Uniroyal RainSport 3 review
The Uniroyal RainSport 3 is widely regarded as a class-leading tire for wet weather performance, offering exceptional traction and aquaplaning resistance that inspires significant driver confidence. While it performs admirably in dry conditions and provides a comfortable, quiet ride, its soft sidewall construction and rapid tread wear are frequent points of contention among users.
Owners rate it 10.3 points higher than the instrumented road tests do — see the two score breakdowns below for where they disagree.
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
80%By road tests
69.7%What owners like and dislike
Themes extracted from 288 owner reviews across retailers and review sites.
The Uniroyal RainSport 3 is widely regarded as a class-leading tire for wet weather performance, offering exceptional traction and aquaplaning resistance that inspires significant driver confidence. While it performs admirably in dry conditions and provides a comfortable, quiet ride, its soft sidewall construction and rapid tread wear are frequent points of contention among users.
Pros
- Outstanding wet weather grip and aquaplaning resistance
- High level of comfort and low road noise
- Excellent value for money compared to premium brands
- Predictable and progressive handling characteristics
Cons
- Rapid tread wear and short overall lifespan
- Soft sidewalls can lead to vague steering feedback and 'wobbly' handling
- Performance can feel inconsistent if tire pressures are not perfectly dialed in
- Susceptibility to uneven wear patterns
Worth knowing
- Users with heavier vehicles or high-torque setups often report faster wear and a 'squidgy' feeling during aggressive cornering.
- Drivers of performance-oriented or lowered vehicles frequently note that the soft sidewalls compromise steering precision and turn-in sharpness.
- Some BMW owners reported handling instability when mixing RainSport 3s with different tire models on the same axle.
3 published test appearances
Placement within each field. Open a test for the discipline-by-discipline result.
2020 Auto Bild Summer tire Test · 245/45 R18
16th of 20
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 17th of 20 | |
| Wet Handling | 20th of 20 | |
| Dry Braking | 18th of 20 | |
| Dry Handling | 19th of 20 | |
| Rolling Resistance | 6th of 20 | |
| Straight Aqua | 11th of 20 | |
| Noise | 7th of 20 | |
| Value | 6th of 20 | |
| Price | 15th of 20 | |
| Wear | 4th of 20 | |
| Total Cost of Ownership | 5th of 20 |
2020 tire Market Overview Braking Test · 245/45 R18
19th of 49
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 49 | |
| Dry Braking | 25th of 49 |
2019 Summer 53 tire Braking Shootout · 225/45 R17
21st of 45
| Discipline | Placement | Field position |
|---|---|---|
| Wet Braking | 18th of 45 | |
| Dry Braking | 34th of 45 |
What owners are saying
From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of the scores above.
The Uniroyal RainSport 3 is widely praised by the community for its exceptional wet weather performance and ability to cut through standing water. However, users note that its soft compound leads to faster wear, and some confusion exists with car model abbreviations like the Audi RS3.
From 6 threads and comments.