High-Performance Tires

Best all-season tires for fast cars

Analysts at ConsumerReports.org say many drivers are gravitating towards high-performance and even ultra-high-performance tires, in part because of their better handling and heat resistance. Federal investigations cited heat buildup as a contributing factor in the 270 deaths and 800 injuries tied to tire failures of Firestone tires in 2000. High-performance tires, which are usually H-rated (130 mph) or V-rated (149 mph), get better grip, can brake and corner more precisely and won't get as hot on long highway trips in warm weather than standard all-season tires. But the advantages usually come at the expense of tread life and higher prices.

For peak performance on all road conditions -- even deep snow and ice -- experts and users prefer the Continental ExtremeContact DWS (*Est. $155). No all-season tire does a better job on wintry roads in a recent TireRack.com test at the Arctic Circle, and these tires are top scorers in another respected organization's wet- and dry-road tests. Consumers at TireRack.com agree that the ExtremeContact DWS tires handle wet, snowy and icy roads better than any other tires in their class, while still maintaining outstanding or very good scores in every other category -- dry roads, noise, comfort and tread wear (although the ExtremeContact DWS displays only fair tread life in a leading expert test).

Reviewers particularly like a simple but unique feature of the ExtremeContact DWS (which stands for dry, wet and snow). Continental has molded the letters D, W and S into the tread. When the S wears off, you know the tire has lost the ability to perform optimally in snow. When the W goes, you've lost your best wet-weather traction, and so forth. The Continental ExtremeContact DWS tire carries a 50,000-mile tread-life warranty.

The ExtremeContact DWS's special structure earns praise at TireRack.com. The tires' silica-based tread compound is molded into an asymmetrical tread pattern, with a crisscross on the outboard side (to grab wet and snowy roads), inboard grooves to channel water away and prevent hydroplaning, and shoulder blocks for stable cornering and responsive handling. Inside, dual steel belts and spirally wound, jointless nylon cap plies make for a lightweight tire that can ride comfortably and hold up over the long-term in high-speed driving.

When TireRack.com experts left the Arctic Circle and tested the ExtremeContact DWS tires on wet and dry roads, they placed a very close second to the Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season (*Est. $135). However, testers didn't even bother hauling the Pirelli to the Arctic Circle. TireRack.com customers posting their own reviews to the website say it's nowhere near as good as the ExtremeContact DWS on ice and snow. In another leading expert test, the Continental and Pirelli tires perform almost identically on wet, dry, icy and snowy roads, with the Pirelli getting slightly better scores for quietness and tread wear.

The award for best tread life in this category goes to the Michelin Primacy MXV4 (*Est. $160). It is one of the most expensive performance all-season tires you can buy, but it also has a 60,000-mile tread-life warranty and an outstanding government tread-wear rating for its class. Owners who post at TireRack.com report that the Primacy MXV4 tires really do last longer than other performance all-season tires. It's considered a grand touring tire -- a lower performance class than the ultra-high-performance Continental ExtremeContact DWS.

In one top test, the Michelin Primacy MXV4 tires outclass all other tires in this lower performance class, showing no substantial weaknesses across the board. Testers judge it comfortable-riding and not too noisy, with very long tread life and low rolling resistance (which can help gas mileage). In that test, the Primacy MXV4 tire is judged good or better on all road surfaces, including snow and ice.

CanadianDriver.com reviewer James Bergeron spent a day track-testing the Michelin Primacy MXV4 on a 2007 Toyota Camry. He finds it "provides excellent value for a touring car," handling confidently in both a wet braking test and wet and dry autocross-style tests. However, although the Primacy MXV4 wins an expert test at TireRack.com, testers there give it only mediocre scores on wet roads. "A luxurious Grand Touring All-Season tire that seems to have lost some of its wet weather prowess," they conclude.

If you're looking for even better dry grip, the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S (*Est. $155) is the top-rated high-performance all-season tire by customers at TireRack.com -- just as the Continental ExtremeContact DWS is their favorite tire in its slightly higher performance class. Both tires earn nearly identical scores in a leading expert test, with the V-rated Pilot Exalto A/S offering slightly better braking grip on dry roads (although the Continental's is still very good, and slightly better on wet roads). However, owners at TireRack.com give the Continental better scores for snow and ice traction. The Pilot Exalto A/S carries a 45,000-mile tread-life warranty, versus 50,000 for the Continental ExtremeContact DWS.

For performance on a budget, experts like the Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 (*Est. $115). Despite its markedly cheaper price, the Sumitomo tires actually outperform the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S and top-rated Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires on wet and dry pavement in two top tests.

But user reviews for the Sumitomo tires are mixed. Owners who post reviews at TireRack.com rate it lower than the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S and Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires, especially on winter roads. And TireRack.com experts find the Sumitomo tires don't compete well against the best ultra-high-performance tires. Although they win a TireRack.com expert test of H- and V-rated performance tires, Sumitomo's higher W-speed-rated version slips to last place in a test against its more advanced peers.

Tires rated for higher speeds "often use additional nylon reinforcement and heavier gauge materials to achieve their higher speed rating," which may change the higher-speed version's on-road personality TireRack.com explains. Like the Continental ExtremeContact DWS tires, the Sumitomo tires get traction from a silica tread compound backed by dual steel belts and jointless, spirally wound nylon reinforcement, but the Sumitomo tire's pattern is directional (different front-to-back), not asymmetrical (different from side to side). It uses four circumferential grooves and lateral channels to disperse water, with sipes (tiny cuts) to bite into snow and ice and independent shoulder and intermediate blocks for stable cornering.

In performance-tire sizes, the Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 carries a 40,000-mile tread-life warranty. It's also offered in sizes for smaller wheels, with a longer 65,000-mile tread-life warranty but a lower traction rating.

All-season tires are always a compromise. Tire professionals say all-season tires can never match the speed and handling capabilities of ultra-high-performance summer tires, nor can they move through snow and ice like dedicated snow tires. Depending on the type of driving you commonly do and the climate in which you live, a more specialized tire may be appropriate.