70
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
68/100
134 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SP Sport 01 vs Sumitomo HTR Z III — 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.
VS
Tire B
Sumitomo
Sumitomo HTR Z III
84
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
84/100
42 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Sumitomo HTR Z III — better comfort, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Read full
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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
Score (0–100)
HTR Z III leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 87 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 95 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
HTR Z III leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 80 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 82 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 52 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
HTR Z III leads by 23
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 65 | 86 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 91 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 87 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
HTR Z III leads by 13
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 82 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
HTR Z III leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport 01 | HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 69 | 80 |
| DriverReviews owners | 84 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport 01 | Sumitomo HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 70 | 84 |
| Dry | 79 | 92 |
| Wet | 68 | 81 |
| Snow | – | 52 |
| Comfort | 66 | 89 |
| Noise | – | 87 |
| Treadwear | 69 | 82 |
| Handling | 69 | 80 |
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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Neutral
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Recomputed
Headline score
70
/ 100
Tire A
84
/ 100
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.
The Dunlop SP Sport 01 receives highly polarized feedback, with users divided between those who value its predictable handling and longevity and those frustrated by significant road noise and inconsistent wet-weather performance. While many owners appreciate the tire's stiff sidewall for steering precision and cornering stability, a substantial number of reviewers report that noise levels increase dramatically as the tread wears down. Overall, it is viewed as a capable, long-lasting summer tire for daily driving, though it often falls short of expectations for high-performance vehicles.
Pros
- Excellent tread longevity and durability for many users
- Predictable, progressive handling and steering feedback
- Strong dry-weather grip and cornering stability
- Stiff sidewall construction provides a precise, 'on-rails' feel
Cons
- Significant and increasing road noise as the tire wears
- Inconsistent or poor wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
- Harsh ride quality due to stiff sidewalls
- Performance drop-off once tread depth reaches 3-4mm
Observations
- Users with heavy SUVs (e.g., Audi Q5, Skoda Yeti) often report high satisfaction with longevity and stability, though noise remains a common complaint.
- Owners of high-horsepower performance sedans (e.g., C63 AMG) frequently report that the tire struggles to manage torque, leading to excessive wheel spin and poor traction.
- BMW owners specifically noted that 'Star Rated' versions of this tire are essential for preventing drivetrain shuddering issues on certain X3 models.
The Sumitomo H/TR Z III is widely regarded as a high-value performance tire that offers a compelling balance of dry grip, comfort, and affordability. While it is frequently praised as a cost-effective alternative to premium brands for daily driving and spirited street use, some users note limitations in extreme wet-weather cornering and high-horsepower traction.
Pros
- Excellent price-to-performance ratio
- Strong dry handling and steering feedback
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality
- Predictable performance for daily driving
Cons
- Inconsistent wet-weather side grip during cornering
- Limited traction under heavy acceleration on high-horsepower vehicles
- Not suitable for winter or freezing conditions
- Variable tread life depending on driving style and vehicle weight
Observations
- High-horsepower RWD vehicles (e.g., 500whp Mustang) may experience significant wheel spin compared to premium performance tires.
- Users with staggered setups report good longevity, though the inability to rotate tires can accelerate wear on the rear axle.
- Owners of lighter, nimble vehicles like the Mini Cooper report high satisfaction with handling and wet-weather performance.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport 01 | B · Sumitomo HTR Z III |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Ultra High Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Tread depth | — | 10/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 300 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
70
/ 100
Dunlop
84
/ 100
Sumitomo
Winner: Sumitomo HTR Z III — better comfort, dry and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Sumitomo HTR Z III scores 89 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You want the most grip on dry roads
Sumitomo HTR Z III scores 92 vs 79 on dry.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Sumitomo HTR Z III scores 81 vs 68 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Sumitomo HTR Z III scores 82 vs 69 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport 01
Tire B · Sumitomo HTR Z III
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SP Sport 01 also compared with
Sumitomo HTR Z III also compared with
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.