I buy tires according to 3 criteria: performance, reputation, and price. I don’t buy cheap tires, and I will gladly pay more for higher performance tires, if I can afford to do so. I always buy a top brand name, but I cannot justify the premium price asked for higher-end Michelin or Goodyear tires. My choices were limited this time to mid-range performance tires (as opposed to High-performance), as I couldn’t afford to pay more than $300 for a set, ruling out “V” or “Z” rated tires. The Yokohama T4 fit all my criteria, so I thought I would give it a try. I find it to be a very good all-around tire; Quiet and smooth, with very good, but not exceptional, handling, and a good value.

Ride - A+Syrupy Smooth

The AVID T4 is the quietest, smoothest tire I have ever had. I was immediately impressed by how much better my car (’92 Nissan NX 2000) felt on my drive from the tire shop. New tires always feel better, but these are extremely supple, compensating some for my old, worn out struts. I have discerned very little road noise being transmitted into the cabin, as well. Even in hard cornering, the Yoko’s only emit a low howl when reaching their limit, a stark contrast to the shrill shrieking emitted by the tires they replaced.

Traction - B+ A Little Syrupy as well

The AVID is a very good handling tire, with great wet traction as well, but I feel that the smoothness of this tire causes it to have a sort-of syrupy feeling when driven at its limit. Not that it feels unsafe, at all; it just doesn’t feel as solidly planted as an all-out performance tire. This is one of life’s many trade-off’s. When driven at 8/10’s of their capacity, the Yokohama’s feel great, but tight, fast corners reveal their more ride oriented nature. In sweeping, high-speed corners, they exhibit quite good grip, but switchbacks and quick direction changes seem to upset them a bit, taking a little longer to settle themselves.

Value - A You Get What You Pay For.

I recently took a micro-pole of some of my peers, which returned an amazing statistic. 90% of those polled, buy tires by price alone, always choosing the least expensive. These Yokohama’s should be within nearly anyone’s price range. They are not cheap tires, by any means, but I believe them to be competitive, and a good value. The excellent ride and decent performance that these tires provide make them suitable for any type of car, and due to the 420 treadwear rating (higher than most), should last for 60K miles, which is longer than most people will keep a car.

In Conclusion

When I had the dealer order these tires, I did not realize that a “T” rating was less performance oriented than an “H” rating. Had I realized it then, I would have opted for another, more aggressive tire. Would I still do it, now? Probably, but I must admit, after having these tires it would be hard to settle for a harsh riding tire. Handling is the most important aspect I look for in a tire, though. I love to drive, I have a good handling car, and I love flogging my car through corners and around the twisty, mountain backroads of East Tennessee. For me, the AVID V4 or Z4 would probably an awesome tire. Very few people drive a car as hard as I do, however. For them, this is an excellent tire. I would have no qualms about putting the Yokohama AVID T4 on my wife’s car, and I recommend it on any sports sedan where you expect a good ride with good performance, but not on an all out sports car. I have found it to be a very good, all-season performance tire, with an outstanding, quiet ride, very good traction (wet or dry), and priced at about what it should be.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 275