Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Nitto NT555 G2

Comparing Firestone FireHawk Indy 500 and Nitto NT555 G2: Which UHP Summer tire is best?

Firestone is an iconic American tire manufacturer founded in 1900. The tire manufacturer has a deep-rooted motorsport legacy and has participated in events such as the Indianapolis 500. With decades of track-racing expertise, the tire manufacturer has delivered satisfying performance across its range of street-legal tires. Firestone’s range of tires offered for performance-rich drivers typically sport aggressive engineering and crisp driver control.

Nitto, on the other hand, is a reliable tire manufacturer that offers tires specifically for driving enthusiasts who demand solid high-speed performance along with distinctive design aesthetics. The tire manufacturer has its own fan base that admires it for its range of tires with enthusiast-centric patterns and performance. All thanks to advanced virtual testing and innovative tread compounding, Nitto performance tires deliver track-level precision when on high-horsepower vehicles.

Coming from both Firestone and Nitto, the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 and Nitto NT555 G2 are the two capable ultra-high-performance (UHP) summer tires picked for the comparison. While the Firehawk Indy 500 is engineered for use on compact cars, sedans, coupes, and muscle cars and offers the thrill of sharp handling and race-inspired traction performance, the Nitto NT555 G2 is a new-generation UHP summer tire that features sporty styling and is optimized for impressive straight-line launch traction, confident cornering block rigidity, and high lateral stability.

If you need a reliable set of ultra-high-performance summer tires, this Firehawk Indy 500 vs NT555 G2 tires comparison will help you decide which tire aligns better with your driving needs, preferences, and budget. Here, we will use our in-house tire rating system, SimpleScore, to determine each tire’s overall ability, along with its performance in traction, handling, and longevity areas on a scale of 0-10.

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires

The Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 is suitable for performance enthusiasts who need tires to achieve the fullest potential of their punchy vehicles in warmer months. This tire is optimized for solid summer grip, increased hydroplaning resistance, better braking performance, crisp handling, and strong structural rigidity. Additionally, Firestone has also optimized this tire for quieter rides and enhanced ride comfort.

The Firehawk Indy 500 is rated an 8.2 overall SimpleScore, thanks to its great handling, admirable summer traction, and impressive wear resistance.

Get Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Nitto NT555 G2 tires

The Nitto NT555 G2 is another gem of a tire known for its throttling performance and high value. The tire is engineered to handle massive torques produced by high-horsepower vehicles. The aggressive and sporty styling differentiates it from its peers, and the tire is specially tuned for straight-line tracking and launch ability. The tire is also tuned for resisting distortion under intense pressure and avoiding squirm during sharp curves. Additionally, sports advanced silica compounding for short braking distances on both dry and wet roads in warmer weather conditions.

The NT555 G2 scores a great 8.4 overall SimpleScore because of its sporty handling, crisp traction, and long-lasting tread life.

Get Nitto NT555 G2 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Nitto NT555 G2 tires on traction

Now, with the overviews of both tires covered, let’s learn about their traction abilities to understand which tire is better at ‘sticking’ with the surface.

First, let’s talk about the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500, which achieves a solid 8.1 SimpleScore in traction, assuring solid grip in summer conditions. Thanks to the asymmetric pattern and advanced silica compound, this tire maintains grip at higher speeds when the heat generation could be higher. Likewise, in wet conditions, the integrated Pulse Groove technology optimizes water channelling to gain solid traction on wet roads in the rain.

On the contrary, the Nitto NT555 G2 achieves a solid 8.4 SimpleScore in traction, assuring enhanced traction performance in warmer weather conditions. The deep, high-volume circumferential grooves, along with tapered lateral notches, ensure smooth water evacuation for solid wet grip and hydroplaning resistance, while the high-density rubber compound assures consistent dry grip.

While both UHP summer tires offer good traction, the Nitto tire takes the lead with a slightly higher traction rating.

ADVANTAGE: Nitto NT555 G2

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Nitto NT555 G2 tires on handling

Now, let’s move on to the most important area of a UHP summer tire analysis – the handling performance. This will help us understand which tire is better when it comes to ride control, stability, steering response, braking efficiency, and cornering in warmer weather conditions. The Firestone tire is rated a great 8.8 SimpleScore in handling. All thanks to Firestone’s advanced engineering and an extra-wide outer tread block architecture, this tire is tuned to resist deformation at high speeds. This enables the tire to provide a better command behind the wheel and sharper response while changing lanes.

Comparatively, the Nitto tire stands equally well with an 8.8 SimpleScore in handling. The NT555 G2 features wider twin center ribs for increased structural rigidity and consistent highway tracking. The reinforced tread blocks of the shoulders assure confident cornering and stability.

Additionally, the wider footprint and compound boost confidence to maneuver at faster speeds. In the handling run, both tires stand identically great, resulting in a tie!

ADVANTAGE: Tie

Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 vs Nitto NT555 G2 tires on longevity

We learnt that both tires are great in terms of traction and handling fronts, but which one has better long-lasting ability? Let’s find out!

Commencing with the Firehawk Indy 500, the tire is rated 8.0 SimpleScore in longevity. The Firestone is a UHP summer tire and features a soft rubber compound, primarily intended for better handling and grip. Despite being a UHP summer tire, a rating as high as mentioned above underlines its ability to resist wear better. That being said, the tread life warranty is not offered on this tire.

Contrarily, the Nitto NT555 G2 secures an 8.1 SimpleScore rating in longevity, which underlines the tire’s impressive ability to cover a decent number of miles. Thanks to a tough rubber compound with solid tread blocks that resist heat for lasting use. Likewise, the wide and flat contact patch evenly distributes driving stress to prevent irregular wear.

In longevity, it is again the NT555 G2 that beats the Firehawk Indy 500 by a small margin and stands as a winner.

ADVANTAGE: Nitto NT555 G2

When to use each

Both the Firehawk Indy 500 and the NT555 G2 are ultra-high-performance summer tires, and they are both meant for driving in temperatures above 45 degrees Fahrenheit. As their compounds are tuned to withstand warmer weather conditions, they should not be considered for use in winter weather conditions, as they won’t be able to provide the much-needed grip in freezing conditions.

As far as rim sizes are concerned, the Firehawk Indy 500 is available in 16- to 20-inch sizes, while the NT555 G2 is available in 17- to 22-inch options.

Which one should you choose?

Based on overall SimpleScores, the NT555 G2 is a better option than the Firehawk Indy 500 (8.4 vs 8.2). However, your purchase decision should be based on your driving needs, sizing dimensions, and budget.

In terms of pricing, the Firehawk Indy 500 is available at a starting price of at least $137 per tire, while a set of four tires will cost you at least $548. The NT555 G2, on the other hand, is available at a starting price of at least $169 per tire, which means a full set of four will cost you at least $676.

Looking at SimpleScore, you must choose the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500 if you:

• Drive a vehicle like a Ford Mustang, Mazda Miata, or Volkswagen GTI
• Need a tire that’s equally good in handling
• Want a tire that’s available in 16- to 20-inch rim sizes
• Need a UHP summer tire that’s more affordable

On the other hand, you should choose the Nitto NT 555 G2 if you:

• Drive a vehicle like the Dodge Challenger, Chevrolet Corvette, or BMW 3 Series
• Need a tire that’s better in traction (8.4 vs 8.1)
• Need a tire that’s better in longevity (8.1 vs 8.0)
• Need a tire that can be used on high-horsepower vehicles with rim sizes up to 22 inches
• Need a tire that can withstand the heavy acceleration torque of modified vehicles

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