Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ Review – Good Comfort, Reasonable Grip

Ultra-high-performance all-season tires are a recent evolution in the tire industry. The idea behind them is simple – providing performance cars with enough grip in dry and wet conditions and giving them valuable light-snow traction.

However, executing a good UHP all-season tire isn’t as easy. Tiremakers are still having difficulties making a UHP all-season tire that can replace a summer tire eight months a year and a winter tire four months a year. So, although convenient, these tires are still jacks of all trades and masters of none.

Still, that doesn’t stop tiremakers from trying to produce the best possible UHP all-season tire. Yokohama, known for producing excellent tires at a reasonable price, launched its latest performance all-season tire, the ADVAN Sport A/S+, in 2019, aiming to shake up the budget end of the segment.

Of course, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ is not a cheap tire, but you will save some money by opting for it rather than a product from Michelin, Bridgestone, Continental, or Pirelli. Should you do that, or do the premium brands still offer the best bang for the buck?

Well, the answer to that question is not as simple. Not only do tires have many performance aspects, but various drivers also have different needs. Some like a more comfortable tire, while others want a sharper one that provides a more enjoyable driving experience.

So, where does the ADVAN Sport A/S+ stand in the increasingly competitive UHP all-season category? And, more importantly, is it the right tire for your vehicle and driving needs? We will answer these questions in our in-depth Yokohama ADVAN Sport A/S+ review, where we will dissect the tire and tell you everything there is to know about it!

The tread is asymmetrical, featuring two distinctive sides that help the tire achieve its all-season traction. Notably, the inner half of the tread pattern features Z-Grooves and Wavy Sipes, which create additional biting edges for driving on wet and snow-covered roads.

Meanwhile, the outer half of the tread has performance shoulders, which are present on almost every UHP all-season tire. These extra-large blocks provide additional steering response and increase lateral grip on dry roads. Lastly, the 2-IN-1 intermediate blocks that sit next to the extra-large blocks provide lateral stability while helping the four circumferential grooves with water evacuation.

According to Yokohama, the internal construction is optimized for crisp and responsive handling because this is a performance tire, after all. That said, the Japanese tiremaker also ensured that the ADVAN Sport A/S+ provides the passengers with excellent comfort – the tread pattern features a four-pitch variation, which reduces road noise.

However, these wear bars exist because tiremakers need to put them there. In other words, Yokohama did nothing else to help the driver follow the remaining tread depth more granularly.

Some automakers are using proprietary indicators. For instance, Continental uses its ‘Tuned Performance Indicators’ on the ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus, which employ the letters D (Dry), W (Wet), and S (Snow). When all three letters are visible, the tire will work through all weather conditions, including dry, wet, and snow-covered roads.

However, once the letter S becomes invisible, the tire has only enough tread depth left for driving on dry and wet roads. Once the letter W becomes invisible, and only the letter D is visible, the tire is safe to drive only on dry roads.

Meanwhile, the traditional wear bars will be flush with the surface when the tread reaches 2/32 inches of depth or 1.6 mm. Why this tread depth? Because it is agreed upon that a tire with less than 2/32 inches of depth will hydroplane easily, creating instability issues for the driver.

However, a tire doesn’t magically become unstable in the rain when the tread reaches that particular depth. In other words, the hydroplaning resistance will diminish rapidly once the tire wears more than 50% over its original tread depth. Thus, it is essential to let the driver know whether the tire is suitable for driving in rainy conditions.

Not to mention, snow traction will diminish much sooner, with authorities recommending at least 5/32 inches (4 mm) of tread depth remaining for safe performance on snow. That said, we recommend having at least 6/32 inches or around 5 mm of tread depth before the winter starts.

Unfortunately, Yokohama hasn’t employed unique wear indicators in the ADVAN Sport A/S+ that tell you whether the tire will work in the upcoming winter. Therefore, we strongly recommend purchasing a tread depth gauge to help you monitor the tread depth across the tire’s lifespan. You can also use this tool to monitor whether the tire wears evenly across the tread, which is also very important.

Judging by the warranty, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ should be one of the most durable tires in the category. Owners also seem to be very satisfied with the treadlife, rating the ADVAN Sport A/S+ very high in that regard, even when compared to some premium alternatives.

Based on this, you should get at least three years of good dry/wet performance from this tire and possibly even three winters of solid snow traction. Still, make sure you measure the tread depth from time to time or ask your tire technician to tell you whether your ADVAN Sport A/S+ tires are ready for the winter.

Fortunately, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ provides enough grip for most drivers, particularly owners of regular coupes and sedans with slightly more powerful engines. In other words, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ has enough grip to give you a more spirited ride than a regular touring all-season tire, though it is not at its best on some potent sports cars.

The grip is there if you look for it. We were still very satisfied with the speeds we could achieve in the corners and the short stopping distances. More importantly, the steering was fast, light, and responsive, creating a rather enjoyable, sporty experience for the driver. The tires could be more communicative, but the experience is fun overall.

The handling is also very balanced, i.e., the ADVAN Sport A/S+ always does what you ask. If you drive within its limits, Yokohama’s UHP all-season tire will provide you with good turn-in and balanced mid-corner behavior while accelerating well on the corner exit.

With all that said, one tire is a step above the ADVAN Sport A/S+ in dry performance – the BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS. BFGoodrich’s tire comes at a similar cost to Yokohama’s yet provides an appreciably higher lateral dry grip and shorter stopping distances. Its steering isn’t as responsive, but it is still solid in its own right.

For example, the Falken Azenis FK460 A/S offers a much higher lateral grip and stops sooner than the ADVAN Sport A/S+ while feeling more surefooted in the corners. The similarly-priced BFGoodrich g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS is also better in the wet, and even the cheaper General G-MAX AS-05 provides higher overall traction.

You will probably be delighted with how the ADVAN Sport A/S+ performs in rainy conditions. Yokohama’s tire still has enough grip to keep you safe, has excellent hydroplaning resistance, and is easy to drive fast, thanks to the predictable behavior at the limit. When you compare it directly to its rivals, though, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ shows its limitations.

So, should you choose another tire if you live in an area where it rains frequently? Definitely; however, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ will be more than serviceable if you don’t encounter rain that often. In fact, modern tires have become so good in the rain that even the worst wet tire is better than the best wet tire from two decades ago.

Although the ADVAN Sport A/S+ lags behind some of its rivals, it is still very good in general terms, with higher traction than the class average. For instance, Yokohama’s tire performs better in wet conditions than its closest Japanese rival, the Toyo Extensa HP II. Not to mention many less expensive UHP all-season tires, like the Riken Raptor ZR A/S and Kumho Ecsta PA51, which are a step behind the ADVAN Sport A/S+ in wet traction.

Yokohama’s tire is still very good in isolation. In fact, in our testing, it performed better than most UHP all-season tires on the market, particularly those near the budget end of the segment.

Moreover, we were very satisfied with how this tire felt when driving on snow. The front tires were responsive enough, while the rear tires kept the car playful yet stable enough to keep the driver in control. In other words, with the ADVAN Sport A/S+, you can drive just like on a wet tarmac and keep your vehicle in control.

We think most drivers will also be satisfied with the traction on offer. The ADVAN Sport A/S+ provides respectable stopping distances, accelerates off the line with authority, and keeps you planted in the corners. It might not be as good as the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS, but it is better than most other UHP all-season tires in its price range.

With that said, if you live in an area where it snows frequently during the winter, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ shouldn’t be your primary choice. In fact, most UHP all-season tires aren’t that good in deep snow and over ice. What you need is a set of performance winter tires. They are more expensive but will give your performance vehicle sharp handling and excellent snow traction.

Or, if you can sacrifice some handling precision and dry/wet grip, a set of regular winter tires will give you even higher snow and ice traction.

Yokohama offers some excellent all-terrain and off-road tires aimed at owners of SUVs and trucks with serious off-road capabilities. The first tire that comes to mind is the excellent Geolandar A/T G015, which combines good off-road and on-road traction with solid comfort. Yokohama makes a more aggressive all-terrain tire, the X-AT G016, which increases the off-road traction, though at the expense of wet on-road grip.

Real off-road enthusiasts might also want to check the mud-terrain Geolandar M/T G003 or Yokohama’s most aggressive off-road tire, the X-MT G005. Both will bring you places few other tires can, but the X-MT G005 can even be used for driving over the most challenging terrains, like bottomless mud and colossal rock formations (rock crawling).

However, the AVID ENVigor ZPS is a very old model launched over a decade ago. As such, it lags significantly behind the ADVAN Sport A/S+ in all key areas, particularly wet and snow grip. That tire also doesn’t come with any treadwear warranty, which is a big minus in this day and age.

Yokohama also has a max-performance summer tire with run-flat capabilities, the ADVAN Sport ZPS. But again, this tire is over a decade old, with grip and traction that lag significantly behind newer tires in the category.

If you need a run-flat UHP all-season tire, we recommend going for the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 ZP. Sure, it is expensive, but it does have class-leading dry/wet grip, good snow traction, and a 30,000-mile treadwear warranty.

Comfort is perhaps the ace up ADVAN Sport A/S+’s sleeve. The ride is very plush, to the point of being too soft when driving over sharp undulations, where the tire loses its composure and produces more noise than we would’ve liked.

But that is an outlier scenario that won’t happen often. On most roads, the ADVAN Sport A/S+ will glide over the road with smoothness and opulence. Passengers won’t feel the small bumps on highways, and as a whole, the ride will be almost cloud-like. In other words, most people will perceive the ride as super comfortable and lavish.

Meanwhile, it is super quiet, apart from the slightly annoying sound the ADVAN Sport A/S+ produces when it goes over potholes. On the highway, Yokohama’s UHP all-season tire produces only a slight hum that blends with the wind and engine noise and contributes to a much quieter cabin.

But the ADVAN Sport A/S+ isn’t only impressive when it comes to quietness – it almost destroys most of its rivals. UHP all-season tires are notorious for being noisy – at least those at the budget end of the spectrum.

However, Yokohama’s model turns the table entirely and gets closer to grand-touring tires regarding noise comfort. For comparison, ADVAN Sport A/S+’s nemesis, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS, is louder on the highway and generally less pleasing on longer journeys. It’s the same story with the loud General G-MAX AS-05 and even the very comfortable Falken Azenis FK460 A/S.

Enthusiast drivers might find it lacking in the grip department – Yokohama’s tire is a good companion on twisty roads, but there are better alternatives if you are a spirited driver. The ADVAN Sport A/S+ is sharp to drive and generally enjoyable, but its limits arrive sooner than the competition.

For most owners of fast sedans and coupes, though, the combination of solid dry/wet/snow grip, excellent comfort, and class-leading treadwear warranty will be hard to beat. This tire doesn’t impress in any area but provides a balanced set of characteristics at a reasonable price.

We won’t lie – in terms of overall traction, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS is a step above the ADVAN Sport A/S+. You can attack corners faster with BFGoodrich’s tire, regardless of the weather conditions, as it has a better grip than its Yokohama rival in dry, wet, and snowy conditions.

Furthermore, the g-Force COMP-2 A/S PLUS is more comfortable over potholes, though it feels a bit stiffer on smooth roads and produces more noise on the highway. Still, if you are a spirited driver, there is no question that BFGoodrich’s UHP all-season tire is a better buy.

Another excellent, budget-oriented, UHP all-season tire is Falken’s Azenis FK460 A/S. It also provides better grip in dry and wet conditions, though it can be a bit noisy on the highway. Still, we think it is an excellent buy for drivers who enjoy driving on a twisty road, as the steering of the Azenis FK460 A/S is super-fast and light.

With that said, paying a bit more will open the door to tires with higher grip and better overall performance. The first one that comes to mind is the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 Plus. This tire pushes the boundaries of what is possible in a UHP all-season tire, providing class-leading grip in rainy conditions, excellent snow traction, and the best braking on dry roads. It is expensive, but it is definitely worth it.

The Michelin Pilot Sport All-Season 4 is another exceptional UHP all-season tire with outstanding dry/wet/snow grip, though one that suffers from a noisy and harsh ride. You should also look for Bridgestone’s latest Potenza Sport AS. We haven’t tried that tire yet, but it promises to push the category to new heights.