments.
We'll introduce each, break down our experiences with them on our real world road ride, then discuss their traction and subjective behavior on both a wet and dry track to understand how these tires act when pushed to their limits, mimicking the kind of high-speed emergency maneuvers you might need to deal with in a sudden crisis.
Let's get into it!
An updated version of BFGoodrich's return to the Ultra High Performance All-Season category, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS has made a positive impact with customers and tested well in the past, but how does it hold up today? On the road, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS was on the firmer side of the group, but rounded over impacts well, even if it didn't mask the feeling of them. Noise was consistent over most surfaces, with a persistent tone over crosscut concrete, as well as some minor tread growl and light pitter-patter when the surface was smooth. The steering was a standout, communicating the tire's performance DNA, it was nicely weighted, not eager to wander off-center, ultimately feeling deliberate and planted.
When it came to taking the tire for laps around the wet track, it turned out a strong performance overall, with reliable traction and balanced handling. The steering was just as direct and accurate as it was on the road, though with the greater demands of maintaining speed in low traction, it was slightly slower in response than our drivers would have preferred. Braking could have been stronger, with a 10 foot gap between it and the test leader from 60 mph. The front tended to push as well, especially in tighter turns. Despite these minor drawbacks, it behaved consistently, not the slowest tire, but not competitive with the fastest either. Once the track dried off, it was in a similar position compared to its behavior in the wet. The hefty, assured steering continued to be a highlight, even if it was a bit less nimble under stress, but the lack of absolute traction ultimately held it back around the middle of the pack both subjectively and in objective lap times and braking distances.
A kinder, gentler all-season cousin to its Max Performance Summer counterpart, the Potenza Sport AS certainly delivered on the road. The actual quality of the ride was somewhat of a mixed bag - it was taut and created some mild post-impact jiggle, though it was never really disruptive, just there. The sound management was quite good everywhere, well-blended with no real standout tones, and minimal pattern noise. The steering was a bit less exciting - it was responsive to the touch, pointy and alive at lower speeds - unfortunately as speed increased, it felt somewhat lifeless, lacking the natural build and heft typical of performance tires.
When it came to fulfilling the "performance" part of a UHPAS tire, the Potenza Sport AS stumbled on the wet track - steering was still responsive, but it just didn't have the traction to really match and that translated everywhere. There was delay between input and action while waiting for the grip to catch up, leading to a loose experience around the track and slowing down our drivers' movement through the slalom and lap times. The same was true around the dry track, although not quite as drastic as it was in the wet, the fact remained that the steering felt slower, less pointy, less precise, and down on traction compared to the other tires on offer. It required braking sooner, losing speed in corners and overall just required a more deliberate approach to make the most of it.
A long-running and well-loved UHPAS tire, the ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus has consistently topped customer review rankings and impressed in testing since it debuted. There's little doubt it can be considered one of the go-to benchmarks for the category. It's always worth revisiting tires on a new platform - even some that seem like "sure things" - to see how time, competition and other variables have changed the picture. The road ride this time out was generally comfortable, softening larger hits in the road, absorbing smaller cracks and bumps with general poise, with just a touch of residual motion. Noise was likewise well-mitigated over most surfaces, including some of the more difficult, like chip and seal roads. It wasn't without some noticeable tread noise or the occasional higher-pitched tone, but the lower volume made up for most errant noises. The steering feel was also subdued, responsive enough, but not eager or lively, with equal firmness that just felt somewhat synthetic at higher speeds.
In the transition over to the wet track for testing, the steering continued to be unexciting and flat, a disappointing pair to its strong traction and compliant, well-balanced behavior. It was a neutral, clinical experience that was no less capable for it - competing with (though not quite achieving) some of the top times around the track in the wet. Interestingly enough in straight-line braking from 60 mph, it was one of the weaker tires tested, taking a full 10 feet further than the leading tire to stop. The dry track experience was refreshing by comparison - the tire felt intuitive and athletic, held back only by its somewhat flat steering, with competent, but not exceptional, traction.
One of the newer UHPAS tires in this test, this bright up-and-comer from Cooper has showed off strong ability in past track testing on our old platform and we were eager to see how it would pair with the new 330i xDrive. Our impressions during the road ride were that the Cobra Instinct is unmistakably firm, almost like it was making a point of being a "performance" tire. It was far from unbearable, handling small impacts with a little impact movement, but larger bumps and potholes were felt hard. Noise was middling, a little higher volume than average, but with noticeable tones over smooth roads and a marked hiss over crosscut concrete. The steering feel was also a mixed experience, it was firm, but somewhat vague on the center line, and not quite urgent enough once input was applied.
Switching the venue over to the wet track, the Cobra Instinct immediately felt more at home. The tire offered strong traction, performing impressively through slalom maneuvers with minimal adjustments for wet conditions. The steering was weighty and responsive, and while grip was powerful throughout, our drivers still found some mid-corner limits that prevented them from pushing it as far as it seems to tempt. Even so, it was still handily the leader by every objective measurement in the wet - with the shortest stopping distances and quickest lap times by a comfortable margin compared to every other tire. It wasn't quite as objectively dominant once the track dried off, but remained one of the top options tested. It was athletic, alert, and well-balanced - it felt planted, underneath the driver. Overall, an impressive showing.
The Azenis FK460 A/S represents Falken's latest entry in the UHPAS category - fusing the daily versatility drivers expect with the performance promised by an Azenis-branded product. During the on-road portion of our testing, the ride quality was promising - it rode the line between comfortable and compliant without too much stiffness, rounding over most imperfections and bumps with minimally obtrusive vertical motion. Road noise was kept to a low volume overall, particularly over coarse surfaces, albeit with some higher-pitched tones on the smoothest roads. The steering feel was appropriate for the category - direct, natural, and in-line with our drivers' inputs, but lacking some spark that made it truly satisfying - needing just a bit more heft and precision.
Once we put the Azenis FK460 A/S on a wet track, it was again, appropriate for the category with light, lively steering that followed direction nicely. Sadly, the rest of the tire didn't follow as dutifully. Specifically lateral traction was down compared to the rest of the pack, requiring earlier braking to get mid-corner speed correct, or risk sliding through. Longitudinal traction was mercifully strong, and it stopped the 3rd shortest in the test from 60mph, but it wasn't enough, and reflected in the tire's lap times, ultimately one of the slowest on average. Unfortunately, once the track dried off, things didn't improve much, with the same smeary, excessive movement. It wanted to push with too much speed, too much input - and crossing the limit was a four wheel breakaway. Slowing down brought back control, with the same alert, compliant steering it clearly possesses, but it felt outclassed here.
An iterative follow-up to the generally well-received G-MAX AS-05, our testing on last year's BRZs found the AS-07 was a well-rounded tire with few weaknesses, but this is a new year, new vehicle and it's time to reevaluate everything. The experience on the road this time around was a slightly firm ride - normal for the category - with a touch of post-impact motion. It was fairly transparent, communicating most imperfections to the driver, but rounding them off so the ride never really felt rough. Noise was mostly a deftly blended mix of muted tones, but some pattern noise stood out on the smoothest surfaces. At both low and high speeds, the steering built effort nicely and was responsive enough, particularly close to center, but felt just shy of immediate.
Once we transitioned over to a wet track for testing, the G-MAX AS-07 performed well - the steering was lively, pointed, working in concert with the balanced, planted feeling of the tire overall through corners and hard driving. Limit driving found oversteer quicker than we'd like, and it was a bit weaker in braking than the top-tier of tires tested here, which kept it from making the absolute most of its capabilities otherwise, but it was a respectably even-keel performance. It was even more composed with the dry track to play with. Any traction woes were quickly set aside - this tire had the best 60-0 mph braking distances in the test, and with lap times a heartbeat away from the leaders, it made a strong argument for its performance chops.
The Pilot Sport All Season 4 is a tire that needs almost no introduction - with thousands of reviews recommending it and millions of miles logged, it's a well-loved customer favorite. It's also been around for a while, and it is always worth reevaluating tires to see how they perform compared to the current landscape. During the road ride, the tire exhibited some minor harshness over the normal road imperfections, with some slight jiggle over the larger bumps. Noise levels varied, but were common, with moderate levels of multi-tonal feedback on most surfaces, and higher overall volume at highway speeds and smoother roads. The steering was fast, responsive, and particularly eager when moved off-center, it was sporty enough for the category, if a little light on feedback.
The reactive steering continued over to the wet track, keeping our drivers in control as long as they didn't ask a little too much of it in the front axle. In spite of having to fight a more slippery surface, the Pilot Sport All Season 4 had more than enough grip to handle it - posting the 2nd best braking distances in the test from 60-0 mph - it could handle slalom maneuvers, recovered quickly from mistakes and was just generally a rock solid performer. That feeling persisted during our dry laps as well, with equally strong braking and traction in most cases, though it was a little sensitive to mid-turn loading and could push as it unwinds. It was consistent and balanced throughout.
The latest successor of the popular P Zero AS line, it introduced compound changes and a multitude of small tweaks to design and tread, not to reinvent the wheel (or the tire), but to continue iterating and improving on a successful design. The tweaks have worked - previous testing has been positive, and as of the time of writing, it tops Tire Rack's customer surveys for the category. Our road ride this time around was just as positive - absorbing most impacts, smoothing over bumps, and keeping the cabin largely undisturbed. The amount of noise control was excellent as well, and other than some very mild interaction with crosscut concrete, was whisper quiet. No stand-out tones, no strong tread noise, just the wind. Steering was natural and responsive - quick, but not over-eager.
That intuitive nature was present during our wet laps as well, not too weighty, but just right, with steering response that was just as effortlessly natural to use as it was on the road, easy to drive even at the limit. The steering rate was well-matched to the level of grip it had. It was balanced, with the front and rear axles working in union, every aspect of the tire just harmonized. It wasn't objectively the grippiest tire, nor the fastest, but it wasn't far off - and all of its characteristics in concert easily made it the most pleasant to drive in the wet. Once the track dried off - those traits remained just as present, but it added another feather to its metaphorical cap by taking top objective lap times.
Vredestein has established themselves as a brand with a strong track record, making an impact with customers - and our test team - with positive reviews and driver feedback. The Hypertrac All Season is a particular favorite, ranking among the top tires in the category as of this writing. Our drivers' experience on the road this time was pleasant, compliant, taking most of the imperfections in the road with a genteel professionalism: a little stiff, but smooth. Overall volume was down, and it was nice and quiet during most of the ride, apart from a singular stand-out tone on an asphalt portion of the course. The steering was weighty, responding nicely after it moved off-center, but with just a tiny delay, enough to drag the experience down a bit and feel slightly sluggish.
The positive feeling from the on-road experience was tempered a bit when we took the Hypertrac All Season out on the wet track - steering was still responsive, but it didn't have the traction to match up with it. Straight-line braking was tied for the weakest in the test, taking 16 feet further to stop from 60mph, and while it wasn't the absolute slowest around the track, it wasn't far from it. The sense of balance was off, it was loose, twitchy, wanted to rotate from behind in turns, but it also tended to push from the front, the whole package felt less controllable when it needed it the most. Dry laps were similar even with a less slippery surface to work with, the steering was mushy, the back end would break out during slalom maneuvers and wouldn't combine inputs - it wasn't uncontrollable, but compared to most of the options in the test, it was down on traction. The longest braking distances, the slowest laps, both objectively and subjectively, it simply didn't measure up.
As we said at the onset - the Ultra-High Performance All Season category has a lot of variability to it, but also a lot of similarities. In other words: there's a lot of gray, where the margins separating one tire for another can be slim. The category itself sits on edge of other groups of tires - not quite touring, not quite Max Performance, but expected to maintain the attributes of both, to compete almost, with both - and if the demands aren't heavy enough, it should be drivable in the winter too! It's a lot. Some of the tires over-index toward raw performance, wet driving, comfort, sound deadening. It's tough to find any that are truly good at everything. That's a large part of what makes finding the right tire so tricky and why testing, to find those minutia, those differences, is ultimately so important.
Although, on the subject of finding the rare tire that's good at everything, Pirelli's P Zero AS Plus 3 was kind of a shocking stand-out here. It is fast, it is stable, it is comfortable, it just does it all. It isn't that the tire itself was surprising, Pirelli has a strong legacy and the latest in a series, after years of iterative tweaks to improve their tire line, being better than its predecessors is normal, expected even - but to have so little in the way of weaknesses, to balance comfort and performance the way it does is truly laudable. Continental's ExtremeContact DWS 06 Plus serves as an interesting follow-up, though less so by contrast. It's a good tire for category, great even, the kind of tire that can be called a benchmark - but it doesn't dominate the same way. It isn't the fastest, it doesn't have the most traction, it doesn't have the liveliest steering, but it put everything together really well to create an experience that feels balanced and holistic for a UHPAS tire. It's a theme that continues in the General G-MAX AS-07: good in most respects, a pleasant experience on the road, though particularly agile and alive during dry laps, with best-in-test braking. It's just a little bit of a step back from the others with water on the asphalt, but even competing with premium tire options in this category is worthy of note. Next, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 is unquestionably a successful tire, and it has years-worth of testing, reviews and feedback to validate it. Time and competition have caught up to this venerable performer though - it was little surprise this round of testing, showing off a very good UHPAS tire that has just been outclassed by progress. It's capable rain or shine, even if it that comes at some sacrifice to its comfort.
Cooper's representative in this test, the Cobra Instinct, is one of the youngest tires here, and also one of the strongest outright upper-case "Performance" tires we looked at this group. If the only parameters we looked at were objective scores, it's an easy recommendation: the fastest laps and strongest braking in the wet, nearly as capable in the dry, with ample traction available everywhere. Unfortunately, when you slow it all down and just have to drive it, on the road, like a normal everyday tire, it just lacks some of the refinement of other category options. BFGoodrich's g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS, is a mouthful of a tire name, but was relatively simple to understand once we drove it. It's fairly well-balanced overall and doesn't give up too much comfort on the road. The steering is quite nice as well. Both its credit and its detriment: it's neither great in any one discipline or terrible in another. It's just a pretty good tire with better and worse options around it.
Finally, the Falken Azenis FK460, Bridgestone Potenza Sport AS, and Vredestein's Hypertrac All Season are all tires that made for a good commuter experience, with appropriate noise mitigation for the category, decent steering and composure over imperfections that let them absorb the unpleasantries of travel. None of them found a way to stand out on the track - at least not positively. They were capable enough in their own right, perhaps compared to grocery-getter touring options, but in this highly competitive category, they simply hit their limits earlier and more often than many of their rivals, resulting in some underwhelming performance.
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