Writing about the
Accelera PHI given
53% (265-35-19-)
Driving on
a combination of roads for 10000
spirited miles
You can find a lot of reviews online about these tires, and most of them extremely criticize the performance in various conditions.
I switched to Acceleras due to the fact I'll be changing wheels from 19'' stock to 18'' APEX SM-10. As the rear tires were running low, I decided to spend £70 per tire instead of £300+ for Michelins when I'll need to replace them in 6 months anyway to accommodate the wheel change.
Considering that I still use Cup2's at the front axle, the Acceleras deal with everyday driving ok. The dry grip is about 30-40% lower than Michelin's depending on the surface of the road, it doesn't bother me as I'm used to cars that feel a bit more alive and most people will not notice the difference until you need to pull out from the side road or get on the busy roundabout.
Motorway - is a bit sketchy, the car does not feel as solid or planted at speed when changing lanes, and I'm not talking about going supersonic... that from 60mph+. Definitely will not be able to switch lanes aggressively or the back will swing around you.
Wet grip - now this is really subjective, as we all do different driving. Personally, I use my car every day and commute from M25 J16 to M1 J10. M25 in the rain is sometimes scary and I'm sooo grateful I kept the Cup2's at the front. The Acceleras like to skid a bit when going over paddles, same in town, the car will struggle to accelerate even in a higher gear. I'll bring one example, I was overtaking on M25, going 60mph, 6th gear, put my foot down to overtake, and the rear goes. That's partially due to the M2's torque but you get the point...
Had a chance to use them during my latest road trip to the lake district, snowy/icy road is definitely something you MUST avoid if using these tires. I was sliding at 3-5 miles per hour with no throttle applied. Managed to get to the top of the Honister Pass, but trust me when I say a little bit of poo came out...
The tire is fairly controllable at the limit and beyond, just be aware - you'll get to the limit much much sooner than you think, you can push it a bit, not as much as you would with a £300+ tire but this characteristic lets you have some fun at lower speeds, and you'll not feel sorry shredding this budget rubber as they're soo cheap to replace.
In terms of wear, they cope quite well, used them for around 5 months (10 000miles of commuting including 2 road trips to Lake District) and the latest MOT shows around 5.2mm. I can't speak for comfort or noise as having good or bad tires in the car with bucket seats, roll-cage etc doesn't make much of a difference.
In a conclusion, It's difficult to say if I would recommend them to anyone, but I'm sure they have some application. Highly depends on what is your car and what is your driving style etc. I can't say anything negative as I knew they will not provide as much grip in various conditions, they just worked for me and saved me money.
If you have a slower car, and you drive from A to B I think this tire would work well for you. Not going to wear as much and the price is great for what it is. Just be aware of the conditions on the road, wet grip, and most likely massively increased braking distance.
For anyone else, more powerful cars, or someone who likes to drive their car a bit more aggressively - please don't buy it unless you have a valid reason behind it... if you need to save money, or just would like to slide a bit on the track without spending a lot on tires, go for it. But everyday use will affect the performance of your car by a significant margin and you will need to be aware of the conditions on the road at all times.