tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST vs Falken Azenis FK510 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 31 road tests and 10 + 907 owner reviews. How we score

Azenis FK510 is ahead, 73–39

Check price on Amazon · Azenis FK510 or SP Sport Maxx GT DSST on Amazon
Add your size for an exact match
/R

Both Amazon links then search this exact size.

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

Falken Azenis FK510
Tire BFalken

Azenis FK510

Summer

Tests 74 · 31 tests Owners 66 · 907 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 9 in 2018 Sport Auto 19 inch UHP and Track Day Tyre Test (wet braking)

“I have Fallen FK510s and live where it rains 300 days a year, they perform great and I'm sure the 520 is even better”

Category by category

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

  1. 40

    Dry

    Azenis FK510 +34
    74
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 28 tests≈ 51 (est.)73
    Reviews found online2575

    SP Sport Maxx GT DSST: 60% × 50.5 (est.) + 40% × 25 = 40

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 72.8 + 40% × 75.4 = 74

    No road tests of dry for SP Sport Maxx GT DSST. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 41

    Wet

    Azenis FK510 +42
    83
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 29 tests≈ 48 (est.)88
    Reviews found online3076

    SP Sport Maxx GT DSST: 60% × 47.7 (est.) + 40% × 30.4 = 41

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 87.6 + 40% × 76.2 = 83

    No road tests of wet for SP Sport Maxx GT DSST. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. –

    Snow

    No comparison
    55
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score)–≈ 61 (est.)
    Reviews found online–44

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 61.4 (est.) + 40% × 44.3 = 55

    No road tests of snow for Azenis FK510. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.33).

  4. 39

    Comfort

    Azenis FK510 +13
    52
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 59 (est.)42
    Reviews found online1068

    SP Sport Maxx GT DSST: 60% × 58.9 (est.) + 40% × 10 = 39

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 41.7 + 40% × 68.2 = 52

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

  5. 49

    Noise

    Azenis FK510 +18
    67
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 18 tests≈ 67 (est.)66
    Reviews found online2269

    SP Sport Maxx GT DSST: 60% × 67.3 (est.) + 40% × 22.4 = 49

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 66 + 40% × 68.7 = 67

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

  6. 38

    Treadwear

    Azenis FK510 +28
    66
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests≈ 51 (est.)72
    Reviews found online1857

    SP Sport Maxx GT DSST: 60% × 51 (est.) + 40% × 18 = 38

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 72.4 + 40% × 57.3 = 66

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport Maxx GT DSST. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  7. 23

    Handling (owners)

    Azenis FK510 +48
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx GT DSSTAzenis FK510
    Reviews found online2371
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSSTFalken Azenis FK510
Relative Score 39 73
Dry 40 74
Wet 41 83
Snow – 55
Comfort 39 52
Noise 49 67
Treadwear 38 66
Handling (owners) 23 71

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
Neutral
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Less important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost
Recomputed
Headline score

SP Sport Maxx GT DSST

Azenis FK510

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

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A SP Sport Maxx GT DSST

Not enough owner reviews yet to extract themes.

Tire B Azenis FK510

Pros

  • Outstanding grip in both wet and dry conditions
  • Exceptional value and lower price point compared to premium brands
  • Smooth and comfortable ride quality that absorbs road imperfections well

Cons

  • Accelerated tread wear and shorter overall lifespan
  • Softer sidewalls can result in slightly delayed initial steering response or a feeling of looseness during aggressive high-speed maneuvers
  • Occasional reports of increased tire noise or harshness on specific rough or concrete road surfaces
All owner themes in the Azenis FK510 review

What real owners are saying

From Reddit, forums and review threads. Not part of our score

Tire A

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST

We haven't collected enough community discussion about this tire yet.

Tire B

Falken Azenis FK510

Mixed

Community members frequently view the Falken Azenis FK510 as an affordable, budget-friendly alternative to premium tires like Michelin Pilot Sports, offering strong wet weather grip and good everyday road comfort. However, opinions are mixed due to rapid treadwear, with multiple drivers reporting bald tires in 10,000 to 15,000 miles or poor durability during track and autocross sessions. Furthermore, some users note compromises in steering response, road noise, and overall performance compared to top-tier max performance tires.

jaguarforums.com

“I've got a set of Falken Azenis FK510 on my 20" Detroits, which I've been running for several years. They weren't expensive at the time and not noticeably different to the Pirellis on before - I would buy them again.”
r/FocusST ·4 upvotes ·2020-07-09

“ST feels boaty on new Falken’s I recently purchased a set of 245/40/18 Falken Azenis FK510 to put on my stock wheels. After, the car feels like it’s constantly driving on a wet road. Even after getting heat into the tires, the car feels boaty and like the rear end doesn’t want to follow the front. Any tips? Or did I make a bad choice in tire?”
f30.bimmerpost.com

“Quote: Originally Posted by alohasurftoad G-Max RS, Falken FK510 or Firestone, all good. +1 on the Falken FK510 , about 500 miles in and very quiet and comfortable. Exceptional dry/wet traction.”
Top themes
#budget friendly pricing#wet weather traction#fast treadwear#track durability concerns#ride comfort#cabin road noise#daily street driving

Based on 63 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST B · Falken Azenis FK510
CategorySummer tireSummer
Vehicle type—Passenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available—93
Rim diameters—17″ – 22″
Tread depth—10/32″
UTQG—300 A A
Sidewall—Blackwall
Max pressure—50 psi

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST

Falken Azenis FK510

Winner: Falken Azenis FK510 — better handling, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST rests on little evidence so far (0 tests, 10 reviews), so read this result as provisional.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 71 vs 23 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 83 vs 41 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 74 vs 40 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 66 vs 38 on treadwear.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT DSST
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Falken Azenis FK510
Check price on Amazon

TireWheelGuide may earn a commission from purchases made through these links.

SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Which is better in the wet, SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 83 vs 41 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 74 vs 40 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 67 vs 49 on our noise score.

Which is more comfortable, SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 52 vs 39 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Sport Maxx GT DSST or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 66 vs 38 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