Tried and Tested: Levitas Ultra tyres

Tyres should be the first upgrade for any car. Not aesthetics, not engine tunes, nor fancy spoilers – a fresh set of quality tyres can truly upgrade the driving experience. For SUVs or off-roaders, all-terrain or mud-terrain tyres make sense, but that’s not what we’re dealing with here. This time, we took JK Tyre’s high-performance ‘Levitas Ultra’ tyres to Natrax, in Indore.

Now, I’ve driven my fair share of quick cars, all equipped with premium high-performance tyres from the usual suspects – Michelin, Continental, and Pirelli. The Levitas Ultra, however, promises to up the ante, with JK Tyre claiming better scores across several metrics – even outranking these premium players. Designed with Indian conditions in mind, Levitas Ultra aims to be the all-rounder India deserves. But, does it live up to the hype? Only one way to find out.

Natrax, the government-owned automotive testing facility, is a bit familiar. I was here just a few months ago, full sending the Volkswagen Virtus on the high-speed circuit at 203kmph in a 24-hour endurance challenge to set a national record. But today was all about tyres. We had three tests on the cards – the high- speed circuit, the moose test, and braking in wet conditions. I started with the moose test – an obstacle course simulating an emergency lane change to avoid, say, a moose (or for us, more likely a rogue cow). The objective? To test the tyres’ grip and cornering. I was behind the wheel of an Audi A6 here, and keep in mind, it is heavy and doesn’t really boast best-in-class handling. I hit 100kmph, braked hard, whipped the wheel to the right, and then back left. There was tyre squeal, but the car stayed in control – the tyres are made of polyester and a high-strength polyamide body, which aids hard cornering. Next, we hit an open field to get the car sliding. While I won’t claim to have drift-master skills, I managed to send the car sideways, and the tyres didn’t miss a beat.

Next up was the braking test in wet and dry conditions, and I was driving a BMW 3 Series. For the dry braking, I punched it up to 150kmph, then slammed the brakes to a standstill. The tyres gripped the road and halted impressively in a short distance. Then came the wet braking test, where I braked hard at 120kmph. Here, the Levitas Ultra shone, maintaining a stable, straight-line stop. High-speed braking in the wet without fishtailing? That’s grip at its finest. The AI-optimised grooves clearly help with aquaplaning resistance, holding the line even on slippery surfaces.

The final test was the high-speed circuit, where we were briefed by none other than Hari Singh, five-time rally champion and India’s own ‘Gypsy King’. The 11.3km high-speed circuit is Asia’s longest track, and the world’s fifth longest. With Mr.Singh’s wise words and safety reminders in mind, I jumped behind the wheel of a BMW 5 Series with the Levitas Ultras strapped on. The tyres boast W and Y speed ratings, meaning they’re good up to 270kmph and 300kmph respectively – more than enough for luxury sedans sold in India. As I climbed to the car’s top speed, which was 239kmph, I felt the tyres’ remarkable grip even on the banked curves. Wind and tyre noise is always expected at such speeds, but the Levitas Ultra’s noise-canceling pitch sequence noticeably cut down the cabin rumble.

After putting them through these tests, it’s safe to say JK Tyre’s Levitas Ultra tyres have serious potential. With 11 sizes ranging from 16 to 20 inches, they cover nearly every luxury sedan on Indian roads. Priced from ₹9,000 to ₹18,000, they offer a stellar price- to-performance ratio, but there’s no word if they will offer these tyres as OEM fitment with any cars just yet. The Levitas Ultra tyres have similar performance levels to their European competitors, but with the pricing into the equation, they turn out to be the most VFM option out there.