Had a set of 4 (195/55ZR15) fitted at $640 (inclusive of balancing) to replace the OEM Bridgestone RE010 tires on my MR.

It took around 500+ km to run in probably because of my conservative driving nature. The main difference from the older S02 series will be Bridgestone’s claim that they have incorporated technology that ensures the performance does not drop drastically after 25000+km. This claim cannot be verified by me because I have not reached that mileage (any comments, Chong?)

Dry grip has improved although I am running higher tire pressures (260 kPa front 220 kPa back) than recommended (220 kPa front 200 kPa back). Wheelspin resistance has also improved slightly which is impressive considering the RE010 are very grippy tires. Steering feel has improved and handling is more progressive. The MR steering is not that communicative and the S02 have improved things.

Performance in the wet is probably the most impressive aspect of the S02. The car feels so much more tied down at high speeds and aquaplanning seems to cease to exist unless doing stupid speeds (120+kmh). Mechanical grip and handling in the wet have improved greatly in part due to the tyre tread design.

Comfort and noise are bearable if you can stand the RE010. However if you are driving a Civic, the tire noise insulation being worse than the Lancer, it may be a bit unbearable.

For the $6 million dollars question, is it good value for money? The answer will be a qualified yes. Given that the MR is unlikely to exploit the outer limits of these ZR rated ultra performance tires, it may seem like overkill fitting these tires. However considering that this is the monsoon season and with the flash floods now, the excellent performance in the wet more than justify the premium paid over tires like the Falken GRB Tune II. The S02 PP is a tyre relatively better in the wet th a n dry.

Rating :A (on account of the Singapore weather)