Radar Dimax R8+ vs Firestone Firehawk Sport
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Firestone Firehawk Sport finished ahead 2 times and the Dimax R8+ not once. The Firehawk Sport was stronger in dry and wet.
Performance profile
Their shared tests recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart shows what owners rate each tyre on every question.
Where owners rate each higher
Dimax R8+
Firehawk Sport
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Dimax R8+ 65% from 20 reviews and the Firehawk Sport 79% from 6. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Averages of the figures both tyres posted in the same tests. The gap is the average of each test's own gap, so figures from different cars and years are never mixed. Wins count the tests in which each tyre did better.
| Measurement | Dimax R8+ | Gap | Firehawk Sport | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Firehawk Sport ahead | ||||
| Dry Braking m | 38.25 | 8% | 35.2 | 0-2 |
| Wet Firehawk Sport ahead | ||||
| Wet Braking m | 30.95 | 1.4% | 30.5 | 0-2 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 2 tests, 2025 to 2026
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Dimax R8+ | Field | Firehawk Sport |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Summer Braking Super Tyre Test - How do 52 Tyres Perform in Wet and Dry Braking? | P31 of 50 | P23 of 50 | |
| 2025 Summer Tyre Test Shootout | P31 of 52 | P15 of 52 |
Dimax R8+ vs Firehawk Sport: your questions
Is the Radar Dimax R8+ or the Firestone Firehawk Sport the better tyre?
In the 2 independent tests that ran both tyres, the Firestone Firehawk Sport finished ahead 2 times and the Dimax R8+ not once. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Dimax R8+ scores 6.7 and the Firehawk Sport 8.6 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Dimax R8+ or the Firehawk Sport?
The Firehawk Sport led 2 of the 2 wet measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 1.4% shorter in the wet across 2 tests.
Which is better in the dry?
The Firehawk Sport led 2 of the 2 dry measurements the shared tests recorded. On average it stopped 8% shorter in the dry across 2 tests.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 6.7/10 for the Dimax R8+ and 8/10 for the Firehawk Sport.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Dimax R8+ 65% from 20 reviews and the Firehawk Sport 79% from 6. 60% of Dimax R8+ owners would buy it again, against 67% for the Firehawk Sport.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Dimax R8+ is made in 96 sizes (17 to 24 inch) and the Firehawk Sport in 35 (18 to 20 inch). 26 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Dimax R8+ is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Firehawk Sport A and B.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Firehawk Sport is the newer design: it reached the market in 2023, the Dimax R8+ in 2016. The Dimax R8+ replaced the Radar Dimax R8. The Firehawk Sport replaced the Firestone Firehawk SZ90.
More comparisons with these tyres
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5
0-5 in 5 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6
0-7 in 7 shared tests
vs
Bridgestone Potenza Sport vs Firestone Firehawk Sport
4-1 in 5 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Kumho Ecsta PS71
1-2 in 3 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Nexen N Fera Sport SU2
3-2 in 5 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Yokohama Advan Sport V107
0-4 in 4 shared tests
vs
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 vs Firestone Firehawk Sport
2-2 in 4 shared tests
vs 
Firestone Firehawk Sport vs Vredestein Ultrac Pro
1-4 in 5 shared tests
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.