71
/ 100
Objective (60%)
–/100
No test data yet
User signal (40%)
81/100
2 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
Head-to-head
Updated September 2026
Dunlop GP Racer D209 vs Yokohama ADVAN A052 — 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
78
/ 100
Objective (60%)
81/100
3 professional tests
User signal (40%)
85/100
212 owner reviews
Prices change daily — check the retailer for your size.
VerdictWinner: Yokohama ADVAN A052 — better comfort, wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop GP Racer D209 if dry 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)
GP Racer D209 leads by 9
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 89 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 93 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 100 | 99 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Wet
Score (0–100)
ADVAN A052 leads by 10
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Professional tests (TWG score) | – | 87 |
| Tire Rack owners | – | 68 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 70 | 78 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Snow
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Comfort
Score (0–100)
ADVAN A052 leads by 18
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 78 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 60 | 71 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Noise
Score (0–100)
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Treadwear
Score (0–100)
ADVAN A052 leads by 8
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Tire Rack owners | – | 58 |
| Tyre Reviews owners | 50 | 52 |
| SimpleTire owners | – | 100 |
Handling
Score (0–100)
ADVAN A052 leads by 6
Why this score
| Source | GP Racer D209 | ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Tyre Reviews owners | 90 | 96 |
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop GP Racer D209 | Yokohama ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 71 | 78 |
| Dry | 100 | 91 |
| Wet | 70 | 80 |
| Snow | – | 100 |
| Comfort | 60 | 78 |
| Noise | – | 100 |
| Treadwear | 50 | 58 |
| Handling | 90 | 96 |
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
71
/ 100
Tire A
78
/ 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 GP Racer D209 is highly regarded by riders for its exceptional dry-weather performance and rapid warm-up characteristics. It is positioned as a track-focused tire that provides superior feedback and grip, comparable to premium racing alternatives, though it is not intended for touring applications.
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip performance
- Rapid warm-up time
- Excellent rider feedback and communication
- Triple-compound construction for balanced wear
Cons
- Limited wet-weather capability
- Not suitable for long-distance touring
Observations
- Users report that the tire's performance characteristics are highly competitive with premium track-day tires like the Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa.
The Yokohama Advan A052 is widely regarded as a benchmark-setting 200 treadwear tire, prized for its exceptional dry grip, rapid warm-up, and surprising wet-weather capability. While it is a favorite for autocross and spirited street driving, users frequently note that its performance can degrade during extended track sessions due to heat soak, and its tread life is notably short compared to more durable competitors.
Pros
- Class-leading dry grip and traction, often compared to dedicated racing slicks.
- Rapid warm-up time, providing peak performance almost immediately.
- Surprisingly high levels of wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance for a performance tire.
- Excellent road manners, including lower noise levels and better ride comfort than many rivals.
- Predictable breakaway characteristics that inspire driver confidence.
Cons
- Rapid tread wear, especially when used on heavy vehicles or without aggressive camber settings.
- Tendency to 'grease up' or lose performance during long, high-intensity track sessions.
- Soft sidewall construction can lead to vague steering feel or 'sponginess' compared to stiffer competitors.
- High price point relative to its limited longevity.
- Susceptibility to tread delamination or chunking under extreme track use.
Observations
- Lightweight vehicles like the Mazda Miata and Lotus Elise benefit most from the tire's characteristics, while heavier cars often experience accelerated wear and heat management issues.
- Users frequently report that the tires run 'wide' for their stated size, which can lead to fitment or rubbing issues if not accounted for.
- The tire is highly sensitive to alignment; vehicles without sufficient negative camber often suffer from rapid outside-edge wear.
Community buzz
What real owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score
Tire A
Dunlop GP Racer D209
We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.
Tire B
Positive
Yokohama ADVAN A052
The Yokohama ADVAN A052 is widely recognized by community members as a high-performance competition and autocross tire that delivers exceptional grip and competitive edge. Users frequently discuss sizing, fitment on various sports cars, and balancing their incredible track capabilities with concerns about longevity and suitability for long road trips.
r/tires
·9 upvotes ·2020-01-18
“Yokohama ADVAN A052 315/30R18 and 265/35R18 - BEEFY!”
r/944
·7 upvotes ·2026-07-09
“Staggered BBSs Need Tires I have a set of BBS wheels that i have been restoring for my 89 944 NA. I am trying to figure out what tires to get and am running into a bit of trouble. The set of BBSs are 15in staggered. The front are 8in wide and the rear are 9in wide. When i had purchased these wheels they had 215/60R15s all around. Would this be a good fitment? I am hoping the rear will not look stretched. As i was researching staggered tires i ran into problems finding a matching set in the sizes 225 50R15 and 205 55R15. A local shop helped me find these for the front Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701 (205 55R15) and these for the rear Yokohama ADVAN A052 (225 50R15). Im concerned to get these due to the tread pattern being drastically different. Another shop has Kumho Ecsta 4x KU22 picked out for the front. I would like to have performance summer tires that do not break the bank. If i were to do 215/60R15s all around i was looking at Falken Sincera SN250 A/S (which are not performance) or Vredestein Sprint Classic which i am not sure of. I am a bit at a loss here and would greatly appreciate any advice or help selecting tires as this is not something i am comfortable with given the lack of options at this wheel size.”
r/tires
·2 upvotes ·2023-07-04
“Long trip with Advans A052? I'm planning a trip to the Nürburgring to attend a trackday this October. The problem is that I live 1300 km away, so the tyres should be able to cope with that, some 20 laps at medium-fast pace at the Nordschleife, and the drive back home. Are the Advan A052 tyres way to soft for such a long trip? Will they last? Wouldn't it be wiser to settle for a more conservative set of Michelins PS4? The car is a 1986 Porsche 911 Carrera, 1210 kg... Read more”
Top themes
#Autocross and Track Performance#Fitment and Sizing Options#Grip and Competitiveness#Tire Longevity and Wear#Road Trip Suitability
Based on 8 community posts
Specifications
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop GP Racer D209 | B · Yokohama ADVAN A052 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer Trackday and Competition tires | Summer Trackday and Competition tires |
| Vehicle type | Motorcycle | Passenger Car / Crossover |
| Sizes available | — | 21 |
| Rim diameters | — | 15″ – 20″ |
| Tread depth | — | 7/32″ |
| UTQG | — | 200 A A |
| Sidewall | — | Blackwall |
| Max pressure | — | 51 psi |
Final verdict
Which one should you actually buy?
71
/ 100
Dunlop
78
/ 100
Yokohama
Winner: Yokohama ADVAN A052 — better comfort, wet and treadwear. Pick the Dunlop GP Racer D209 if dry matters most to you.
Pick tire B
You want the most comfortable ride
Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 78 vs 60 on comfort.
Pick tire B
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 80 vs 70 on wet.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop GP Racer D209 scores 100 vs 91 on dry.
Pick tire B
You want the longest tread life
Yokohama ADVAN A052 scores 58 vs 50 on treadwear.
Tire A · Dunlop GP Racer D209
Tire B · Yokohama ADVAN A052
More comparisons
Also compared with
Dunlop GP Racer D209 also compared with
Yokohama ADVAN A052 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.