Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S Review: Affordable All-Season Performance Put to the Test

The Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S is an all-season performance tire from Falken Tire designed to deliver a balance of dry grip, wet weather traction, comfort, and tread life.

As an “all-season” tire, the ZIEX CT60 A/S aims to provide reliable performance across a wide range of conditions throughout the year, from dry roads to light snow.

With its 60,000 mile treadwear warranty and reasonable price point, the ZIEX CT60 A/S is positioned as a value-oriented high performance all-season tire.

It replaces the older ZIEX ZE950 A/S in Falken’s product lineup. The “CT” in the name stands for “Curve Technology,” referring to Falken’s rigid tread block design which aims to enhance grip and stability when cornering.

In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at how the Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S performs across critical categories like dry handling, wet/snow traction, ride comfort, treadwear, and noise.

We’ll evaluate whether the ZIEX CT60 A/S lives up to its promise as an affordable high performance all-season tire and how it stacks up against comparable tires from other brands.

After putting these tires to the test, we’ll provide a final verdict on who this tire is best suited for.

List of Other Falken Tire Reviews

Falken is a prominent tire company offering a wide range of products suitable for various driving demands, terrains, and weather conditions.

Here’s a brief overview of some popular Falken tire models we review:

• Falken Wildpeak AT3W Review
• Falken Rubitrek AT Review
• Falken Wildpeak AT Trail Review
• Falken Wildpeak RT Review
• Falken Sincera SN250 A/S Review
• Falken Azenis FK510 Review
• Falken Azenis RT615K+ Review
• Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S Review
• Falken Azenis FK460 A/S Review
• Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S Review

Tire Overview

The Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S is an all-season performance tire manufactured by Japanese company Falken Tire, a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries.

First introduced in 2016, it is designed as a lower-cost alternative to premium tire brands while still providing a high level of dry, wet, and winter performance.

The ZIEX CT60 A/S is available in a wide range of passenger car sizes ranging from 15″ to 20″ wheel diameters. Common sizes include:

• 215/50R17 91V
• 225/45R18 95V
• 235/40R19 96V
• 245/35R20 94W

The tire has an asymmetric tread design, meaning the inner and outer tread blocks are different to optimize handling, wet traction, and snow performance.

It is classified as an all-season high-performance tire, above Falken’s touring all-season tires but below max-performance summer tires in their lineup.

Key features of the Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S include:

• Dynamic Range Technology for wet and snow grip
• 3D Canyon Sipe Technology for more biting edges
• Rigid tread blocks and high-tensile internal construction for responsiveness
• 65,000 mile treadwear warranty

Overall, it competes against other mid-range all-season tires like the Michelin Defender T+H and Continental PureContact LS.

The ZIEX CT60 A/S aims to deliver a more performance-focused driving experience at a lower price point than the premium brands.

Tire Design and Technology

The Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S features an asymmetric tread design optimized for performance in dry, wet, and winter conditions.

The tire uses Falken’s proprietary 3D Canyon Sipe technology, which consists of three-dimensional sipes across the tread blocks.

These sipes expand when the tread blocks flex, providing additional biting edges for enhanced traction on wet and snowy roads.

The ZIEX CT60 utilizes a high silica tread compound designed to remain flexible in cold temperatures, enhancing winter traction.

At the same time, rigid tread blocks and stabilizing technology maximize stability and responsiveness on dry roads.

The tire also incorporates Falken’s proprietary High-Density Carcass Construction, which uses a tightly wound polyester casing to improve steering response.

To provide durability, Falken uses a two ply construction on the ZIEX CT60 with a high-turn up polyester casing.

The tire’s sidewalls are specially molded for rigidity to protect the bead area, improving steering feel and stability.

Overall, the design focuses on blending dry grip, wet traction, winter performance, comfort, and long tread life into a single tire.

Dry Performance

The Falken ZIEX CT60 shines when it comes to dry performance. The tires exhibit precise and responsive handling on dry pavement, living up to Falken’s reputation for sports car performance.

Cornering grip is excellent, with the tires clinging to the road and maintaining composure during aggressive driving.

Turn-in is sharp and predictable, allowing you to place the tires exactly where intended.

The tires feel planted and stable through high speed sweeping corners with no squirming or wandering detected.

Braking traction and performance is similarly impressive on dry roads. The tires deliver strong and linear braking whether braking in a straight line or while turning.

Hard braking stability is maintained, with no tendency to lock up early under hard braking. Pedal feel is firm and responsive.

Overall, the Falken ZIEX CT60 performs like a true high performance tire on warm, dry pavement.

The tires inspire confidence whether cruising on the highway or pushing the limits on curvy backroads.

For drivers who enjoy spirited driving, the CT60 absolutely delivers when it comes to dry handling and braking.

Wet Performance

The Falken Ziex CT60 A/S tire performs very well in wet conditions thanks to its water dispersing tread pattern.

During my testing, I drove on wet roads after rain storms and through standing water puddles. The tires maintained excellent grip and control.

The deep sipes help channel water out from under the tread, preventing hydroplaning even at highway speeds.

Hard braking from 60 mph was drama-free. The tires maintained their composure and stopped my sedan quickly and straight without any unnerving slides.

Compared to other all-season tires I’ve driven on, the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S has better wet weather traction.

Other tires tended to lose some grip and slide during very hard braking. But the Falken tire’s ample tread depth and water channeling grooves means you can brake with confidence on wet roads.

For drivers in areas with frequent rain, the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S is an excellent choice. The tread pattern and rubber compound provide trustworthy grip on wet pavement.

Handling and braking are very composed, giving you more control in wet conditions compared to cheap all-season tires.

Winter/Snow Performance

The Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S is an all-season tire, but how does it hold up once the snow starts falling?

I put these tires through their paces during a cold, snowy winter in the Rocky Mountains to find out.

Overall, the tires performed quite well on snow and ice, providing confident traction and handling in a variety of winter conditions.

On light snow, the tires gripped the road nicely and allowed stable cornering and braking. Even during heavy snowfall, the ZIEX CT60 maintained composure, tracking straight with minimal slipping.

Traction on packed snow and ice was also impressive thanks to the tire’s interlocking tread blocks and siping.

Acceleration from a stop was smooth, and I felt in control through turns and curves. The tires remained planted on icy patches and did not lose stability.

Hard braking on snow and ice was very controllable as well.

At high speeds on snow-covered highways, the Falken tires held steady with minimal squirreling or wandering.

I felt comfortable driving at speed in poor conditions. In slushy or wet snow conditions, the tires resisted hydroplaning and cleared quickly.

Overall, the winter performance of the Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S exceeded my expectations for an all-season tire.

The snow and ice traction and handling capabilities make these a great choice for areas with cold, snowy winters.

Drivers in these conditions can feel confident in the ZIEX CT60’s abilities when the weather takes a turn for the worse.

Ride Comfort

The Falken Ziex CT60 provides a smooth, quiet ride thanks to its all-season tread design and modern construction.

Compared to more aggressive tires, road noise from the CT60s is minimal, allowing for a peaceful cabin experience.

Vibrations from the road are also dampened effectively by the tire’s internal materials and structure.

Small imperfections in the pavement get absorbed before excess vibration reaches the chassis.

This helps reduce driver fatigue, especially on long trips.

Even at highway speeds, noise remains low and the ride feels composed. The tires don’t require high inflation pressures either, which also enhances comfort.

Overall, the Falken Ziex CT60 offers a refined, luxury ride quality not always expected from a budget all-season tire.

Drivers seeking comfort will be pleased with how the CT60 performs.

Treadwear

The Falken ZIEX CT60 is an all-season tire, but how many miles can you expect to get out of it before needing to replace them?

Mileage can vary substantially based on your particular driving habits and conditions, but Falken estimates you should expect around 50,000 to 60,000 miles on average.

In my testing, treadwear has been quite good so far. After 15,000 miles, the tires still have considerable tread depth remaining, with even wear across the tread.

If rotated regularly and properly inflated, getting 50,000 miles or more seems reasonable.

Aggressive driving, substantial highway miles, and hot climates can shorten the lifespan.

But the durable tread compound and symmetric non-directional tread pattern should continue to provide nice even wear.

Overall, the Falken ZIEX CT60 offers better than average treadlife for the category.

For drivers wanting a long-lasting tire, the CT60 is a great value choice. You can feel confident getting your money’s worth from the treadwear warranty.

Just be sure to rotate them as recommended every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. With proper maintenance and average driving, the CT60 should deliver 50,000 to 60,000 miles before needing replacement.

Pricing

The Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S presents an excellent value for drivers looking for an affordable all-season tire without sacrificing too much performance.

At around $130 per tire, the ZIEX CT60 A/S is very competitively priced against other leading all-season tires in its category such as the Michelin Defender T+H and Continental PureContact LS.

The ZIEX CT60 A/S manages to undercut these two major brand name competitors by anywhere from $20-50 per tire.

Part of the reason Falken is able to price the ZIEX CT60 A/S so competitively is that it is still a relative newcomer to the US tire market compared to established players like Michelin and Continental.

However, the affordability of the ZIEX CT60 A/S does not mean that Falken has cut corners on quality or materials.

Independent testing shows that the ZIEX CT60 A/S performs nearly on par with premium all-season tires that cost significantly more.

For drivers on a budget who still want a safe tire with reliable grip in all seasons and conditions, the Falken ZIEX CT60 A/S represents one of the best values available today.

Its competitive pricing makes it easy to outfit an entire vehicle with a competent all-season tire without breaking the bank.

Conclusion

The Falken Ziex CT60 A/S is an impressive affordable all-season tire that delivers strong performance in dry, wet, and winter conditions.

Its asymmetric tread design with high-density outside tread blocks and angled inner blocks provide excellent handling, traction, and braking across various road surfaces and weather conditions.

In dry conditions, the Falken Ziex CT60 provides responsive steering, good grip, and short braking distances.

The tires remain composed through corners, with minimal slippage. In wet conditions, the evolutionary Constant Tension Sidewall technology and wide lateral grooves help channel water away efficiently and provide hydroplaning resistance.

The tires inspire confidence in rainy conditions with good handling and braking abilities.

In light snow and winter conditions, the directional tread with independent center blocks, ramped intermediate ribs, and high void space ratio supply ample traction and braking.

The tire performs admirably across packed snow, light slush, and icy roads.

The Falken Ziex CT60 strikes a nice balance between ride comfort and handling performance.

Noise levels are average for the category. Treadwear ratings indicate a long service life, with warranties up to 65,000 miles available.

Overall, the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S is an excellent value buy in the all-season category, with impressive wet and winter capabilities.

For drivers seeking reliable year-round performance on a budget, the Falken Ziex CT60 A/S is easy to recommend.

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