After cruising around in my 1999 Alero GLS Coupe for the past 61,000 miles, it was time to retire my set of Goodyear Eagle LS tires (which originally came with the car).

I was generally happy with my Goodyear Eagles, especially since I've had GT+4's and GT II's in the past. But it was time to look for a little more grip, a little better performance and a higher speed rating. So, naturally, I began my research here on Epinions as well as on some other car-specific online forums. Most people pointed me to Toyo tires for their overall performance, quality and relatively inexpensive prices.

I soon found out that Toyo tires have been heralded for years now, and they've been awarded the #1 Product Quality award 5 years in a row by Tire Review Magazine.

All good news from where I sat, but what did owners have to say? Well, after scouring message boards, the overwhelming majority of people seemed to like Toyo tires, especially the Proxes FZ4 High Performance Radials.

A little more research showed me that Toyo offers a full line of Performance, High-Performance and Ultra-High Performance Radials. I was looking for something in between which is exactly where the Proxes FZ4 High Performance Radials fell in. These tires offer a solid combination of superb handling, high-speed rating and longevity. Add to that the aggressive v-shaped tread pattern and I was virtually sold. All that was left was the price.

Checking with some local dealers, I was able to get a price of $119 per tire installed. Not bad for a relatively large P225/50 ZR16 tire. After the installation process, which was painless, I quickly set out on some winding country roads to test my new tires.

The performance and improvement over my old Eagle LS's was immediate and obvious. My car felt significantly more stable as I pushed turns at 20-30 miles above their recommended speed. Where I would normally squeal my Eagle LS's, the Toyo's handled with relative ease. Where I normally felt some slippage and drifting at high speeds with my Eagles, the Toyo seemed to stick like glue. Every performance claim I read and discovered in my research seemed to be accurate and true. My Toyo's had turned my car into a far more sportier performer than before.

As for the ride, the Toyo's, for all their performance, seem to be a little more comfortable and softer than the Eagle LS's which was a real surprise. I was expecting a slightly stiffer ride, but that wasn't the case. Tire noise, at highway speeds, seems to be about the same as the Eagle LS's, which isn't exactly a plus since Goodyear tires are notorious for being very loud.

The only question that remains is whether or not I'll get as much tread life out of these Toyo's as I did with my Eagle LS's. But I already know the answer. The trade-off for performance of this nature is a significantly less tread life. Where I got 61,000 out of my Eagles (which is high), I don't expect to get more than 35,000 good miles out of these Toyo's. But if those 35,000 are as exciting as the first several hundred that I've experienced so far, it'll be well worth it.

Some tire features, as detailed by the manufacture and size listings are below. Thanks, as always, for reading...

Enjoy the ride...

-John

All Season Traction

Unidirectional tread pattern with double "V-shaped" lateral grooves for excellent water drainage and all-season performance.

Steering Response

Large shoulder blocks and small, rigid center blocks, combined with a refined casing profile, provide a stable contact patch to ensure excellent directional stability.

High hardness bead filler in the lower sidewall increases steering response and improves cornering stability.

Comfortable, Quiet Ride

Polyester casing with two full-width steel belts provide increased strength and tread stability for improved handling and comfort.

Jointless cap and edge ply construction delivers handling and high speed endurance.

Ratings

- V, W and Z speed-rated (depending on size)
- UTQG Treadwear 300
- UTQG Traction A
- UTQG Temperature A

Tire Sizes and Ratings

P205/55R15 87V
P195/50R15 81V
P205/50R15 84V
P225/50R15 90V
P205/55R16 89V
215/55R16 96V
P225/55R16 94V
205/50R16 91V
P225/50ZR16 92V
P245/50R16 96V
205/45ZR16 87W
205/40ZR16 83W
215/40ZR16 86W
215/45ZR17 87W
225/45ZR17 94W
235/45ZR17 97W
245/45ZR17 95
205/40ZR17 84W
215/40R17 87W
235/40ZR17 90W
255/40ZR17 94
225/40ZR18 92W
235/40ZR18 91W
245/40ZR18 93
215/35ZR18
225/35ZR18 87
275/35ZR18 95W
225/35ZR19 88W
235/35ZR19 91W
245/35ZR19 93W


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 119 per tire