Toyo Extensa HP II Tire Review: Does this tire fit your vehicle?

You can think of the Toyo Extensa HP II as a sportier version of the Extensa A/S. And while the latter is a basic all-season tire for passenger cars, the Extensa HP II is a higher-performance derivative. This makes it a sterling choice for sedan owners who demand more traction for sportier and faster driving. 

Want more than just spirited all-weather performance? The Toyo Extensa HP II also happens to be a looker as well. The unidirectional tread design features a more aggressive and sportier look to improve the styling of your vehicle.

But if there’s one thing that’s not good about the Toyo Extensa HP II, it will have to be the mediocre snow performance. This is not exactly a big deal since Toyo made it clear the Extensa HP II is a performance-oriented tire. But I find it hard to believe that the Toyo Extensa A/S is a better performer in the snow than the Extensa HP II, considering the more aggressive unidirectional treads and sipe design. 

So if your sporty car demands a set of rubber that can handle lower temperatures and a bit of snow, you better look elsewhere. But if the weather is fine and you need a new set of tires that offer higher amounts of traction and grip, the Toyo Extensa HP II is right for your vehicle. 

What are the features of the Toyo Extensa HP II?

Toyo made sure to make the Extensa HP II more stylish than the Extensa A/S. So it gave the tire a sporting unidirectional tread design to make it stand out from its brethren. The tire also comes with single-cut and double-cut tapers to enhance braking performance while optimizing the block stiffness of the rubber. 

It even comes with full depth multi-wave sipes to offer better grip and traction on soaking wet pavement. The tire is constructed utilizing a special silica compound to offer solid grip in the dry while still remaining sticky on wet and greasy roads. 

What vehicles are applicable to the Toyo Extensa HP II?

The Toyo Extensa HP II is designed to fit a wide array of import and domestic vehicles. This includes the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3, Subaru Impreza, and Ford Focus. It is also a good choice for larger sedans like the Ford Fusion, Chevrolet Malibu, Mazda6, Subaru Legacy, Toyota Camry, and Honda Accord.

This tire is also great for sporty European cars such as the BMW 3-Series, Audi A4, and Mercedes C-Class. Toyo is offering the Extensa HP II in 15” to 20” diameters. This means it will also fit small and sporty crossovers such as the Subaru Forester, Honda CR-V, Toyota RAV-4, Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, and Mazda CX-5. 

How good is the tire on dry pavement?

The Toyo Extensa HP II performs extremely well on dry roads. The tire has no qualms about its sporting DNA. You will immediately feel the improvements in handling, steering, and braking upon fitting the Toyo Extensa HP II tires in your vehicle.

However, there’s a catch. The tires remains glued to the road even at higher speeds. But the grip levels can easily be overwhelmed by a more powerful or tuned motor. If your vehicle is capable of churning upwards of 200 horsepower, the Toyo Extensa HP II may fall short of your expectations.

But for factory stock compact cars and midsize sedans, the Toyo Extensa HP II offers more than enough grip for a safer and fun driving experience. 

Is it any better in the wet?

Don’t let the gorgeous tread design fool you. In truth, the unidirectional treads in the Toyo Extensa HP II are optimized to displace water from the contact patch. This enables the tire to offer a solid and planted feel even when rolling over greasy or slippery pavement. In fact, this tire feels better in the wet than on dry pavement, or maybe it’s just me.

Whatever the case, you can expect steady traction and strong braking from the Toyo Extensa HP II even during inclement or rainy weather conditions. 

How does it handle snow or ice?

Not so well. Even though the Toyo Extensa HP II is equipped with full depth multi-wave sipes, it doesn’t perform well in snowy or icy conditions. But for cold weather driving in the absence of slippery snow and ice, the tire is more than capable. If you live in places with moderate to heavy snowfall, this is not the right tire for you.

How about ride comfort and road noise?

The Toyo Extensa HP II is a performance tire with the DNA of a touring tire. The silica tread compound is formulated to deliver longer wear and a quieter ride. It’s not as silent as a set of proper touring tires, but the noise levels of the tire are low compared to other performance rubber.

Ride comfort is also a strong trait of the Toyo Extensa HP II, but it’s not as comfortable as you might expect. The tires have a tendency to bump and grind as you drive over a rougher patch of tarmac. It also makes a loud thumping noise when succumbing to deep potholes.

You can see more Toyo Extensa HP II Tire Review here: videos created by Toyo Tires Canada

Should I buy the Toyo Extensa HP II?

As long as you stick to the streets, the Toyo Extensa HP II is a value-packed alternative to more expensive performance tires. But for racing, track, or tuned vehicle applications, this tire falls short in terms of dry traction. 

Is it time to change the tires in your compact sedan? Want something that offers more performance and better value? Thinking of purchasing a new set of wheels and want a sportier set of all-season tires? You can’t go wrong with the Toyo Extensa HP II.