Achilles Desert Hawk UHP Tire Review & Rating
The Achilles Desert Hawk UHP is a stylish, ultra-high performance all-season tire that is designed to give superior traction and grip. Built to suit the demanding requirements of pickup, 4×4 and SUV owners, the Desert Hawk UHP also sports a lower price for budget-minded drivers looking to get more bang for the buck.
Featuring a unique directional tread design and silica enhanced tread compound, the Achilles Desert Hawk UHP provides excellent traction, cornering grip and braking on dry pavement. A solid center rib helps this tire deliver quicker steering response and reduced braking, which is a strong point for this particular model.
Traction on wet road surfaces is aided by the added silica content, but we feel it could be improved on. The tires’ circumferential grooves and lateral grooves combine to reduce the risk of hydroplaning, but you’ll want to be aware that this is not a Michelin or Continental UHP tire. Although this is an all-season tire, traction in winter conditions is predictably poor.
Achilles offers a range of 17-24 inch sizes that make it easy for those looking to plus size. A built-in rim guard helps protect expensive custom wheels from accidental damage. The Desert Hawk UHP comes with a V-speed rating. A limited tread warranty is also provided.
Pros
- Excellent dry traction, handling and cornering grip
- Steering is quick and responsive
- Stylish looking tire
- Budget-priced
Cons
- Not suitable for driving in winter conditions
- Ride comfort is harsher as tire wears down
- Poor tread life
Overall Thoughts
The Achilles Desert Hawk UHP delivers a mixed bag of results. The performance on dry pavement is very good. It offers good cornering grip with quicker steering response than you’ll find on most other budget-priced tires.
On the other hand, expect to find a few glaring negatives with this tire. Winter performance is poor to be sure. Although it may go through light snow, deeper snow and ice is likely to be problematic. In addition, the ride is not as comfortable as other comparable models, and treadlife is much shorter than you’ll find on a similar bigger name brand tire. We’ve heard this time and time again from other drivers in online reviews as well.
Overall, if comfort, winter driving or a shorter treadlife is not a big concern, this tire arguably delivers the most bang for your buck in a UHP all-season model, especially when you consider the lower cost. However, if you want a higher performing UHP tire, we would recommend other tires like the Yokohama Parada Spec-X or Nitto NT 420S as better options.
What Vehicles Will The Achilles Desert Hawk UHP Fit?
(This is not a complete list of ALL vehicles this tire will fit)
- Acura MDX, ZDX
- Audi Q5, Q7
- BMW X3, X5
- Buick Enclave
- Chevrolet Equinox, Suburban, Silverado, Tahoe
- Dodge Nitro, Dakota, Durango, Ram
- Ford Explorer, F-150, Flex, Escape
- GMC Sierra, Envoy
- Honda CRV, Pilot
- Hyundai Santa Fe
- Jeep Grand Cherokee
- Infiniti QX56, FX35
- Lexus RX350, RX450H, LX570
- Mercedes-Benz GL450
- Mercury Mountaineer
- Nissan Murano, Armada, Frontier, Titan
- Porsche Cayenne
- Toyota Land Cruiser, Venza, Tundra, 4Runner
- Volkswagen Touareg
- Volvo XC90
Tire Sizes
18″
235/55R18 104V XL BW
255/55R18 109V XL BW
19″
275/45R19 108V XL BW
255/50R19 107V XL BW
235/55R19 105V XL BW
245/55R19 103V BW
20″
315/35R20 110V XL BW
245/40R20 99V XL BW
275/40R20 106V XL BW
245/45R20 99V BW
245/45R20 99V BW
255/45R20 105V XL BW
275/45R20 110V XL BW
275/45R20 110V XL BW
265/50R20 112V XL BW
285/50R20 112V BW
275/55R20 117V XL BW
21″
265/40R21 105V XL BW
22″
245/30R22 95V XL BW
265/35R22 106V XL BW
265/35R22 106V XL BW
285/35R22 112V XL BW
285/40R22 110V XL BW
305/40R22 114V XL BW
305/40R22 114V XL BW
285/45R22 114V XL BW
285/45R22 114V XL BW
305/45R22 118V XL BW
24″
305/35R24 112V XL BW
305/35R24 112V XL BW
Price Range
Achilles Desert Hawk UHP prices range from approximately $86 and up. You may also find occasional rebates, discount prices, coupons and special offers on this tire.
Warranty
Achilles provides a limited tread warranty on the Desert Hawk UHP tire.
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Took a chance on these tires and was absolutely stunned at how they performed. The cornering grip in both wet and dry was incredible. Resistance to hydroplaning at high speeds was exceptional. Light snow was ok. Heavy snow was just sufficient. Tread wear was just a hair under 40,000 miles. The only reason I would not buy this tire again is because of the need for a tire that can handle the occasional Northeastern snow storms that hit the New York area two to three times a year. FYI: Achilles is an Indonesian tire manufacturer that is owned by Pirelli. I suspect that some of Pirelli’s engineering/technology is trickling down to Achilles Tires.
2016 Mazda CX-5 GT
What is the limited tread warranty? Review mentioned it but did not elaborate