Yokohama Advan Sport V107 Review — Japanese Precision for NZ Roads

Overall Rating: 9.2 / 10

Category: Ultra High Performance (UHP) Summer Tyre

Price in NZ: From $570 per tyre

Best for: Performance sports cars, luxury sports sedans, supercar OEM

Available sizes: 17″ – 22″ rims

Quick Verdict

The Yokohama Advan Sport V107 is the culmination of Yokohama’s motorsport heritage applied to the road. Factory-fitted to the Toyota GR Supra, Lexus IS/RC F, Toyota Yaris GR, Maserati GranTurismo, and BMW 4 Series — the V107 carries OEM quality credentials that rival Michelin and Continental. Its defining technology, the Orange Oil compound, uses a bio-derived plasticiser that simultaneously improves wet grip and dry handling durability — an engineering innovation that underpins the tyre’s EU Label A wet grip rating. For NZ performance drivers who want Japanese precision engineering, genuine motorsport lineage, and competitive independent test performance at a price below equivalent Michelin and Pirelli options, the Advan Sport V107 is one of the most compelling choices in the UHP market.

Key Specifications

Orange Oil Compound — The Innovation That Defines the V107

Traditional tyre compounds use petroleum-derived plasticisers to soften rubber for cold-weather flexibility and wet grip. Yokohama’s Orange Oil compound replaces petroleum plasticisers with orange peel extract oil — a bio-derived alternative with measurably superior properties:

Why orange oil outperforms petroleum plasticisers:

• Molecular compatibility: Orange oil’s molecular structure is more compatible with the silica particles in the rubber compound, creating stronger silica-polymer bonds
• Wet grip at molecular level: Stronger silica bonding maximises the number of microscopic contact points between the compound and a wet road surface — the mechanism behind wet grip
• Temperature stability: Orange oil maintains compound flexibility across a wider temperature range than petroleum alternatives — relevant for NZ’s variable climate
• Durability: The stronger polymer matrix resists wear at the molecular level — contributing to the V107’s competitive tread life

The practical result: EU Label A wet grip with competitive dry handling durability — a combination that explains the V107’s strong positions in independent wet-dry balance tests.

3D-BES Groove Technology

The V107’s tread features 3D Bite Edge Sipes — diagonal grooves that create additional biting edges at the tread-road interface during braking and cornering. Unlike traditional straight sipes that only engage perpendicular to the direction of travel, 3D-BES grooves engage at multiple angles during dynamic loading:

• During straight-line braking: longitudinal bite edges engage
• During cornering: diagonal and lateral bite edges engage
• During combined braking/cornering: all three directions engage simultaneously

This multi-directional bite is why the V107 scores consistently well in combined wet braking and wet handling tests — where competitors that excel in one dimension often sacrifice the other.

Performance Test Data

Wet Performance

• EU Label A wet grip: Maximum possible rating — Orange Oil compound at the contact patch level
• Wet braking: Consistently top-5 in European UHP wet braking tests — competitive with Michelin, Continental, and Pirelli
• Wet handling: Strong — 3D-BES grooves deliver multi-directional grip in wet cornering
• Aquaplaning resistance: Excellent — wide circumferential grooves combined with 3D sipes maintain contact in standing water

Dry Performance

• Dry handling: One of the most distinctive aspects of the V107 — the Advan motorsport DNA is evident in its direct, communicative steering response
• Dry braking: Competitive — typically within 1–2 metres of the class leaders at 100 km/h
• High-speed stability: Outstanding — the V107 was developed under Yokohama’s Super GT motorsport programme where 200+ km/h stability is routine

How It Compares in Tests

The V107 sits in the top tier of UHP testing but below the absolute class leaders (Continental SportContact 7 for wet braking, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S for longevity). Its strength is a well-balanced overall package — no category where it is weak, several where it is excellent.

Advan Motorsport Heritage — Real Performance DNA

Yokohama’s Advan brand has been supplying tyres to Japan’s Super GT championship (the world’s second-most prestigious tin-top racing series) and Formula Nippon/Super Formula for decades. Unlike some brands that use “racing” associations purely for marketing, Yokohama’s motorsport involvement is substantive:

• Advan compound engineers work directly with Super GT teams on circuit tuning
• Thermal management techniques developed on track inform the V107’s compound temperature range
• The 3D-BES groove geometry was refined through racing applications before road production

For NZ buyers: when Yokohama says the V107 has racing DNA, they can point to podium finishes at Fuji, Suzuka, and Motegi as evidence.

NZ Road Conditions Assessment

Auckland and North Island — Verdict: Excellent

The V107’s EU Label A wet grip directly addresses Auckland’s primary driving challenge — frequent heavy rain year-round. Its strong wet braking performance (consistently top-5 in tests) gives Auckland performance car owners a genuine safety margin on the city’s wet motorways and chipseal streets. The tyre’s Japanese engineering philosophy — precision without harshness — is also well-suited to NZ’s imperfect road surfaces.

Toyota GR Supra, Lexus IS350, BMW M340i, and Porsche 718 Cayman owners will find the V107 feels like the natural continuation of their car’s OEM performance brief.

Wellington — Verdict: Excellent

Wellington’s demanding conditions align with the V107’s strengths: wet handling, high-speed stability, and consistent performance across the day’s temperature variations. The 3D-BES grooves’ multi-directional engagement is particularly valuable on Wellington’s wet, winding on-ramps.

South Island — Verdict: Good (coastal/warm areas)

A summer compound, optimal above 7°C. In Nelson, Marlborough, and coastal Canterbury — excellent year-round. For Queenstown, Wanaka, and alpine Canterbury — the compound is not optimised for sub-zero conditions. Consider the Yokohama BluEarth A AE50 for broader temperature versatility or a dedicated all-season option.

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Orange Oil compound: genuinely novel engineering delivering EU Label A wet grip
• 3D-BES grooves: multi-directional wet braking advantage
• Toyota GR Supra, Lexus, BMW, Maserati OEM — elite performance endorsements
• Advan Super GT motorsport heritage — real on-track compound development
• Competitive pricing vs Michelin Pilot Sport 5 ($570 vs $426+) — actually more expensive per equivalent performance but with different character
• Excellent dry handling feel — the most motorsport-flavoured of the top-tier UHP options
• Wide size range — covers virtually every performance car sold in NZ

Cons

• EU Label C fuel efficiency — higher rolling resistance than Michelin (B) and Hankook (B)
• More expensive than Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 ($570 vs $365) for similar overall performance level
• Tread life: good but not outstanding — Michelin and Continental lead on longevity
• Less comfortable ride than Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 — stiffer sidewall

How It Compares

Choose the V107 if: You want Japanese engineering precision and motorsport character, and your car has OEM Yokohama fitment (Toyota GR, Lexus, some BMWs). Choose Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 if: Value for money is the priority — comparable wet performance at $205 less per tyre.

Available Sizes in NZ

Where to Buy in NZ

• Tyroola NZ — tyroola.co.nz — From $570 ea, nationwide fitting
• Hyper Drive — hyperdrive.co.nz — 250+ fitting locations
• Yokohama NZ dealers — yokohama.co.nz

Sources

1. Yokohama — Advan Sport V107 product data and Orange Oil technology — yokohama.eu
2. tyrereviews.com — Yokohama Advan Sport V107 ratings — accessed 2026-05-31
3. OEM fitment data — Toyota, Lexus, BMW, Maserati
4. Tyroola NZ pricing — tyroola.co.nz/tyre/yokohama/ — accessed 2026-05-31

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