Specs & Details
Nitto Motivo
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Nitto Motivo - Tire Review
Size 235/40R19 (front) 275/35R19 (rear)
Type Ultra High Performance All-Season Tire
UTQG 560 A A
Key Features
Nitto's Motivo Ultra High Performance street tire has been specifically engineered to excel in all weather conditions while providing excellent ride quality, high performance with minimal road noise, and increased mileage. Motivo's all-season capability ensures that no matter what time of year, your car's traction is never compromised.
Test Mule
2010 Mercedes Benz C350 Sport
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Nitto Motivo - Tire Review
Test Track
Street and highway driving
Track Condition
Dry and wet roads
Nitto Tire has some excellent products on the market. Tires such as the NT05 UHP summer tire and NT01 track-dedicated R-compound tire are some of the best-performing tires in their respective segments. Those tires have proven Nitto's ability to compete with top-tier tire manufacturers, but does the new all-season Motivo live up to the high standard of its counterparts?
Because the Motivo is an all-season UHP tire, we decided to venture off the beaten path and put them on a Mercedes-Benz C300 instead of mounting them on a sports car. It just seemed more fitting for testing the daily rigors of the Motivo.
That doesn't mean we moseyed around town for our evaluation. Oh no, we pushed the Benz as far as we could without attracting too much attention. Our goal was to see if the Motivo would deliver on its ultra high performance branding.
While the Motivo lacks the razor sharp response and turn-in that most maximum UHP summer tires provide, its levels of grip are very satisfactory for its all-season classification, and we were never really able to reach its limits on the street.
What the Motivo gives up in sharpness and ultimate grip it makes up for in road noise and comfort. This tire is one of the best we have driven for quietness and comfort despite its extremely low profile. There's no road noise present even at highway speeds.
And let's face it, the Motivo isn't made to go out and turn laps at the local track. That's what the NT05 and NT01 are for. This tire is made for the daily commute with some added bite to keep things enjoyable. That's why Nitto offers a whopping 60,000-mile limited treadwear warranty on it.
We were also able to test its wet performance, and thanks to the tires' liberal number of sipes and grooves, the Motivo performed exceptionally well. It's confidence inspiring when a tire exhibits stability and grip in the wet, making a rain-ridden drive that much easier to deal with.
Not only does Nitto manufacture some great-performing tires, but it also ensures those tires are some of the best looking. The appearance of the Motivo is easily one of the sportiest all-season designs we've come across, and we can't help but praise it for that. After all, whether you like to admit it or not, looks do play a role in a tire purchase.
The days of all-season tires rolling over at the first sign of spirited driving are all but gone. With new technologies, tire manufacturers are able to offer surprising amounts of performance for tires that can be used all year round, and the Motivo fits the bill just right. With comfort, style, and performance it is one of our recommended picks as an ideal tire for the daily commute.
However, if you live in a region that receives ample amounts of the white stuff, we recommend getting a proper winter tire as opposed to running an all-season tire through the winter.