Tests – · none yet Owners 67 · 7 reviews
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.
Head-to-head
Updated
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 vs Avon ZT7 — Compared
Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews (comfort 40/60). Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 7 + 14 owner reviews. How we score
Direzza DZ03 is ahead, 68–56
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Category by category
Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.
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73
Dry
Direzza DZ03 +1657Why this score
Source Direzza DZ03 ZT7 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 71 (est.) ≈ 61 (est.) Reviews found online 75 51 Direzza DZ03: 60% × 70.9 (est.) + 40% × 75.1 = 73
ZT7: 60% × 60.8 (est.) + 40% × 50.7 = 57
No road tests of dry for Direzza DZ03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
No road tests of dry for ZT7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).
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68
Wet
Direzza DZ03 +860Why this score
Source Direzza DZ03 ZT7 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 68 (est.) ≈ 62 (est.) Reviews found online 67 55 Direzza DZ03: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 66.5 = 68
ZT7: 60% × 62.3 (est.) + 40% × 55.4 = 60
No road tests of wet for Direzza DZ03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
No road tests of wet for ZT7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).
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57
Comfort
Direzza DZ03 +156Why this score
Source Direzza DZ03 ZT7 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 65 (est.) Reviews found online 51 50 Direzza DZ03: 40% × 65.2 (est.) + 60% × 51.3 = 57
ZT7: 40% × 64.8 (est.) + 60% × 49.6 = 56
No road tests of comfort for Direzza DZ03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
No road tests of comfort for ZT7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).
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64
Treadwear
Direzza DZ03 +1549Why this score
Source Direzza DZ03 ZT7 Professional tests (TWG score) ≈ 65 (est.) ≈ 56 (est.) Reviews found online 62 38 Direzza DZ03: 60% × 65 (est.) + 40% × 62.1 = 64
ZT7: 60% × 56.3 (est.) + 40% × 37.9 = 49
No road tests of treadwear for Direzza DZ03. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
No road tests of treadwear for ZT7. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).
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74
Handling (owners)
Direzza DZ03 +2549Why this score
Source Direzza DZ03 ZT7 Reviews found online 74 49
Scores at a glance
| Category | Dunlop Direzza DZ03 | Avon ZT7 |
|---|---|---|
| Relative Score | 68 | 56 |
| Dry | 73 | 57 |
| Wet | 68 | 60 |
| Comfort | 57 | 56 |
| Treadwear | 64 | 49 |
| Handling (owners) | 74 | 49 |
Higher is better. The Relative Score follows your weights below; category scores do not change.
Weight the categories that matter to you
Wet grip starts at “Important”. Treadwear starts at “Neutral” here: road tests measured it for at most one of the two tires, so it rests on owner reviews. Move the sliders and the scores update instantly.
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
68
/ 100
Direzza DZ03
56
/ 100
ZT7
Pros, cons & observations
Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.
Tire A Direzza DZ03
Pros
- Exceptional dry grip and cornering confidence
- Significant lap time improvements compared to entry-level semi-slicks
- High durability and consistent performance under intense heat cycles
Cons
- Extremely high road noise, often compared to failing wheel bearings
- Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
- Poor performance in standing water with high risk of aquaplaning
Tire B ZT7
Pros
- High value for money compared to premium brands like Pirelli or Continental
- Impressively low noise levels and high ride comfort due to compliant sidewalls
- Good grip and predictable handling for daily commuting and normal driving conditions
Cons
- Tendency for premature sidewall cracking or perishing within 2 to 4 years
- Prone to progressive understeer or reduced grip when pushed hard in corners
- Inconsistent wet performance and aquaplaning susceptibility reported by some commercial users
Specs side by side
| Attribute | A · Dunlop Direzza DZ03 | B · Avon ZT7 |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Summer | Summer |
| Vehicle type | Passenger Car / Crossover | Passenger Car / Crossover |
Which one should you actually buy?
68
/ 100
Dunlop Direzza DZ03
56
/ 100
Avon ZT7
Winner: Dunlop Direzza DZ03 — better handling, dry and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score. Dunlop Direzza DZ03 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 7 reviews), so read this result as provisional. Avon ZT7 rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 14 reviews), so read this result as provisional.
Pick tire A
You enjoy sharp, responsive handling
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 74 vs 49 on handling.
Pick tire A
You want the most grip on dry roads
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 73 vs 57 on dry.
Pick tire A
You want the longest tread life
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 64 vs 49 on treadwear.
Pick tire A
Your priority is wet-weather safety
Dunlop Direzza DZ03 scores 68 vs 60 on wet.
Tire A · Dunlop Direzza DZ03
Tire B · Avon ZT7
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Direzza DZ03 or ZT7?
Which is better in the wet, Direzza DZ03 or ZT7?
Dunlop Direzza DZ03, 68 vs 60 on our wet score.
Which grips better on dry roads, Direzza DZ03 or ZT7?
Dunlop Direzza DZ03, 73 vs 57 on our dry score.
Which is more comfortable, Direzza DZ03 or ZT7?
Neither, by our numbers: 57 vs 56 on the comfort score, within 3 points.
Which lasts longer, Direzza DZ03 or ZT7?
Dunlop Direzza DZ03, 64 vs 49 on our treadwear score.
How do we compare tires?
Every category score blends two independent signals. 60% comes from professional tire tests (braking distances, lap times, noise measurements), each result compared with every other tire in the same test and newer tests counting more. 40% comes from owner reviews found online, adjusted for how generously each site rates. Both use one scale: the average tested tire gets 70, the best 100. When a tire has only one of the two, the missing half is estimated from the other and the score stays closer to average; with no road test and fewer than five owner reviews it gets no score yet.
Handling is the exception: road tests measure it inside the dry and wet scores, so its own row comes from owner ratings only and starts as less important.
Community buzz from Reddit and forums is shown for context only — it never changes the score. Full methodology