77
/ 100
Objective (60%)
80/100
25 professional tests
User signal (40%)
77/100
92 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 vs Goodyear OptiGrip — Compared (September 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
74
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
71/100
16 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 — better comfort, handling and dry. Pick the Goodyear OptiGrip if wet matters most to you.
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Category breakdown
6 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)
SportMaxx RT 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 74 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 84 | 74 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
OptiGrip leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 80 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 78 | 83 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
SportMaxx RT 2 leads by 7
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 69 | – |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 79 | 66 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | 71 | – |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
SportMaxx RT 2 leads by 4
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 75 | 71 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
SportMaxx RT 2 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | SportMaxx RT 2 | OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 77 | 71 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 | Goodyear OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 77 | 74 |
| Dry | 78 | 74 |
| Wet | 79 | 83 |
| Comfort | 73 | 66 |
| Noise | 71 | – |
| Treadwear | 75 | 71 |
| Handling | 77 | 71 |
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
77
/ 100
Tire A
74
/ 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 SportMaxx RT 2 is generally regarded as a comfortable, quiet, and high-performing tire that excels in daily driving and wet weather conditions. While many users praise its grip and value, a significant segment of the enthusiast community finds the sidewalls too soft for aggressive, high-speed cornering, leading to a 'spongy' or unstable feeling under heavy load.
Pros
- Excellent wet weather traction and aquaplaning resistance
- High levels of ride comfort and low road noise
- Strong value proposition compared to other premium UHP tires
- Effective rim protection features
- Good steering feedback for normal to spirited road driving
Cons
- Soft sidewalls can feel unstable or 'wobbly' during aggressive cornering
- Reports of premature tread cracking or uneven wear in some cases
- Performance can degrade significantly as the tire wears down
- Some users report vibration issues or difficulty balancing the tires
- Not ideal for track use or extremely heavy, high-torque vehicles
Observations
- Users with heavier or high-torque vehicles often report that the soft sidewalls struggle to maintain composure during quick maneuvers.
- Drivers of lighter, sporty hatchbacks generally report higher satisfaction with the tire's responsiveness and weight-saving benefits.
- Several users noted that increasing tire pressure slightly can mitigate the 'spongy' sidewall sensation, though this may come at the cost of some grip.
The Goodyear OptiGrip is widely recognized for its superior wet-weather traction and consistent performance throughout the life of the tread. While many users praise its safety and longevity, the tire is frequently criticized for significant road noise issues and inconsistent dry-weather handling.
Pros
- Exceptional wet-weather grip and safety
- Consistent performance as the tread wears down
- Good overall tread life and durability
- Comfortable ride quality on uneven road surfaces
Cons
- High levels of road noise, often described as intrusive
- Mediocre dry-weather performance and feedback
- Reports of premature sidewall cracking
- Noticeable 'bedding-in' period required for optimal grip
Observations
- Users reported that road noise becomes significantly more pronounced as the tires wear, often leading to concerns about mechanical issues like wheel bearings.
- The tire's unique tread design is effective at maintaining wet grip, though some users noted that dry-weather performance feels less precise compared to dedicated performance tires.
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 | B · Goodyear OptiGrip |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Max Performance tires | Summer Premium Touring tires |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | 4 | — |
| Rim diameters | 17″ – 19″ | — |
| Tread depth | 10/32″ | — |
| UTQG | 300 A A | — |
| Sidewall | Blackwall | — |
| Max pressure | 50 psi | — |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
77
/ 100
Dunlop
74
/ 100
Goodyear
Winner: Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 — better comfort, handling and dry. Pick the Goodyear OptiGrip if wet matters most to you.
Pick tire A
You want the most comfortable ride
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 scores 73 vs 66 on comfort.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 scores 77 vs 71 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 scores 78 vs 74 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 scores 75 vs 71 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
Tire B · Goodyear OptiGrip
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 also compared with
Goodyear OptiGrip 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.