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Nitto NT555 Tire Review
With its large contact patch and performance-centric design, this tire provides superior grip and reliable handling without sacrificing tread life, making it an excellent choice for those looking to get the most out of their sports cars or other high-performance vehicles.
While the NT555 is primarily designed for dry conditions, the directional tread pattern ensures a fair amount of wet traction for rainy days. Upgrading to better-performing tires can truly make the difference when it comes to spirited driving or cornering, and the NT555 from Nitto is a perfect example of this.
It offers great grip and straight-line stability, making your vehicle more responsive and confident on the road. That said, it's essential to keep in mind that the NT555 is a summer tire and may not perform well in colder weather or snowy conditions.
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Overview of Nitto NT555 Tires
Nitto NT555 is a summer-oriented ultra-high-performance street tire designed with the performance driver in mind. These tires are suitable for sports cars, sedans, performance coupes, and muscle cars.
Engineered for optimal performance during warmer months, the Nitto NT555 tires offer impressive grip, straight-line stability, and wet traction. Check out the reviews of the tire in this video.
The Nitto NT555 features a directional tread pattern with a unique tread design that promotes excellent water evacuation. This helps to improve wet traction as it reduces the risk of hydroplaning. The tire is not suitable for snow and ice, as summer tires tend to lose grip when temperatures fall below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
One of the most prominent features of the Nitto NT555 tires is their exceptional treadwear. These tires are designed to offer long mileage and high durability, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.
In addition, the reinforced construction of the tire contributes to its heat resistance and overall stability, especially during high-speed driving and cornering maneuvers. It's important to keep in mind the tire size when selecting Nitto NT555 tires for your vehicle.
This is because choosing the right size will ensure that the tires perform optimally and provide the best driving experience. When it comes to pricing, the Nitto NT555 tires range from $62.19 to $418.66, making them a good choice for drivers seeking a balance between cost and performance.
Nitto NT555 G2, the next-generation variant of the Nitto NT555 tire, offers improved handling, grip, and tread life. The NT555 G2 is designed to provide even better performance and reliability for a wide range of vehicles in various driving conditions. Like its predecessor, the NT555 G2 shares many of the features that make the original Nitto NT555 tires popular among performance drivers.
Nitto NT555 Performance
The Nitto NT555 is a popular tire choice for car enthusiasts and performance-oriented drivers. These summer tires provide unparalleled performance in dry conditions, making them ideal for sports cars and other high-performance vehicles.
Dry Performance
When it comes to dry performance, the Nitto NT555 tire undoubtedly excels. Its directional tread pattern ensures excellent grip and traction during acceleration, cornering, and braking. Additionally, the large tread blocks stabilize the tire well, resulting in impressive steering response and overall handling.
With straight-line stability being a key factor for many drivers, the Nitto NT555 is a sure winner in that aspect as well. You can confidently push your car to its limits, knowing that your tires maintain optimum contact with the road surface.
Wet Performance
The Nitto NT555 is primarily designed as a summer tire, which means wet performance might not be its strongest attribute compared to its all-season counterparts. However, it still manages to provide acceptable traction in certain wet conditions.
The directional tread pattern, along with water evacuation channels, helps reduce the risk of hydroplaning, ensuring a safer driving experience during the warmer months.
It is important to note that due to its design, the Nitto NT555 may not be well-suited for driving in snow or ice, so keep this in mind when considering your tire choice.
Comfort and Noise
A tire's comfort and noise levels play a crucial role in the overall driving experience. The Nitto NT555 offers a higher level of comfort and refinement in comparison to some other performance tires. Its firm tread blocks effectively absorb bumps and shocks while maintaining a compliant ride.
However, it's worth mentioning that the Nitto NT555 does generate some noise. For those who prioritize a quiet ride, this may not be the best option. Regardless, many drivers will find that the performance benefits of the NT555 outweigh the increased noise levels.
Weather Considerations
When evaluating the performance of the Nitto NT555 tires, it's crucial to consider how they perform in various weather conditions.
Summer Performance
The Nitto NT555 G2 is designed as a high-performance summer tire, making it ideal for warmer months. The tire features a directional tread pattern engineered for optimal grip on wet and dry surfaces. The tread design also helps with water evacuation, which is vital for wet traction and hydroplaning resistance.
These tires are tailored for sports cars and performance coupes, offering excellent handling and cornering capabilities. With a focus on straight-line stability, they provide a smooth and comfortable ride during summer.
Winter Performance
The Nitto NT555 G2 tires are not recommended for use in winter conditions. Since they are specifically engineered as summer tires, their performance in colder temperatures, ice, and snow is limited.
The compound used in these tires is designed for optimal grip during warmer months, resulting in reduced traction when the temperature drops.
If you are looking for a tire that can handle snowy or icy conditions, the Nitto NT555 G2 may not be the best choice for your vehicle. Instead, consider investing in a dedicated set of winter tires to ensure better handling and stability during inclement weather.
Compatibility and Usage
The Nitto NT555 tire is designed for high-performance driving during the warmer months of the year.
Use in Sports Cars
Many sports car owners prefer their vehicles to have an aggressive look and great handling capabilities. The Nitto NT555 provides a wide contact patch and a directional tread pattern that enhances straight-line stability and cornering grip.
With its impressive dry and wet traction, these summer tires are well-suited for sports cars like the Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Mustang, and various RWD models in terms of both performance and aesthetics.
Use in Sedans and Crossovers
For sedans and crossovers, drivers want a tire that not only delivers high performance but also offers a smooth and comfortable ride. The Nitto NT555 boasts a tread design that effectively absorbs bumps and shock, ensuring a compliant ride for a summer tire.
Its circumferential grooves aid in water evacuation, providing optimal wet traction and reducing the risk of hydroplaning. Given its performance and handling characteristics, the NT555 is a solid option for sedans and crossovers as well.
Use in Muscle Cars
Muscle car enthusiasts look for a tire that can handle the raw power and torque of their vehicles. The Nitto NT555's large contact patch and reinforced tread for rigidity can withstand the strain and provide excellent grip, translating the power to the asphalt efficiently.
It's a great match for iconic muscle cars like the Mustang and Camaro, delivering enhanced traction and handling in both dry and wet conditions. When considering the Nitto NT555 for your vehicle, keep in mind that while it may be a high-performance tire suitable for a range of vehicle types, it is not designed for use in colder temperatures, on ice, and snow.
Always ensure the tire size and width are compatible with the specific rims and vehicle setup, and be prepared for some road noise as a trade-off for the performance benefits that these tires offer.
Here’s a table showing compatibility and usage for Nitto NT555 tires.
Nitto NT555 vs Nitto NT555 G2
The Nitto NT555 and Nitto NT555 G2 are both high-performance summer tires, designed to provide excellent grip and stability for sports cars and performance-oriented vehicles. The main difference between these two models lies in their tread design.
The original Nitto NT555 features a directional tread pattern, which contributes to improved straight-line stability and enhanced wet traction. The tire is a great choice for drivers who are looking for a high-performance summer tire that works well in warmer months, offering adequate cornering and grip on both dry and wet roads.
On the other hand, the Nitto NT555 G2 takes performance up a notch by using an updated tread design that gives it an even better wet and dry grip, improved water evacuation, and enhanced cornering capabilities.
The NT555 G2 is more focused on providing a higher level of driving confidence for those who like to push their cars closer to their limits.
While both tires would be suitable for most sports cars and performance-oriented vehicles, your choice may be swayed by factors such as price, tire size availability, and personal preferences.
When compared side by side, here are some pros and cons of both Nitto NT555 and Nitto NT555 G2:
Nitto NT555 Pros
- Proven directional tread pattern
- Good wet traction
- Affordable price
Nitto NT555 Cons
- Less advanced tread design compared to NT555 G2
- May produce more noise
Nitto NT555 G2 Pros
- Improved tread design for better wet and dry grip
- Enhanced cornering performance
- Better water evacuation
Nitto NT555 G2 Cons
- Slightly more expensive than the original Nitto NT555
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About The Author
Charles Redding
I've spent many years selling cars, working with auto detailers, mechanics, dealership service teams, quoting and researching car insurance, modding my own cars, and much more.
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