Ultra-high-performance tires occupy their own unique niche in the automotive world. UHP tires need to deliver exceptional grip for cornering and braking while still offering wet-weather traction and a tolerable ride and noise level. UHP tires are designed to be extra-stiff with minimal tread squirm for hard cornering and steering response, and usually feature a softer, stickier tread formulation that enhances all those properties.

That’s where the Gladiator X COMP H/P comes in. The X COMP H/P is designed for autocross-level performance while still being street-able; while Gladiator might not be a go-to name in most drivers’ minds when it comes to UHP tires, the tire punches far above its weight class when it comes to performance.

So what is it that makes the tire such a standout? Let’s dive into this Gladiator X COMP H/P review and unpack that a little.

Features and Benefits

The Gladiator X COMP H/P is designed with features and performance you might expect to find only on racing or autocross tires:

• Wide, optimized footprint reduces oversteer or understeer during hard acceleration or cornering
• Two-layer polyester carcass provides rigidity for quick steering response and better handling, braking, and cornering
• Motorsport-grade cap compound is designed for enhanced traction as the tire heats up
• Twin inner grooves and cross-patch sipe network boosts road feel and traction in wet conditions
• Lateral sipes and notches at shoulder for improved cornering grip, even wear
• Asymmetric tread design with wet-traction and dry-traction segments for better performance
• Guaranteed against defects in workmanship and manufacturing down to last 2/32” of tread depth

Pros and Cons

The Gladiator X COMP H/P offers some of the pros and cons you might expect in a UHP tire:

PROS:

• Better handling, cornering and braking performance
• Easy control, even when driving at the edge of your vehicle’s envelope
• Predictable traction and handling on wet or dry pavement

CONS:

• Ride quality is a little stiff
• Not backed by a tread life warranty
• Cannot be used when temperatures are consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit

SimpleTire’s view on Gladiator X COMP H/P tires

Simply put, the Gladiator X COMP H/P is a serious UHP tire. That said, this is much different from an all-season or touring tire that you can put on your grocery-getter crossover or sedan (well, you can, but just be aware of what to expect). It’s important to remember that the softer, stickier tread formulation of UHP tires (sometimes as soft as a pencil eraser) will stiffen up and lose traction on colder days – that’s why tire companies advise against using them if temperatures are below 40-45 degrees F.

Still, the Gladiator X COMP H/P is a tire that compares favorably against competitors’ tires from Yokohama, Bridgestone, Pirelli, Continental, and that’s setting the bar pretty high indeed. For track day, drifting, autocross or warm-weather street driving, you can’t go wrong with the performance potential of this tire.

Vehicles the Gladiator X COMP H/P is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment on any vehicles, the X COMP H/P is commonly paired with performance-oriented vehicles such as the Audi A8, BMW 335i, Chevrolet Corvette, Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, Nissan 370Z, Porsche 911, Subaru WRI, and many more.