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  • Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
  • Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
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The Sport Maxx RT (inspired by Racing Technology) is Dunlop's Max Performance Summer road tire developed for the drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes and high performance sedans. Dunlop Racing Technology combines sophisticated tire materials and manufacturing techniques to enhance road feedback and driving precision. Like all summer tires, the Sport Maxx RT is not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

Sport Maxx RT tires feature adaptive compound technology that uses motorsports derived polymers to allow its silica-plus tread rubber to adapt to the textures of the road surface, maximizing road contact and increasing grip. This compound is molded into an asymmetric design that features large outboard shoulder blocks tied to a notched intermediate rib that enhances dry road responsiveness and cornering control. A continuous center rib and notched inboard intermediate and shoulder ribs are separated by wide circumferential grooves to resist hydroplaning and enhance wet traction. Dunlop Multi-Radius-Tread Technology distributes footprint pressure effectively across the tire and allows the footprint shape to change more smoothly as it moves from a straight to a curve, leading to better control and more precise driving.

The tire's internal structure includes twin steel belts reinforced by Dunlop's JointLess Band (JLB) spirally wound cord to provide high-speed durability and enhance ride uniformity.

Limited sizes of the Sport Maxx RT are available with Dunlop's Noise Shield Technology, which involves the manufacturer adhering a layer of sound-absorbing foam to the inner liner of the tire to reduce cabin noise in the vehicle. These sizes are identified on the Specs page and in the search results.

Related Information: Noise Reducing Tire Technology

Tire Rack Test Results Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

Latest vs. Greatest Max Performance Summer Tires (04:59)

Max Performance tires deliver an unsurpassed blend of dry/wet traction and handling for the street via high-tech materials and advanced manufacturing. They aren't hampered by the inherent compromises of an all-season tire. And unlike Extreme Performance tires, they have good road manners.

How do the newest compare to the top tires in the category?

Read the Full Test Report

Ratings Charts & Reviews Dunlop Sport Maxx RT

Tire Category: Max Performance Summer

Consumer Surveys

 
Best in Category
Miles Reported
Recommended
Treadwear
Dunlop Sport Maxx RT
Good
86%
1.4M
5.6 - Fair
8.0 - Good
7.9 Hydroplaning Resistance
8.0 Wet Traction
8.7 - Excellent
8.7 Corner Stability
8.8 Dry Traction
8.6 Steering Response
N/A
N/A Light Snow Traction
N/A Deep Snow Traction
N/A Ice Traction
7.0 - Good
7.3 Ride Quality
6.7 Noise
7.0 - Good

Customers Say

Feedback patterns show the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT delivers excellent dry traction with scores often reaching 9-10, paired with strong wet performance highlighted by reliable hydroplaning resistance. Comfort receives high marks for ride smoothness, though some note inconsistent noise levels. Treadwear ratings vary widely, with many praising longevity in spirited driving scenarios but others reporting rapid wear under aggressive use. As a max performance summer tire, it excels in its intended conditions, balancing precise handling and grip while maintaining acceptable comfort for most drivers.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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Customers Like:

81 customers mention "Wet Traction"

  • 72 positive
  • 9 negative

Most customers give the Dunlop Sport Maxx RT wet traction scores of 8-10, praising its confident grip and hydroplaning resistance. While a few lower scores note challenges in heavy rain, performance remains strong for a Max Performance Summer tire.

October 01, 2016 (Verified Purchase)

3.9 out of 5 Star Rating
3.9 out of 5

...My main reason for writing this review is it had been raining for hours and I had to do an emergency stop and swerve in the rain to avoid another car that decided they needed to be in all 3 lanes and I sincerely believe these tires saved me from an accident. I had to slam on my brakes and these tires took it no problem and asked for more. They preformed admirably in the conditions and I would gladly purchase again if they age well...

Important to note that these are the 91(Y) and not the other version of the tire.

18 pounds a tire. That is the lowest weight I found listed in 225/45/17 summer tires and I think it really shows in the performance, especially if you are limited in power. These tires provide a surprisingly quiet, smooth ride with respectable traction in the Florida weather, however they are only about a week old with a few hundred miles on them so hopefully I will post an update when they have worn to see how they age.

My main reason for writing this review is it had been raining for hours and I had to do an emergency stop and swerve in the rain to avoid another car that decided they needed to be in all 3 lanes and I sincerely believe these tires saved me from an accident. I had to slam on my brakes and these tires took it no problem and asked for more. They preformed admirably in the conditions and I would gladly purchase again if they age well.

The only reason they aren't all 10s is that I have never bought top of the line expensive tires to compare them to, but they are a 10 in my mind lol.

Vehicle: 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit 2-Door
Miles Driven on Tires: 500
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: SARASOTA, FL
Driving Style: Spirited
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November 07, 2017 (Verified Purchase)

3.9 out of 5 Star Rating
3.9 out of 5

...Great in rain, no grip issues, very confident in the wet...

These came standard on my 2017 WRX.

/Pros/
-Fantastic cornering performance and grip
My car and these tires have seen a good amount of spirited runs in the hills , the grip is amazing for stock tires.
-Great sidewalls and response
- Great in rain, no grip issues, very confident in the wet.

/Cons/
-Loud
Maybe it's just my experience but these tires are very loud on highway
-wear
17k miles on mine and I will need a replacement in a few thousand. Take in mind these do see lots of hard driving.

Vehicle: 2017 Subaru WRX
Miles Driven on Tires: 17,000
Driving Conditions: Mostly Highway
Location: BIGFORK, MT
Driving Style: Spirited
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88 customers mention "Dry Traction"

  • 83 positive
  • 5 negative

Most customers rate dry traction as excellent with scores of 9s and 10s, highlighting responsive handling and reliable grip. The Sport Maxx RT delivers confident dry performance expected from a Max Performance Summer tire.

October 09, 2016 (Verified Purchase)

3.6 out of 5 Star Rating
3.6 out of 5

...Dry traction is amazing. I now feel like Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of my car...

The Dunlap Sport Maxx RT inspires confidence. Steering is more responsive and braking is better controlled. Wet traction is acceptable, but I have this tire mounted on an all wheel drive luxury sedan (2004 Mercedes S500 4Matic), so wet performance is always well-managed. Dry traction is amazing. I now feel like Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of my car. I'm curious about the Michelin Pilot Super Sport, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this tire to others.

Vehicle: 2004 Mercedes-Benz S500 4Matic Sedan Sport Pkg
Miles Driven on Tires: 500
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: KYLE, TX
Driving Style: Spirited
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May 20, 2015

4.6 out of 5 Star Rating
4.6 out of 5

...They were fantastic on the strip (FWD 330whp/300wtq car) enabling easy 2.0 60's... Excellent dry traction both launching the car, and braking.

I really enjoyed these tires! I wish was more diligent in rotating them so I could have gotten more mileage out of my fronts, the rears still look like 60-70% of tread left.

The Good:
1) They were fantastic on the strip (FWD 330whp/300wtq car) enabling easy 2.0 60's.
2) Perfectly quiet on the road/highway.
3) Unbelievable wet grip/stability.
4) Excellent dry traction both launching the car, and braking.
5) Above average tread-wear for the rating, but still a gummy summer tire.
6) Solid low temp performance. Never had any issues with stability or control in low temp (20deg).

Cons:
1) Like all summer tires avoid snow/freezing rain. These were quite possibly 100% useless in even a hair of snow on a FWD car.

Vehicle: 2007 Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: MOUNT LAUREL, NJ
Driving Style: Spirited
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November 08, 2017

3.7 out of 5 Star Rating
3.7 out of 5

...The dry stability and responsiveness of these tires are great. B+/A-. They always felt glued to the dry road...

These were OE tires on my 2015 WRX. Only after getting high perfornance all season tires, can I comment on the pros and cons of these tires. The dry stability and responsiveness of these tires are great. B+/A-. They always felt glued to the dry road. When it rained, I never experienced any bit of hydroplaning. While grip adhesion did fall to a C+, I still felt confident in the tires performance. They were absolute garbage in snow, D-/F. They felt very responsive, and with that, very harsh and noisy. Ride comfort and noise is a C+. This tire is heavily geared towards dry performance and compromises elsewhere. Maybe compromises too much.

Vehicle: 2015 Subaru WRX
Miles Driven on Tires: 28,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: SAN DIEGO, CA
Driving Style: Spirited
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87 customers mention "Ride Quality"

  • 61 positive
  • 26 negative

Customers praise the Sport Maxx RT's comfort, with most scoring 9s and 10s for ride quality and noise. Scores between 7-8 indicate solid performance, delivering the smooth, refined feel expected from max performance summer tires.

April 23, 2025 (Verified Purchase)

4.3 out of 5 Star Rating
4.3 out of 5

...I've had Dunlops before, not usually my first choice but these are a comfortable ride and sticky at 240A for a 235/35/19...

Was able to pick these tires up on closeout for a really good deal, being they were old stock for around $96ea. I've had Dunlops before, not usually my first choice but these are a comfortable ride and sticky at 240A for a 235/35/19. Only thing noticeable is they are better on the warmer days, we've had a few cool spring mornings, and left over sand from the winter here in New England (CT) and traction loss is minimal but was noticed a few times. One thing I can say is the initial tread depth was better than the OE Bridgestones I had or to my knowledge. If they were on a sale like this again I would probably get them again if the deal was as good, a set of 4 for the price of 1 tire was a great deal. One other nice feature was they have a lip that goes over the edge of the rim, only downfall was they must of had trouble mounting them because they had so much tire lube on them when I received then and one wheel had a deep knick near that lip protector, but costumer service was excellent I sent them pictures and they took some money off for the damage and a credit for the price of a car wash to get the install lube off. Other than that another good purchase from Tire Rack

Vehicle: 2023 Volkswagen Golf GTI 235/35-19
Miles Driven on Tires: 1,500
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: MERIDEN, CT
Driving Style: Spirited
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April 25, 2014

4.6 out of 5 Star Rating
4.6 out of 5

...They are extremely comfortable for drive and noise levels are very low compared to my previous set of Kumho's... Driving on bumpy roads is no challenge at al. Tire goes pretty well over the bump's without any noticeable discomfort...

So far so good for my new set of Dunlop Sport Maxx RT summer tires. They are extremely comfortable for drive and noise levels are very low compared to my previous set of Kumho's. Wet traction is just like in dry conditions: in one word - superb. Driving on bumpy roads is no challenge at al. Tire goes pretty well over the bump's without any noticeable discomfort. Hope those tires could last somewhat 35000-40000km with proper tire rotation on every 10 000km as recommended by Dunlop.

Vehicle: 1999 Mitsubishi Galant ES V6
Miles Driven on Tires: 1,000
Driving Conditions: Mostly City
Location: Sofia, BG
Driving Style: Average
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January 21, 2019 (Verified Purchase)

3.9 out of 5 Star Rating
3.9 out of 5

...Daily driving, the tires are great comfort wise. STI's are known for stiff suspension, but I rode these tires from Cali to Texas and back. Really comfortable...

Took these bad boys to the track as well as 30000 miles on the street. Still has good tread depth in the center, but the shoulders are going out due to factor camber specs (-1.5 in the rear)
Honestly, these tires grip alright, but they are very predictable. I've been able to do decent speeds on the highway during heavy rains whilst still maintaining traction as well . Great tire for the hydroplaning resistance IMO. Never had an issue with wet launching the car as well at factory power, but I wet cornering is definitely scary. A lot of understeer if you're not watching the conditions.
Dry traction on the track is great. Put down respectable times on stock rubber and the tires were very predictable. Spirited canyon runs, never had an issue, and was able to always correct if I cooked a turn.
Daily driving, the tires are great comfort wise. STI's are known for stiff suspension, but I rode these tires from Cali to Texas and back. Really comfortable.
My only derogatory mark against these tires is the fact that they are SUPER noisy. I can hear everything on the road, but otherwise this is a great tire for daily driving with the occasional spirited drive. Just wish the wear pattern wasn't so bad with my stock suspension setup. Could have gotten a lot more miles out of them.

Vehicle: 2017 Subaru WRX STi
Miles Driven on Tires: 30,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: LAFAYETTE, CA
Driving Style: Spirited
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67 customers mention "Treadwear"

  • 43 positive
  • 24 negative

Many customers rate treadwear highly with scores of 9s and 10s, noting impressive longevity for a max performance summer tire. While most scores are 7-10, some report mixed experiences with lower ratings.

June 05, 2017 (Verified Purchase)

4.2 out of 5 Star Rating
4.2 out of 5

...Anyone that complains about tread life, especially with 40 series summer only tires really does not understand these type of tires. Any sport car/sport sedan with 45 series tires or lower with spirited driving will wear any brand out within 20k-30k miles.

I put probably 24k miles on the OEM tires and another 14k on Blizzaks. Am buying them again. Anyone that complains about tread life, especially with 40 series summer only tires really does not understand these type of tires. Any sport car/sport sedan with 45 series tires or lower with spirited driving will wear any brand out within 20k-30k miles.

Vehicle: 2015 Subaru WRX STi
Miles Driven on Tires: 38,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: PALM HARBOR, FL
Driving Style: Spirited
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November 06, 2016 (Verified Purchase)

3.7 out of 5 Star Rating
3.7 out of 5

...I expected these tires to run below the wear bars before the 15k mark, but to my surprise, even with a heavy, relatively powerful car, they've hung on. The tread wear has been amazing, no tread edge feathering or chop. I did do an annual alignment about 1/2 through the tires as recommended per the manufacture...

Having purchased the car with these tires on them, I must say I'm more impressed than I thought I would have been with a stock tire. These tires were trustworthy, rugged and performed great! I expected these tires to run below the wear bars before the 15k mark, but to my surprise, even with a heavy, relatively powerful car, they've hung on. The tread wear has been amazing, no tread edge feathering or chop. I did do an annual alignment about 1/2 through the tires as recommended per the manufacture. Even through a few auto-x events where I tortured these things they didn't show more than a little outer tread block scratching and heat marks, which proves their durability. Also, I had an unfortunate road incident where a piece of tar/concrete had shot out into the road damaging two of my wheels. The tires survived the collision with only a minor chunk missing from the "rim protector" area.
They aren't the quietest tire and they're heavy but more than "good". I suspect the price of these tires is the way it is because it's considered and "OEM" tire which is one of the reasons I won't buy them again. For the driver looking to have an all-around tire that is good wet, dry and the occasional blast down the on-ramp these will make a great choice. For the spirited/experienced driver, I would recommend another look. At about the 1/2 way mark I started to notice the stability in cornering was diminishing, could feel the tires wandering a bit on the edge of traction. They're heavy too, which I believe is a reason for the less than stellar cornering response at moderate to high speeds. The response is great for normal city speeds because of the rugged construction but its reason for suffer later.

Pros:
Great dry traction
Rugged build
Great wear characteristics (balance/alignment)
Trustworthy in wet conditions

Cons:
Heavy (inconsistent steering response and doesn't help the mpg's)
They run a little skinny compared to competitors
Ride quality is a little rough

Vehicle: 2015 Subaru WRX STi
Miles Driven on Tires: 15,302
Driving Conditions: Mostly City
Location: WILMINGTON, NC
Driving Style: Spirited
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June 17, 2017

4.4 out of 5 Star Rating
4.4 out of 5

...I was very happy to get 30k+ out of mine and found the treadwear to be more than ample this type of performance. I strongly suspect those giving feedback on poor treadwear were unforgiving versus spirited in driving style.

OEM tire which performed very well for me but was rotated often and pressure checked weekly. Outstanding dry traction and wet for a max summer tire. Quiet even when breaking traction (no barking, squeeling or chirping under duress). Road noise much more pronounced after they hit 20k+ miles. I was very happy to get 30k+ out of mine and found the treadwear to be more than ample this type of performance. I strongly suspect those giving feedback on poor treadwear were "unforgiving" versus "spirited" in driving style.

Vehicle: 2016 Subaru WRX
Miles Driven on Tires: 34,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: ARLINGTON, TX
Driving Style: Spirited
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Consumer Reviews

Media Gallery

Latest vs. Greatest Max Performance Summer Tires (04:59)

Max Performance tires deliver an unsurpassed blend of dry/wet traction and handling for the street via high-tech materials and advanced manufacturing. They aren't hampered by the inherent compromises of an all-season tire. And unlike Extreme Performance tires, they have good road manners.

How do the newest compare to the top tires in the category?

Read the Full Test Report

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