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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 vs Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — 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 Dunlop

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
74/100
46 owner reviews
Dry
83
Wet
67
Snow
–
Comfort
88
Noise
–
Treadwear
80
Handling
74

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Dunlop

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

Summer Ultra High Performance tires

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
60/100
44 owner reviews
Dry
77
Wet
67
Snow
90
Comfort
59
Noise
90
Treadwear
74
Handling
78

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 — better comfort, dry and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ if handling matters 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) SP Sport LM 705 leads by 6
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
83
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
77
Why this score
SourceSP Sport LM 705Sport Maxx 050+
Tyre Reviews owners 81 80

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
67
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
67
Why this score
SourceSP Sport LM 705Sport Maxx 050+
Tyre Reviews owners 62 69

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
–
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
90

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) SP Sport LM 705 leads by 29
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
88
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
59
Why this score
SourceSP Sport LM 705Sport Maxx 050+
Tyre Reviews owners 89 62

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
–
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
90

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) SP Sport LM 705 leads by 6
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
80
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
74
Why this score
SourceSP Sport LM 705Sport Maxx 050+
Tyre Reviews owners 82 81

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx 050+ leads by 4
A — Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
74
B — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
78
Why this score
SourceSP Sport LM 705Sport Maxx 050+
Tyre Reviews owners 74 78

Scores at a glance

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 vs Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop SP Sport LM 705Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
Relative Score 77 71
Dry 83 77
Wet 67 67
Snow – 90
Comfort 88 59
Noise – 90
Treadwear 80 74
Handling 74 78

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 Dunlop SP Sport LM 705

The Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 is widely regarded as a dedicated touring tire that excels in ride comfort, noise reduction, and value. While it receives high praise for its ability to absorb road imperfections and provide a quiet cabin, users frequently note that its soft sidewall construction results in compromised handling precision and significant limitations in wet-weather traction.

Pros

  • Exceptional ride comfort and vibration absorption
  • Very low road noise levels
  • High value-for-money proposition
  • Good dry-weather handling for daily commuting

Cons

  • Poor wet-weather grip and high risk of hydroplaning
  • Soft sidewalls lead to 'mushy' steering response
  • Inconsistent tread life reports
  • Not suitable for high-performance or spirited driving

Observations

  • Users with high-horsepower vehicles (e.g., C63s AMG) report that the tire is incapable of handling high torque, leading to significant traction loss.
  • Owners of luxury sedans and daily commuters appreciate the comfort benefits, whereas performance-oriented drivers find the soft sidewalls detrimental to cornering stability.
  • The tire is frequently noted as an effective, budget-friendly alternative to premium OEM tires for standard passenger vehicles.
Tire B Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

The Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ receives a polarized reception, often serving as a divisive Original Equipment (OE) choice for premium vehicles. While many users praise its dry-weather handling and value-for-money proposition, a significant portion of owners report severe dissatisfaction regarding cabin noise, ride harshness, and unpredictable wet-weather performance.

Pros

  • Strong dry-weather grip and cornering stability
  • Competitive pricing compared to premium European rivals
  • Good tread longevity for a performance-oriented tire
  • Responsive steering feedback

Cons

  • High levels of road and cabin noise
  • Harsh ride quality and lack of comfort
  • Poor wet-weather traction and susceptibility to hydroplaning
  • Inconsistent performance on uneven road surfaces

Observations

  • Owners of Lexus and Infiniti models frequently cite this tire as a major detractor from the vehicle's intended luxury and comfort experience.
  • Users transitioning from Run-Flat tires to the 050+ often report an improvement in ride comfort, whereas those moving from premium touring tires report a significant increase in noise.
  • Performance-oriented drivers on high-power sedans generally report higher satisfaction with grip levels than those using the tire for daily commuting on standard passenger vehicles.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresSummer Ultra High Performance tires
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available6—
Rim diameters16″ – 19″—
SidewallBlackwall—
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Dunlop

Winner: Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 — better comfort, dry and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ if handling matters most to you.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 scores 88 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 scores 83 vs 77 on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop SP Sport LM 705 scores 80 vs 74 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 78 vs 74 on handling.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport LM 705
Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

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.