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Head-to-head Updated May 2026

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ vs Kumho Solus KH16 — 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 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.

VS
Tire B Kumho

Kumho Solus KH16

Summer Touring tires

Kumho Solus KH16 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
70/100
5 owner reviews
Dry
76
Wet
67
Snow
51
Comfort
80
Noise
–
Treadwear
69
Handling
70

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — better snow, handling and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Solus KH16 if comfort 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) Sport Maxx 050+ leads by 1
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
77
B — Kumho Solus KH16
76
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tire Rack owners – 81
Tyre Reviews owners 80 75

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
67
B — Kumho Solus KH16
67
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tire Rack owners – 76
Tyre Reviews owners 69 65

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx 050+ leads by 39
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
90
B — Kumho Solus KH16
51
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tire Rack owners – 51

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Solus KH16 leads by 21
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
59
B — Kumho Solus KH16
80
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tire Rack owners – 80
Tyre Reviews owners 62 80

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
90
B — Kumho Solus KH16
–

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx 050+ leads by 5
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
74
B — Kumho Solus KH16
69
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tire Rack owners – 71
Tyre Reviews owners 81 68

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Sport Maxx 050+ leads by 8
A — Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
78
B — Kumho Solus KH16
70
Why this score
SourceSport Maxx 050+Solus KH16
Tyre Reviews owners 78 70

Scores at a glance

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ vs Kumho Solus KH16: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx 050+Kumho Solus KH16
Relative Score 73 69
Dry 77 76
Wet 67 67
Snow 90 51
Comfort 59 80
Noise 90 –
Treadwear 74 69
Handling 78 70

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 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.
Tire B Kumho Solus KH16

The Kumho Solus KH16 receives highly polarized feedback, with some users praising its quiet ride and reliable multi-surface grip, while others report significant concerns regarding wet-weather performance and sidewall stability. While some owners find the tire to be a cost-effective solution for daily driving, others express frustration with inconsistent tread life and handling characteristics.

Pros

  • Quiet and comfortable ride quality
  • Reliable grip in both wet and dry conditions for many users
  • Strong value proposition and cost-per-mile efficiency
  • Consistent performance across various vehicle types including MPVs and hatchbacks

Cons

  • Reports of premature or uneven tread wear
  • Soft sidewall construction leading to poor handling feedback
  • Significant concerns regarding wet-weather traction and safety
  • Inconsistent quality control experiences

Observations

  • Users operating utility vehicles reported rapid tread wear, though this was contested by manufacturer representatives citing alignment issues.
  • Owners of MPVs and hatchbacks generally reported higher satisfaction with the tire's comfort and daily driving performance.
Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ B · Kumho Solus KH16
CategorySummer Ultra High Performance tiresSummer Touring tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Kumho

Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — better snow, handling and treadwear. Pick the Kumho Solus KH16 if comfort matters most to you.

Pick tire A You drive through snowy winters

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 90 vs 51 on snow.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Kumho Solus KH16 scores 80 vs 59 on comfort.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 78 vs 70 on handling.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 74 vs 69 on treadwear.

Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
Tire B · Kumho Solus KH16

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.