Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S Review: All-Season Tire – Is It Worth Buying?

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The Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S is an all-season performance tire from Falken Tire, known for producing high quality yet affordable tire options. This model balances impressive handling and traction with a smooth, quiet ride.

Key features of the ZIEX ZE960 A/S include an asymmetric tread design optimized for wet and dry performance, rigid tread blocks for responsiveness, and Falken’s proprietary mixing process for maximizing grip. The tires are designed to be capable both on dry pavement and in light snow conditions.

Falken Tire Corporation is a subsidiary of Sumitomo Rubber Industries based out of California. The company has built a reputation for affordable high performance tires across passenger, SUV, light truck, and medium truck categories. The ZIEX ZE960 A/S tire combines Falken’s pursuit of quality with an all-season focus on safety and reliability.

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

Tread Design of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken Ziex ZE960 A/S features an asymmetric tread design optimized for performance in all seasons. The outside shoulders have larger tread blocks with deeper grooves to enhance wet traction and evacuate water, while the inside shoulders have smaller sipes and grooves for better dry handling and braking.

The tires utilize a unidirectional tread pattern, with curved lateral grooves that help channel water out from under the tread. The aggressive shoulder blocks combined with the curved grooves significantly improve wet and snow traction.

Tread depth is about 10/32 inches new, which is deeper than many all-season tires. This extra depth helps the tires better penetrate standing water on wet roads. It also provides more rubber to wear over time, increasing longevity.

Siping is generously used across the entire tread area, with many tiny cuts that open up when the tire flexes. This boosts wet and snow traction by creating more biting edges. At the same time, the sipes don’t negatively affect dry road manners.

Overall, the tread design provides an excellent balance of strong wet weather performance with responsive dry handling and braking. Drivers will appreciate the grip and control in rain, light snow, and other challenging conditions.

Handling of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZE960 A/S excels when it comes to handling, providing responsive steering and excellent grip in both dry and wet conditions.

The ZE960 uses Falken’s proprietary 3D Canyon Sipe technology on the tread blocks, which provides extra biting edges for increased grip. This translates to confident steering input and stability when cornering hard or making emergency maneuvers.

In dry conditions, the tires feel planted and connected to the road surface. The stiff sidewalls and optimized tread design give a very direct, linear feel through corners with minimal body roll. The ZE960 responds quickly and precisely to steering inputs, feeling eager to carve up winding canyon roads.

Wet weather grip is also impressive thanks to the evolving siping technology, wide circumferential grooves, and chamfered slot design that efficiently evacuates water. The tires maintain composure and traction even on very wet pavement. Hydroplaning resistance is excellent as well.

Compared to top rivals like the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ and Continental ExtremeContact DWS 06, the Falken ZE960 offers a similar level of dry grip while having a slight edge in wet conditions. The precise, responsive steering feel matches or exceeds both those competitors. Overall, drivers report a very connected, sporty feel that inspires confidence behind the wheel.

Ride Comfort of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 provides a comfortable and quiet ride on various road surfaces. The silica tread compound helps minimize road noise, resulting in a hushed ride on smooth highways. On coarser concrete roads, some additional road noise is noticeable but not excessive or distracting.

Over bumps and uneven pavement, the ZE960 absorbs impacts well thanks to its rigid internal construction. The tire avoids harsh impacts over potholes, expansion joints, and broken pavement. The sidewalls show some natural flex but have ample stiffness to prevent a bouncy feel. Overall, the ride quality feels poised and controlled.

Compared to other all-season tires, the ZE960 leans towards a firmer, sportier ride. All-season touring tires like the Michelin Defender provide a plusher, cushier feel over rough roads. The ZE960 doesn’t isolate you from bumps quite as much. However, the trade-off is sharper handling and better impact resistance for aggressive driving. For an all-season performance tire, the ZE960 strikes a nice balance between comfort and responsiveness.

Traction of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 tire delivers excellent traction and grip in most conditions. Its asymmetric tread design with large, rigid outside shoulder blocks provides strong cornering grip and stability when accelerating out of turns.

Independent tests show the ZE960’s precise handling and traction advantages on dry pavement. The tires excel at transmitting maximum cornering forces to the road surface thanks to the staggered tread blocks and firm compound rubber. This allows drivers to brake later when entering corners and get on the gas sooner when exiting.

The ZE960 also performs well on wet roads. The angled sipes and multiple channels in the tread blocks effectively evacuate water for confident wet traction. Hydroplanes are less likely to occur compared to other ultra-high performance tires.

In light snow and icy conditions, the ZE960 provides reliable traction for a summer performance tire. The high silica content in the tread compound gives it flexibility for grip on ice. That said, drivers looking for the best snow and ice traction would be better served by a dedicated winter or all-season tire.

Overall, the Falken ZIEX ZE960 delivers excellent dry and wet traction typical of a max performance summer tire. Drivers praise the tires‘ stability and grip when accelerating, cornering, and braking in most conditions.

Treadwear of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 tire features an all-season tread compound and asymmetric tread design optimized for longevity. Drivers can expect a treadwear rating of 300, indicating these are long-lasting tires capable of going 30,000 miles or more before requiring replacement.

The ZE960 comes with a 60,000 mile limited treadwear warranty, which is better than many competing tires that only offer 40,000-50,000 mile warranties. This gives added assurance that the ZE960 tires will provide years of use without premature wear.

For the price, the ZE960 offers excellent value in terms of mileage. The tread compound and rigid tread blocks resist irregular wear exceptionally well. The tires maintain their full tread depth for longer compared to other brands, while continuing to provide reliable wet and dry traction over time.

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 is an economical choice for drivers looking to maximize tire life and avoid frequent replacement costs. The durable construction allows the ZE960 to achieve high mileage that exceeds its treadwear rating, making it a fantastic value purchase.

Fuel Efficiency of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S tire aims to balance performance with fuel efficiency. This all-season tire has a lower rolling resistance rating, which can help improve gas mileage.

Independent testing shows the ZE960 A/S rates well for rolling resistance, earning an A rating on some scales. This means the tire is engineered to minimize energy loss as it rolls, reducing the drag on the vehicle.

Anecdotal feedback from drivers indicates the ZE960 A/S performs reasonably well for fuel economy in real world conditions. Many owners report 1-3 mpg improvements over the OE tires. Fuel efficiency seems especially improved in highway driving.

The silica-reinforced tread compound contributes to the lower rolling resistance. Stiff outer tread blocks also help keep the tire shape intact, further limiting drag. Overall, the Falken ZE960 A/S strikes a good balance between grip, comfort, and fuel efficiency for an all-season performance tire. Drivers looking to boost MPG slightly without compromising on handling should find it a great fit.

Off-Road Ability of Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S

The Falken ZE960 all-season tires perform surprisingly well on light off-road terrain thanks to their aggressive tread pattern and rigid tread blocks. The tires provide plenty of grip and traction in gravel, as the jagged edges of the tread blocks dig in and find purchase.

On dirt roads, the ZE960’s deliver confident handling and control. The stiff tread blocks resist squirming and deforming, enabling the tire to maintain constant contact with the surface. This allows the tires to efficiently transmit steering, braking, and acceleration inputs when driving on loose dirt.

The Falken ZE960 tires also handle grass reasonably well for an all-season tire. Their chunky tread blocks flex and conform to uneven grassy areas better than tires with a more street-oriented directional tread design. The aggressive biting edges provide enough grip to avoid slipping excessively on damp grass.

While no match for dedicated off-road tires, the Falken ZE960 A/S tires perform better than expected for light off-road duties. Their rigid tread blocks and aggressive pattern enable respectable levels of grip and control when driving on gravel, dirt, and grass.

Sizing and Fitment

The Falken Ziex ZE960 A/S tire comes in a wide range of sizes to fit most passenger vehicles. Here are some key notes on sizing and fitment:

• Size range – The ZE960 is available in rim diameters from 15 to 20 inches. Section widths range from 185mm up to a max of 275mm. Aspect ratios span from 50 series up to 70 series tires.
• Rim compatibility – The ZE960 fits a wide variety of rim widths. Optimal rim width pairings are 6-8 inches for lower profile sizes, and 7-9 inches for taller sidewall sizes.
• Vehicle fitment – The ZE960 fits a wide range of coupes, sedans, crossovers, and light trucks. It’s designed for performance all-season use on everything from sports cars to family SUVs. Falken provides detailed fitment guides by vehicle make and model on their website.

The diverse sizing range and rim compatibility makes the ZE960 easy to fit on most common vehicles. Be sure to use Falken’s fitment guide and tire size calculator to find the optimal size for your vehicle. Proper sizing will ensure ideal handling, traction, and wear life.

Conclusion

The Falken ZIEX ZE960 A/S is a solid all-season performance tire that offers a good blend of handling, comfort, and tread life. Here’s a quick summary of the pros and cons:

Pros

• Excellent dry grip and handling
• Confident wet weather performance
• Quiet and comfortable ride quality
• Durable tread compound lasts long
• Good value for the performance

Cons

• Snow and ice traction could be better
• Some owners report fast treadwear on the edges

Overall, the ZE960 A/S is best suited for drivers prioritizing responsive handling and year-round traction in dry and wet conditions over extreme winter weather performance. It can handle light snow, but won’t match a dedicated winter tire in deep snow.

Compared to top all-season competitors like the Michelin Defender T+H and Continental PureContact LS, the Falken has an edge in dry grip and handling at the expense of slightly shorter treadlife. The ZE960 is more performance-oriented while the Defender T+H and PureContact LS lean more towards long treadwear.

For drivers wanting a sports car-like tire that retains ride comfort and all-season capabilities, the ZIEX ZE960 A/S is an excellent choice worth recommending. It provides confidence-inspiring performance without the harsh ride of max performance summer tires. If your highest priority is treadlife, the Michelin or Continental may be preferable. Overall, the Falken hits a nice balance of grip, comfort, and longevity.

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