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Dunlop Sport BluResponse View Gallery (1)
165-225/45-65 R14-17 72 sizes

Dunlop Sport BluResponse

The Dunlop Sport BluResponse is a premium summer tire positioned as an ultra high performance option that puts efficiency and everyday refinement front and centre. It's widely rated for being quiet and comfortable, with confidence-inspiring grip and braking in both dry and wet conditions when new, backed up by solid resistance to aquaplaning. Where it falls short is longevity and robustness, with many owners noting fast or uneven wear and a soft sidewall feel that can undermine stability.

7.8
Tire Reviews Score Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews
High Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
88%
Wet Grip
84%
Road Feedback
79%
Handling
75%
Wear
61%
Comfort
83%
Buy again
66%
191 Reviews
77% Average
1,946,336 miles driven
38 Tests (avg: 6th)
Dunlop Sport BluResponse

Dunlop Sport BluResponse

Summer Premium
BETA
7.8 / 10
Based on Professional Tests & User Reviews · High Confidence · Updated 23 Feb 2026

The Tire Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tire scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Dry
76
1.8x / 17 tests
Wet
69.4
2x / 29 tests
Value
69.1
0.42x / 23 tests
Comfort
67
0.32x / 9 tests

Cross-category scores are derived metrics that combine data from multiple test disciplines to evaluate real-world performance characteristics.

Braking
73.2
21 tests
Handling
69.2
14 tests
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 38
Publications: 9
Period: 2013 - 2024
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 191
Avg Rating: 76.5%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 0.38
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tire tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.9 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 12 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.75 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
combined_penalty_floor 0.2
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2024 AutoBild Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2024 205/55 R16 10/21 12 metrics
2024 Summer Tire Market Overview Auto Bild 2024 205/55 R16 20/55 2 metrics
2023 Motor Summer Tire Test Motor 2023 205/55 R16 8/8 8 metrics
2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test ADAC 2023 205/55 R16 16/50 12 metrics
2022 ADAC 16" SUV Summer Tire Test ADAC 2022 215/60 R16 4/18 0 metrics
2022 ADAC Summer Tire Test - 15 Inch ADAC 2022 185/65 R15 5/16 0 metrics
2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2021 205/55 R16 19/20 10 metrics
2021 53 Summer Tire Braking Test Auto Bild 2021 205/55 R16 11/53 2 metrics
2020 Auto Express Summer Tire Test Auto Express 2020 205/55 R16 8/10 0 metrics
2020 Auto Zeitung Summer Tire Test Auto Zeitung 2020 225/50 R17 7/20 11 metrics
2019 NAF Summer Tire Test 2019 205/55 R16 3/8 7 metrics
2019 ACE Summer Tire Test ACE 2019 205/55 R16 2/9 0 metrics
2018 Gute Fahrt Summer Tire Test Gute Fahrt 2018 205/55 R16 6/12 4 metrics
2018 Auto Bild 15 inch Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2018 195/65 R15 11/20 10 metrics
2018 AutoBild Summer Tire Overview Auto Bild 2018 195/65 R15 8/47 0 metrics
2017 Auto Express Summer Tire Test Auto Express 2017 205/55 R16 2/11 0 metrics
2017 ADAC 195/65 R15 Summer Tire Test ADAC 2017 195/65 R15 6/16 0 metrics
2016 AutoBild Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2016 205/55 R16 5/15 0 metrics
2016 Market Overview - Braking Test Auto Bild 2016 205/55 R16 6/50 0 metrics
2016 ADAC Tire Test - 185/65 R15 ADAC 2016 185/65 R15 3/16 0 metrics
2015 Auto Express Tire Test Auto Express 2015 225/45 R17 2/11 0 metrics
2015 Auto Bild 215/55 R16 Technical Tire Test Auto Bild 2015 215/55 R16 2/10 0 metrics
2015 Auto Bild Top 18 Summer Tire Test Auto Bild 2015 185/60 R15 7/18 0 metrics
2015 AMS Performance Tire Test Auto Motor Und Sport 2015 225/50 R17 2/9 0 metrics
2015 Test World Summer Tire Test Test World 2015 205/55 R16 7/15 0 metrics
2015 Market Overview - Braking Test Auto Bild 2015 185/60 R15 3/52 0 metrics
2015 European Tire Test 185/60R14 ADAC 2015 185/60 R14 4/16 0 metrics
2015 European Tire Test 205/55 R16 ADAC 2015 205/55 R16 4/19 0 metrics
2015 ACE Summer Touring Tire Test ACE 2015 205/55 R16 3/12 0 metrics
2014 Auto Express Summer Tire Test Auto Express 2014 205/55 R16 1/10 0 metrics
2014 AMS Summer Tire Test - 205/55 R16 Auto Motor Und Sport 2014 205/55 R16 4/11 0 metrics
2014 ADAC 195/65 R15 Summer Tire Test ADAC 2014 195/65 R15 2/17 0 metrics
2014 Test World Summer Tire Test Test World 2014 205/55 R16 6/16 0 metrics
2013 Test World Summer Tire Test Test World 2013 205/55 R16 4/13 0 metrics
2013 Auto Zeitung Summer Tire Test Auto Zeitung 2013 215/55 R16 1/12 0 metrics
2013 54 Tire Braking Test 2013 195/65 R15 1/54 0 metrics
2013 European Summer Touring Tire Test ADAC 2013 185/60 R15 3/19 0 metrics
2013 ACE Summer Touring Tire Test ACE 2013 195/65 R15 1/16 0 metrics
38
Tests
6th
Average
1st
Best
20th
Worst
Latest Tire Test Results
20th/55
10th/21
Good aquaplaning qualities, short dry braking distances, fuel-saving rolling resistance.
Average grip on wet roads.
Good.
2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test
205/55 R16 • 2023
16th/50
Size Fuel Wet Noise
14 inch
185/60R14 82 H C B 70
15 inch
195/55R15 85 V C A 71
195/65R15 95 H XL B A 71
185/65R15 88 H B A 70
195/55R15 85 H C A 71
195/65R15 91 H B B 71
195/65R15 91 V B B 71
16 inch
205/55R16 91 V B B 70
205/55R16 91 H B A 68
215/60R16 95 V C A 71
215/60R16 99 H XL B A 72
215/60R16 99 V XL B A 72
205/55R16 91 V B A 68
205/55R16 91 W B A 68
205/55R16 91 V B B 70
205/55R16 91 V C C 70
205/55R16 94 V XL A B 72
205/60R16 92 H B A 71
205/60R16 92 V B A 71
205/60R16 96 V XL B A 72
205/55R16 91 V B C 71
205/55R16 91 V C C 70
17 inch
225/45R17 94 W XL B A 72
225/50R17 98 W XL B A 71
225/50R17 94 W B A 71
225/50R17 98 V XL B A 72
225/45R17 91 W C A 70
205/50R17 89 V C B 71
205/50R17 93 W XL B B 72
225/45R17 91 W C A 70
205/50R17 89 H B A 71
205/50R17 93 W XL B B 72
205/50R17 89 H B A 71
View All Sizes and EU Label Scores for the Dunlop Sport BluResponse >>

Questions and Answers for the Dunlop Sport BluResponse

Ask a question
July 10, 2016

What is the difference between the Dunlop Bluresponse 195/55R16 87H and 87V , apart from the price !

The V rated construction of the Sport BluResponse is rated to a higher maximum speed (130 mph for H, 150 mph for V), but in reality unless you plan on travelling faster than 130 mph there would be likely be no noticeable differences between the two models.
August 18, 2016

Should the tire pressures be different because my new tires look a bit flat. I can roll the car side to side

The tire pressures for the Dunlop Sport BluResponse should be as your manufacturer specified. Some people are finding a few extra PSI in modern low rolling resistance tires are helping stability. If you decide to over inflate, keep an eye on wear to make sure the tire is wearing evenly.
June 28, 2019

what is the average mileage one can expect from a Dunlop sports bluresponse 205/55r16 . Thanks

Tire wear can be influenced by a huge number of factors, such as vehicle weight, driving style and surfaces driven on. I'd recommend looking through the wear ratings on the website to find an average for your own personal setup.
October 15, 2019

Purchased a set of blue response tires 205/55R16 5years ago they have covered 10,000 miles. All tires have at least 5mm left on them and all look in good condition. One tire however has a crack around the centre between the tread. is this normal.

Surface cracking can be normal, especially tires of that age, but worth getting checked by a professional. Tire manufacturers recommend no more than 5 years use, so it might be time to change them regardless!
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Size Price Range  
205/55 R16 $113.96 - $113.96 (1 Price) Compare Prices >>
Available in 2 tire sizes - View all.

Review Summary

Based on 166 user reviews

Drivers generally find the Dunlop Sport BluResponse quiet, comfortable, fuel-efficient, and especially strong for wet and dry grip and braking, with solid aquaplaning resistance. However, many report soft/weak sidewalls and stability issues at higher speeds, plus consistently poor tread life and uneven/rapid wear that worsens performance as they age. Overall sentiment is positive given many high-scoring reviews, but durability and sidewall robustness are recurring drawbacks.

Strengths
  • Wet grip and braking
  • Dry grip
  • Low noise/comfort
  • Aquaplaning resistance
  • Fuel efficiency
Areas for Improvement
  • Poor tread life/rapid wear
  • Soft/weak sidewalls (bulges/punctures)
  • High-speed stability/steering feel
  • Noise increase and grip drop as they wear

Top 3 Dunlop Sport BluResponse Reviews

Given 90% while driving a Hyundai Hyundai i20 1.4 101hp 2011 (185/60 R15) on a combination of roads for 21,000 average miles
I live in Greece and I bought these for the second time in April 2023 because i was totally satisfied. Excellent dry braking in city, motorway and country roads and very good dry handling in tight mountainous hairpin turns. Excellent aquaplanning. Good wet braking but not so much feedback when cornering in wet. Great comfort, low noise and they feel very smooth which i absolutely loved. The first set was made in Poland, the new ones in Germany. Wear came sooner than i expected but still later than the Continental Contact. I hope that Falken that now owns Dunlop will make a replacement of this model enhancing its strong points even more.
April 25, 2025
Given 60% while driving a Ford Mondeo (215/55 R16) on mostly town for 12,000 average miles
Disappointed with Longevity – Dunlop Sport BluResponse 215/55 R16 (2021)
I purchased a full set of Dunlop Sport BluResponse 215/55 R16 97W XL tires in 2021, Lithuania, expecting a solid performance from a premium brand. Over the last three years, I’ve driven under 20,000 km, and during the off-season, they were stored indoors in a cool, dry basement — no exposure to sunlight, moisture, or harsh conditions. Tire pressure was checked regularly, and there were no signs of underinflation or abuse. The tires were always mounted on rims and were never removed during seasonal changes, so no additional stress from mounting or dismounting was involved.
Dry grip: Performance was quite decent when new. The tires felt confident on dry roads, offering a stable, quiet ride at both city and highway speeds.
Wet grip: Initially good, with predictable braking.
Comfort: These tires were noticeably quieter and smoother than the mid-range tires.
Wear Rate: This is where my experience takes a downturn. Despite the low mileage and proper storage, the tires have developed visible cracks . This was discovered in early April, 2025 when switching from winter to summer tires. Given the light use and good storage conditions, I did not expect this level of degradation from a supposedly high-quality tire.
Safety Concern: The cracking is particularly concerning — not something you’d expect from a tire with such limited use. Even if the warranty has expired, this feels like a premature failure. It casts serious doubt on the long-term durability of this model.

Verdict:
I can’t recommend the Dunlop Sport BluResponse based on my experience. One pair has already significantly degraded, and the other is showing early signs of the same issue. While driving performance was acceptable in the short term, this kind of unexpected deterioration is unacceptable for a tire at this price point and from a brand with Dunlop’s reputation. I’ve lost trust in this model and will be switching to a different brand for my next set.
April 17, 2025
Given 63% while driving a Volkswagen Golf 6 2.0 TDI 110hp (205/55 R16) on mostly country roads for 15,000 spirited miles
Mind that my car is now 16 y/o, but overall I didn’t love these tires. They have plenty of grip in the dry, but are quite average in the wet. They feel loose around the dead zone, and at turn-in they seem to flex a lot, requiring a lot of steering angle at first. After a while they start to grip better, but it’s still tricky to keep a consistent line, with little feedback from the road.
They’re fitted to 6.5'' wide wheels, which makes them bulge slightly, probably adding to this weird feeling.
April 7, 2025

How would you rate the Dunlop Sport BluResponse?

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Latest Dunlop Sport BluResponse Reviews

Initial Impressions Review
Given 91% while driving a Dacia Sandero 1.4 (185/65 R15) on for 5,000 miles
After first season with these tires I was impressed with the improvement they are over Fuld EcoControl HP I've used before on the same car.

They are not as noisy, they seem ok comfort wise, dry and wet grip and breaking seems fine. I do believe the premium price is worth paying for Dunlops over some cheaper midrange or lower range tires. After first 5000 miles no noticeable wear.

These tires give out the quality and premium feeling all in all.
February 7, 2026
Given 67% while driving a Alfa Romeo 159 (215/55 R16) on mostly motorways for 30,000 average miles
very nice, smooth, quiet tire. good road feeling, very good on wet and dry, poor milage
October 31, 2025
Check out how the BEST all seasons tires perform against premium summer and winter tires!
Given 60% while driving a Volkswagen Golf 7 TDI (205/55 R16) on a combination of roads for 500 spirited miles
Only had these tires for a couple of weeks but what I immediately noticed was the noise. I changed my winter tires with these expecting a more quite ride. What I got was a noticeable perceived increase in noise levels. They sound like they are easily 3db (double the noise) above my winter tires in loudness. I haven't tested it with a db-meter since it could be a difference in tone as well. Otherwise they handle well and I feel confident with them on the roads.
May 20, 2025
Given 63% while driving a Toyota Corolla (195/65 R15) on mostly country roads for 15,439 easy going miles
I have been buying and using these tires on the same car for about 12 years. I was attracted by the price and the A-B performance levels for grip and fuel economy.
The last set of 4 tires I have purchased have done 15439 miles and the front two (drive wheels) require replacement which is quite a bit earlier than I expected.
I noticed that the last set of tires had a spec change, now a B+B rating and the noise level had risen from 68db to 71db. The price had also risen by £30.
The tires were noticeably louder, reduced mpg by 5%, were 60% more expensive than the last set and have worn faster.
I am now looking for an alternative tire.
December 14, 2024
Given 75% while driving a Mazda 323 1.6 BJ Touring / Protege (185/65 R14) on a combination of roads for 3,500 easy going miles
Very quiet and comfortable tires with reassuring roadholding on wet and dry roads. However, straight line stability at highway speeds is so-so, to put it mildly. Winter is coming and I just changed the Dunlops for wintertires (Continental WinterContact). This really transformed the car when driving at 100 km/h and above. It now tracks straight ahead. On the Dunlops, I was constantly correcting the steering to keep it on track and in a straight line. I somehow got used to it, but the Contis demonstrate how unstable the Dunlops really are at highway speeds. Next Summer, I'll experiment with a higher tire pressure than recommended in the car manual. If this won't help, I'll replace these tires with something better.
November 24, 2024
Given 71% while driving a Volkswagen Beetle 1303 1.6L (195/65 R15) on a combination of roads for 30,000 average miles
These are the back tires on my VW 1303. Lassic beetle. They have lasted a very long time 30,000 plus. The wet grip is average. Dry grip better.
September 8, 2024
Given 79% while driving a Toyota Corolla (205/55 R16) on mostly motorways for 6,200 average miles
Mainly bought these tires because good fuel economy was promised by test. While I cannot attest to that (yet), because these are the first tires fitted during the ownership of this car and cannot really compare them to anything, I am quite satisfied with these tires, as fuel consumption is as expected with Corolla TS Hybrid. Good grip in wet and dry, drove in quite some atrocious conditions in the past 10.000 km made on these tires and no problems with aquaplaning and grip. What I did notice is that the rubber compound is quite soft. When driving on highways it is not that noticable, but when braking hard or turning in tight(er) turns, they get this distinct winter tire sound, which was surprising during first few days with these tires - thought they are under inflated so I put a bit more air into them, but the sound was/is still there. Also drove on some warmer days and noticed that when the tires get toasty warm, the surface of the tire tread gets really sticky - probably the stickiest of all the tires I have owned. Will see how things progress with wear.
June 11, 2024
Given 86% while driving a Skoda (195/65 R15) on mostly country roads for 11,500 average miles
They offer an excellent grip even in the wet and amazing braking performance, especially in the dry. They have very strong anti-aquaplaning characteristics, as I did not notice aquaplaning even at about 90km/h. The wear is also pretty good, but the harder compound gives you slightly less feedback in my opinion. I did notice that my car shifted from being oversteer-prone to understeer-prone on these tires, can't say if that's better or worse. And they are, in my opinion, quite prone to damage. I never had to have tires repaired as much as I have with these tires, but maybe that was just bad luck. Nonetheless, these are amazing tires and I would buy them again if they still made them.
November 23, 2023
Given 57% while driving a Suzuki Swift (185/60 R15) on mostly town for 20 average miles
Since day 1 i wasn't satisfied with those tires. I drove mostly in the city and they are terrible. I only have two big trips and they are good on nice open and wet roads, especially when they are warm but they need a lot of time to warm up in the city and there is no traction even with a light rain. They are quiet and last though. Today i had my tires changed and try my luck with another big brand,witch is a lot cheaper too and the first impressions are good. So i dont think i m gonna put dunlops again.
September 18, 2023
Given 74% while driving a Smart roadster (185/55 R15) on a combination of roads for 15,000 spirited miles
Great tire in the dry, lateral acceleration is high! Road feedback is great. The tire is soft however and doesn't last long. I managed 15k mi out of a set of rears and 20k mi out a set of fronts (rear engined car). They suit a light sportscar very well. Fuel economy is good too. Biggest downside is performance in the wet at end of life. I have 2mm of tread left on all 4 corners and a slightly damp roundabout is terrifying. So I am replacing them ASAP.
November 9, 2022
Given 93% while driving a Skoda (225/45 R17) on mostly country roads for 15,000 spirited miles
Excellent grip in wet and dry conditions. One of the best summer tires I have driven.
September 10, 2022
Given 93% while driving a Toyota Yaris Mk2 1.33 (1NR FE) (185/60 R15) on a combination of roads for 22,000 easy going miles
Always bought sport blue response as they look good and last well but have very good grip and it's not yo heavy on the wallet for a top of the range tire
June 27, 2022
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