Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 — 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 + 32 road tests and 195 + 3,507 owner reviews. How we score

Sport Maxx RT2 is ahead, 74–65

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Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
Tire BDunlop

Sport Maxx RT2

Summer

± 4

Tests 76 · 32 tests Owners 71 · 3,507 reviews

Best test result: #1 of 20 in 2026 Autobild Summer Tyre Test (comfort (tester's mark))

“Everybody is right. The tyre is available in both a RF and a non-RF versions - so it will simply depend on what you buy. e.g. the rears for my F31 are not RF”

Category by category

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

  1. 67

    Dry

    Sport Maxx RT2 +9
    76
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 30 tests≈ 68 (est.)79
    Reviews found online6771

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 67.7 (est.) + 40% × 67.1 = 67

    Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 79.1 + 40% × 71.1 = 76

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

  2. 69

    Wet

    Sport Maxx RT2 +11
    80
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 31 tests≈ 70 (est.)84
    Reviews found online6974

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 69.7 (est.) + 40% × 68.8 = 69

    Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 84 + 40% × 73.5 = 80

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

  3. 55

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 61 (est.)–
    Reviews found online46–

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 61.4 (est.) + 40% × 45.6 = 55

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

  4. 63

    Comfort

    Sport Maxx RT2 +7
    70
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 67 (est.)70
    Reviews found online5971

    Sport Maxx RT: 40% × 67.3 (est.) + 60% × 59.3 = 63

    Sport Maxx RT2: 40% × 69.6 + 60% × 70.7 = 70

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

  5. 66

    Noise

    Sport Maxx RT2 +1
    67
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 13 tests≈ 67 (est.)63
    Reviews found online6574

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 66.6 (est.) + 40% × 64.9 = 66

    Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 63.5 + 40% × 73.5 = 67

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

  6. 53

    Treadwear

    Sport Maxx RT2 +16
    69
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 10 tests≈ 58 (est.)70
    Reviews found online4468

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 58.4 (est.) + 40% × 44 = 53

    Sport Maxx RT2: 60% × 70.3 + 40% × 68.1 = 69

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

  7. 67

    Handling (owners)

    Sport Maxx RT2 +4
    71
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Reviews found online6771
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    64
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 17 tests–64
Scores at a glance
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2: scores by category (0–100)
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx RTDunlop Sport Maxx RT2
Relative Score 65 74
Dry 67 76
Wet 69 80
Snow 55 –
Comfort 63 70
Noise 66 67
Treadwear 53 69
Handling (owners) 67 71
Efficiency – 64

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
Not important
NotLessNeutralImportantMost

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

Recomputed
Headline score
± 7

Sport Maxx RT

± 4

Sport Maxx RT2

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.

DisciplineCategorySport Maxx RTSport Maxx RT2ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #4/14 2015 AZ 225/40 R18 Summer Tyre Test #17/50 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? – Different tests

Pros, cons & observations

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

Tire A Sport Maxx RT

Pros

  • Outstanding grip and traction in both dry and wet conditions
  • High level of ride comfort and low road noise
  • Predictable and progressive handling at limits

Cons

  • Fast tread wear leading to short tire lifespan
  • Prone to developing cracks in the tread blocks or sidewalls prematurely
  • Subpar performance in freezing temperatures, snow, or slush
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx RT review

Tire B Sport Maxx RT2

Pros

  • Excellent grip and stability in both wet and dry conditions
  • Significantly lower road noise and high ride comfort compared to competitors
  • Competitive pricing offering great value for a premium-tier brand

Cons

  • Soft sidewalls can cause a spongy feel and lack of precision during fast cornering
  • Some reports of premature cracking in the tread valleys or sidewalls
  • Performance and noise levels can degrade noticeably as the tread wears down
All owner themes in the Sport Maxx RT2 review

What real owners are saying

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

Tire A

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

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

Tire B

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2

Positive

Community opinion portrays the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT 2 as a solid, quiet, and good-value performance tire that performs well in all weather conditions. While some drivers note it is an older design compared to newer flagship releases and point out its 'B' wet rating in certain sizes, it is generally considered capable and competitively priced. There is also frequent discussion clarifying the availability of both run-flat and non-run-flat variants across different dimensions.

Top themes
#Run-flat availability confusion#Low road noise#Value for money#All-weather grip#Older tire generation#Wet performance rating

Based on 19 community posts

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2756
Rim diameters16″ – 22″17″ – 21″
Tread depth9/32″10/32″
UTQG240 A A300 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi50 psi
Sizes in common1414

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2

Winner: Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 — better treadwear, wet and dry. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 69 vs 53 on treadwear.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 80 vs 69 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 76 vs 67 on dry.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 scores 70 vs 63 on comfort.

Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Tire B · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2

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Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

Which is better in the wet, Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2, 80 vs 69 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2, 76 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is quieter, Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

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

Which is more comfortable, Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2, 70 vs 63 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Sport Maxx RT or Sport Maxx RT2?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2, 69 vs 53 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