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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 vs Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT — 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 + 1,564 owner reviews. How we score

Too close to call: Direzza DZ102 and SP Sport Maxx GT are level at 64.

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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

    SP Sport Maxx GT +4
    69
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 68 (est.)
    Reviews found online6469

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

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 60% × 68.4 (est.) + 40% × 68.9 = 69

    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 Maxx GT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 67

    Wet

    Direzza DZ102 +1
    66
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 68 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online6665

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

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 60% × 67.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.8 = 66

    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 Maxx GT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    55
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online–45

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 60% × 61.1 (est.) + 40% × 44.8 = 55

    No road tests of snow for SP Sport Maxx GT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.37).

  4. 62

    Comfort

    Level
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5859

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

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 40% × 67.2 (est.) + 60% × 58.8 = 62

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

  5. –

    Noise

    No comparison
    67
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online–68

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 68.1 = 67

    No road tests of noise for SP Sport Maxx GT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (67): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 60

    Treadwear

    Direzza DZ102 +6
    54
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 63 (est.)≈ 59 (est.)
    Reviews found online5646

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

    SP Sport Maxx GT: 60% × 59.2 (est.) + 40% × 46.3 = 54

    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 Maxx GT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 61

    Handling (owners)

    SP Sport Maxx GT +1
    62
    Why this score
    SourceDirezza DZ102SP Sport Maxx GT
    Reviews found online6162
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop Direzza DZ102Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
Relative Score 64 64
Dry 65 69
Wet 67 66
Snow – 55
Comfort 62 62
Noise – 67
Treadwear 60 54
Handling (owners) 61 62

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

Only one of the two tires has a score here, so this weight changes nothing in the head-to-head.

Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score
± 8

Direzza DZ102

± 7

SP Sport Maxx GT

Only categories both tires have data for count toward the headline score.

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 Maxx GTΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #7/8 2015 Australian Motor 235/35 R19 Tyre Test #6/6 2016 AutoBild UHP 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 Maxx GT

Pros

  • Outstanding dry grip and precise cornering handling
  • Quiet and refined ride comfort, especially for a high-performance tire
  • Strong initial steering response and predictable road feedback

Cons

  • Rapid and often uneven tread wear resulting in short lifespan
  • Poor traction and confidence in cold temperatures, snow, and ice
  • Susceptibility to aquaplaning or slipping in heavy wet conditions
All owner themes in the SP Sport Maxx GT review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Direzza DZ102 B · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—21
Rim diameters—18″ – 22″
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—240 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—51 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Direzza DZ102

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT

Too close to call: Dunlop Direzza DZ102 and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT are within 2 points overall. Dunlop Direzza DZ102 is stronger on treadwear. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT is stronger on dry.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Direzza DZ102 scores 60 vs 54 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT scores 69 vs 65 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop Direzza DZ102
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Tire B · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT
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Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport Maxx GT?

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

Neither, by our numbers: 67 vs 66 on the wet score, within 3 points.

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

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT, 69 vs 65 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport Maxx GT?

Neither, by our numbers: 62 vs 62 on the comfort score, within 3 points.

Which lasts longer, Direzza DZ102 or SP Sport Maxx GT?

Dunlop Direzza DZ102, 60 vs 54 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