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Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx vs Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — 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 173 + 32 owner reviews. How we score

Sport Maxx 050+ is ahead, 64–55

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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. 58

    Dry

    Sport Maxx 050+ +5
    63
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online5361

    SP Sport Maxx: 60% × 61.7 (est.) + 40% × 52.8 = 58

    Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 65 (est.) + 40% × 60.8 = 63

    No road tests of dry for SP Sport Maxx. 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 Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.42).

  2. 57

    Wet

    Sport Maxx 050+ +7
    64
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 60 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online5262

    SP Sport Maxx: 60% × 60.3 (est.) + 40% × 51.8 = 57

    Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 65.9 (est.) + 40% × 61.9 = 64

    No road tests of wet for SP Sport Maxx. 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 Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 52

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 60 (est.)–
    Reviews found online41–

    SP Sport Maxx: 60% × 59.7 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 52

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

  4. 53

    Comfort

    Sport Maxx 050+ +4
    57
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 65 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online4551

    SP Sport Maxx: 40% × 64.7 (est.) + 60% × 45.3 = 53

    Sport Maxx 050+: 40% × 65.9 (est.) + 60% × 51.3 = 57

    No road tests of comfort for SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is the tested tires’ average (69): owners’ comfort ratings barely follow the road tests.

  5. 60

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 67 (est.)–
    Reviews found online50–

    SP Sport Maxx: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 50.3 = 60

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

  6. 51

    Treadwear

    Sport Maxx 050+ +16
    67
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 57 (est.)≈ 66 (est.)
    Reviews found online4167

    SP Sport Maxx: 60% × 57.5 (est.) + 40% × 41.2 = 51

    Sport Maxx 050+: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 67 = 67

    No road tests of treadwear for SP Sport Maxx. 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 Sport Maxx 050+. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.35).

  7. 50

    Handling (owners)

    Sport Maxx 050+ +15
    65
    Why this score
    SourceSP Sport MaxxSport Maxx 050+
    Reviews found online5065
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop SP Sport MaxxDunlop Sport Maxx 050+
Relative Score 55 64
Dry 58 63
Wet 57 64
Snow 52 –
Comfort 53 57
Noise 60 –
Treadwear 51 67
Handling (owners) 50 65

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

SP Sport Maxx

± 8

Sport Maxx 050+

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

Pros

  • Strong dry and wet grip when brand new
  • Responsive handling and sharp cornering precision
  • Low initial road noise and good ride comfort on smooth surfaces

Cons

  • Rapid and uneven tread wear (often wearing out in under 10,000–15,000 miles)
  • High road noise and 'sawtoothing' issues as the tires age
  • Noticeable drop in wet-weather traction and sudden loss of grip near the end of their lifespan
All owner themes in the SP Sport Maxx review

Tire B Sport Maxx 050+

Pros

  • Reliable and confident dry grip for high-speed cornering and handling
  • Impressive tread wear and long-lasting durability over tens of thousands of kilometers
  • Good value for money relative to premium European brands

Cons

  • Excessive road and cabin noise, particularly at motorway speeds
  • Stiff and harsh ride quality over bumps and rough surfaces
  • Mediocre to poor wet-weather traction with tendencies to slip or aquaplane
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx 050+ review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available8—
Rim diameters16″ – 21″—
Tread depth10/32″—
SidewallBlackwall—

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop SP Sport Maxx

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+

Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ — better treadwear, handling and wet. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 67 vs 51 on treadwear.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 65 vs 50 on handling.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 64 vs 57 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+ scores 63 vs 58 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop SP Sport Maxx
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Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+
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SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+?

Which is better in the wet, SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+?

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+, 64 vs 57 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+?

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+, 63 vs 58 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+?

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+, 57 vs 53 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, SP Sport Maxx or Sport Maxx 050+?

Dunlop Sport Maxx 050+, 67 vs 51 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