The Falken FK453 is a summer performance tire with generally favorable dry grip and handling and often acceptable noise levels. Wet-road performance and tread life are inconsistent, while high rolling resistance is a recurring test weakness.
The Falken FK453 is more consistently liked for dry grip and handling than for its overall balance. Owners frequently praise dry-road confidence, and Auto Express placed dry handling fourth in 2015, only 1% behind the Continental. Noise and value are also more often liked than criticised by owners, with low noise praised by Sport Auto in 2016. Comfort and steering feel are more divided, and a minority describes unsettled behavior at high speed.
Wet performance needs qualification. Some owners are enthusiastic, but comparative tests often find weaker grip or braking. Auto Zeitung's strong wet result in 2014 is an unusual exception, as are its favorable 2015 aquaplaning and stability comments beside weaker verdicts elsewhere. Braking also varied unusually, praised by Sport Auto in 2016 but criticised in 2015 comparisons. High rolling resistance recurs more consistently. Actual longer-use wear accounts are evenly mixed; one returning owner stays strongly positive, but does not establish a general ageing pattern. Its dry handling and price appeal come with uncertainty about wet balance, longevity and high-speed reassurance.
The quick answer
Owners say65%from 30 owner reviews50% would buy againRead the reviews
Strengths & weaknessesGood dry gripGood dry handlingHigh rolling resistanceVariable wet brakingSummarised from the tests and owner reviews
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tire - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated January 2025.
Based on test and owner data, the Falken FK453 is expected to last around 17,800 miles (28,646 km).
What do owners say about the Falken FK453?
Across 30 owner ratings the Falken FK453 averages 65%. Owners rate Dry Grip highest at 7.7 out of 10 and Wear lowest at 6. 12 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 54% of owners score it 70% or better.
What is the Falken FK453's EU tire label rating?
Across its range, the Falken FK453 most commonly carries EU label ratings of C for fuel efficiency, A for wet grip and 67 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Falken FK453?
Owners rate the Falken FK453 6.9 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 28 reviews.
How well do the Falken FK453 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Falken FK453 6 out of 10 for wear across 28 reviews. 12 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 6,500 miles.
More questions about the Falken FK453(7)
Would owners buy the Falken FK453 again?
50% of owners say they would buy the Falken FK453 again, based on the 30 owner reviews that answered the question. 27% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Falken FK453's tread life?
Of the 27 owner reviews analyzed for the Falken FK453, 12 mention tread life: 6 praise it (long-lasting) and 6 criticise it (wears quickly). Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Falken FK453's dry grip?
Of the 27 owner reviews analyzed for the Falken FK453, 11 mention dry grip: 10 praise it (strong dry grip) and 1 criticise it (limited dry grip). One owner wrote: "Very good tires, with excellent dry & wet grip, even when pushed hard". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Falken FK453's road noise?
Of the 27 owner reviews analyzed for the Falken FK453, 10 mention road noise: 7 praise it (quiet) and 3 criticise it (noisy). Read those reviews
What does the Falken FK453 replace?
The Falken FK453 is the successor to the Falken FK452 in Falken's range.
Dry grip is the clearest owner-reported strength of the Falken FK453, with dry handling, noise and value also more often praised than criticised. Wet grip is less consistent, while comfort and steering feel divide opinion. Later-use tread-life accounts are evenly mixed, ranging from early replacement to satisfactory mileage, and roughly one in seven owners raises concerns about high-speed stability. The returning reviewer stays strongly positive through 20,000 miles and describes retained grip at the wear limit, but that is one driver rather than a general ageing pattern. Other reports of instability or changing behavior with use do not establish a common mileage-based decline.
What owners mention most counted across 27 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 30 ratings
Owner score65%
Dry Grip77%
Wet Grip70%
Comfort69%
Road Feedback63%
Handling60%
Wear60%
Featured reviews
Most helpful 58%
“The Falken Azensis F453 offers better than expected dry performance and grip for a big luxury saloon. The tire manages dry grip well enough, to hold the large luxury saloon on to the line in corners through low - mid...”
“Without doubt the worst tire i have ever purchased for any car. I have had tires for half the cost and perform better than these in every single way, road feedback is non existent no grip what so ever in the wet can...”
“Wrote on these tires when I got them first and they were not the greatest. BUT. I put on 215/45/17 91y XL, and the tires that came with the car were 215/45/17 87w, so the Falkens were the wrong tire for my car, having...”
The Falken Azensis F453 offers better than expected dry performance and grip for a big luxury saloon. The tire manages dry grip well enough, to hold the large luxury saloon on to the line in corners through low - mid speed city and high speed motorways cat and mouse chases.
But, braking on the dry is a bit worrying, on numerous occassion the ABS had to intervene really aggressively. Braking grip on offer makes me feel that the brakes are too strong for the wheels.
Wet performance is not the tires strength, especially in tropical monsoon rain, with many water puddles. The tire does not inspire confidence, conversely i fear of aquaplaning so much that i give up the chase against a honda city. >.
Check out how the BEST all seasons tires perform against premium summer and winter tires!
12 000 miles (20 000km) on the set. VolvoT6 AWD. Not an aggressive driver. Long distance driving. Was given a long story by the Falken Rep but all added up to nothing. Been a Falken supporter on 3 of my Volvo's but after using this "Flagship" tire I am leaving the brand
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Very bad experience with this tires. Really not fit for spirited drivers. Very bad during cornering, even in straight line driving can feel car not stable. Used only for 20k km mileage. Like a night mare having this tires. Replaced it with continental. Never ever will consider falken tires anymore.
Great value for money, decent life expectancy considering the driving style.
There are better tires out there but I found those to be fun and predictable.
Grip is not my priority as I like a lively car.
I had preferred the FK452, but those are OK replacements...
Having changed all 4 of my Run-Flat tires only 18 months (and 12000 miles) ago, I was today shocked to hear I only had 1mm left on the rear tires. All of my driving has been long motor drives across Europe. My last tires (Michelins) lasted 38000 miles, hence the reason I'm so shocked. The front tires still have 5mm.
Past 20years i have been through a wide range of tires on my turbo cars but it's the first time i have been impressed with a budget street tire.
On my mildly modified supra (400hp) they perform much better than i expected.
Biggest suprise is how much grip they had in the wet. The grip in the wet is nearly as good as in the dry (straight line acceleration). And for a wide tires they aren't unsettled by big puddles of water on the freeway. Everything else i've had in a 275 width would aquaplane badly.
Highly recommended and will buy again.
Cornering in the wet and dry was good. If the road was wet the wheels would spin quite easily when taking off from a stand still. Comfort I don't really know about, nothing really feels comfortable with msport suspension. Wear was pretty bad, rears are basically bald after 10000miles, 1500miles of that was on road trips with spirited driving and the other 8500miles was on straight roads driving normally doing 60mph. The fronts still have at least half their tread left so might keep them on the front, but will probably go with something else on the rears as they cost about $450 per tire.
Very good tires, with excellent dry & wet grip, even when pushed hard, These are now down to the legal limit and are still holding the road, Wear has been at a very good rate and I would defo buy again.
Good looking budget tire and value for money if you don't need the 'nth degree of performance . Only travelled >2000 kms so far so no wear to report and no track work to test limits but satisfactory for all road use. Only downside so far is noise/comfort levels which are both below average, but again value for money.
74%
Member
Honda
245/45 R19 W
200 miles
Mostly Country Roads
Average
I bought these for my Honda C-RV, grip is surprisingly good with road noise at a minimal, and compared to my last tires, the ride is smoother. So first impression for the first couple of hundred miles is a good one.
