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Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
  • Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
  • Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
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The Firehawk Indy 500 is Firestone's Ultra High Performance Summer tire developed for drivers of sports cars, sporty coupes and performance sedans who want to maximize sport driving pleasure through racing-inspired technology. The Firehawk Indy 500 is designed to deliver impressive performance in wet and dry conditions.

Like all summer tires, Firehawk Indy 500 tires are not intended to be driven in near-freezing temperatures, through snow or on ice.

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 uses a new, high-performance, silica-enhanced Long Link Carbon tread rubber compound molded into an aggressive-looking asymmetric tread design featuring large independent shoulder blocks designed to improve cornering and handling in dry conditions. The center circumferential groove features proprietary Pulse Groove Technology to enhance water evacuation, and combined with the new tread compound and two additional circumferential grooves, provides shorter stopping distances in the wet than its predecessor.

The tire's internal structure features a high-turnup polyester casing (2 ply in some sizes) beneath twin high-tensile steel belts and nylon reinforcement to provide responsive handling, stability and high-speed capability.

Indy 500® is a registered trademark of Brickyard Trademarks, Inc., used with permission.

Tire Rack Test Results Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Best Performance Tires: Ultra High Performance vs. Max Performance Summer Tires – 2024 Test 3 (22:06)

Using our new BMW M2 high-performance test vehicle, we ran two Ultra High Performance and four Max Performance summer tires through our litany of tests to find the best performance tire on the market.


Read the Full Test Report

Ratings Charts & Reviews Firestone Firehawk Indy 500

Tire Category: Ultra High Performance Summer

Consumer Surveys

 
Best in Category
Miles Reported
Recommended
Treadwear
Firestone Firehawk Indy 500
Excellent
98%
10M
8.7 - Excellent
8.4 - Good
8.4 Hydroplaning Resistance
8.4 Wet Traction
9.3 - Excellent
9.3 Corner Stability
9.3 Dry Traction
9.2 Steering Response
N/A
N/A Light Snow Traction
N/A Deep Snow Traction
N/A Ice Traction
8.5 - Good
8.6 Ride Quality
8.4 Noise
8.1 - Good

Customers Say

Ratings data demonstrates the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 excels in dry traction, with scores consistently in the 9-10 range, delivering sharp handling and confident cornering. Wet traction also earns strong praise, with most ratings between 8-10, highlighting reliable grip and hydroplaning resistance. Comfort scores lean positive (7-10), with many noting a smooth, quiet ride. Treadwear feedback is mixed-while many report satisfactory tread life for a summer performance tire, some note rapid wear under aggressive driving. Overall, customers highlight its alignment with ultra-high-performance summer priorities, particularly dry and wet capabilities, though tread longevity may vary based on usage intensity.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

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Customers Like:

816 customers mention "Wet Traction"

  • 731 positive
  • 85 negative

Most customers rate wet traction highly, with scores of 9-10 highlighting confident grip and hydroplaning resistance. A few lower ratings suggest occasional variability in extreme conditions.

March 21, 2019

4.9 out of 5 Star Rating
4.9 out of 5

These tires are amazing, a week goes by and it starts raining so I decide to test the wet weather traction, I get on the highway again turn all the way to the left lane 65mph..70mph..75mph..80mph? I think to myself It's raining you'll never have to go anything over 80mph anywhere while its raining but I just keep it going 85mph..90mph..95mph..100mph?!?! Now im hitting 100mph and still no hydroplane or anything close to losing traction...

These tires are by far the BEST bang for your buck. The factory Michelin's had finally wore down considerably on my car after about 45,000 miles of some spirited driving. Stumbled across these but was skeptical because some top of the line brands are selling tires at $250+ a tire so I thought this was like the great value brand of tires.. boy was I wrong, these exceeded what I expected. You know the saying "You get what you pay for" yeah these are an exception to that rule. After breaking them in properly I finally wanted to see yknow, how much grip they had on a nice hot day. Now I don't condone this kind of driving but I was in the left lane on the highway and my exit was lets say 5 miles or so away, so I floored it to get them warmed up and hit 120mph, started changing lanes to get off on my upcoming exit. Mind you I just recently let off the gas so im still hitting 100+ already in the exit lane, I shrugged my shoulders and told myself if im really gonna test these tires I have to see how they handle around corners. So I took my 3,800+ lb curb weight dodge challenger around a very tight off ramp loop (limit of 35mph) hitting about 90 with no tire squeal or anything finicky at all the tires were just gripping the pavement like a fat kid gripping cake. I figured surely these have to break loose atleast a little bit especially with a car this heavy so as im reaching the end of the loop I gun it and for the last little stretch of the exit loop I was hitting in excess of 100mph+ merging onto a 45mph road.. These tires are amazing, a week goes by and it starts raining so I decide to test the wet weather traction, I get on the highway again turn all the way to the left lane 65mph..70mph..75mph..80mph? I think to myself "It's raining you'll never have to go anything over 80mph anywhere while its raining but I just keep it going 85mph..90mph..95mph..100mph?!?! Now im hitting 100mph and still no hydroplane or anything close to losing traction. These tires are AMAZING !!!

Vehicle: 2016 Dodge Challenger SXT
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Mostly City
Location: ORLANDO, FL
Driving Style: Spirited
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October 27, 2020 (Verified Purchase)

4.9 out of 5 Star Rating
4.9 out of 5

OUTSTANDING TIRES WET OR DRY VERY PLEASED WITH OVERALL PERFOMANCE!!!!!

OUTSTANDING TIRES WET OR DRY VERY PLEASED WITH OVERALL PERFOMANCE!!!!!

Vehicle: 2015 Chevrolet Malibu 3LT
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: STEUBENVILLE, OH
Driving Style: Average
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February 06, 2020

4.8 out of 5 Star Rating
4.8 out of 5

...I live in Florida and let me tell you, these deal with standing water like nothing else, whenever a quick summer shower breaks I have ultimate confidence I will have good grip...

I'm not usually one to stay from Continental or Pirelli however after my last set of Pzeros blew out twice due to a pothole I lost all faith in them. These are a game changer! They grip and feel so amazing when your make a quick turn. I had these on my old C250 as well and it was the same story. I instantly go for these whenever I get a new car just because of the sheer difference they make compared to the standard AS that come on the C300 (Continental). Now I can accelerate hard in a corner and know the back end won't break loose or the TC won't cut the power to the rear wheels. I live in Florida and let me tell you, these deal with standing water like nothing else, whenever a quick summer shower breaks I have ultimate confidence I will have good grip. I cannot praise these enough.

Vehicle: 2016 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sedan Sport Package
Miles Driven on Tires: 12,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: CASSELBERRY, FL
Driving Style: Spirited
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981 customers mention "Dry Traction"

  • 961 positive
  • 20 negative

Customers overwhelmingly rate dry traction as excellent, with most scores 9-10. High marks highlight confident cornering and responsive handling, delivering precise grip expected from summer tires. A few 7-8s still reflect strong dry performance.

November 16, 2018

4.6 out of 5 Star Rating
4.6 out of 5

...On wet or dry however these tires are fantastic, and the breakaway feel in the dry is fantastic and truly talks to you through the steering wheel and butt-feel...

These do not work in the snow, i know this is not the intended use, but if you happen to get stuck in a snowy situation you wont be going anywhere. On wet or dry however these tires are fantastic, and the breakaway feel in the dry is fantastic and truly talks to you through the steering wheel and butt-feel. Great tire for a daily that you want to drive aggressively and have that track-ready feel. Will buy these for all of my cars in the future for daily use.

Vehicle: 2003 Toyota Matrix XRS
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: WATERFORD, ON
Driving Style: Spirited
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September 14, 2018 (Verified Purchase)

4.2 out of 5 Star Rating
4.2 out of 5

...I drive extremely hard on the street and these things are amazing. I am experiencing as good or better traction and response and turn in as the PSS...

So I have owned many different cars and had most of the top line tires for dry traction. Most recently Michelin PSS for the last 5 years. I needed a new set and price has become an issue. So I started looking at all the new tires as I always do. I found these were excellent dry summer tires , which with tread ware is what I am interested in living in California. Also at $127 a piece, which is almost half price. We shall see about tread ware. I drive extremely hard on the street and these things are amazing. I am experiencing as good or better traction and response and turn in as the PSS. Extremely happy so far. Heavy car awd . Would definitely recommend and buy again. Will update with more miles and rain conditions. Enjoy

Vehicle: 2012 Audi S4 Sedan Premium Plus
Miles Driven on Tires: 1,000
Driving Conditions: Mostly Highway
Location: REDWOOD CITY, CA
Driving Style: Spirited
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September 16, 2018 (Verified Purchase)

3.8 out of 5 Star Rating
3.8 out of 5

...They provide good traction even for car like this... Dont expect to hook launching at high rpm's or not still chirping second or even third gear, my point is that they are very good for the price.

Spirited driver 275/40/19R on 2013 mustang gt. These are very good tires for the price. The fact that I got them on sale last year for $152 per tire is crazy, but the effectiveness of the tire per price is even crazier. I totally recommend these, I have never used a tire that is higher quality at this price. They provide good traction even for car like this. I run these on all four corners on the stock Brembo pack wheels. Dont expect to hook launching at high rpm's or not still chirping second or even third gear, my point is that they are very good for the price.

Vehicle: 2013 Ford Mustang GT Coupe Brembo Brakes
Miles Driven on Tires: 12,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: BALTIMORE, MD
Driving Style: Spirited
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980 customers mention "Ride Quality"

  • 902 positive
  • 78 negative

Most customers give the Firehawk Indy 500 excellent ride comfort scores of 9-10, with noise levels typically rated 7-10. High marks highlight a smooth, refined driving experience, though a few note slightly elevated noise in certain conditions.

July 23, 2018 (Verified Purchase)

4.7 out of 5 Star Rating
4.7 out of 5

...The Firestones have a much smoother ride, and transmit much less impact to the interior when going over railroad tracks (we have a lot of them) and bumps. Fortunately, the Firestones are much, much quieter. On smooth pavement they're among the quietest tires I have driven, and on rough pavement they're no more than average noisy...

These Firestones replaced a set of Yokahama run-flats which were close enough to worn that I could justify getting rid of them. The Yokos pounded all the passengers over every roughness in the road, and were moderately noisy. The Firestones have a much smoother ride, and transmit much less impact to the interior when going over railroad tracks (we have a lot of them) and bumps. Fortunately, the Firestones are much, much quieter. On smooth pavement they're among the quietest tires I have driven, and on rough pavement they're no more than average noisy.

The car is a 2008 BMW 328ix Wagon with the sport wheel package and six-speed manual transmission. My driving style is spirited at all times. Roundabouts are chance to practice apexing and weight transfer, and every twisty road sign makes my eyes light up. Freeway exit ramps are a great chance to practice apexes and traction limits. The tires are quite responsive to steering input and have great corner grip. Fun is all in the corners!

With that said, the Firestones have behaved extremely well in the first 3500 miles. Right after having them installed, my wife and I drove a 2200 mile trip through two sets of mountains and plenty of freeway mileage. The Firestones were quiet, had a wonderful smooth ride (not Cadillac smooth, but as nice as you'll get from a BMW 3-series with sport suspension) and were great fun on the twisties in the mountains. We also drove through one summer deluge of rain and hail which we thought might damage the car, but the tires never slipped or hydroplaned. I was very impressed with the resistance to hydroplaning under extreme rain conditions.

Overall, in the first 3500 miles the Firestones are among the best decisions I've ever made in tires, and I have been driving since the 60's. I find them quiet, capable and responsive, and an absolute "best buy" for the 3-series and similar vehicles. I have snow tires on a second set of wheels, so I just change wheels for winter.

Vehicle: 2008 BMW 328xi Wagon Sport Package Staggered Tires
Miles Driven on Tires: 3,500
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: FORT COLLINS, CO
Driving Style: Spirited
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October 15, 2018

4.6 out of 5 Star Rating
4.6 out of 5

...Previous tires were Michelin pss OEM tires and these are much quieter and ride comfort is much improved...

Great tire! Previous tires were Michelin pss OEM tires and these are much quieter and ride comfort is much improved. Grip is fantastic, I have 640rwhp on my supercharged corvette and these tires grip. Much better grip in low temperatures compared to the Michelin tires. Driving in wet conditions are also greatly improved over the Michelin tires. Only downside is speed rating, but honestly I would never see over 150 mph anyhow.

Vehicle: 2015 Chevrolet Corvette Coupe Z51 Package
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: MOUNT AIRY, NC
Driving Style: Spirited
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May 19, 2021 (Verified Purchase)

4.6 out of 5 Star Rating
4.6 out of 5

...They improved the handling, improved the ride comfort, improved everyday driving and improved fuel economy of my Camry rather noticeably...

These Firestone FIREHAWK INDY 500 - SIZE: 215/55R17 are the best tires i ever put on my 2015 Camry. They improved the handling, ride comfort, everyday driving and fuel economy of my Camry rather noticeably. Some people will think that i overspent on my tires but as long as i feel confident and grinning smiles at every corners, i think that is good enough for me to keep coming back for more. Just FYI these tires likes to be rotated at every oil changes and pressure checked whenever temperature changes (hint@: 34psi rain to 40psi dry.) Just do that and your driving will be much more confident for the longest miles you could drive on paved road, not made for off road. So far i got up to about 42k miles, 1 roof nail puncture and almost all of the penny head is visible then time to replace. I bought these tires at $83 each in 2018 so good luck for everyone shopping including me. Lol. Cheers, drive safe and look twice for 2 wheelers.

Vehicle: 2016 Toyota Camry 4cyl XLE
Miles Driven on Tires: 42,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: AUSTIN, TX
Driving Style: Average
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769 customers mention "Treadwear"

  • 652 positive
  • 117 negative

Most customers rate treadwear highly, with scores of 8-10, praising long-lasting performance in summer conditions. While a few lower scores note concerns, the majority highlight excellent tread life for spirited driving.

January 03, 2020 (Verified Purchase)

4.2 out of 5 Star Rating
4.2 out of 5

I took the reviews on these tires and kept them in mind and everything from traction wet/dry and tire wear was true... Wear was good even with my -2.3 front and -2.5 camber rear. I will hit 25000 mark before I replace them with another set indy 500 fire hawks...

I took the reviews on these tires and kept them in mind and everything from traction wet/dry and tire wear was true. I've had zero issues with the tires . I mostly 75% highway driving commuting about 90 miles a day work and home. Tires held up well. Wear was good even with my -2.3 front and-2.5 camber rear . I will hit 25000 mark before I replace them with another set indy 500 fire hawks. Best performances and price in its category of tires.

Vehicle: 2015 Honda Civic Si Coupe
Miles Driven on Tires: 25,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: MURRIETA, CA
Driving Style: Spirited
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January 02, 2021 (Verified Purchase)

4.8 out of 5 Star Rating
4.8 out of 5

...after 8000 plus miles hardly any wear...

One of the best tires I’ve bought from Tirerack over the past 35+ years. Great handling, good in the rain, quiet and after 8000 plus miles hardly any wear. On top of that a great value. Very pleased.

Vehicle: 2018 Mazda Mazda3 5-Door Grand Touring
Miles Driven on Tires: 8,500
Driving Conditions: Mostly City
Location: HOLLYWOOD, FL
Driving Style: Average
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July 26, 2018

4.7 out of 5 Star Rating
4.7 out of 5

...And the tread life is way better than the S04, I've had it for 10k+ miles now and it is still good for another 5k or so...

These tires are awesome. I had a set of Bridgestone S04 Pole Position and once I switched over to these set it was a night and day difference, the car felt a lot more nimbler because of how much lighter it is, I think somewhere of 2-3lbs per corner. The grip is fantastic, you can easily tell how much grip these tires have once they warm up. And the tread life is way better than the S04, I've had it for 10k+ miles now and it is still good for another 5k or so. And the biggest difference of all, was the price, something along of like $300 difference, for a tire that not only last longer but also perform better as a DD. Overall, I recommend this tire wholeheartedly.

Vehicle: 2008 Infiniti G37 Sport Model
Miles Driven on Tires: 10,000
Driving Conditions: Combined Highway/City
Location: SPRINGFIELD, VA
Driving Style: Spirited
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Consumer Reviews

Media Gallery

Best Performance Tires: Ultra High Performance vs. Max Performance Summer Tires – 2024 Test 3 (22:06)

Using our new BMW M2 high-performance test vehicle, we ran two Ultra High Performance and four Max Performance summer tires through our litany of tests to find the best performance tire on the market.


Read the Full Test Report

Experience the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (00:51)

Firestone’s Firehawk Indy 500 is for the drivers of sports cars, performance sedans, and coupes who are looking to bring excitement to their summer driving. Designed to deliver enthusiast-level performance in both wet and dry warm conditions.

A Closer Look: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (00:48)

For drivers who want to maximize sport driving pleasure through racing-inspired technology, the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 brings ultra-high performance to the table. All the details are in this video.

Firestone and the Indianapolis 500 (00:30)

"Be the best when it matters the most."

The Indianapolis 500. Firestone's proving ground for the technology that makes its way into your tires. And since the very first Indy 500, Firestone tires have been there.

Features & Benefits: Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 (01:11)

Firestone introduces us to their Firehawk Indy 500 tire design and tread compound in this video narrated by Trace Adkins. Take a look at how they've worked to improve performance, offer wet handling gains and shorten stopping distances versus prior generations of their Firestone Indy 500 tire.

Does Firestone Hit the Ultra High Performance Summer Mark? (07:33)

Firestone wants to hit the bull's eye with its new Firehawk Indy 500. The target is specific: an outstanding blend of dry and wet street traction and handling.

How accurate is Firestone's aim in the Ultra High Performance Summer category ripe with contenders including the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2, Dunlop Direzza DZ102 and Kumho Ecsta PS31?

Read the Full Test Report

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