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Summer tire Summer High Performance tires Updated September 2026

Taurus 401 HighPerformance review

The Taurus 401 HighPerformance is generally viewed as a budget-oriented tire that offers acceptable comfort and low noise levels for casual city driving. However, it falls short in performance-oriented scenarios, particularly regarding wet-weather traction and handling stability on more powerful vehicles.

Relative score
51/100
tests + owners
Owner reviews
43/100
4 reviews
Road tests
67/100
1 published test

Owners rate it 24.1 points lower than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.

Taurus 401 HighPerformance
Scores

Two scoring systems, side by side

Owner scores come from reviews on retailer and review sites; road-test scores come from instrumented tests. Where they disagree, it is usually a discipline owners rarely push to the limit.

By owner reviews

43%
Would buy again 15%
Dry
Overall dry
68%
Corner stability
40%
Dry traction
80%
Steering response
55%
Wet
Overall wet
38%
Wet traction
60%
Comfort
Overall comfort
38%
Treadwear
Overall treadwear
58%
Handling
Overall handling
33%

By road tests

67.1%
Dry
51.2%
Wet
65.2%
Noise
54.3%
From owners

What owners like and dislike

Themes extracted from 4 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.

The Taurus 401 HighPerformance is generally viewed as a budget-oriented tire that offers acceptable comfort and low noise levels for casual city driving. However, it falls short in performance-oriented scenarios, particularly regarding wet-weather traction and handling stability on more powerful vehicles.

Pros

  • Low road noise levels
  • Comfortable ride quality due to soft sidewall construction
  • Good tread longevity despite soft compound

Cons

  • Poor wet-weather grip and traction
  • Subpar handling performance on open roads
  • Incompatibility with high-torque or performance-oriented vehicle traction control systems

Worth knowing

  • Users with high-output, rear-wheel-drive vehicles reported significant issues with traction control systems and limp-mode activation in wet conditions.
  • The tire's soft sidewall design is noted for providing a smoother ride, which may be preferred for city commuting but lacks the rigidity required for spirited driving.
Test results

1 published test appearance

Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.

2018 New and Worn Summer tire Test · 205/55 R16

11th of 14
Best: Dry Braking · 7th Weakest: Wet Handling · 13th
DisciplinePlacementField position
Wet Braking10th of 14
Wet Handling13th of 14
Dry Braking7th of 14
Dry Handling12th of 14
Noise9th of 14