IF YOU are looking for a tyre that can do most things well without hurting the wallet. then Japanese tyremaker Falken might have an answer in the shape of the new ZIEX ZE912.

Positioned between Falken's entry level ZE322/522 and the FK452 flagship, the ZE912 is designed for the 'sports driving enthusiasts who also demand a quiet and comfortable ride'. It is an all purpose tyre that has been designed to fit 80 per cent of all cars and MPVs on Asian roads. Falken has engineered the tyre by balancing priorities and minimising compromises.

Its asymmetric five-rib pattern is not only attractive to look at, but is claimed to increase grip on dry roads courtesy of a higher land ratio of outer blocks that are better able to withstand cornering loads, while its two-ply rigid construction and wide-contact casing profile is said to benefit high-speed steering stability.

To ensure that the tyre is able to handle downpours typical in a tropical climate. the ZE912 has four main grooves that are wide and straight, on top of that are smaller lateral grooves on the centre rib that also help disperse water. The drainage capability of the ZE912 is equal to that. of the ZE512. Wet grip is further enhanced with the utilisation of a new tread compound made out of high-loading silica and strong bonding polymer.

Being an asymmetric design, the ZE912 is also more forgiving compared to directional designs when its time to rotate the tyres, and you don't even need to keep tabs of the mileage as the ZE912 has with 'special eye' indicators on the tread blocks to alert you of the appropriate when it's time to swap the tyres around. In fact, the ZE912 comes with a host of built-in self-maintenance features including in tie-bar sipes and control tie-bar that helps suppress noise and irregular wear; and also an anti-aging agent in the reservoir tread that seeps through to the cap tread to counter the aging of the compound.

The Falken Ziex ZE912 is available in 55 sizes to suit 12- to 18-irch wheel diameters. It is designed in Japan and manufactured by Sumitomo Rubber Industries (which also produces the Dunlop brand) in its home country as well as its new factory in Thailand. Falken tyres are distributed by Stamford Tyres in the region.