For most drivers of sedans, minivans, and crossovers, all-season tires make the best sense all the way around. They dominate the tire market, accounting for 84% of all passenger tire sales, and they offer dependable year-round grip, capable handling, long tread life, a quiet and refined ride, and solid road manners. That’s great for most drivers out there, but – for drivers of performance sedans and sporty coupes and crossovers, all-season tires often fall a bit short of meeting their needs and expectations. For drivers who really want to push the envelope and crowd the limits of their vehicles’ performance potential, you really need a set of summer tires or ultra-high-performance (UHP) tires. Summer and UHP tires are designed with a specialized tread formulation that delivers exceptional traction and adhesion to the pavement, and a set of design features that are derived from the world of motorsports and racing. The result is the kind of tire that can hang right in there even when pushed to its absolute limit, with short braking distances, quick and light steering response, dependable grip on wet or dry pavement, and cornering that’s predictable and accurate during high-speed maneuvers.

Today we’re going to take a look at the Champiro SX2 RS from GT Radial, a tire from a company that we here at the SimpleTire team have been consistently impressed by. The Champiro SX2 definitely exceeds expectations for handling, traction, and braking, but don’t just take us at our word on that – let’s go in and take a closer look with this GT Radial Champiro SX2 tire review:

Features and Benefits

Here are some of the innovations and design features that make the Champiro SX2 RS from GT Radial a great value and a great performer in a UHP tire:

• Specialized tread formulation is softer and “stickier” for enhanced traction, adhesion to pavement
• Aggressive high-performance tread design features wide ribs, and circumferential grooves to divert water away from the tire’s contact patch and resist hydroplaning on wet roads
• Innovative staggered groove shape on the inboard side of the tire
• The asymmetric tread is divided into two segments: the inboard side is optimized for dry-weather traction, outboard side is designed for wet pavement
• Reinforced shoulder blocks resist tread deformation and “tread squirm” during hard cornering and fast maneuvers
• Rim flange designed to protect sidewall and expensive wheels from curb scuffs and abrasions
• DOT approved for street use

Pros and Cons

PROS:

• Extremely tenacious traction and crisp handling
• Specialized tread compound delivers phenomenal braking performance and wet or dry traction
• Steering response is immediate

CONS:

• Ride quality can be firm
• Not suitable for colder temperatures or all-season weather conditions
• No limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty coverage

SimpleTire’s view on GT Radial Champiro SX2 tires

We should probably start off by mentioning what the GT Radial Champiro SX2 isn’t, and what it can’t do very well. Tires like the GT Radial Champiro SX2 are designed for high performance, and that tread formulation is definitely softer – in some cases, UHP tires use a compound that’s so soft that a thumbnail pressed into the sidewall will leave an indentation for a moment. Think “pencil eraser” softness and that softer tread compound will stiffen up and lose traction on colder days, making for an unsafe situation. GT Radial and other tire manufacturers advise against using their UHP tires if temperatures are below 40-45 degrees F, for just that reason.

Where the GT Radial Champiro SX2 really excels is in all-out performance. It’s designed for the power, torque, braking, and overall handling dynamics of sporty sedans, coupes, and crossovers, and its cornering ability is dead-on and neutral with little tendency toward understeer or oversteer. It’s easy to get the GT Radial to drift, but its reinforced sidewalls and shoulders offer little flex so drifting is controlled and capable; with a blip of the throttle on an RWD vehicle, you can get the back end to come around a bit, but then correct it easily when you let off the gas again.

Braking distances are short and precise, and road manners on straightaways are composed of good driver feedback. The steering response is light and precise without ever being overly sensitive or twitchy, and ride quality is a bit firm but controlled. It’s true that the GT Radial doesn’t come from the factory with a limited manufacturer’s tread life warranty, but most summer and UHP tires don’t have that kind of coverage – they’re specialty tires that are usually used only on a seasonal basis. If you’re looking for a great deal on a set of high-performance tires for drifting and track use as well as for daily-driver duties in the warmer months, you can’t go wrong with the GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS.

Vehicles the GT Radial Champiro SX2 is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment, the GT Radial Champiro SX2 RS is a good replacement tire for vehicles like the:

• Acura TL
• Audi A6
• BMW 135i
• Dodge Challenger
• Chevrolet Corvette
• Kia K5
• Ford Mustang
• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Veloster
• Jaguar XKR
• Lexus GS350
• Lincoln LS
• Mazda Miata MX-5
• Mercedes-Benz E550
• Nissan Maxima
• Pontiac G6
• Scion tC
• Subaru BRZ
• Toyota 86
• Volkswagen CC Sport
• Porsche Cayenne
• Porsche Panamerica
• BMW X5
• Range Rover Sport
• BMW X7
• Kia Sorento
• Audi A8
• BMW i5
• Subaru WRX
• Cadillac CT4-V
• Audi S3
• Hyundai Elantra
• Mercedes-Benz CLA