Falken Azenis FK450 Review: All-season Tire for Sports Coupe and Sedans

It’s always fun testing a performance tire. In most cases, the difference between all-season and performance tires are similar to night and day. That’s what it felt as I crafted this Falken Azenis FK450 review. From the very start, the Azenis FK450 felt sportier than a humdrum set of general purpose touring tires.

But that’s expected given the capabilities of the Falken Azenis FK450. It is designed to offer uncompromised all season performance in ultra-high performance driving. With that being said, this an excellent choice for premium sport coupes, old school and modern muscle cars, and sporting European/American sedans.

Upon first glance, it is easy to dismiss the Falken Azenis FK450 as an ordinary set of touring rubber. This is due to the asymmetric tread design. While other performance tires are equipped with aggressive tread designs for sporty driving, the Falken Azenis FK450 is the exact opposite. However, there’s a reason for this: ride comfort and road noise. With a simple tread design, Falken was able to create a tire that delivers tons of grip while still remaining quiet and refined on the open road.

This all sounds good, right? In actuality, the Falken Azenis FK450 review is a summer tire with the advanced attributes of a touring tire. However, Falken saw it fit to make the tires perform well in all-season driving.

Falken Azenis FK450 Review: Who is this tire for?

In terms of advanced tech features, the Falken Azenis FK50 has it all. Falken utilized their exclusive Tension Control Technology process to achieve the perfect balance of handling, all-weather traction, and superior high-speed stability, which are the merits you want in an ultra-high performance tire.

The Falken Azenis FK450 also benefits from a unique and patented tread compound derived using 4D Nano design. This tire is constructed using biomass materials to improve flexibility and adhesion in both hot and cold temperatures. The asymmetric rib is engineered with a block-hybrid design to enhance stability, handling, and on-road feel.

The tire also comes with vertical tread notches to minimize the loss of traction when cornering. You will also find supporting tread block bars all over the face of the tire that helps minimize tread squirm during quick maneuvers and hard acceleration.

But since the Falken Azenis FK450 is intended for all-season driving, Falken saw it fit to equip the treads with tapered notched grooves to improve grip over icy or snowy roads. Wet weather traction is ensured courtesy of the long and sweeping tread grooves. The Azenis FK450 ic also equipped with wider shoulder blocks to give your ride better cornering and tighter handling.

Tire Review in Different Conditions

Let’s see how the tires will perform under various driving conditions.

Dry

Remember when I said the Falken Azenis FK450 is a hybrid summer and touring tire? Summer tires are known for their exceptional grip on dry roads, and the Azenis FK450 felt the same. It actually felt like racing tires in the dry. The acceleration felt relentless and the steering felt more precise. The braking power is admirable given the presence of sand and dirt on a deserted stretch of dry tarmac.

If you think an expensive set of all-season performance rubber is worthy of praise, wait until you try the Falken Azenis FK450. This tire is the perfect complement to the powerful motor in your car.

Wet

Dare I say the Falken Azenis FK450 feels better in the wet than in the dry? There is no quantifiable way to support my claim, but the tires felt excellent on the wettest of rain-drenched roads. I never felt the tires hunting for grip even as I accelerated hard on a rainy freeway. I didn’t feel the tires were nervous as I pressed hard on the brakes, either.

Snow

All-season tires are supposed to acquit themselves in light snow. The Falken Azenis FK450 tires were able to do just that, and then some. The snow capabilities of the tires impressed me most, considering the fact that ultra-high performance rubber are designed to only function well in hot and dry weather. Of course, all the magic happens at low or moderate speeds. Anything with more than two inches of snow will require the added grip of snow tires. But for mild winter driving with light snow and thin ice, everything felt safe, solid, and secure.

Comfort

Also impressive is the ride comfort of the Falken Azenis FK450. Of course, if your sporty vehicle is upgraded with firmer suspension, the ride quality will suffer even if you install a set of comfort-oriented touring tires. But the Azenis FK450 is still par for the course when it comes to ride comfort. I was able to reach my destination as fresh as a daisy even after driving for three hours straight over smooth highways and tight city streets. This is high praise for an ultra-high performance tire.

Handling and Noise

With exceptional levels of wet and dry traction, the Falken Azenis FK450 is expected to be a capable handler. But what really stands out after installing the tires is the steering feel. Modern vehicles with electric power steering are great at low speeds. But the steering has a tendency to feel numb as you pile on the speed. That wasn’t the case with the Falken Azenis FK450. The asymmetric ribs with the hybrid block design were able to vastly improve the reaction and on-road feel of the steering.

The tire also gets a high score in terms of road noise. I wasn’t expecting a serene set of rubber given the advanced levels of traction and grip. However, the Falken Azenis FK450 tires were as quiet as a nun at low to average speeds. There will be some tire roar as you approach the upper limits of the speedometer, but it wasn’t too bad to be considered annoying or obtrusive. But then again, this will also depend on the NVH tuning of your vehicle.

You can see more Falken Azenis FK450 Review here: videos created by Driving LOS ANGELES

The Bottom Line

One of the biggest reasons why you should consider the Falken Azenis FK450 is the price. It is more costly than a set of ordinary all-season touring rubber, but it won’t leave a huge and gaping hole in your pocket either. The Falken Azenis FK450 offers elevated levels of traction on all types of road surfaces with no sacrifices in comfort and ride quality.