Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire Review

‍Overview of Achilles

Achilles isn't a new company and has been mass-producing high-performance tires at affordable costs in Indonesia.

The company is part of the Indonesian PT Multistrada Arah Sarana (MASA) and is the largest tire manufacturer in Indonesia with numerous factories. Achilles is a big tire manufacturer and has previously worked with elite tire brands like Pirelli and Continental but are now working solo.

Achilles tires are known for their quality and affordable prices, which has seen many car drivers prefer them as alternatives to premium tires. High-performance tires are designed to deliver high-speed performance, as they reduce heat build-up and maintain excellent road grip.

Achilles offers an extensive range of high-performance tires for performance and passenger vehicles. The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tire model is an excellent tire that offers exceptional summer traction, excellent controllability at high speeds, and a small degree of damage resistance.

It's an excellent tire choice for car drivers looking for a high-performance budget-friendly tire, which doesn't sacrifice its performance and driving safety at a lower price bracket.

Our Review of the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tire is one of the best high-performance summer tires for passenger cars. It is renowned for providing easy handling and excellent grip on wet and dry asphalt roads, low noise, and great lateral stability. The tire has undergone considerable design changes since replacing the Achilles ATR Sport model in 2014.

The overall design of the tire has remained the same as it allows the tire to dry rapidly when it comes into contact with wet patches on the road. It also provides reliable grip in any road condition, while the handling and directional stability offered to the car at higher speeds has also been improved.

The first-generation Achilles ATR Sport tires had scattered tread blocks on the left and right sides of the central rib. In the upgraded Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tires, solid ribs were used with diagonal notches surrounding the tire circumference and helped provide more grip when driving on asphalt. The enlarged shoulder zone blocks helped improve maneuverability and lateral stability when turning at high speeds.

Additional cornering grip and faster tread self-cleaning in wet conditions with better aquaplaning resistance are the hallmarks of the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tires, thanks to the patented a0 technology.

The shoulder interblock widening grooves and wider radial channels help drain water from the tire patch by working together to guarantee high reliability on wet roads.

The exceptional performance of the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tires can be attested by the fact that they were used in the 2015 Formula Drift drifting world championship.

Driving Performance on Dry and Wet Roads:

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire is one of the best high-performance all-season tires in the tire market today. These tires combine year-round use with a sporty look, and energy efficiency, ensuring that you have a quality tire that delivers excellent performance on dry and wet roads.

The sporty look of the tire is seen in the directional tread pattern. Thanks to the large blocks, you can maintain constant and reliable contact with the road, and you get better aquaplaning resistance thanks to the directional design.

The central continuous rib helps maintain consistent road contact and offers precise handling control at higher speeds. The groove system on the tires consists of four radial continuous and several arcuate grooves, which stretch from the shoulder to the central area of the tire.

That helps drain slush and water from the central patch and ensures confident control on moderately snowy and wet roads.

Other Features:

One of the defining features of the Achilles ATR Sport 2 tire is its economy, which is because, during manufacturing, Achilles used EcoSafe technology. That has helped increase the wear and low-rolling resistance of the tire and decrease fuel consumption.

The best feature of the tire is that it's an all-season tire allowing you to save money by not buying winter tires.

The tire tread has enough negative profile percentage, ensuring that you get excellent grip and traction on snow. However, you should know that it's not a substitute for a winter tire and is meant for use in countries where the winter climate is temperate.

Reasons Why We Like the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tire has what we call a "magnificent triangle compound", allowing the tire to achieve excellent grip and traction on dry roads. You can corner at high speeds and push the limits while driving with these tires on your car. The tires have commendable stability at high speed and have short stopping distances.

It also performs admirably on damp roads but will struggle in torrential rain or when there is a lot of water on the road. It's labeled an all-season tire but doesn't perform in freezing conditions or on roads with ice or snow.

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 performance tire isn't exceptional in durability, but it will last you at least two or three years if you drive normally. The manufacturer has also offered a generous 35,000-mile warranty on treadwear. To give you the whole picture, we want to highlight some of its pros and cons below:

Pros:

• Exceptional stability at high-speeds
• Excellent cornering grip
• Great performance in wet road conditions
• Excellent warranty for treadwear

Cons:

• Isn't the most durable tire
• Suffers to perform in freezing conditions
• It can be noisy on some roads

As you can see from the pros and cons, it's an evenly poised tire that is a suitable replacement for more expensive high performance in the market today.

Driver Reviews and Ratings

Numerous drivers have claimed that the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tires are excellent summer tires and perform well on wet or dry roads. The affordable price of these tires is their biggest selling point, but these tires have excellent workmanship and are well-balanced.

Some drivers only faced a slight noise from the tires on some asphalt roads, but it's a highly rated tire and recommended by drivers.

These tires are excellent low-cost alternatives built for sports sedans and coupes. Achilles has used a tread compound with performance silica, solid central rib, and offset tread block design. The features help improve steering stability and response and deliver excellent handling capability at high speed. It's a strong point of the tire and is often mentioned by drivers who use this tire on their car.

There are four wide circumferential grooves combined with the additional silica; you get a decent grip on wet roads. The hydroplaning risk is also reduced, but the road grip in wet conditions is rated average compared to other tires in the same class.

Thanks to the interlocking tread blocks, you also get increased stability while cornering at high speeds. That's why the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance tire is considered one of the best drift tires, especially when you consider its affordable price range.

The tire comes in 15-inch to 22-inch sizes, with all of them featuring a W-speed or V-speed rating. You also get a limited tread warranty.

Tire Performance Review: Traction and Grip

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire offers excellent traction and grip in wet and dry weather conditions. The tire features optimal compound and a tread design that ensures constant grip and traction with the road. However, these tires aren't meant to be used in winter and colder temperatures.

The ATR Sport 2 features a summer weather compound and a directional tread pattern, which helps increase the tire's road grip and traction. That ensures you get consistent and reliable performance in warm weather conditions.

The tire compound and directional tread design help prevent heat build-up and enhance the tire's performance at high speeds. That benefits the overall traction and grip by easing the tire's structure's driving pressure.

The tire's tread pattern also helps prevent hydroplaning, which is a dangerous hazard on the road, where the tire's contact with the road is cut off, causing the driver to lose control and the vehicle starts to skid.

The four wide circumferential grooves help channel the water away from the tire tread, helping to improve the traction on wet roads and ensuring the tire maintains constant contact with the road.

Handling and Controllability

One of the most crucial aspects of any tire is its controllability, which helps determine its response and handling in various conditions. Fast response and excellent stability are hallmarks of all great tires as it guarantees a secure performance, something that all high performance deliver.

The directional tread pattern on the Achilles ATR Sport 2 performance tire has a solid central rib, stabilized shoulder, and interlocking middle tread blocks.

The tread design helps maintain road contact for the tire and enhances driving stability and steering responsiveness. Therefore, you get improved steering and faster, more precise handling and controllability.

You also get enhanced maneuverability and cornering capability at high speeds due to the tire's tread design. The interlocking tread blocks of the tire and the stable shoulder block tread pattern allow safer cornering at high speed. You also get excellent maneuvering ability because the tire maintains a consistent and firm grip on the pavement, guaranteeing dependable on-road performance.

Damage Prevention

Damage to your car's rims and tread area is dangerous, and that's why tire manufacturers focus on designing tires that can resist punctures. You want your rims to be protected while driving so that you get safer performance on the road. The Achilles ATR Sport 2 performance tire has Matric Technology and a directional tread pattern in its design.

These work in combination to improve the self-cleaning capability of the tread and allow the tire to remove snow and mud from getting stuck. It can also eject rocks or dirt stuck between the tire's tread, ensuring you get a cleaner footprint.

That helps enhance the consistent road contact and ensures no stones get stuck between the treads, which can compromise the tire's performance.

The optimized sidewall design of the ATR Sport 2 tire features reinforced sidewalls that help maintain optimal shape for the tire under extreme speeds. This also helps protect the rims from accidental curb damage and significantly improves driving safety, even at higher speeds.

Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire: Reasons to Buy This Tire

Achilles is a brand that doesn't take inspiration from tire designs from other manufacturers. However, the company doesn't have the resources and R&D funds that other premium tire manufacturers are blessed with, and even smaller players in the tire market such as Kumho and General Tire.

It may rank behind these tire manufacturers, but Achilles is a tire brand meant for people who want to save money on high-performance tires.

If you compare Achilles ATR Sport 2 performance tires, you will notice that they are better in terms of performance than some of the premium tires on the market, especially in wet weather conditions. If you're shopping for the ATR Sport 2 tires from Achilles, here are some of the things you should consider:

Affordable Pricing

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire costs around four times less than other premium tires in the market, which is a big difference for most drivers, especially when shopping for larger tires.

The engineering and material quality may be lower, but you will still get admirable on-road performance and excellent traction and grip on wet and dry roads. Most drivers are prepared to purchase a lesser quality tire if they get decent performance and cost less.

Reliable Handling in Dry Conditions

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire offers exceptional performance on dry roads, and it's a feature that all high-performance tires must-have, even the cheapest ones.

The ATR Sport 2 tire performs better than other cheap tire brands, as it has higher traction levels, more cornering grip, and shorter stopping distances. If you are driving on dry roads, you won't find better tires around at this price point.

Shorter Tread Life

Most drivers don't consider this factor when shopping for cheap tires. It's a known fact that most affordable tires aren't very durable and will only last you for a short period. They will need to be changed at least twice as many premium quality tires. In short, you get what you pay for, as cheaper tires have shorter tread life.

Substandard Traction in Wet and Snow Conditions

The Achilles ATR Sport 2 performance tires perform admirably well in rainy conditions, but you shouldn't depend on them if there is a lot of water on the road. You shouldn't use them in harsh winter conditions because other premium tires offer better grip, traction, and on-road performance.

Our Overall Thoughts on the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire

It's not fair to label the Achilles ATR Sport 2 Performance Tire as a substandard cheap tire, as you get superior on-road performance from the tire. If you're on a tight budget and are looking for high-performance tires, you won't do better than the ATR Sport 2 from Achilles.

The tire offers reliable handling and traction at all speeds, while you also get excellent cornering stability and grip.

The tread life may not be the best, but steering control and handling are responsive and sharp. The tire does have some issues with road noise, but it's not the worst-performance tire in this regard. It's not designed to be used in harsh winter conditions, as it will skid on ice and hard-packed snow.

In general, the Achilles ATR Sport 2 is an excellent high-performance tire, especially when you consider it's a second-tier brand. Other tires may claim to offer better performance, tread-life, and wet condition traction, but not at this price range.

If budget is your biggest concern and you want a large high-performance tire, you can save a lot of money by purchasing the Achilles ATR Sport 2 tire.