Yoko S-Drive... Any reviews?

[Sickscientist]

I'm looking to change to these tires soon... Looking at the thread, looks like UHPT... Anyone using them?? How does it fare...?? Cant seem to find info on these tyres....

 

Edited August 27, 2007 by Sickscientist

[Infernose]

very rare tyres. u can try www.tirerack.com to look at reviews. currently using Firestone wideoval. ranking no.3 in ultra high summer performance. not bad.

[Astrochucky]

Changed into S Drive in 205/55/15 less than a month ago, so far done 1k+ km liao. Previously on Goodyear F1 GS-D3 (Thai) 195/55/15. Therefore, my feedback is probably not very accurate as my experience on S drive is in a size which is different from the tyre it replaced.

 

Having said that, this is my feelings on them:

 

1. Scrub-in period - It seems to require a relatively long scrub-in of >500km before its true performance surface. When newly fitted, I was almost disappointed as it did not feel grippy enough, felt like a touring tyre.

 

2. Grip and feel - Pretty good dry and wet grip to inspire speed during cornering and late braking. I particularly like the thread design, especially the solid centre-rib which provides good steering feel, unlike the F1 which sways at the slightest road unevenness. I find many particles sticking to the tyre after driving, a testament of the stickiness of the tyre compound. However, hard cornering does not invoke the "car-on-rail" feeling as you begin to think about when its traction limit is going to be breached and when you gonna lose your car rear. This probably means there is a lack of ultimate grip and sidewall strength, though I am sure it is not helped by the higher tyre profile.

 

3. Resistance to Aquaplaning - Pretty good, seems to be able to disperse water almost as well as the F1. Well, maybe 80% of F1 capability in this aspect.

 

4. Comfort - Quite comfortable as the ride is not harsh at all, probably due to higher sidewall.

 

5. Noise - Seems noisy as the noisy level seems to be same as F1 which had done 45k km, though its not unbearable. Maybe its becos the S drive is wider (205 vs 195) and supposedly have a greater contact patch, hence the high noise even when new. I am someone who likes noisy tyre (kinda of telling me that the tyres are gripping well), so if you are noise averse, then you may have to think twice about S drive.

 

6. Economy - Surprising, I am getting better fuel economy on them, even though the change in size should have my odometer reading going the opposite direction. F1 are known to be a heavy tyre, so I suppose its down to that, meaning S drive is probably a lighter tyre.

 

Anyway, you can refer to this OZ site for some more reviews of S drive as compared to Bridgestone RE001.

 

www.ozhonda.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-409-p-4.html

 

This guy there, EG30, seems to find RE001 grippy and therefore better.

 

However, you will find RE001 more expensive than S drive in Singapore. My guess is RE001 probably has more grip, but S drive is comparatively more value for money as it is cheaper while offering similar performance.

 

All in all, I find S drive a good choice for someone looking for a sporty tyre which is easy to the pocket. If you are hardcore performance oriented driver, then I think you will have to look elsewhere.

 

Btw, S drive is ES100 successor.

 

FYI, S drive is the OE tyre for Honda Jazz in 185/55/15. Some people have this impression that OE tyre must be a cheap and crap tyre. So you go figure. Oh, if this size fits you, I am sure you can pick those freshly-traded in ones for a bargain, provided you don't mind (technically) 2nd hand tyres.

 

Also, advertisement and promotion for S drive is almost non-existent, unlike C drive which came out in a bang. Why is that? No idea. Maybe Yokohama realise S drive is not really good enough? Maybe their strategy is to promote the ADVAN series? Your guess is as good as mine.

[Dynaway]

i think the ES100 is called the DNA GP now.... looks exactly the same thread pattern as the ES100

 

check out the site

 

http://www.yokohamatire.jp/yrc/japan/tire/...dna/dna_gp.html

[Roberttan]

you are right OE tyre does not means no good.

that depending on is fitted on what car .

OE tyre for Ferrari is it better quality than OE tyre on QQ?

just for your info those S drive tyre on Honda jazz are not OE fitted

in Japan Honda , it was done here by local Honda Agent

[Astrochucky]

Spot on!

 

Curiously, i think (from my guesstimate of the japanese words) it states that its wet stopping distance from 100km/h to 0km/h is 38.8m. However, in the S drive catalogue, it actually states that ES100 wet stopping distance is 48.2m vs S drive's 43.7m.

 

www.yokohamatire.jp/yrc/japan/tire/brand/dna/dna_es03.html

 

Granted that there may be some differences in testing parameters, a 18% difference (38.8m vs 48.2m) is simply unbelievable & misleading. Unless you tell me Yokohama has make such groundbreaking improvement to the tyre but still choose to retain the same model number instead of introducing a new model.

 

I guess at the end of the day, we should not be too excited about manufacturers' claims but rely more on real world experiences.

 

Oddly, C drive and A drive are nowhere to be seen on the Yokohama Japan website. I remember seeing them listed there just last month. Does that mean that they are going to be EOL? But I thought they were only launched the last couple of years? Or they have been relegated to be strictly export models?

Edited August 29, 2007 by Astrochucky

[Astrochucky]

That's right. Honda Jazz arrived in SG port in steel rims and Yokohama Aspec tyres, probably to lower the OMV and the import duties. Sports rims and S drive are locally fitted.

[Dynaway]

i dun see anything wrong with the comparison...

 

the DNA GP is slightly different from the old ES100... jus tat they retain the thread pattern thats abt all.

 

the S-Drive is using nano-technology made silica compound....

 

 

anyway those tyres seen in the Japan website are solely for JDM.... u may not find them being exported else where...unless it is parallel imported

Edited August 29, 2007 by Dynaway

[Fcw75]

Yep, the rims are from Enkei Thailand.