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Last updated 9/18/2024 - Originally published 9/18/2024
Written by SimpleTire
Ultra-high performance (UHP) tires are designed to enable aggressive cornering, great handling, and high speeds. Under UHP, we have two categories of tires — UHP summer and UHP all-season. As the names suggest, UHP-summer tires are meant for warmer conditions (temperatures above 45 degrees Fahrenheit) as compared to UHP all-season tires that can be used throughout the year. We have an interesting comparison here, with the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 taking on the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate, with the former a UHP-summer and the latter, a UHP-all season. Both tires feature asymmetric tread patterns, but the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate has more tread depth. As we proceed with this Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires comparison, you’ll be able to see how much of a difference the tread depth makes on vital parameters.
Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 tires
- Traction: 8.7
- Handling: 8.7
- Longevity: 7.3
- Overall average SimpleScore: 8.2
Yokohama has decades of experience in motorsports, and this shows in the Advan Neova AD09. The Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 is popular as a DOT-approved track tire that’s also street-legal, clearly serving two purposes at the same time. As a performance-oriented tire, the Advan Neova AD09 ensures crisp handling and is super-sticky due to the silica-rich tread compound. Expect great handling and straight-line stability through the large, bold outboard tread blocks and a strong center rib. You can be sure that this tire will stick to the roads, thanks to the elaborate groove system. Tough internal construction and a strong sidewall help boost tread lids here. All in all, the Advan Neova AD09 makes a strong impression in warm weather, regardless of whether it’s on regular roads or the track. We found it suitable for an average SimpleScore of 8.2.
A silica-rich tread compound that’s molded into an asymmetric pattern with a strong center rib and large, bold outboard tread blocks. High-speed straight-line stability and cornering are all very much dead-on with the Advan Neova AD09, allowing you to push your vehicle to the limit, and we give this tire a SimpleScore of 8.4 for handling. Wet and dry traction comes from deep lateral grooves and an innovative, curved full-depth circumferential groove for a SimpleScore of 8.7. A rigid sidewall design and durable internal construction figured into our decision to give this tire a SimpleScore of 7.3 for longevity. It’s important to remember that the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 is a summer/UHP tire – its tread formulation is soft and sticky for great adhesion to the road but will stiffen up and lose traction on colder days, so the tire should not be used when temperatures are consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires
As a tire first rolled out in 2022, the Eagle Exhilarate is known for the amount of technology on offer and for Goodyear’s strong reputation for quality in the market. It features a unique tread pattern that minimizes uneven wear and ensures superior handling, stability, and control at high speeds. Much like the Advan Neova AD09, it also features an asymmetrical tread pattern. However, the Eagle Exhilarate does stand out in terms of longevity, as it features a limited manufacturer warranty that is not available for the Yokohama. Not only do the rim protectors and the sleek sidewall protect the tire from curb damage, but also make it look good. An inbuilt Wear Gauge enables the driver to visually check the tire for alignment issues, thereby ensuring safe driving at all times. All in all, for its tremendous combination of superior traction, stability, and handling, the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate receives an excellent average SimpleScore of 9.0.
Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on traction
Let’s see how good the two tires are in terms of traction. Both tires are manufactured using silica-rich tread compounds that generate a high amount of grip. However, ActiveGrip technology on the Eagle Exhilarate plays a major part in giving the Goodyear a far superior bite. It would be appropriate to point out here that the higher tread depth for the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate also gives it an advantage over the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09.
Both tires showcase circumferential grooves to ensure high wet traction and resist hydroplaning. Large, continuous tread blocks on the Yokohama are useful in enhancing dry traction. In the end, our tests showed the Advan Neova AD09 to be good enough for a traction score of 8.7, lesser than the excellent 9.3 for the Eagle Exhilarate.
ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate
Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on handling
The Advan Neova AD09 features a combination of the latest tread compound, a vastly improved casing, and an optimized tread pattern for better handling. While only the tread compound is useful for short braking distances on the Yokohama, both the tread compound and ActiveBraking on Goodyear are useful for braking quickly. Both these tires ensure that they keep you planted on the road, even during the hardest maneuvers.
A solid center rib on the Advan Neova AD09 ensures constant road contact, leading to a lightning-quick steering response. On the other hand, ActiveGrip technology on the Eagle Exhilarate provides great performance, both in the wet and dry. The difference between the two tires here is the same as traction, with the Yokohama scoring an 8.7 and the Goodyear receiving a strong 9.3.
ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate
Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 vs Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate tires on longevity
Longevity is somewhat arbitrary when discussing UHP tires. In most cases, UHP tires do not have coverage under a limited manufacturer's tread life warranty because they are not made for extended tread life. However, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that Goodyear has provided a warranty for the Eagle Exhilarate. While the Advan Neova AD09 is devoid of any such offer, Goodyear gives a limited manufacturer warranty of 45,000 miles for the Eagle Exhilarate.
Both tires feature special tread compounds and asymmetric tread designs, which means they’re both suitable for high durability and even wear. But if you want to check alignment and wear on the go, you have the option to check the same using Goodyear’s Wear Gauge system. While the combination of an improved casing and tread compound on the Yokohama ensures high strength, built-in rim protectors prevent damage to the Goodyear tire. Additionally, chamfered grooves on the Yokohama are responsible for long wear.
With the above in mind, Goodyear walks away with the better score yet again, receiving 8.6 in the longevity category vs 7.3 for the Yokohama.
ADVANTAGE: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate
When to use each
As seen above, there are plenty of features to ensure that these UHP tires are able to corner fast, accelerate fast, and brake quickly. While a driver eager for track-like performance is likely to benefit more from the Yokohama, a driver keen on spirited performance throughout the year should consider the Goodyear. With the Goodyear, you will not have to worry about tire temperature while driving through dry, wet, and light snow conditions. Warranty is yet another factor that tilts the balance in favor of the Eagle Exhilarate.
Which one should you choose?
It is very clear from the above scores that the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate emerges as the winner, and that too by significant margins. Being the American brand, Goodyear is able to clean sweep the battle against the Japanese brand 3-0. That brings us to how the two tires have currently been priced. While the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 starts at about $167 per tire ($668 for 4), the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate is available for roughly $164 per tire ($656 for 4). In other words, there’s not much to choose between the two in terms of prices.
Based on the SimpleScore, you can pick the Yokohama Advan Neova AD09 if you:
- Want faster track times
- Drive sports and performance-based cars like BMW 228i, Porsche Boxster, and Subaru Impreza
- Want exceptional wet traction at high speeds
- Want consistent performance throughout the life of the tire
Here’s why you should think about buying the Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate:
- Want a tire with a limited manufacturer tread life warranty
- Drive vehicles like the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and Porsche 911.
- Want better handling
- Want a tire that performs throughout the year
Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help as our helpful agents will be more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.