tirewheelguide
Head-to-head Updated

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT vs Falken Azenis FK510 — 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 + 31 road tests and 195 + 910 owner reviews. How we score

Azenis FK510 is ahead, 70–63

Check price on Amazon · Azenis FK510 or Sport Maxx RT 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

± 5

Tests 74 · 31 tests Owners 66 · 910 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. 67

    Dry

    Azenis FK510 +6
    73
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 28 tests≈ 67 (est.)73
    Reviews found online6774

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 67.4 (est.) + 40% × 66.6 = 67

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 72.9 + 40% × 74.2 = 73

    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 0.41).

  2. 69

    Wet

    Azenis FK510 +15
    84
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 29 tests≈ 70 (est.)88
    Reviews found online6978

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 69.5 (est.) + 40% × 68.5 = 69

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 88.4 + 40% × 77.9 = 84

    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

    Level
    55
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 62 (est.)≈ 62 (est.)
    Reviews found online4545

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 62.3 (est.) + 40% × 44.8 = 55

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 62.4 (est.) + 40% × 45 = 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 0.32).

    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 0.32).

  4. 62

    Comfort

    Sport Maxx RT +6
    56
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 6 tests≈ 67 (est.)40
    Reviews found online5967

    Sport Maxx RT: 40% × 66.6 (est.) + 60% × 58.5 = 62

    Azenis FK510: 40% × 40.3 + 60% × 66.9 = 56

    No road tests of comfort for Sport Maxx RT. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 66

    Noise

    Level
    66
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 18 tests≈ 66 (est.)66
    Reviews found online6567

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 66.4 (est.) + 40% × 64.5 = 66

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 66 + 40% × 66.9 = 66

    No road tests of noise for Sport Maxx RT. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 53

    Treadwear

    Azenis FK510 +13
    66
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 5 tests≈ 58 (est.)73
    Reviews found online4454

    Sport Maxx RT: 60% × 58.4 (est.) + 40% × 44.1 = 53

    Azenis FK510: 60% × 73.1 + 40% × 54.2 = 66

    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 0.36).

  7. 66

    Handling (owners)

    Azenis FK510 +6
    72
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Reviews found online6672
  8. –

    Efficiency

    No comparison
    50
    Why this score
    SourceSport Maxx RTAzenis FK510
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 19 tests–50
Scores at a glance
CategoryDunlop Sport Maxx RTFalken Azenis FK510
Relative Score 63 70
Dry 67 73
Wet 69 84
Snow 55 55
Comfort 62 56
Noise 66 66
Treadwear 53 66
Handling (owners) 66 72
Efficiency – 50

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
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

± 5

Azenis FK510

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 RTAzenis FK510ΔHead-to-head
Also published by the testers (not in the score)
Overall Ranking Overall #4/14 2015 AZ 225/40 R18 Summer Tyre Test #7/10 2025 Tire Rack UUHP Summer Tyre Test – 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 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 Sport Maxx RT

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.

r/TeslaModel3 ·1 upvote ·2024-02-10

“I put the fk510 on my 2014 535d msport and the rears only lasted 10-11k or one year. Trying something different. They are a good performance summer tire but not worth replacing every year.”
r/tires ·2 upvotes ·2022-02-08

“Falken Azenis FK510 prices? Anyone know why the prices for Falken Azenis FK510's went up 25% or more in the last month? 235/40R18 went from $154 to $192. The whole benefit of these tires is that they offer PS4S performance for way less money. Now, you midaswhale just buy the Michelins. I haven't seen any other summer tires make that kind of a jump in price. I know Falken announced a price increase for 2022, but it was only like 5%. What's the dealio? Read more”
corvetteforum.com

“I've had a set of Falken Azenis FK510's on my car for a couple of months now, and just this past weekend took a trip through the twisties up to Prescott, and pushed the car as hard as I could heading up the mountain. I was a little nervous as I'd never used Falken tires before, but trusted in Tire Rack's reviews of them and pushed the envelope in every turn I hit. It was a pleasant surprise to find that the tires were gripping just as well as the much more expensive Michelin tires they'd replaced, and I even hit a personal best of .95g going around one of the more nasty turns. During this entire drive I never felt once like the tires weren't gripping perfectly, or that I was going to lose control from them breaking loose. Road noise is pretty much non-existent, and they seem to run pretty smooth over every surface I've driven them on so far. All-in-all I don't regret my purchase one bit, and if their longevity is anything like what I got out of my previous set of Michelins I'll definitely be buying another set once this one is done for.”
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 Sport Maxx RT B · Falken Azenis FK510
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available2793
Rim diameters16″ – 22″17″ – 22″
Tread depth9/32″10/32″
UTQG240 A A300 A A
SidewallBlackwallBlackwall
Max pressure50 psi50 psi
Sizes in common1818

Which one should you actually buy?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

Falken Azenis FK510

Winner: Falken Azenis FK510 — better wet, treadwear and dry. Pick the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT if comfort matters most to you.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 84 vs 69 on wet.

Pick tire B You want the longest tread life

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 66 vs 53 on treadwear.

Pick tire A You want the most comfortable ride

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT scores 62 vs 56 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Falken Azenis FK510 scores 73 vs 67 on dry.

Tire A · Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Check price on Amazon
Tire B · Falken Azenis FK510
Check price on Amazon

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

Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Which is better in the wet, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 84 vs 69 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 73 vs 67 on our dry score.

Which is better in snow, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Neither, by our numbers: 55 vs 55 on the snow score, within 3 points.

Which is quieter, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

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

Which is more comfortable, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Dunlop Sport Maxx RT, 62 vs 56 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, Sport Maxx RT or Azenis FK510?

Falken Azenis FK510, 66 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