Dunlops gone: found wholesale improvement!

[tigerbangs54]

My 2010 Kizashi SE AWD had wiped out all 4 tires at 35,000 miles. I was never very happy with the Dunlop tires installed from the factory, but, having never driven a Kizashi shod with any other tire, I just assumed that I had to accept rough ride on broken pavement, copious road noise on certain highway surfaces, and enough wind-wander that the car needed almost constant correction on the highway despite several alignment checks.. Frankly, I was getting tired of feeling like I was getting hit in the back with a 2x4 when I drove over expansion joints or potholes: it had really become a sticking point with me about my Kizashi.

My first research involved going to the Tire Rack website to see what they had in a P215/55VR17 tire, since Tire Rack takes feedback from it's customers about the various tires on the market. Needless to say, the Dunlop Sport SP7000 that came with the Kizashi was not well regarded, but there were no reviews on the site that gave any guidance about experience with Kizashis with replacement tires. Not much help there.

Shopping local dealers was an exercise in frustration. Most tire dealers didn't know anything except "good, better and best" and most hadn't ever even seen a Kizashi, much less knew anything about tires for one. I was about to just give up and pull the trigger on some Goodyear TripleTread All Season tires, when a local dealer suggested the Toyo Verasado LX II, a tire I had honestly never heard of.

Toyo wasn't even on my radar when I was looking for tires, but they offer a 45 day or 500 mile return policy if you don't like them. These tires were a little more expensive than I had anticipated, but I don't like to skimp on tires, since I drive 30,000 miles a year, and had suffered 2 punctures of the Dunlops in a year.

i had the Toyos installed, and the improvement was immediate and remarkable. The noise level of the Toyos was very low, a substantial improvement over the OE Dunlops. The biggest improvement was in the ride, however. Broken pavement that rocked the Kizashi uncomfortably on the Dunlops slipped into insignificance, potholes lost their sting, and expansion joint on bridges and highways that rocked my head before were now virtually unnoticeable. Wind wander on the highway disappeared, and the car now tracked straight as an arrow, reminding me of the old Mercedes' I used to own. I was absolutely blown away by the improvement.

I assumed that the roadholding and handling would suffer with such a plush tire, but several high-speed country road runs demonstrated excellent roadholding and great tactile feel through the steering wheel. With my wife onboard, she was blissfully unaware of the speeds attained on these roads, and the car felt absolutely effortless when pressed. Bumpy corners were taken with aplomb and a finesse that I hadn't experienced in 35,000 miles with the Dunlops. I don't have any wet-weather experience with these tires yet, but I will update this report as I gain some more experience with the tires.

My initial experience with the Kizashi made me believe that it was a well-finished mid-sized sedan with a stiff and unyielding suspension. After installing the Toyos, I am beginning to understand exactly what greatness Suzuki designed into this car. Now, the ride/handling balance is almost German in it's excellent body control and rebound, with more than enough initial compliance to keep the ride comfortable. If you are in the market for tires, I strongly suggest that you consider looking at the Toyo Versado LX II tires. They changed most of my perceptions of my Kizashi.

[Northernstar]

thnx for sharing, i wont be replacing my tires for another 4-5 years i guess since i use winter tires for 6 months in a year lol

[Ronzuki]

Excellent review....thanks. I'll be in the market in the fall it looks. Will def. check them out, espeially after such a great review.

[NiteRider]

I'll check them out when these dunlops are finished. But honestly, many tires are going to feel like a big improvement over those OEs. I had planned on getting generals. Had them before and was always impressed. They have great ratings, good tread life and cheaper then many comparable tires.

[Trailboss]

Thanks for taking the time and effort to post your experience, I have a lot of tread life on my tires but when the time comes it is nice to make an informed choice rather than hearing the tire guy tell me what I need.

[tigerbangs54]

An update on the wet-weather capability of the Toyos. Three straight days of rain have fallen on Western MA. and I have been driving through puddles at ridiculous speeds, trying to get these tires to hydroplane. The result: they stuck like glue! Wet braking was excellent, with several 70-0 mph stops from turnpike speeds. and the directional stability has been just as good as it was in the dry. I can still whole-heartedly recommend the Toyo Versado LX II for the Suzuki Kizashi AWD.

[WESHOOT2]

I'm getting stellar performance with my General V-rated AltiMax HP 215/60R16s.
Stellar.....