Falken Azenis RT-615K+ vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires

A subsidiary of Sumitomo Tire, Falken began its American operations in 1985 as an ultra-high-performance specialist utilizing professional motorsports expertise in developing high-quality tires, while Goodyear is a 150-year-old tire maker that is credited with many innovations and benchmarks in the tire industry. Both offer a wide range of tire lines, including, all-season, all-terrain, mud-terrain, winter, and UHP for passenger cars, minivans, CUVs, SUVs, and light trucks. The Azenis RT-615K+ and Eagle Exhilarate are ultra-high-performance tires that promise good grip at high speeds, great stability, and shorter braking distances.

Designed for sports cars and other performance-oriented cars, the Falken Azenis RT-615K+ and Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate are ultra-high-performance tires that are designed to balance performance between tracks and streets. While the Falken is more inclined towards track performance, the Goodyear is more of a street tire. So, which is the ideal tire for your vehicle? Let’s compare Falken Azenis RT-615K+ vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate based on our proprietary SimpleScore to know the best one.

Falken Azenis RT-615K+ tires

Introduced in 2016, the Azenis RT-615K+ is designed for owners of sports sedans, sports coupes, and muscle cars and features a nanotech-formulated, digitally engineered rubber compound that assures fantastic handling and traction at high speeds. Inspired by the competition-winning RT615K, these Falken tires provide incredible confidence on tracks, whether zipping in a straight line or cornering at high speeds. On the street, these DOT-approved tires lend enhanced durability thanks to the reinforced carcass and sturdy construction. While a high-tension carcass boosts high-speed stability and steering response, the asymmetric tread design allows fantastic handling and control.

With an overall SimpleScore of 8.1 out of 10, this Falken promises decent performance in traction, durability, handling, and longevity.

Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires

Launched in 2022, the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate features an asymmetric tread pattern that comes with ActiveBraking Technology for superior braking performance in dry and wet. While the ActiveGrip technology offers excellent traction handling and traction, the ActiveStrength Technology comes with precise steering response and lightweight construction. The unique tread pattern resists uneven wear and returns superior handling, control, and stability at high speeds. Boosting durability, the sleek sidewall styling and rim protectors safeguard the tire against curb damage. Backed by the 45,000-mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty, the Wear Gauge tool of the Goodyear tire allows the driver to visually inspect the tread for alignment issues.

Boasting a 9.4 as its average SimpleScore, the Eagle Exhilarate offers superior traction, handling, grip, and stability.

Falken Azenis RT-615K+ vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on traction

Traction allows a tire to be in constant contact with the road without losing grip. It interlocks with the surface and helps in forward movement. While the race-inspired rubber compound ensures excellent traction on track and street, the wide zigzag longitudinal grooves clear water quickly to avoid the risk of hydroplaning. With a decent traction score of 8.5, the Falken tire features an innovative tread design that supports quick acceleration, braking, and turning at high speeds.

Boasting an excellent 9.9 traction score, the Goodyear tire is way ahead of the Falken thanks to the ActiveGrip technology and ActiveBraking technology that provide exceptional handling, traction, and braking. While the asymmetric tread pattern allows improved traction on the road, the circumferential grooves allow quick water clearing from the tread to mitigate the risk of aquaplaning.

Beating the Azenis RT-615K+ comprehensively, the Eagle Exhilarate emerges as the winner of the traction segment.

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate

Falken Azenis RT-615K+ vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on handling

The second most critical aspect of a tire is control; it becomes all the more significant when you have abundant power at your disposal in performance cars. Scoring 8.5 in handling, the Azenis RT-615K+ is designed with a race-inspired compound for enhanced traction and accurate steering response at high speeds. Lesser grooves ensure more rubber on the road for increased grip, traction, and better steering response. While the high-tension carcass boosts handling and stability, the broad sport side should block returns motorsport-level cornering response at high speeds.

With an exceptional 9.9 handling score, the Eagle Exhilarate offers excellent handling thanks to the ActiveGrip and ActiveStrength technologies that provide superior steering response at high speeds. While the strong and lightweight construction boosts handling performance, the solid center rib and strong shoulders promote precise steering response and increased stability.

Riding on a fantastic score, the Goodyear beats the Falken by a big margin (1.1).

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate

Falken Azenis RT-615K+ vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on longevity

With a 7.3 longevity score, the Falken’s tread life is in sync with that of most UHP tires. A few ultra-high-performance tires are long-lasting as they feature softer rubber compounds for superior grip and traction, leading to excellent high-speed performance but fast wearability. One such tire is the Falken Azenis RT-615K+, available with a minimal groove design that puts more rubber on the road, thereby resisting uneven wear and offering drivers uniform wear throughout the tire's lifecycle. The asymmetric tread pattern and digitally-optimized rubber compound provide track-like performance on the streets. However, lack of warranty is one of the biggest differentiating factors between the two tires.

Boasting an average longevity SimpleScore of 8.6, the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate offers excellent durability thanks to the special tread compound and asymmetric tread design that resist uneven wear and promote even wear. While the Wear Gauge tool allows easy checking of wearing and alignment beforehand, the sidewall styling with enhanced rim protectors safeguards the tire against curb damage. It also comes with a 45,000-mile limited tread life warranty.

ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate

When to use each

Ultra-high-performance tires are used on performance-oriented cars, which demand quick acceleration, fast cornering, and superior braking. UHP summer tires are best for those looking to drive in warmer conditions, while UHP all-season tires are ideal for year-round use as they perform well in dry, wet, and light snow. One of the disadvantages of the Falken is that it can be used only in warmer weather conditions (above 45 degrees Fahrenheit), unlike the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate that provides the same performance throughout the year. Warranty is also a major factor that leans in favor of the Eagle Exhilarate.

Which one should you choose?

In a nutshell, the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate emerges as the winner as it achieves a greater overall SimpleScore (9.4 vs 8.1). There is no change in the individual scores of traction, handling, and longevity, too, as the American brand clean sweeps with 3-0.

For the 225/40R18 tire size, the Falken Azenis RT-615K+ costs $176 per tire, and four such tires cost $704 while the Eagle Exhilarate costs $182 per tire, and four tires cost $728 (a difference of $24).

Based on the SimpleScore, you can choose the Falken Azenis RT-615K+ if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Audi TT Quattro, BMW Z4, Mazda Miata, Nissan 370Z, and Subaru BRZ.
• Need a slightly affordable tire (costs $24 less on four tires)
• Need greater durability due to a high-tension carcass construction

Similarly, you can pick the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Acura TLX, BMW X5, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Porsche 911.
• Want a tire that lasts long (8.6 vs 7.2) and offers drivers a limited manufacturer tread life warranty (45,000 miles)
• Want exceptional handling (9.9 vs 8.8) and traction (9.9 vs 8.5)

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, and our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.