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Head-to-head Updated

Nitto NT01 vs Toyo R888 R — 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 + 2 road tests and 26 + 31 owner reviews. How we score

R888 R is ahead, 63–43

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Nitto NT01
Tire ANitto

NT01

Summer

± 8

Tests – · none yet Owners 28 · 26 reviews

Toyo R888 R
Tire BToyo

R888 R

Summer

± 7

Tests 65 · 2 tests Owners 60 · 31 reviews

Best test result: #2 of 10 in 2017 Sport Auto UHP and Track Day Test (dry handling)

Category by category

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

  1. 60

    Dry

    R888 R +15
    75
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 63 (est.)76
    Reviews found online5673

    NT01: 60% × 63.1 (est.) + 40% × 56.3 = 60

    R888 R: 60% × 76.5 + 40% × 73 = 75

    No road tests of dry for NT01. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.41).

  2. 26

    Wet

    R888 R +29
    55
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score) · – / 2 tests≈ 37 (est.)53
    Reviews found online1059

    NT01: 60% × 37.4 (est.) + 40% × 10 = 26

    R888 R: 60% × 52.9 + 40% × 58.9 = 55

    No road tests of wet for NT01. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.55).

  3. 35

    Snow

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 51 (est.)–
    Reviews found online10–

    NT01: 60% × 51.2 (est.) + 40% × 10 = 35

    No road tests of snow for NT01. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.32).

  4. 36

    Comfort

    R888 R +22
    58
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 59 (est.)≈ 65 (est.)
    Reviews found online2153

    NT01: 40% × 59 (est.) + 60% × 20.7 = 36

    R888 R: 40% × 65.5 (est.) + 60% × 52.7 = 58

    No road tests of comfort for NT01. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

    No road tests of comfort for R888 R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.20).

  5. 45

    Noise

    No comparison
    –
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 66 (est.)–
    Reviews found online12–

    NT01: 60% × 66.3 (est.) + 40% × 12.4 = 45

    No road tests of noise for NT01. The test half is the tested tires’ average (66): owners’ noise ratings barely follow the road tests.

  6. 45

    Treadwear

    R888 R +9
    54
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Professional tests (TWG score)≈ 54 (est.)≈ 59 (est.)
    Reviews found online3146

    NT01: 60% × 53.9 (est.) + 40% × 31.2 = 45

    R888 R: 60% × 59.1 (est.) + 40% × 45.7 = 54

    No road tests of treadwear for NT01. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

    No road tests of treadwear for R888 R. The test half is estimated from the owner ratings, as far as owners and testers agree (correlation 0.36).

  7. 46

    Handling (owners)

    R888 R +25
    71
    Why this score
    SourceNT01R888 R
    Reviews found online4671
Scores at a glance
CategoryNitto NT01Toyo R888 R
Relative Score 43 63
Dry 60 75
Wet 26 55
Snow 35 –
Comfort 36 58
Noise 45 –
Treadwear 45 54
Handling (owners) 46 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

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

NT01

± 7

R888 R

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 NT01

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and traction once warmed up
  • Outstanding tread life and durability for a track tire (wears like iron)
  • Consistent performance across multiple heat cycles with minimal degradation

Cons

  • High risk of hydroplaning and poor performance in heavy rain or standing water
  • Loud road noise and harsh ride quality when used for street driving
  • Slow to warm up properly on the street, leading to faster wear off-track
All owner themes in the NT01 review

Tire B R888 R

Pros

  • Exceptional dry grip and cornering stability
  • Sharp, communicative steering feedback
  • Strong, stiff sidewall construction

Cons

  • High levels of road noise, particularly at highway speeds
  • Rapid tread wear and short lifespan
  • Poor performance and potential for aquaplaning in standing water
All owner themes in the R888 R review

Specs side by side

Attribute A · Nitto NT01 B · Toyo R888 R
CategorySummerSummer
Vehicle typePassenger Car / CrossoverPassenger Car / Crossover
Sizes available1745
Rim diameters14″ – 19″13″ – 20″
Tread depth6.3/32″—
UTQG100 A A100 A A
SidewallBlackwall—
Max pressure51 psi—
Sizes in common99

Which one should you actually buy?

Nitto NT01

Toyo R888 R

Winner: Toyo R888 R — better wet, handling and comfort. It leads or ties in every category we score.

Pick tire B Your priority is wet-weather safety

Toyo R888 R scores 55 vs 26 on wet.

Pick tire B You enjoy sharp, responsive handling

Toyo R888 R scores 71 vs 46 on handling.

Pick tire B You want the most comfortable ride

Toyo R888 R scores 58 vs 36 on comfort.

Pick tire B You want the most grip on dry roads

Toyo R888 R scores 75 vs 60 on dry.

Tire A · Nitto NT01
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Tire B · Toyo R888 R
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NT01 or R888 R?

Which is better in the wet, NT01 or R888 R?

Toyo R888 R, 55 vs 26 on our wet score.

Which grips better on dry roads, NT01 or R888 R?

Toyo R888 R, 75 vs 60 on our dry score.

Which is more comfortable, NT01 or R888 R?

Toyo R888 R, 58 vs 36 on our comfort score.

Which lasts longer, NT01 or R888 R?

Toyo R888 R, 54 vs 45 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