Getting tires with “ultra-high performance” used to be a pretty expensive luxury for the longest time, but as the tire market evolves, that’s quickly changing. Premium tires might not be getting any cheaper with time, but cheap tires are starting to feel more and more premium. Such is the case with the ultra-high performance summer tire category, and companies like Falken are determined to set new performance standards at cheaper prices. Say hello to the Falken Azenis FK510!
It packs an exceptional blend of qualities and the value for money it offers can easily challenge the big names like Continental, Michelin, Pirelli, and Bridgestone in this segment. The Azenis FK510 is designed to be pushed to a sports car’s extreme.
This review will cover the tire’s features and performance in different conditions such as dry, wet, and snow-covered roads.
Falken Azenis FK510 — Features
Falken’s latest generation of ultra-high performance tires is catered towards people with high-end sports cars looking to get the most out of their vehicles with exceptional performance. That requires a mix of relentless grip, handling, and responsiveness — and the Azenis FK510 is Falken’s answer to those demands.
As you’d imagine, it’s not easy to make a tire worthy of those challenges, so the brand has put the best of its advanced tech into the tire’s tread compound and design. For instance, the 4D Nano Design enabled the compound’s optimization at a molecular level, allowing engineers to implement a number of improvements to the tire’s grip, wet traction, and durability.
The Azenis FK510 features a specialized Adaptive Constant Pressure pattern tread design that helps distribute pressure evenly across the tire. This not only improves stability, but also the tire’s durability and braking performance.
The design includes wide shoulder blocks on the outside that improve cornering traction for those sharp track turns. Most premium ultra-high performance tires of today commonly have outboard shoulder blocks to improve steering feel, so the FK510’s design is right up there with the segment’s elites.
Falken has also implemented Switchback Siping for maximized contact with the road, which helps with cornering — especially in wet conditions. Speaking of which, the tire also has four wide circumferential grooves to evacuate water from the contact patch and provide hydroplaning resistance.
In theory, the tire seems to have covered all grounds. But let’s see how it really holds up in different conditions.
Performance on Dry Roads
The Falken Azenis FK510 is an excellent performer on dry roads. It delivers extraordinary road grip during cornering, and traction doesn’t give out even when you pair the tire with some of the most powerful vehicles on a track.
The steering response and braking performance aren’t the best in its class, but you shouldn’t have Michelin-level expectations from a tire of this price. All things considered, the Falken Azenis FK510 is an impressive tire on dry tarmac.
Wet Performance
This tire’s performance in wet conditions comes out to be more impressive than its capabilities on a dry track — and that’s great news for a mid-range ultra-high performance summer tire. The tire doesn’t fall short in any area on wet roads.
It offers short braking distances, exceptional road grip, and great cornering on damp tracks. The hydroplaning resistance on this tire seems to be super effective — possibly on par with some of the best in its category. In wet conditions, even the tire’s premium alternatives don’t perform much better than it.
Snow Performance
Freezing temperatures are the opposite of the Falken Azenis FK510’s comfort zone. It’s an ultra-high-performance summer tire, and you guessed it, it’s not suitable for winters. Whether you get light or heavy winters where you live, if there’s snow on the roads, the Azenis FK510 wouldn’t be a reliable choice. You’d be better off with all-season touring tires, or better yet, some winter tires.
Ride Quality
Track tires aren’t known for their plush and quiet ride quality, so you probably don’t have many expectations from the Falken Azenis FK510 in that department. However, the tire industry is quickly adapting to buyer preferences, and most people look for some level of comfort for cruising along in their expensive sports cars.
Fortunately, the FK510 isn’t a complete disappointment when it comes to subduing road-noise, but you sadly can’t say the same about ride smoothness. Since it’s a sporty tire at heart, you’ll feel most of the road’s imperfections — you could say the tires have a pretty precise “road feel.”
Conclusion
If you own a beastly sports car and don’t want to spend the big bucks on premium brands like Michelin or Pirelli, the Falken Azenis FK510 is pretty easy to recommend. It won’t beat those expensive alternatives on all fronts, but you can certainly get away with paying a lot less giving up nothing but minor performance edges.
Falken has managed to fit all the ultra-high performance essentials into the Azenis FK510, whether it’s tread life, dry and wet performance, or even quietness. Unless you get snowfalls where you live, feel free to shortlist the FK510!