Toyo Extensa HP 2 Review

Last Updated on June 12, 2021 by Stephen Tillman

When I was combing the market for all-season tires, I noticed that most of them are designed as all-season all-purpose touring tires, but what about those that want a little more oomph and performance. Toyo tires deliver one of the best choices for drivers that want a little more action, with the Toyo Extensa HP 2. The Toyo Extensa HP 2 tires are designed as an affordably priced all-season performance tires that will make your driving experience much more enjoyable. Let’s take a deeper look.

Main Features Of The Toyo Extensa HP 2

Target Audience

The company markets the Toyo Extensa HP 2 tires as value-driven, high-performance tires that deliver a great balance between quality, performance, and styling. While compared to its predecessor they might sound like a big upgrade and appear a bit more into passenger cars, they still are big favorites in the tuning crowd. One thing is for sure if you have a set of specialty rims, want performance above all else and don’t want to spend a lot of money than these might just be perfect for you, but without testing, we can’t be sure right?

Specs and Features

Besides rocking a pretty affordable price point the Toyo Extensa HP 2’s are pretty feature-packed and their spec list looks like it is going to back up the claims of the company, so let’s see. First, off I should mention that these tires come in different sizes to be compatible for rim sizes ranging from 15 to 22 inches, they also come for different rim widths and speed ratings which span from V to W, up to 149mph and 168mph respectively, proving its performance claim right from the get-go.

One thing that might deter most drivers is that these tires come with just about 45,000 miles treadwear warranty, which is expected to be honest since these are performance tires. However, these are not touring tires and these are not designed to last a long time, but to deliver better traction and performance.

These tires come with a unidirectional tread pattern that is proven to be excellent for all-season grip and traction, and they look pretty good on top of that. In addition to all this these tires have full-depth multi-wave sipes that are responsible for delivering better traction and grip on wet and snowy conditions, which is a thing that every all-season tire should have. This siping should also prevent hydroplaning in most of the cases, but we will see after further testing. Single-cut and double-cut tread tapers should also improve the acceleration and braking, combined with the silica-enriched tread compound, which is more than welcome at this price point it should do.

First Impression

From the first look at this tire, you will notice that it is designed for speed and performance, and surprisingly despite being extremely cheap compared to other performance tires it inspired plenty of confidence, and I knew for sure that it would look excellent on every car.

The installation process went pretty smooth and it looked great on the BMW 330i, suiting perfectly the 19-inch rims. When I took it around the block it really felt good and I knew that I needed to push them more and more, but then again the testing after the break-in phase should provide better feedback.

Testing

There is no better place to test these tires, besides the track that is, since these are pretty much designed more for that rather than your regular passenger vehicle. I have tested more touring tires lately and the difference in stability, traction, and grip was apparent in the first straights when I was warming them up. In the dry, it felt pretty responsive when cornering and it was extremely fun putting it through its courses.

One thing that a lot of tires, especially in this price range, suffer from is instability at high speeds, and these tires rock at that. I reckon that they would work even better in lighter sport vehicles. Braking and accelerating were extremely smooth and the braking distance was shortened significantly.

In wet asphalt, the Toyo Extensa HP 2’s are better than most touring tires in the market, but that is a bit more subjective if you ask me. Since not every driver will go through corners rapidly and aggressively in wet conditions, but if you are more of a spirited driver you will see the difference. Hydroplaning was limited significantly, and the tread pattern worked rather well when you look at it closely. I should also mention that while accelerating aggressively it will deliver some wheel spins, but that is pretty much it.

In the snow, traction was decent, but I wouldn’t risk driving aggressively with these tires on snow and ice, however, with a bit more caution, which you should practice all the time, it won’t be a problem. Before moving on I should also mention that these tires were excellent in terms of noise and comfort, especially when driving at high speeds, but then again they can’t compare to touring tires in that department.

Verdict

I can comfortably say that the Toyo Extensa HP 2’s are not the best high-performance tires in the market, not by a long shot. However, if you want good performance in both dry and wet, tons of fun, and not pay a lot of money, then I think that you are in for a treat. On top of that for its category it is pretty durable, just don’t expect any level of high-performance grip, or super long touring durability.

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Toyo Extensa HP 2

7

Quality

6.0/10

Durability

6.0/10

Value

9.0/10

Pros

  • Great grip and traction in both dry and wet conditions
  • Affordable Price

Cons

  • Not the best set of tires for heavier or high-powered cars

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