Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Direzza ZIII vs Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): 60% professional tests, 40% owner reviews.

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Tire ADunlop

Direzza ZIII

Summer Extreme Performance tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 68 · 2 reviews

Tire BDunlop

Sport Maxx 050+

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Tests – · none yet Owners 66 · 32 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. –

    Dry

    No comparison
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza ZIIISport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online–65
  2. –

    Wet

    No comparison
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza ZIIISport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online–66
  3. –

    Comfort

    No comparison
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza ZIIISport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online–58
  4. –

    Treadwear

    No comparison
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza ZIIISport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online–67
  5. –

    Handling

    No comparison
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza ZIIISport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online–69
Scores at a glance
Dunlop Direzza ZIII vs Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Direzza ZIIIDunlop Sport Maxx 050+
Relative Score – 67
Dry – 66
Wet – 67
Comfort – 64
Treadwear – 66
Handling – 69

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

Weight the categories that matter to you

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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Less important
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Important
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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score

Direzza ZIII

Sport Maxx 050+

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

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Direzza ZIII

Pros

  • High level of predictability and ease of handling
  • Consistent performance during extended track sessions
  • Good durability and tread life for a 200tw tire

Cons

  • Lacks the peak grip required for top-tier competitive autocross
  • Tendency to 'grease up' or lose optimal grip after prolonged hard driving
  • Not the fastest option in its category for pure lap times
All owner themes in the Direzza ZIII review

Tire B Sport Maxx 050+

Pros

  • Reliable and confident dry grip for high-speed cornering and handling
  • Impressive tread wear and long-lasting durability over tens of thousands of kilometers
  • Good value for money relative to premium European brands

Cons

  • Excessive road and cabin noise, particularly at motorway speeds
  • Stiff and harsh ride quality over bumps and rough surfaces
  • Mediocre to poor wet-weather traction with tendencies to slip or aquaplane
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx 050+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Direzza ZIII B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
CategorySummer Extreme Performance tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Direzza ZIII

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

Only Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ has enough test and review data for a Relative Score, so there is no head-to-head winner yet.

Tire A · Dunlop Direzza ZIII
Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

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How do we compare tires?

Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.

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