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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Avon AS7 Gen 2 vs Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — Compared (September 2026)

Our Relative Score blends 60% objective test data with 40% owner-review signal — so any two tires can be compared even if they were never tested on the same day.

Tire A Avon

Avon AS7 Gen 2

All Season Premium Touring tires

Avon AS7 Gen 2 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
71/100
2 professional tests
User signal (40%)
63/100
6 owner reviews
Dry
83
Wet
76
Snow
63
Comfort
74
Noise
58
Treadwear
60
Handling
63

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop Direzza DZ03

Summer Trackday and Competition tires

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
79/100
7 owner reviews
Dry
94
Wet
66
Snow
–
Comfort
47
Noise
–
Treadwear
71
Handling
89

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — better handling, dry and treadwear. Pick the Avon AS7 Gen 2 if comfort and wet matter most to you.
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Category breakdown

7 categories, side by side

Each bar is the Relative Score for that category. Expand a tile to see the test results and owner ratings behind it.

Dry

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Direzza DZ03 leads by 11
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
83
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
94
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Professional tests (TWG score) 82 –
Tyre Reviews owners 85 94

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) AS7 Gen 2 leads by 10
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
76
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
66
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Professional tests (TWG score) 71 –
Tyre Reviews owners 85 66

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
63
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
–
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Professional tests (TWG score) 65 –
Tyre Reviews owners 60 –

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) AS7 Gen 2 leads by 27
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
74
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
47
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Professional tests (TWG score) 78 –
Tyre Reviews owners 68 47

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
58
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
–
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Professional tests (TWG score) 58 –

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Direzza DZ03 leads by 11
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
60
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
71
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 60 71

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Direzza DZ03 leads by 26
A — Avon AS7 Gen 2
63
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
89
Why this score
SourceAS7 Gen 2Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 63 89

Scores at a glance

Avon AS7 Gen 2 vs Dunlop Direzza DZ03: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryAvon AS7 Gen 2Dunlop Direzza DZ03
Relative Score 70 72
Dry 83 94
Wet 76 66
Snow 63 –
Comfort 74 47
Noise 58 –
Treadwear 60 71
Handling 63 89

Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.

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Wet grip and treadwear start at “Important” — the two things buyers rank highest. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.

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Recomputed
Headline score

Tire A

Tire B

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews across retailers and review sites — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Avon AS7 Gen 2

The Avon AS7 Gen 2 receives a polarized reception, with users split between praising its wet-weather competence and criticizing its longevity and inconsistent performance in specific conditions. While some drivers find it a reliable all-rounder for daily commuting, others report significant concerns regarding rapid tread wear and unpredictable handling on damp or icy surfaces.

Pros

  • Strong grip and braking performance on wet and dry tarmac
  • Good value proposition for budget-conscious buyers
  • Durable tread life reported by some users on lighter vehicles
  • Improved fuel efficiency noted by some drivers

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear reported by high-mileage users
  • Increased road noise on rougher road surfaces
  • Inconsistent handling on damp, icy, or muddy roads
  • Negative impact on fuel economy for some vehicle configurations

Observations

  • Users with smaller, lighter vehicles like the Peugeot 207 report excellent durability and grip, though noted a 'floaty' sensation in corners.
  • Drivers of SUVs like the Subaru Forester report balanced performance but highlight noise issues on specific road textures.
Tire B Dunlop Direzza DZ03

The Dunlop Direzza DZ03G is widely regarded as a high-performance competition tire that excels in dry track and tarmac rally environments. While it offers exceptional grip and lap time improvements over competitors, users note significant trade-offs in road noise and rapid tread wear, making it better suited for dedicated track use than daily driving.

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and cornering confidence
  • Significant lap time improvements compared to entry-level semi-slicks
  • High durability and consistent performance under intense heat cycles
  • Predictable handling characteristics on track

Cons

  • Extremely high road noise, often compared to failing wheel bearings
  • Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
  • Poor performance in standing water with high risk of aquaplaning
  • Not recommended for daily driving due to comfort and noise levels

Observations

  • Users on lightweight platforms like the MR2 and MX-5 report excellent handling improvements, though rear tire wear is a common concern.
  • High-horsepower AWD vehicles like the Mitsubishi EVO 9 benefit from the tire's grip but emphasize the extreme noise levels during road use.
  • Users noted that the tire's performance remains consistent even when pushed to the limit in competitive tarmac rally settings.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Avon AS7 Gen 2 B · Dunlop Direzza DZ03
CategoryAll Season Premium Touring tiresSummer Trackday and Competition tires
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Avon

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — better handling, dry and treadwear. Pick the Avon AS7 Gen 2 if comfort and wet matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Avon AS7 Gen 2 scores 74 vs 47 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 89 vs 63 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 94 vs 83 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 71 vs 60 on treadwear.

Tire A · Avon AS7 Gen 2
Tire B · Dunlop Direzza DZ03

How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements) normalized against the best tire in each test and weighted toward recent tests. 40% comes from thousands of owner reviews collected from retailers and review sites. When a tire has only one of the two, we use what exists and say so.

Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score.