72
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
86 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated May 2026
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT vs Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — 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
Dunlop
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
78/100
180 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — better wet, comfort and handling. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT if treadwear 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
Score (0–100)
Sport Maxx RT leads by 1
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 89 | 86 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 86 | 88 |
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | 92 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
Sport Maxx RT leads by 14
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 83 | 79 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 67 | 84 |
| SimpleTire owners | 90 | 87 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 70 | 73 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
Sport Maxx RT leads by 11
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 82 | 70 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 68 | 82 |
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | 95 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | 95 | 92 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
SP Sport Maxx GT leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | 73 | 70 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 66 | 60 |
| SimpleTire owners | 70 | 84 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
Sport Maxx RT leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | SP Sport Maxx GT | Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 72 | 81 |
| DriverReviews owners | 84 | – |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT | Dunlop Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 72 | 77 |
| Dry | 87 | 88 |
| Wet | 70 | 84 |
| Snow | 70 | – |
| Comfort | 71 | 82 |
| Noise | 95 | – |
| Treadwear | 67 | 60 |
| Handling | 72 | 81 |
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
72
/ 100
Tire A
77
/ 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 Maxx GT is a polarizing ultra-high-performance summer tire that excels in dry-weather handling and steering feedback but receives highly inconsistent feedback regarding wet-weather safety and tread longevity. While many users praise its quiet ride and stability on premium sedans, a significant portion of the user base reports poor traction in wet or cold conditions and premature sidewall degradation.
Pros
- Exceptional dry-weather grip and cornering stability
- Quiet and comfortable ride quality for a performance tire
- Strong steering feedback and predictable handling characteristics
- Attractive aesthetic design with effective rim protection
Cons
- Significant loss of traction and aquaplaning risk in wet or cold conditions
- Inconsistent tread life, with many reports of rapid wear or premature inner sidewall failure
- High price point relative to competitors with similar or better performance
- Susceptibility to tramlining and harshness on poor road surfaces
Observations
- Users with high-horsepower AWD vehicles (Audi Quattro, etc.) generally report better satisfaction with the tire's performance than those with high-torque RWD sports cars.
- Owners of larger, heavier vehicles (Audi A7, BMW 6-series) frequently report issues with sidewall integrity and inner-edge wear.
- The tire is noted to be particularly unsuitable for winter or near-freezing temperatures, with multiple reports of it becoming brittle and losing all traction.
The Dunlop SportMaxx RT is widely regarded as a high-performance tire that excels in dry and wet grip, offering a comfortable and quiet ride that often transforms the driving dynamics of the vehicles it is fitted to. While users frequently praise its handling, braking, and confidence-inspiring feedback, the consensus is heavily polarized by its rapid tread wear, which many owners find unacceptable for daily driving.
Pros
- Exceptional grip in both dry and wet conditions
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Predictable handling and communicative steering feedback
- Strong braking performance
- Good value for money compared to other premium brands
Cons
- Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
- Soft sidewalls which some users find less sharp for aggressive cornering
- Reports of cracking or premature aging of the rubber compound
- Poor performance in snow or freezing temperatures
- Inconsistent longevity across different vehicle weights and driving styles
Observations
- Users with heavy front-wheel-drive vehicles or high-torque diesel estates frequently report the fastest tread wear, often requiring replacement under 15,000 miles.
- Owners of performance-oriented cars (e.g., Alfa Romeo, Mazda, Volvo) often report that the tire significantly improves ride quality and noise levels compared to stiffer OEM tires like run-flats or Pirelli P Zeros.
- Some users on 19-inch sizes noted increased road noise and harshness, suggesting the tire's comfort benefits may be more pronounced on smaller rim diameters.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT | B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Extreme Performance tires | — |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | — |
| Sizes available | 5 | 5 |
| Rim diameters | 20″ – 21″ | 17″ – 19″ |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | 9/32″ |
| UTQG | 240 A A | 240 A A |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | 51 psi | 50 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
72
/ 100
Dunlop
77
/ 100
Dunlop
Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT — better wet, comfort and handling. Pick the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT if treadwear matters most to you.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 84 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 82 vs 71 on comfort.
Pick tire B
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 81 vs 72 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT scores 67 vs 60 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT also compared with
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 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.