Best Tires for the Toyota Starlet 1996

make: Toyota Starlet 1.3 primo 16V 1998. Driving style: Rather medium to fast. Driving Roads: Highways but also bad country roads. First tire 1998-2003: michelin 175/60/13 did not last though soft. second tire: Michelin energy saver plus: liitle better but sides also soft. change to 185/55R14 with s.drive.I found my health. Reasons: a) My starlet is all mechanichal (No hydraylic steering, no ABS,no TCS). This tire helped me cause has the tension to oversteer if the turn angle begins to close a liitle bit further. b) Feeling the steering wheel and the tires enough simultaneously (at dry and wet also) is something i like. I want to feel the car not the automatic controls at any speed.The comfort is something i had to forget cause of Cayaba's front and rear, but i had confidence in open angle turns with high speed. This tire though is really great at summer not the winter times. After 2 years it start slippping and spinning at glassy roads though it is hard stuff but i have a heavy foot too.going to the country with open windows i liked the tire sound couse i heard the little stones going through the tire lines and sometimes i stopped and cleared them before the highway. i rebought 2011-2016 and 2016-2021. 4.5 to 5 years 15000km a year approximatly. One mysterious phenomenon. Although the valves were good and Rims were good, the tire Sides after 4.5 years (Greece-too hot country) the tire loosing air from the Rim sticking (is tubeless remember), so i oblidged to change them. The great disadvantage is the snow. Although you can drive them at snow if you are an artist of driving theese does not stop at all if braking at snow. but they had the tollerance at ice not to crack also at hard roads and hard parking......i liked them but i feel they are too expensive now.

Using the 'Westlake' brand wheel.

Fitted on a small, lightweight car, gives good levels of grip, both wet and dry. Tested on tight twisty roads near the limits in tarmac wet/dry, and beyond limits in gravel wet/dry. No surprises (I know a little of rally driving so that maybe a relative statement!)

Could not say much about wear, I've only used last week but the way I put it to the limits, I could say it's 'ok'. Ride is quiet, also noticed it's using relatively soft rubber compound.

Love the performance but I'm still skeptical of made in China tires. I wouldn't use these tires if I had a bigger, heavier, and more powerful car.