For high-powered sports sedans, coupes, and crossovers, you need an ultra-high-performance (UHP) tire to get the most out of their handling, steering response, and cornering ability. You need a tire that’s designed around the weight, power, center of gravity, torque, braking, and overall handling properties of these cars, and an all-season or Grand Touring tire isn’t likely to be capable of meeting your expectations when you push your car’s performance to the limit.

The Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) is that kind of tire, though. The Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) is a DOT-approved tire that’s suitable for the track and is infused with technology and design that comes straight from the world of motorsports.

But don’t just take us at our word on that, let’s go in for a closer look with this Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) review:

Features and Benefits

Here are a few of the innovative features that make the Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) such an outstanding performer:

• Rubber formulation is designed to heat up to optimal operating temperature quickly
• Directional tread pattern with sweeping grooves, longitudinal grooves, and solid center rib
• An upgraded steel belt package is designed for stability and crisp handling at high speeds
• Internal construction is designed to withstand the heat of high speeds and hard maneuvers
• The shoulder is reinforced to resist tread deformation and squirm during hard maneuvers
• The footprint is optimized to keep the most rubber planted firmly on the road for great braking, handling, and even wear

Pros and Cons

So, is this Kenda tire the right choice for your ride and budget? Before you decide, let’s take a look at the tire’s pros and cons:

PROS:

• Nimble and responsive handling
• Suitable for competition, but DOT-approved for street use
• Good heat dispersal and race-bred design

CONS:

• As a summer tire, the Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) cannot be used when temperatures are consistently below 45 degrees Fahrenheit
• Not the most comfortable ride
• Can be noisy on some pavement surfaces

SimpleTire’s view on Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) tires

The Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) is designed as part of Kenda’s Podium2Pavement family of UHP tires, with race-proven construction and materials. It’s got a proven track record in the arenas of gymkhana, autocross, grassroots drifting, grassroots endurance, Formula Drift, World Racing League, and other motorsports series that allow a DOT-approved tire that can be used on the street.

With credentials like that, you’d expect this tire to have glue-like adhesion to the road during hard cornering and steering response that’s light, immediate, and accurate. You’d be right in any of those assumptions – this tire is purpose-built for drivers who want to get the most out of their vehicles and turn in the fastest lap times.

Using our SimpleScore system, the Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) registers numerical scores of 8.1 for traction, 8.7 for handling, and 7.3 for longevity, with an overall average SimpleScore of 8.0. That low number for longevity isn’t surprising since this is a tire that’s designed mainly for competition and not a daily-driver kind of tire for commuting and road trips (and doesn’t come with a manufacturer’s treadwear warranty). That said, the Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) also isn’t designed for colder temperatures and shouldn’t be used if temperatures are below 40-45 degrees F, since its sticky, softer tread formulation will stiffen up and lose traction on cold days.

If you’re thinking about taking your vehicle on the competition circuit for drifting events, autocross, etc, and don’t want to empty a bank account on a set of tires, the Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) is a great choice in an entry-level DOT-approved tire.

Vehicles the Kenda Vezda UHP/Max (KR20A) is a good replacement tire for

While not used as original equipment, the Force UHP is a good replacement tire for vehicles like the:

• Acura TL
• Audi A6
• BMW 135i
• Dodge Challenger
• Chevrolet Corvette
• Kia K5
• Ford Mustang
• Honda Civic
• Hyundai Veloster
• Jaguar XKR
• Lexus GS350
• Lincoln LS
• Mazda Miata MX-5
• Mercedes-Benz E550
• Nissan Maxima
• Pontiac G6
• Scion tC
• Subaru BRZ
• Toyota 86
• Volkswagen CC Sport