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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 vs Dunlop SP Sport LM704 — 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 22 + 27 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Direzza DZ102 64, SP Sport LM704 63.

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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.

  1. 65

    Dry

    Direzza DZ102 +1
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online6462

    Direzza DZ102: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 63.8 = 65

    SP Sport LM704: 60% × 65.5 (est.) + 40% × 61.9 = 64

    No road tests of dry for Direzza DZ102. 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 SP Sport LM704. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 67

    Wet

    Direzza DZ102 +7
    60
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 63 (est.)
    Reviews found online6656

    Direzza DZ102: 60% × 68.1 (est.) + 40% × 65.9 = 67

    SP Sport LM704: 60% × 62.5 (est.) + 40% × 55.9 = 60

    No road tests of wet for Direzza DZ102. 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 SP Sport LM704. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 62

    Comfort

    SP Sport LM704 +4
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online5864

    Direzza DZ102: 40% × 67.1 (est.) + 60% × 58.2 = 62

    SP Sport LM704: 40% × 68.2 (est.) + 60% × 63.9 = 66

    No road tests of comfort for Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 60

    Treadwear

    SP Sport LM704 +6
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5666

    Direzza DZ102: 60% × 62.6 (est.) + 40% × 55.9 = 60

    SP Sport LM704: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 65.5 = 66

    No road tests of treadwear for Direzza DZ102. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport LM704. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  5. 61

    Handling (owners)

    SP Sport LM704 +3
    64
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704
    Reviews found online6164
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop Direzza DZ102Dunlop SP Sport LM704
Relative Score 64 63
Dry 65 64
Wet 67 60
Comfort 62 66
Treadwear 60 66
Handling (owners) 61 64

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
± 8

Direzza DZ102

± 8

SP Sport LM704

The professional test results behind the scores

Per discipline: the average % of the best tire over every test both tires were in, and how many of those tests each one won. “Different tests” rows compare results from separate tests.

DisciplineCategoryDirezza DZ102SP Sport LM704ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/8 2015 Australian Motor 235/35 R19 Tyre Test #9/9 2015 Auto Review Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

Themes extracted from owner reviews found online — not the opinion of TireWheelGuide.

Tire A Direzza DZ102

Pros

  • Excellent price-to-performance ratio
  • Strong dry pavement grip and cornering stability
  • Surprisingly high levels of ride comfort for a performance tire

Cons

  • Rapid or inconsistent tread wear
  • Inconsistent wet weather performance and hydroplaning resistance
  • Increased road noise as the tire ages
All owner themes in the Direzza DZ102 review

Tire B SP Sport LM704

Pros

  • Exceptional tread life and long-term durability
  • Good dry grip and cornering stability
  • Comfortable ride quality that handles bumps well

Cons

  • Significantly compromised grip and high risk of aquaplaning in the wet
  • Numb steering feel or understeer at higher speeds for some users
  • Occasional reports of a firm or bumpy ride depending on vehicle and road surface
All owner themes in the SP Sport LM704 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Direzza DZ102 B · Dunlop SP Sport LM704
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Direzza DZ102

Dunlop SP Sport LM704

Too close to call: Dunlop Direzza DZ102 and Dunlop SP Sport LM704 are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Direzza DZ102 is stronger on wet. Dunlop SP Sport LM704 is stronger on treadwear and comfort.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 scores 67 vs 60 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Dunlop SP Sport LM704 scores 66 vs 60 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop SP Sport LM704 scores 66 vs 62 on comfort.

Tire A · Dunlop Direzza DZ102
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Tire B · Dunlop SP Sport LM704
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Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704?

Which is better in the wet, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704?

Dunlop Direzza DZ102, 67 vs 60 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704?

Neither, by our numbers: 65 vs 64 on the dry score, within 3 points.

Which is more comfortable, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704?

Dunlop SP Sport LM704, 66 vs 62 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport LM704?

Dunlop SP Sport LM704, 66 vs 60 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