You’ll find a wide variety of options when it comes to vehicle tires. Different compounds, treads, construction methods, and sizes all change how your car drives. If you’re looking to get a little more pep from your ride on the road or track, performance tires may be one of the upgrades you’re considering. You wouldn’t be alone, as Mordor Intelligence predicts the global high-performance tire market will be worth more than $82 billion by 2029.
Once exclusively the province of sports cars and race cars, you can now get them for hundreds of machines. You’ll even find performance tires that fit vehicles like the Toyota Camry and Honda Civic, which were long considered simple daily drivers. Just saying “performance tires” can get your adrenaline pumping. After all, they’re promising better performance right in the name, and who doesn’t want that?
But before slapping on the first performance tires you see, you’ll need to know whether they’re right for you and your vehicle. In this guide to performance tires, we will look at what they are, the pros and cons of performance tires, and the options you have when looking for a new set.
What Are Performance Tires?
The first item is to address what these tires are and how they work. Performance tires are designed to improve a vehicle’s handling and responsiveness compared to regular all-season tires or touring tires. Some of the ways they achieve this include softer rubber to improve grip and different tread patterns to increase the contact patch with the road. They are also often built with a shorter, stiffer sidewall to reduce tire flex. Finally, a performance tire dissipates more heat, so it stays cooler.
The Benefits of Performance Tires
Anyone looking for an extra edge behind the wheel will find plenty to like about performance tires. Here are some of the reasons to buy performance tires.
- They provide more traction and stability, especially when cornering on dry and wet surfaces. This allows you to go through turns faster and feel more comfortable doing so.
- Performance tires are rated for faster speeds, which is a must for thrill-seekers on the track or private roads.
- The larger contact patch also means a shorter stopping distance, which can lower the risk of accidents and collisions.
- They respond better to your steering inputs, allowing you to turn quickly and change lanes faster.
- The stiffer construction makes the tire harder to puncture, giving you more peace of mind against flats and blowouts.
- Performance tires are more capable of handling aggressive driving without peeling, cracking, or otherwise breaking down.
The Problems with Performance Tires
Unfortunately, it’s not all smooth sailing. The advantages of performance tires come with some trade-offs. Here are some downsides to performance tires.
- The increased grip hurts fuel mileage because of the higher rolling resistance.
- The stiffer construction transfers more vibrations to you and the vehicle. This means more road noise and less shock absorption when you go over bumps.
- They don’t work as well as touring tires on dirt or snow, meaning you’re more limited in where you can take your vehicle.
- If you switch from touring tires to performance tires, the shorter sidewall means you’ll likely need larger wheels to compensate. Not doing so can lead to worse handling, inaccurate speedometer readings, and issues with the vehicle’s safety systems.
- Performance tires won’t last quite as long. A 2022 tread test by Consumer Reports determined that, on average, performance all-season tires last about 5,000 miles less than regular all-season tires, and some last as little as 25,000 miles.
- Performance tires cost more than touring tires, so you’ll need a bigger budget.
What to Consider Before Getting Performance Tires
Ultimately, there is no definitive answer on whether performance tires are a better option than touring tires. Each has its upsides and downsides, and it’s on each driver to decide which type has more upsides for your situation. Ask yourself these questions before deciding whether to put performance tires on your ride.
What type of car do you drive? Sports cars, supercars, muscle cars, roadsters, coupes, midsize sedans, and certain luxury cars are more likely to respond well to performance tires than full-size SUVs, trucks, minivans, and entry-level sedans.
What tires did the car come with? If a vehicle has performance tires from the factory, you should be more inclined to continue using them, as that’s what the makers designed the car for.
Where and how will you be driving? If you’re predominately driving on tracks and highways, performance tires will get more of a chance to shine than if you’re mainly driving in the city, on bumpy backroads, in harsh winter environments, or off-road.
What do you value in the driving experience? If you want a more dynamic feel and responsiveness, performance tires will provide it. If you simply want a comfortable way to get from point A to point B, you probably won’t make good use of the performance advantages these tires provide.
Are tire durability and gas mileage important? Those who value durability and efficiency or are on a budget should use touring tires. If these are secondary to better handling, go with performance tires.
Types of Performance Tires
If you decide performance tires are what you need to get the thrills you’re looking for, the next step is picking a design. Just like you’ll find different non-performance tires (grand touring, three-season, winter, etc.), there are several options when it comes to performance tires. Here’s a quick overview of the main performance tire categories.
Performance All-Season Tires
These are one step up from grand touring tires, giving you better handling while still being a solid choice for everyday use in dry and wet conditions. They typically have an H speed rating, which means they can handle speeds up to 130 mph. (A higher speed rating typically indicates a stronger, better quality tire, which is useful even if you have no intention of driving them to their top speed.)
High-Performance All-Season Tires
A high-performance tire goes up another notch, improving handling, stability, and top speed at the expense of efficiency. Most tires in this category have a V rating for speeds up to 149 mph.
High-Performance Summer Tires
These tires have the same speed rating as high-performance all-seasons but with a tread optimized for hot, dry conditions. As such, they won’t handle the cooler, wetter roads you encounter in the summer and fall as well, and you especially shouldn’t take them on snow or ice.
Ultra-High Performance Tires
Known as UHP tires for short, these are some of the grippiest street-legal tires around. They will at least have a V rating and more often come with a Z (over 149 mph), W (168 mph), or even a Y (186 mph) rating. You can get all-season or summer UHP tires, and the all-season variants often use technology to lower the risk of hydroplaning.
Track and Competition Tires
Available for wet or dry conditions, these tires are intended to be used on closed courses, helping you drive harder and put down faster lap times. They typically have a lower tread depth, which increases grip but shortens the lifespan. Although some track tires are DOT-approved for public road use, this is not a guarantee.
Feel the Performance Your Car Is Capable of
Whether you have a sedan, pony car, hot rod, or classic sports car, performance tires can give it a boost on the road or track. There are many companies offering performance tires. You will likely find a good set at your local tire shop. Just be aware of how they work and the potential limitations before diving in headfirst. Regardless of what tires you put on your car, remember that regular maintenance, such as checking the tire pressure monthly, keeping the wheels aligned and balanced, rotating the tires regularly, and inspecting them for cracks and punctures, will help you get the most from them.
