Falken ZE512 looks discontinued: no new owner reviews or road tests in five years and no current EU tyre label.

Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 vs Falken ZE512 — 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 62 + 27 owner reviews. How we score

SP Sport FM800 is ahead, 77–38

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Falken ZE512
Tire BFalken

ZE512

Summer

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 23 · 27 reviews

Category by category

Relative Score per category, 0–100. Open “Why this score” for the tests and owner ratings behind it.

  1. 76

    Dry

    SP Sport FM800 +36
    40
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport FM800ZE512
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 73 (est.)≈ 50 (est.)
    Reviews found online8125

    SP Sport FM800: 60% × 73.4 (est.) + 40% × 80.6 = 76

    ZE512: 60% × 50.1 (est.) + 40% × 25.4 = 40

    No road tests of dry for SP Sport FM800. 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 ZE512. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 80

    Wet

    SP Sport FM800 +40
    40
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport FM800ZE512
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 78 (est.)≈ 47 (est.)
    Reviews found online8428

    SP Sport FM800: 60% × 77.8 (est.) + 40% × 83.5 = 80

    ZE512: 60% × 47.2 (est.) + 40% × 28.2 = 40

    No road tests of wet for SP Sport FM800. 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 ZE512. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 74

    Comfort

    SP Sport FM800 +34
    40
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport FM800ZE512
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 71 (est.)≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online7725

    SP Sport FM800: 40% × 70.6 (est.) + 60% × 77 = 74

    ZE512: 40% × 61.1 (est.) + 60% × 25.2 = 40

    No road tests of comfort for SP Sport FM800 or ZE512. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 73

    Treadwear

    SP Sport FM800 +38
    35
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport FM800ZE512
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 70 (est.)≈ 49 (est.)
    Reviews found online7716

    SP Sport FM800: 60% × 70 (est.) + 40% × 77.2 = 73

    ZE512: 60% × 48.6 (est.) + 40% × 15.7 = 35

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport FM800. 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 ZE512. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  5. 80

    Handling (owners)

    SP Sport FM800 +56
    24
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport FM800ZE512
    Reviews found online8024
Scores at a glance
Dunlop SP Sport FM800 vs Falken ZE512: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop SP Sport FM800Falken ZE512
Relative Score 77 38
Dry 76 40
Wet 80 40
Comfort 74 40
Treadwear 73 35
Handling (owners) 80 24

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

SP Sport FM800

± 8

ZE512

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A SP Sport FM800

Pros

  • Exceptional wet and dry traction with strong anti-aquaplaning capabilities
  • High value for money compared to premium brands like Michelin and Bridgestone
  • Low road noise and very quiet, smooth ride quality

Cons

  • Faster than average tread wear reported by some drivers
  • Rubber compound can harden over time, leading to reduced performance as the tire ages
  • Softer sidewalls can occasionally result in slightly less precise steering feel
All owner themes in the SP Sport FM800 review

Tire B ZE512

Pros

  • Affordable price point
  • Satisfactory dry pavement grip when new
  • Generally quiet and comfortable ride quality

Cons

  • Extremely rapid tread wear and short lifespan
  • Poor wet-weather traction and hydroplaning resistance
  • Soft sidewalls prone to damage from potholes and curbs
All owner themes in the ZE512 review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport FM800 B · Falken ZE512
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport FM800

Falken ZE512

Winner: Dunlop SP Sport FM800 — better handling, wet and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire A You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 80 vs 24 on handling.

Pick tire A Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 80 vs 40 on wet.

Pick tire A You want the longest tread life

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 73 vs 35 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop SP Sport FM800 scores 76 vs 40 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport FM800
Tire B · Falken ZE512

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SP Sport FM800 or ZE512?

Which is better in the wet, SP Sport FM800 or ZE512?

Dunlop SP Sport FM800, 80 vs 40 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport FM800 or ZE512?

Dunlop SP Sport FM800, 76 vs 40 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, SP Sport FM800 or ZE512?

Dunlop SP Sport FM800, 74 vs 40 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Sport FM800 or ZE512?

Dunlop SP Sport FM800, 73 vs 35 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