Looking for some performance boost, huh? If so, then this article is for you. I know how critical it is to have the right tires for your needs and how frustrating it is when they don't match your expectations. So, here we are to suggest some great All-Season UHP tires to improve your vehicle performance. If you still don't know the difference between a regular tire and a UHP one, you can learn about it in our previous article. And if you are ready to advance in a more impressive driving experience, keep reading this post.
Before starting, I want to remind you of some important aspects. UHP tires are generally more expensive than regular ones. The higher price is justified by the more special technologies and the more specific construction of UHP tires. On the other hand, UHP tires have a relatively shorter tread life warranty compared to grand touring tires, for example. The reason is the purpose of UHP tires. These are built for agility and tenacity in the first place. So, longevity is not found in the list of basic priorities.
The good part of the story though is that the all-season UHP tire models in this article are among the most budget-friendly. I was careful to select those that promise decent mileage. So, you can have them for a pretty long time, whenever you maintain your tires the right way.
Obviously, you will find many alternatives in other posts on the Internet. However, the ones presented here harmoniously combine the reasonable price and up-to-the-mark performance. So, if these are the prerogatives you are looking for, then this article is for you. For your peace of mind, you should know that the independent Consumer Reports agent confirms the viability of the products mentioned below. So, you can fully trust them.
Armstrong Blu-Trac HP Tire
This UHP All-Season tire is a great option for drivers of luxury sedans, CUVs, and SUVs with a sporty nature. This delivers a dose of power to the sports vehicle through a wide spectrum of performance attributes.
Armstrong Blu-Trac HP UHP tire has a special tread compound combined with a specific design that optimizes grip and handling in all-season conditions. While most UHP tires are sensitive to wear, this Armstrong Blu-Trac HP UHP features ultra-resistant shoulder blocks with a low rate of sensitivity to wear.
The manufacturer has integrated solid center shoulder blocks and tires to optimize straight-line stability as well as make the handling as responsive as possible. In cornering conditions, the tire remains very stable without becoming too sensitive at high speed. If it happens to rain heavily, the Armstrong Blu-Trac HP can evacuate the water efficiently and quickly before water forms a barrier between the tread and the road.
Blu-Trac HP UHP Specs
In terms of comfort, this tire has special grooves that support the airflow through vertical serrations. This translates into an agile yet quiet ride, which is not often specific in the ranks of UHP tires. Stability on the road is ensured by Armstrong Blu-Trac HP optimized footprint along with its strong sidewalls. In addition, the tire manufacturer thought about optimizing wet and dry grip and traction by integrating a special innovative formula.
This tire varies between 14" and 20" and is available in H, V, W, and Y speed ratings. The Armstrong Blu-Trac HP is a superb model for those looking for all-season versatility, phenomenal cornering properties, and tenaciousness. The life expectancy of the tire is 45,000 miles guaranteed by the manufacturer. That doesn't sound as promising as 60,000 miles for traditional all-season tires. But, as mentioned before, longevity is secondary in UHP tires, leaving room for agility and dynamism in the first place.
BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus Tire
Another highly recommended All-Season UHP model is the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus tire. It also perfectly combines a reasonable price with an amazing UHP profile for the category. The tire brand designed this tire to match the sporty nature of various sports sedans, sports coupes, and other tenacious vehicles. It stands out for its phenomenal control at high speed and in agile maneuvers, as well as in all-season conditions.
BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus Specs
This tire contains a high silica concentration. This material increases road grip in various conditions. In addition, the tire has a directional pattern that optimizes traction and makes the tire respond extremely precisely to the driver's inputs. To withstand high speeds, the brand has integrated advanced components that control and reduce heat generation in the central tread ribs. As a result, the tire self-ventilates due to friction and does not become sensitive to heat build-up.
Architecturally, the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus tire has wide circumferential grooves. These are combined with complex siping patterns to ensure optimal combat against hydroplaning. BFGoodrich is a brand recognized for the multiple innovations developed in the tire industry. He integrated plenty of them into the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S Plus tire to improve the UHP profile. Some of them include:
- the Equal Tension Containment System for optimizing traction while accelerating;
- Special g-Control Sidewall Inserts for improving cornering, especially in cold conditions;
- Dynamic Suspension System to increase the degree of comfort that is usually missing in most UHP tires.
Bridgestone Potenza RE980+ Tire
If you are a spirited enthusiast, I think you must have this tire in your sights. The Potenza RE980+ UHP tire is compatible with most sedans and premium cars that have a sporty and tenacious DNA. This tire has a wide performance profile for any season, except heavy snow. As for the rest, this tire is extremely forceful in braking, handling, speeding, and cornering, especially on wet roads. The Potenza RE980+ has all the characteristics of a UHP summer tire while only the tread composition is more adapted for all-season conditions.
This competitive model includes a last-generation formula in its asymmetric design. Bridgestone has prioritized noise suppression and handling in addition to the fundamental performance of a UHP tire. So, with this UHP tire, you don't have to sacrifice all-season versatility in favor of performance, as you can have them both.
Potenza RE980+ Specs
Architecturally, the Potenza RE980+ tire has an optimized design to handle superbly both wet and dry roads. It is very capable in thin snow conditions as its high sipe density aids wonderfully on wintry surfaces. So, the Potenza RE980+ is a reliable ally in light wintery conditions as well.
If we talk about wet conditions, the Potenza RE980+ rolls confidently thanks to its interconnected slots and grooves. They do not allow water to accumulate in the tire footprint, being evacuated efficiently and quickly. During heavy rains, hydroplaning is not likely as the open shoulder slots prevent it through the tire's see-through voids.
The internal construction of Potenza RE980+ tires suggests reliability and strength thanks to the multiple polyester plies that are responsible for integrity and responsive handling. Besides all these benefits, the Potenza RE980+ comes with a 50,000 tread life warranty which is a solid backup for the category.
Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 Tire
What I love about the Cooper brand is its passion for optimizing motorists' driving experience. This tire maker not only keeps its prices under control but also solves the requests of spirited drivers who are looking for a dose of power and tenacity in their vehicles. This is exactly what Cooper did when he designed the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 model. This tire maintains its amazing performance in any weather condition without compromising comfort.
Like most UHP tires, the Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tire contains a silica-entrained formula. Its design revolves around a 5-rib pattern featuring 4 large grooves in between. Altogether, this construction is ultra-efficient against hydroplaning, leaving room only for confident wet rolling.
The tire is appreciated for its responsive handling and highly lively steering feel while cornering. These are possible due to the solid and continuous center ribs in this tire. To counteract the lateral forces, Cooper integrated massive shoulder blocks and full-depth sipes in the Zeon RS3-G1 tire.
Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 Specs
This tire is highly versatile in all-season conditions. It preserves its traction and grip capabilities both in summer and light winter. In addition, it behaves reliably on dry and wet surfaces with handling precision and superior feedback. Cooper used 3D Micro-Gauge siping technology to prevent the tire from losing traction in wet conditions. During cornering, it exudes high resistance due to its bead filler to resist distortion.
Any sporty vehicle compatible with tires between 166'' and 20'' can be equipped with this Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 tire. The result will be a very capable driving experience at high speed, superb control, and stability during sharp cornering, as well as full reliability in wet, snow, and dry environments.
GT Radial Champiro UHP AS Tire
I assume you haven't heard much about this brand or this tire. But, let me say that its GT Radial Champiro UHP AS tire is a good choice when the budget is limited but you still want a UHP tire. This model is a promising offering for performance vehicles and sports cars ranging between 15'' to 20'' tire diameter.
This tire promises firm traction, agile cornering, and responsive handling. So, it can give you the bare minimum of what a UHP tire can give. But the beautiful part of things is that this model can give more than that.
GT Radial Champiro UHP AS Specs
First of all, this tire can be an aesthetic complement to your vehicle. The Giti tire brand has a specific talent for the design of its tires. Either way, the aesthetic is not the only benefit of the GT Radial Champiro UHP AS tire. This tire has a special tread formula. It is about a Nanometer Silica compound integrated into a construction with 5 ribs and large and resistant shoulder blocks. All this combination of elements brings about superb lateral stability, a high comfort rating, and promising traction for the price range.
In addition, the tire is praised for its great straight-line stability and responsive handling. While driving, drivers report good capabilities of noise control, which translates into pretty quiet rides.
To increase the viability of the GT Radial Champiro UHP AS in wet conditions, the tire maker has integrated 4 wide circumferential grooves featuring smaller blade-shaped channels. They offer 2 great benefits: to eject water efficiently in rainy weather and to disperse snow in winter. On the whole, the tire's rich performance spectrum equates to great car control in any condition. Last but not least, the GT Radial Champiro UHP AS boasts a superb dry braking ability that makes it very safe, among other benefits. The wet one leaves room for better, but still is not much inferior to the competition.
The GT Radial Champiro UHP AS is available in V, W, and Y speed ratings with a treadwear warranty of 45,000 miles. The beautiful part is the extremely advantageous price for this UHP tire as it revolves around $115 on average.
Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate Tire
Here you have another great all-season option for UHP applications. This Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tire is available in a variety from 17 to 22'' diameters and is ready to enhance the force and power of matching sporty-nature vehicles.
The first thing you will notice in this tire is its aggressive yet modern design. This aesthetic will be a nice compliment to your vehicle. As for its performance specifics, expect a wide range of benefits. Goodyear has incorporated several technologies to prepare the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate for ultimate performance in any all-season environment. Here we mean ActiveBraking, ActiveStrength, and Activegrip technologies. Altogether, they work to boost the vehicle's capacity to the maximum.
Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate Specs
The ActiveGrip technology is responsible for improving traction and handling during fast and furious rides. In critical situations, the tire brakes excellently and sharply, providing the shortest braking distance in the category. This is due to the ActiveBraking technology, which involves a special silica formula along with a special tread design. Last but not least, the ActiveStrength tech involves casing reinforcement to ensure optimal durability and resistance in various maneuvers.
On the other extreme, Goodyear sought to optimize the weight of the tire so that it would be as agile and tenacious as possible at high speed. Cornering feels safe and highly controllable thanks to rim protectors and strong sidewalls. The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate comes with a heavy siping tread into the four circumferential grooves to improve traction in wet conditions and light snow.
This tire feels steady up to 186 mph. Its reputation revolves around dynamic responsiveness and highly controllable handling in any maneuvers. Goodyear offers a 45,000-mile warranty, which is within the standard for a UHP all-season tire.
Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + Tire
The last offer that perfectly combines reasonable price and solid performance is the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + tire. It reaches 186 mph like a pro without compromising the sense of control or stability. As befits a UHP tire, this Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + shows solid potential in all-season traction, steering, and grip when driving at the limit.
The formula of this tire includes a special composition of silica combined with innovative polymers. This tandem has a beneficial influence on braking distances both on wet, dry, and wintery surfaces. Yokohama opted for an optimized asymmetric design to make the tire highly versatile in different road conditions without losing the sense of performance and control.
Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + Specs
The design of the tread is reminiscent of a Z-shaped pattern through its grooves and wavy sipes. This design plays the role of biting edges when wet or winter conditions tend to disrupt traction. The tire architecture also has extra large shoulder blocks whose purpose is to improve cornering stability and not fall prey to lateral forces. Drivers report a very dynamic steering feeling and this is the result of the optimized sidewall construction.
The list of benefits continues with the four-pitch variations in the tire. These have been integrated for better noise inhibition during driving, resulting in a comfortable experience. Not even high speed can severely disrupt noise control. So, the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + is a great option for those who prioritize ride quietness.
Last but not least, this UHP Yokohama offering is built in such a way that the pressure is evenly distributed between the 4 tires. As a result, the wear of the tread is delayed leaving room for more mole miles to cover. The Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + model is compatible with 16 to 21" diameter rims and comes in XL and SL load ratings. On the whole, the Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S + tire is an option of choice for those looking for superb UHP agility, reasonable price, long and uniform wear, good hydroplaning control, and confident driving at high speeds.
UHP Tires: FAQs
What Does UHP Mean for Tires?
The abbreviation stands for Ultra High Performance tires and these are predominantly designed for high-end sports vehicles. The specifics of UHP tires consist of impressive resistance at high speed, top-notch agility, as well as highly balanced yet tenacious handling.
How Is a UHP Tire Different From a Regular One?
The UHP tire contains a different formula in its composition. It has a higher concentration of silica as well as other components that increase traction and grip. Tire makers make changes in the tread patterns of UHP tires to maximize the contact between them and the road surface. A larger contact patch allows for more control and handling stability at high speed.
In addition, UHP tires are more resistant to heat generated by friction. While a regular tire tends to deteriorate at high speed due to heat build-up, a UHP tire contains special components that self-ventilate it, allowing for more speed.
Are UHP Tires Meant Only For Ultra-High-Performance Cars?
Not necessarily. UHP tires are indeed the best option for supercars with a strong sporty nature. However, the modern industry offers UHP tires including for passenger vehicles for any ordinary driver. The UHP tire class is very wide and compatible with a wide variety of vehicles including family vehicles and SUVs. The vehicle must correspond to the specifications of UHP tires so you better confirm this with an expert before mounting.
Why Would I Need UHP Tires?
First of all, your vehicle specifically needs these tires if it has UHP tires as the OEM version. Manufacturers create OEM UHP tires so that they correspond to the potential of your performance vehicle. UHP tires are the most optimal in lateral grip, short stopping distance, and superior control at high speed.
Their special construction allows any vehicle compatible with UHP tires to increase its potential and boost its performance profile. So, anyone can switch from regular to UHP tires, whenever the vehicle is compatible. This means that the agility of the car will increase, the control at high speed will increase, and the stability in cornering will become safer.
However, UHP tires have some shortcomings that you should also be aware of. The most eminent of all is their reduced tread wear rating. This means that they will wear out relatively faster than other types of regular tires.
In conclusion, UHP tires are suitable for those who are ready to sacrifice tire mileage in favor of tenacity, cornering stability at high speed, and overall driving performance.
Considering Their Sporty Nature, Are UHP Tires Uncomfortable?
Not necessarily. A certain segment of UHP tires indeed doesn't take comfort much into account. Here we are talking about specially designed tires for speed racing. But if we talk about UHP tires for the mass market, tire makers necessarily take into account the aspect of comfort in them.
Market UHP tires do not exclusively prioritize speed. Due to the competition effect, tire makers include as many technologies as possible to ensure comfort, noise control, as well as the all-season versatility of UHP tires. So, with the right UHP tires, you can have both solid performance AND ride comfort.
How Long Do UHP Tires Last?
Generally speaking, a UHP tire will last less than a traditional tire. For example, a UHP summer tire lasts about 15,000-30,000 miles, while a regular summer tire serves between 20,000-40,000 miles. The same applies to the all-season segment. A UHP AS tire is expected to last up to 40,000-50,000 miles, while a common one will serve between 55,000 to 85,000 miles, on average.
The difference in mileage is explained by the specific materials of UHP tires that prioritize tenacity and improved handling over tread wear. To enhance grip, traction, agility, and superior handling, UHP tire rubber is softer and stickier. On one hand, this formula makes it the best performer of all. On the other hand, the short lifespan is the biggest disadvantage of UHP tires.
What is the Difference Between HP and UHP Tires?
The difference between the 2 tire categories lies in the balance between grip and mileage. While these 2 types are both oriented towards agile and tenacious driving, their ultimate focus is slightly different. The high-performance tires are designed taking into account the longevity of the tread. The manufacturers find the means to make HP tires pretty last and resist wear while not giving in grip and tenacity. On the other hand, UHP tires are mainly oriented towards superb handling and phenomenal performance at high speed even at the price of reduced longevity.
Are Ultra High-Performance Tires Worth It?
Everything depends on the purpose and priorities of the driver. UHP tires are definitely worth it if the driver wants professionally agile and sporty driving. These tires are unbeatable in their street performance capabilities. However, the driver has to sacrifice something to benefit from these capabilities. It is about their high price, their tread not resistant over time, and ride quietness that is missing in UHP tires. If the driver's goal is comfort and peace behind the wheel, touring tires might be a better option.
What Are The Advantages of UHP Tires?
The UHP tire is the most agile and tenacious of all existing ones. No other class of tires can surpass the performance, resistance, and handling at high speed like the UHP one does. At the same time, UHP tires provide superior safety through impressive cornering balance and short stopping distance. They are much more intuitive and responsive than an ordinary tire that rolls at high speed.
What is the Difference Between UHP and Touring Tires?
Their main purpose is the main difference. Starting from the premise of the purpose, UHP tires differ radically from touring ones. UHP tire's purpose is the ultimate performance and stability at high speed. This means that the formula of the rubber is different, the architecture of the pattern, as well as the construction of the sidewall, is performance-oriented. Touring tires are for comfort, longevity, and all-season versatility. As such, they have a deeper tread, a more rigid and wear-resistant rubber, as well as a relatively higher construction for a cushioning effect.
Are High-Performance Tires Noisy?
In short, yes, a UHP tire will generate more noise on the road compared to other types. Their specific construction with low profiles and stiff sidewalls is an advantage from a performance perspective, but also a disadvantage from a noise perspective. Tire makers use plenty of innovative technologies to suppress noise as much as possible. The results are quite impressive. Still, a UHP tire will be noisier either way in comparison to other passenger tires.
Why Trust Us?
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Becoming more and more professionals in the field, we want our customers and readers to know as much as possible about tires. This helps them increase their safety on the road and enjoy a high-performance ride. In this sense, our technicians test various tires.
Our experts with a wealth of experience in the world of tires guide us in terms of driving tips, tire maintenance, and tire correct usage. Our bloggers validate each piece of information so that it corresponds to official and truthful data.
With these in mind, NeoTires shares its passion for tires with its customers and ensures superior quality services and products. Hundreds of customers have already managed to benefit from our assistance services and quality products at a reasonable price. Maybe it's time to try it too. Drive safe and choose your tires wisely!
