In the family of ultra-high performance P Zero tires, the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus is considered the tamest of them all. This tire is designed to meet the demands of sports cars, coupes, and sedans and is particularly crafted for all season performance, even on light snow.
I said the P Zero All Season Plus is tame since it comes with a conservative and plain-Jane asymmetric tread design. However, don’t be fooled by the looks because the enhanced silica and polymer compound is formulated to offer exceptional wet and dry performance along with excellent handling and braking.
In this review of the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus, I searched long and hard to find a sporty European or Italian test car so I can test the capabilities of the tire.
All I managed to find was a 2014 Acura RLX sedan fitted with large 19-inch wheels and P Zero All Season Plus tires, which was more than enough for this review.
The car was equipped with a 3.5-liter V6 engine with variable cylinder management and direct injection. The engine churns out 310 horsepower to the front wheels courtesy of the six-speed automatic transmission.
I have to admit I’m not a big fan of Acura vehicles, but I was excited to put the Acura RLX sedan through its paces to test the handling, braking, and comfort levels of the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus tires.
The owner of my test vehicle bought the tires about six months ago and was able to drive his car on a variety of road conditions including winter driving on light snow.
He told me that he loves the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus since the tires were able to deliver luxury-car levels of comfort without compromising wet and dry handling.
Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus Features
The Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus is equipped with four circumferential grooves to quickly disperse water and improve handling and grip on wet roads. The enhanced silica and polymer tread compound were specifically formulated to deliver excellent all season traction and grip with lower wear characteristics.
The tire is also equipped with variable-sized tread elements to minimize road noise at low and high speeds. The inner blocks are equipped with winter siping technology to provide adequate grip on snow-covered roads.
The lateral siping on the outside shoulder block is designed to maximize dry grip and cornering performance to improve the overall handling and stability of your ride.
Test Drive
The Acura RLX is not what you would call an all-out luxury sedan even though it is equipped with a spacious and comfortable cabin. It is a luxurious sports sedan with sharp handling and a rev-happy V6 motor. However, the car had unusually large yet uncomfortable seats and the steering felt a bit disconnected to be properly classified as a sports saloon. The standard 19-inch wheels also gave the car a firmer and harsher ride. Will the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus improve the handling and ride of my test vehicle? Let’s find out.
Dry Traction
Despite the minor drawbacks with the steering and the ride, the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus felt excellent on dry pavement. Acceleration and braking were pretty strong given the size and bulk of my test vehicle. I was able to navigate over fast and winding corners without upsetting the overall balance and composure of the Acura RLX. However, the numb and disconcerting steering will require a lot of corrections if you wish to conquer twisting mountainous roads. I really felt my test vehicle was more at home on the highway than attacking corners at speed.
Wet Traction
It was raining hard during the first part of my review. This gave me ample time to discern the characteristics of the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus on wet pavement. The tires offered good grip in the wet and braking felt confident as I was hauling down the large sedan to a full stop from higher speeds. Acceleration was also excellent as the tires were able to grip the wet tarmac even in the presence of some mud, dirt, sand, and water puddles.
Snow Traction
I didn’t get the chance to test the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus on snowy roads. I talked to the owner of the Acura RLX about this and he told me the tires were more than adequate on light snow. Of course, you will have to exercise restraint as you accelerate from a full stop since stabbing the gas pedal will only turn on the traction control system of the vehicle as the tires hunt for traction on slippery pavement.
Comfort
It is hard to judge the comfort levels of the Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus since my test vehicle came with 19-inch wheels and unpredictable suspension. The ride was a bit harsh to be quite honest, and the suspension can’t seem to make up its mind as you traverse over rough patches of tarmac. However, the suspension will settle down as you glide on smooth roads.
Noise
The Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus tires rolled silently even if the ride was a bit disconcerting. The tires remained hushed even as I sped on the highway and they were still relatively silent as I navigated my way in the city.
Treadwear
The Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus tires in my test vehicle were aging gracefully. Yes, I found traces of wear upon close inspection on all four tires but this is par for the course, especially when I found out the tires were purchased more than 6 months ago.
Conclusion
The Pirelli P Zero All Season Plus tires fitted to my test vehicle are not what you could call cheap, but they are one of the best ultra-high performance all-season tires for the money.
How do they survive pot holes