Given
76%
while driving a
Toyota GR Yaris
(225/40 R18)
on
mostly country roads
for 4,000
spirited miles
Before i begin talking about the performance of the tire is should clarify that i use these only in warm weather, basically from April to October. For the winter, i have a set of Pirellis SF3s (Thanks, Jonathan).
Now the dry grip in absolute terms is really really high. Same level as the OEM-equipped Michelin PS4S. But the steering feel around the centre is a bit vague in comparison with the PS4S, which was very sharp. The initial turn-in falls under the same behaviour. Initially, it feels just a bit off, until the tire gets loaded, then it is excellent. Keep in mind that we are talking about minute differences here and not actual day and night feeling. Dry braking is extremely good, it is powerful and the car feels very stable. I think i would prefer the PS4S on the dry just because of the added sharpness and response. But on the wet this is changing completely. My god what kind of wet performance this tire has... Braking feels as planted and safe as in dry conditions and the grip is very close as well. I would say that in the wet, you can push the car safely at 80% of the dry performance and the SC7 will break no sweat. Additionally, i would say that you can improve the sharpness of the tire by raising the pressure by 1-2 psi but still i find them inferior in this regard than the PS4S. Road noise can get very high, especially in bad condition tarmac with cracks but keep in mind that the GR Yaris has minimal sound insulation to keep the weight down. The ride comfort is better than the PS4S, even with the pressure adjusted upwards by 1-2 psi, but don't expect any miracles in this sector, as this is still a very sporty tire. The warm-up also does not take long and the tire gains a significant boost in grip once it reaches higher temperatures. All in all i think that the CS7 is a better all-around tire than the PS4S in terms of peak performance but the PS4S is a better feeling tire, at least for me in this car. Even though i would easily recommend the CS7 to anyone as they are excellent tires, next time i will search for a tire that masks less the car's dartiness and sharpness. As a last word, yes the wear of these tires is worse than the PS4S but because this is a lightweight car the effect is not so evident.
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