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Head-to-head Updated September 2026

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec vs Nitto NT555 G2 — 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.

Tire A Dunlop

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec

Summer Extreme Performance tires

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
86/100
6 owner reviews
Dry
92
Wet
83
Snow
–
Comfort
82
Noise
–
Treadwear
77
Handling
88

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VS
Tire B Nitto

Nitto NT555 G2

Summer Trackday and Competition tires

Nitto NT555 G2 tread pattern
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
86/100
405 owner reviews
Dry
92
Wet
82
Snow
67
Comfort
90
Noise
88
Treadwear
87
Handling
78

Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.

VerdictWinner: Nitto NT555 G2 — better treadwear and comfort. Pick the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec 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)
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
92
B — Nitto NT555 G2
92
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
Tire Rack owners – 89
Tyre Reviews owners 92 80
SimpleTire owners – 94

Wet

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec leads by 1
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
83
B — Nitto NT555 G2
82
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
Tire Rack owners – 79
Tyre Reviews owners 83 63
SimpleTire owners – 84

Snow

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
–
B — Nitto NT555 G2
67
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
SimpleTire owners – 68

Comfort

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) NT555 G2 leads by 8
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
82
B — Nitto NT555 G2
90
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
Tire Rack owners – 87
Tyre Reviews owners 82 68
SimpleTire owners – 93

Noise

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100)
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
–
B — Nitto NT555 G2
88
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
SimpleTire owners – 88

Treadwear

Weight: Important
Score (0–100) NT555 G2 leads by 10
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
77
B — Nitto NT555 G2
87
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
Tire Rack owners – 86
Tyre Reviews owners 77 73
SimpleTire owners – 89

Handling

Weight: Neutral
Score (0–100) Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec leads by 10
A — Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
88
B — Nitto NT555 G2
78
Why this score
SourceDirezza Sport Z1 Star SpecNT555 G2
Tyre Reviews owners 88 78

Scores at a glance

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec vs Nitto NT555 G2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star SpecNitto NT555 G2
Relative Score 83 86
Dry 92 92
Wet 83 82
Snow – 67
Comfort 82 90
Noise – 88
Treadwear 77 87
Handling 88 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 Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec

The Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec is widely regarded as a high-performance tire that offers exceptional dry grip and handling feedback at a competitive price point. While users consistently praise its spirited driving capabilities and stiff sidewall construction, the consensus notes a trade-off in terms of rapid tread wear and inconsistent wet-weather performance.

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and handling feedback
  • High value-to-performance ratio
  • Stiff sidewall construction for improved cornering
  • Reduced tire squeal during spirited driving

Cons

  • Rapid tread wear compared to OEM alternatives
  • Mediocre performance in wet conditions
  • Increased road noise levels
  • Potential quality control issues regarding tire balancing

Observations

  • Users noted that the tire requires significantly more balancing weight compared to premium competitors like Bridgestone.
  • The tire exhibits a shorter lifespan, with reports of replacement intervals occurring around 24,000 kilometers.
Tire B Nitto NT555 G2

The Nitto NT555 G2 is widely regarded as a value-oriented ultra-high-performance summer tire that excels in aesthetics, dry-road handling, and longevity for the price. While many users praise its stability and aggressive look, consensus is divided regarding its traction limits, with high-horsepower vehicle owners frequently reporting difficulty with straight-line hook-up and wet-weather confidence.

Pros

  • Excellent value for the price point compared to premium competitors.
  • Aggressive, attractive tread pattern and sidewall design.
  • Strong tread life and durability for a performance-oriented tire.
  • Generally quiet and comfortable ride quality for daily driving.
  • Predictable handling and steering response in dry conditions.

Cons

  • Inconsistent traction in wet conditions, with some users reporting hydroplaning.
  • Struggles to provide adequate grip for high-torque or high-horsepower applications.
  • Performance significantly degrades in cold temperatures.
  • Reports of road noise and vibration issues in certain vehicle setups.
  • Vague sidewall feel during aggressive track or spirited cornering.

Observations

  • Owners of high-horsepower RWD vehicles (e.g., Hellcats, Scat Packs, modified Mustangs) frequently report difficulty with wheel spin and lack of straight-line traction.
  • Users with heavier vehicles or those running staggered setups often appreciate the tire's stability and tread longevity, though some note a slight drop in fuel economy.
  • Drivers of lighter sports cars report that the tires require significant heat to reach optimal grip levels.
Community buzz

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Nitto NT555 G2

Mixed

Community opinions on the Nitto NT555 G2 are mixed, often positioning it as an affordable, good-looking tire with decent tread life that performs adequately in warm weather. However, many enthusiast drivers note that it struggles significantly with straight-line traction, wet weather grip, and cold temperatures compared to higher-end alternatives like the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S.

r/CrownVictoria ·38 upvotes ·2023-08-10

“Finally slapped on the widened steelies with 285/40/17 Nittos NT555 G2.”

r/Mustang ·6 upvotes ·2022-03-30

“I have the nittos NT555 G2s on my mustang and they have lasted about 30k miles. But I wouldn't call them ultra high performance by any stretch of the word. I put firestone firehawk indy 500s, 305s on all 4 corners of my widebody scatpack and think it's a far superior tire in terms of grip, style and rain grooves for wet traction.”

r/NewedgeMustang ·5 upvotes ·2026-06-06

“Staggered tire recommendations? Title. I have 17x9 rims up front and 17x10.5 rims in the rear. Currently running 245/45R17 on the front and 275/40R17 in the rear. Ideally I’d like to keep these tire sizes. Tires all around are Nitto NT555 G2 tires, and I’m just not happy at all with the grip. They’re fine around corners, but if I even breathe on the throttle at all in 1st gear, I’m instantly spinning. It’s sketchy as fuck in the rain, too. I wanted Continental DWS06 tires, but they don’t make those in a 275/40R17 for my rear tires. I’d only be able to get the fronts. Thinking about Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 4s, but not sure. I want to be able to handle well enough around corners, handle Ohio weather no matter what it’s doing, and I wanna be able to floor it in 1st gear and get very little wheel spin. Obviously not trying to drive the car in snow, it’s still mostly gonna see nice weather and occasional rain, I usually like to store the car over the winter and drive something else. But still, Ohio is Ohio, and our weather can absolutely never make up its damn mind. So, I come asking for tire recommendations. Don’t really mind price all too much, but my car is completely stock engine wise minus the exhaust, so it’s not like I’m pushing crazy power. I “daily” this car whenever the weather is nice, so I just need a streetable all season tire that won’t lose grip instantly whenever I try having a little fun. Thanks!”

r/Autocross ·3 upvotes ·2021-06-21

“How to make the most of my nt555 g2s? Hey, I have 285 front 305 rear 20" 555 g2s on my Camaro 1LE and I'm really struggling at autocross. I find that my braking ability and front grip mid corner are aweful. I drove a friend's car on Better 200tw tire and loved out. How can I make the most of my G2? I ran 28psi last event. I'm not trying to win a class, just learning what I can. I plan on upgrading tires after I burn these but I don't want to drop 1400 on good tires until I need to since my car is not only used at Autocross. It's drag raced, autoXd, going to go to a road course, and I want to go to Canada and the tail of the Dragon lol. Yes, I know wheels/tires for the street and track Seperate would be the best idea Read more”

Top themes
#straight-line traction#wet weather performance#cold temperature grip#price and value#treadwear and longevity#comparison to michelin ps4s

Based on 24 community posts

Specifications

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec B · Nitto NT555 G2
CategorySummer Extreme Performance tiresSummer Trackday and Competition tires
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—64
Rim diameters—17″ – 22″
Tread depth—10.2/32″
UTQG—320 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi
Final verdict

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop

Nitto

Winner: Nitto NT555 G2 — better treadwear and comfort. Pick the Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec if handling matters most to you.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec scores 88 vs 78 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Nitto NT555 G2 scores 87 vs 77 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Nitto NT555 G2 scores 90 vs 82 on comfort.

Tire A · Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
Tire B · Nitto NT555 G2

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.