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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Avon ZT7 vs Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — Compared (May 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 ZT7

Summer Premium Touring tires

Avon ZT7 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
68/100
12 owner reviews
Dry
79
Wet
74
Comfort
73
Treadwear
63
Handling
66

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
Comfort
47
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 ZT7 if comfort and wet matter most to you.
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Category breakdown

5 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 15
A — Avon ZT7
79
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
94
Why this score
SourceZT7Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 79 94

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) ZT7 leads by 8
A — Avon ZT7
74
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
66
Why this score
SourceZT7Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 74 66

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) ZT7 leads by 26
A — Avon ZT7
73
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
47
Why this score
SourceZT7Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 73 47

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Direzza DZ03 leads by 8
A — Avon ZT7
63
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
71
Why this score
SourceZT7Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 63 71

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Direzza DZ03 leads by 23
A — Avon ZT7
66
B — Dunlop Direzza DZ03
89
Why this score
SourceZT7Direzza DZ03
Tyre Reviews owners 66 89

Scores at a glance

Avon ZT7 vs Dunlop Direzza DZ03: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryAvon ZT7Dunlop Direzza DZ03
Relative Score 70 72
Dry 79 94
Wet 74 66
Comfort 73 47
Treadwear 63 71
Handling 66 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

From owners

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Avon ZT7

The Avon ZT7 is generally regarded as a budget-friendly, comfortable tire that performs adequately for daily commuting and standard driving conditions. While many users praise its quiet ride and impressive value, a significant portion of the user base reports concerns regarding premature sidewall cracking and inconsistent performance during spirited driving.

Pros

  • High value for money compared to premium brands
  • Impressively quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Reliable wet and dry grip for standard, non-aggressive driving
  • Good tread longevity for many users

Cons

  • Frequent reports of premature sidewall perishing or cracking
  • Tendency to understeer when pushed hard in corners
  • Inconsistent handling characteristics under spirited driving
  • Reports of uneven tread wear in some applications

Observations

  • Users operating small, lightweight vehicles report the tire is sufficient for daily use but lacks the precision required for spirited driving.
  • Fleet van operators find the tire durable and quiet, suggesting it performs well under consistent, moderate commercial use.
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 ZT7 B · Dunlop Direzza DZ03
CategorySummer Premium Touring tiresSummer Trackday and Competition tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Avon

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — better handling, dry and treadwear. Pick the Avon ZT7 if comfort and wet matter most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Avon ZT7 scores 73 vs 47 on comfort.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 89 vs 66 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 94 vs 79 on dry.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Avon ZT7 scores 74 vs 66 on wet.

Tire A · Avon ZT7
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.