Sumitomo might not be quite as familiar a name to American drivers as other premium Japanese tire brands, but that might all be about to change. The Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 brings together some of Sumitomo’s most advanced technologies and innovations for an all-season tire that delivers year-round traction with the cornering and braking ability of a summer/ultra-high-performance (UHP) tire. The end result is a tire that delivers phenomenal value and performance for drivers of sedans, coupes, and crossovers, and at a price that’s far lower than you might expect.

So what is it about the Sumitomo tire that makes it such a great tire? Without further hesitation, let’s dive in for a closer look with this Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 review.

Features and Benefits

Here are just a few of the features of the HTR A/S P03 that make it such a standout:

• All-season, asymmetric tread pattern with wide, deep circumferential grooves that evacuate water from the tire’s contact patch to avoid hydroplaning
• Unique “fin-shaped” groove pattern with water evacuation channels for improved handling, braking and traction in wet or dry weather
• Excellent handling ability thanks to a casing design and tread pattern that minimizes deformation and tread squirm due to the G-forces and inertia of cornering and braking
• Silica-enhanced tread compound for long wear and improved wet-weather performance
• High-tension bead apex means a stiffer sidewall for better high-speed stability and cornering
• Polyester casing with full-width steel belts and nylon cap layer for durability and high-speed stability
• Cross-designed grooves and sipes all work together as a system to improve wet-weather grip
• Tread pitch is computer tuned to keep road noise low
• Sumitomo’s Miura-Ori multi-sipe technology with full-depth 3D sipes for improved traction in wet or dry weather, adding hundreds of extra biting edges to chew through standing water, snow, or slush
• M+S rated for mud and snow traction
• Backed by a 45,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty for W-rated sizes, and a 65,000 mile warranty for H- and V-rated sizes

Pros and Cons

So, is this the right ultra-high-performance all-season tire for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at the tire’s strengths:

PROS:

• Handling and steering response are sharp and immediate
• Phenomenal braking performance even in wet weather
• Generous treadwear coverage
• Ride and road manners are great

That being said, no tire is perfect, and that means the HTR A/S P03 has some drawbacks as well:

CONS:

• Not for larger vehicles
• Not a great tire in heavy snow
• Noisy on some road surfaces

SimpleTire’s view on Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 tires

When you get down below a certain price point, there are A LOT of choices for all-season tires. Some of them are great, and some of them decidedly not-so-great. The Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 is a tire that really exceeds expectations for us, especially taking the price into account. The HTR A/S P03 is designed for refined ride quality along with handling and cornering that are decisive and sharp, and they’ve definitely succeeded on both those counts. The fin-shaped groove pattern, sipes and circumferential grooves do a great job as a system to boost wet-weather grip, and the silica-based tread formulation is designed for long, even wear as well as enhanced traction.

The casing and sidewall are stiff enough for excellent steering response, cornering ability and braking without hurting ride quality. Also, it’s worth noting that a 65,000 mile warranty for W-rated sizes is far better than many other all-season tires at this price. As for the cons – most all-season tires aren’t really designed for heavier snow and slush. A M+S rating sounds good, but in all honesty it just means a tire has enough void between it’s grooves and tread blocks that it should be able to meet minimum expectations for performance in mud and snow. Some drivers do report the Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 is a little noisy on some pavement surfaces, but your experience may vary.

Vehicles the Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment, the Sumitomo HTR A/S P03 is a good replacement tire for drivers of the

• Audi A4
• BMW 3 Series
• Buick Envision
• Cadillac CTS
• Chevrolet Cruze
• Dodge Avenger
• Ford Focus
• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Sonata
• Kia K4
• Lexus ES350
• Mazda6
• Nissan Maxima
• Toyota Avalon
• Volkswagen Jetta