Maxxis MA-Z1 Victra - Tire Review - Modified Magazine

Specs & Details
Maxxis MA-Z1 Victra
Type Ultra-high-performance radial
Size 275/35R18
UTQG 280 AAA

Key Features
•Aggressive tread design with high-tensile steel belts
•Built-in sidewall rim protector
•Advanced Silica compound improves wet traction and rolling resistance
•Low road noise at high speeds
•Excellent cornering and handling stability

Test Mule
'08 Evo X
Test Driver Peter Tarach, editor in chief
Test Track Streets of Los Angeles and Malibu Canyon roads
Track Condition 90 degrees F, dry and sunny

The current state of economical affairs has forced many of us to become more price conscious of our purchases. The need to maximize value for our hard-earned dollars is becoming increasingly important, and consequently, we don't want to sacrifice performance for the sake of saving a couple bucks.

Nowhere is this mentality more apparent than in the performance tire segment. We all want the stickiest, longest-lasting, most comfortable tire for the cheapest price. No matter how great that formula sounds, the truth is that such a tire doesn't exist. Sacrifices have to be made in order to have one trait over the other. However, the gap between high performance at an affordable price has been closing, and the Maxxis MA-Z1 Victra is an excellent example of performance and value wrapped up in one tire.

Maxxis Tires are a relative newcomer to the performance tire market, but with decades of experience in truck and motorcycle tires, it has used its knowledge in those segments to quickly build a respectable lineup of automobile tires, with the MA-Z1 Victra at the top of the list.

The MA-Z1 Victra offers a good amount of grip in the dry with predictable breakaway, as we experienced in our extremely capable EVO X. Pushing the tires to the limit on the canyon roads showed some signs of fading, but only after long, repeated abuse. Considering the 280 UTQG rating, this tire performed up to its potential. We wouldn't hesitate to say that it's a very capable (and grippy) street tire. You can't expect too much from it on a racetrack, but as a street tire it feels as good as many bigger-name tires - at a fraction of the price.

Its bang for the buck is what ultimately makes this tire so desirable. We can't really comment on how long they'll last because our tires have only seen 1,000 miles of road use, but the general consensus is the MA-Z1 Victra offers a long tread life, so you won't be replacing them after 5,000 miles. It also scored third out of nine tires in a tire test performed by Wheels magazine. The wet performance test was the MA-Z1 Victra's best category, and while we don't get much rain here in Southern California, that's something for the rest of you to consider.

As a tire that does everything well, the Maxxis MA-Z1 Victra scores big in our books. Sure, it has room for improvement, but at its price range the MA-Z1 Victra is hard to fault for not providing more performance.