Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT vs Falken ZE914 — Compared

Relative Score (0–100): the weighted average of the categories below, each 60% road tests and 40% owner reviews. Based on 0 + 0 road tests and 300 + 99 owner reviews. How we score

ZE914 is ahead, 73–64

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Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Tire ADunlop

SP Sport Maxx TT

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 60 · 300 reviews

“I have the Maxx TT on my car for about 1000 Km which included two slalom sessions. I am very pleased with the ride quality and dry traction. It is much quieter than the OEM tires. I have not had a chance to drive in wet road yet.”

Falken ZE914
Tire BFalken

ZE914

Summer

Tests – · none yet Owners 74 · 99 reviews

Category by category

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

  1. 66

    Dry

    ZE914 +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx TTZE914
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 72 (est.)
    Reviews found online6577

    SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.5 (est.) + 40% × 64.6 = 66

    ZE914: 60% × 71.5 (est.) + 40% × 77.2 = 74

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

    No road tests of dry for ZE914. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.40).

  2. 66

    Wet

    ZE914 +8
    74
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx TTZE914
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)≈ 73 (est.)
    Reviews found online6476

    SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64 = 66

    ZE914: 60% × 73 (est.) + 40% × 75.5 = 74

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

    No road tests of wet for ZE914. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.56).

  3. 61

    Comfort

    ZE914 +10
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx TTZE914
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)≈ 70 (est.)
    Reviews found online5372

    SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 53.3 = 61

    ZE914: 60% × 69.7 (est.) + 40% × 72.4 = 71

    No road tests of comfort for SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  4. 58

    Treadwear

    ZE914 +10
    68
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx TTZE914
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 67 (est.)
    Reviews found online5370

    SP Sport Maxx TT: 60% × 61.8 (est.) + 40% × 53.2 = 58

    ZE914: 60% × 67.1 (est.) + 40% × 70.3 = 68

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

    No road tests of treadwear for ZE914. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.31).

  5. 61

    Handling (owners)

    ZE914 +14
    75
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport Maxx TTZE914
    Reviews found online6175
Scores at a glance
Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT vs Falken ZE914: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop SP Sport Maxx TTFalken ZE914
Relative Score 64 73
Dry 66 74
Wet 66 74
Comfort 61 71
Treadwear 58 68
Handling (owners) 61 75

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

SP Sport Maxx TT

ZE914

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.

DisciplineCategorySP Sport Maxx TTZE914ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #3/14 2011 Auto Zeitung Max Performance Tyre Test #3/11 2017 ACE SUV Summer Tyre Test – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A SP Sport Maxx TT

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and precise cornering stability
  • Stiff sidewalls providing sharp steering feedback and confidence
  • Better-than-average tread life and mileage for many everyday drivers

Cons

  • High levels of road noise and cabin hum at speeds above 50 mph
  • Stiff, harsh ride quality, particularly with run-flat variants
  • Inconsistent or poor grip in wet, damp, or cold weather conditions
All owner themes in the SP Sport Maxx TT review

Tire B ZE914

Pros

  • Exceptional value for money compared to premium competitors
  • Strong, predictable grip in both dry and wet conditions
  • Progressive handling characteristics that provide driver confidence

Cons

  • Reports of increased road noise, particularly as the tread wears down
  • Inconsistent tread life, with some users experiencing premature wear
  • Occasional reports of poor wet-weather traction on specific high-torque or lightweight sports vehicles
All owner themes in the ZE914 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT

Positive

Community members generally praise the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT for its quiet road manners, respectable dry and wet grip, and solid track and cold-weather road performance compared to stock competition-oriented tires. Some drivers note relatively soft sidewalls during aggressive slalom events on heavier vehicles or limited grip before coming up to temperature. Overall, drivers find it to be a capable, comfortable summer tire that balances performance and daily drivability.

Top themes
#quiet ride quality#track and slalom handling#wet and dry traction#cold weather performance#sidewall stiffness concerns#replacement for OEM tires

Based on 19 community posts

Tire B

Falken ZE914

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

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT B · Falken ZE914
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available5—
Rim diameters16″ – 18″—

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT

Falken ZE914

Winner: Falken ZE914 — better handling, comfort and treadwear. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Falken ZE914 scores 75 vs 61 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Falken ZE914 scores 71 vs 61 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Falken ZE914 scores 68 vs 58 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Falken ZE914 scores 74 vs 66 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
Tire B · Falken ZE914

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SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914?

Which is better in the wet, SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914?

Falken ZE914, 74 vs 66 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914?

Falken ZE914, 74 vs 66 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914?

Falken ZE914, 71 vs 61 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Sport Maxx TT or ZE914?

Falken ZE914, 68 vs 58 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