I was once the owner of an old and dilapidated 1999 Mitsubishi Galant. My brother-in-law sold me that car at a bargain price. I was fonder of the Lancer than the Galant, but after spending some time behind the wheel, it’s a pity that Mitsubishi decided to kill the Galant name in 2012 since it is one of the best-handling and smooth riding cars I have ever driven. Man, I spent a lot of money to bring that car back into shape, but the driving experience was all worth it.
In this review of the OHTSU FP7000, I was looking forward to rekindle the driving memories of the past inside a 2011 Mitsubishi Galant SE.
Sure, the engine and transmission are way behind in terms of technology and overall responsiveness, but the Galant remains a capable handler despite the mechanical setbacks.
The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and 4-speed automatic transmission feel adequate enough for the task, but I sure wish the car came with more gears and a more powerful motor.
My test vehicle was fitted with OHTSU FP7000 performance touring tires and stock 18-inch wheels. The owner of the Galant is thinking about selling the car so he can make room for a brand new pickup truck or SUV.
OHTSU FP7000 Features
The OHTSU FP7000 is a performance touring tire applicable to compacts, midsize sport sedans, sporty crossovers, and minivans. The tire is equipped with a non-directional tread design that is engineered to offer superior all-season traction, a smoother ride, and longer wear. The tire benefits from a variable shoulder tread block design to produce a stable, comfortable, and quiet ride. It is also equipped with high-volume circumferential grooves to improve wet weather performance. The tire is constructed with dual steel belts to improve the structural strength of the carcass while enabling the tire to perform admirably on both wet and dry pavements.
Test Drive
As I said, the owner of the Galant was thinking about selling the car. I told him I will try to source a buyer in exchange for a test drive. To be quite honest, I was considering to buy the vehicle if the test drive goes well, but the reddish-maroon paint job was frankly not to my liking. The OHTSU FP7000 tires were fitted about 5 months ago, and the owner states that he has traveled over 2,000 miles since purchasing the tires. Let’s see how the tires will perform under various driving conditions.
Dry Traction
The OHTSU FP7000 tires performed admirably on dry pavement, although I felt the OHTSU FP6012 A/S tires are better in this regard. Look at it this way: the OHTSU FP7000 tires are great for everyday driving at low to medium speeds. If you want a sportier set of tires, you will find that the OHTSU FP6012 A/S offers higher levels of grip. But in all honesty, the OHTSU FP7000 tires are more than adequate for the job especially if you consider the price.
Wet Traction
It’s the same story in the wet. The OHTSU FP7000 were average in terms of overall traction in the wet at higher speeds. I heard the front tires were squirming for grip as I tugged the wheel hard to point the noise of the Galant on a sweeping curve. Maybe it had something to do with my heavy right foot since the car settled rapidly as I lifted the throttle. The steering also felt admirable as I was able to confidently position the vehicle to perfectly execute a tight and winding left-hand corner. Braking in the wet was a bit so-so since you will need to be more accurate with your pedal inputs to stop the vehicle confidently without raising any alarms.
Snow Traction
The owner of the Galant told me the OHTSU FP7000 tires were average when driven on light snow. Don’t expect the tires to perform like a proper set of snow tires if the roads are covered with more than 2 or 3-inches of snow. Also, the tires are not really designed to perform well over hard-packed snow or slippery ice.
Comfort
The main reason why I like the Galant so much is the car can cruise comfortably like a proper luxury car despite the enhanced handling attributes. In my opinion, the OHTSU FP7000 tires were a perfect match to the on-road manners of my test vehicle. The tires delivered tons of comfort on the highway. They aren’t bad when driven in the city, either.
Noise
Considering the unbelievably low price of the OHTSU FP7000, I wasn’t expecting the tires to have low noise levels or low wear characteristics. I was right. The tires are not what you call hushed when driven at high speeds on smooth highways, but they were relatively quiet if you cruise at average speeds. The tires are also noisier when driven over rough patches of tarmac, but the noise levels are not high enough to be considered aggravating or annoying to say the least.
Treadwear
The OHTSU FP7000 tires on my test vehicle were wearing a bit faster than usual. I gave the tires a closer inspection and I found noticeable signs of premature wear on the shoulder blocks and center rib. The sipes were already fading despite traveling only 2,000-miles or so, but I guess this is par for the course since the tires are cheaper than other brands.
Conclusion
In my opinion, I think the OHTSU FP6012 A/S tires are better overall than the OHTSU FP7000, but I am comparing two different tires with varying attributes. If you don’t mind losing a bit of sportiness in your drive in exchange for a more comfortable ride, it is hard to go wrong with the OHTSU FP7000.
Alvin Reyes has expertise in automotive evaluation. He collaborated with famous newspapers and is still making efforts in tire review for DrivingPress.com
We researched these tires before purchasing and thought we were making a good informed choice. These FP7000s have made it a whole 9000 miles and already at the wear bars and showing \”bad chopping\” per the Toyota service department. They are riding more and more rough everyday. Made a great first impression but ended out being a dud! Time to go spend some more money on tires LESS than a year later.
Ive bought 2 sets of these. 1 set on my girlfriends car for christmas 2017, who drives pretty much only to work maybe 40 miles a week. Her tires still have tons of tread and even wear.
My car however. I purchased in september 2018. I do some very spirited driving, near daily. I also drive probably 20-40 miles a day. My front tires are bald. Well past the wear marks. The rears are chopped so badly on the insides. They are now useless.
Ill never buy another set for myself. You get what you pay for.