BlackHawk Street-H HU01 vs Kelly Edge Sport tires

BlackHawk vs Kelly: Which UHP summer tire is right for you?

A value-driven tire brand, BlackHawk rolls out high-quality, dependable tires for passenger cars, CUVs, and SUVs. The BlackHawk brand combines advanced rubber compounds and accessible pricing to deliver all-season grip and traction plus a longer service life.

On the other hand, Kelly is a sub-brand of Goodyear and carries over a century of American tire manufacturing experience. Renowned for delivering reliable daily performance, great durability, and outstanding value, Kelly combines cutting-edge tech with superb tread designs to offer dependable options for different driving conditions.

For drivers wanting budget-friendly ultra-high-performance options, BlackHawk and Kelly are great options to go for. The Street-H HU01 from BlackHawk and Edge Sport from Kelly stand out as top contenders for sport sedans, coupes, and CUVs. Built with a high-silica compound and directional tread design, the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 delivers impressive high-speed stability, responsive cornering, and effective year-round grip. Contrarily, the Kelly Edge Sport utilizes an asymmetric tread pattern featuring rigid shoulder blocks and dual continuous center ribs for enhanced steering precision and sharp cornering.

While the BlackHawk leans towards being a quiet, cost-effective daily driver, the Kelly offers slightly sharper handling and improved wet-weather braking during high-speed sprints. Both tires offer adequate high-performance handling and all-season practicality in dry, wet, and light snowy conditions.

So, which of the two is the right tire for your vehicle? Let’s compare these tires on the basis of their traction, handling, and longevity performance using our rating mechanism, SimpleScore. It’s our proprietary scoring system that rates each tire on a scale of 0 to 10 for the aforementioned characteristics. Without further ado, let’s do the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 vs Kelly Edge Sport comparison to ease your buying decision.

BlackHawk Street-H HU01 tires

Designed for sedans and coupes, the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 is an ultra-high-performance all-season tire that seamlessly balances everyday ride comfort with spirited handling. Its unique tread design incorporates four high-angle grooves that rapidly evacuate water to prevent hydroplaning and boost wet performance.

Additionally, a silica-infused compound enhances wet road grip while reducing rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency. High-speed steering feedback is maintained by a solid center rib, while tapered tread edges deliver a quieter, smoother journey. The round profile of the tire improves overall traction and protection against tread damage.

With a 7.8 overall SimpleScore, the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 assures adequate grip, traction, handling, and service life.

Get BlackHawk Street-H HU01 tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

Kelly Edge Sport tires

Introduced in May 2023, the Kelly Edge Sport is an ultra-high-performance (UHP) all-season tire that delivers precise handling and solid traction on wet and dry surfaces alike. Delivering sporty performance, the Kelly UHP tire features robust shoulder blocks that optimize cornering and braking during high-speed maneuvers.

Engineered to strike an ideal balance between top-tier performance and affordability, it performs at its best in warm weather while maintaining reliable wet grip and limited snow traction. Being a UHP all-season tire, it’s backed by a 45,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty.

With an 8.1 overall SimpleScore, the Kelly Edge Sport offers drivers a refined ride quality and longer service life along with responsive control throughout the year.

Get Kelly Edge Sport tires at the best deals for your vehicle here

BlackHawk Street-H HU01 vs Kelly Edge Sport tires on traction

The traction of a UHP all-season tire determines the confidence you get behind the wheel as you drive through changing road conditions. A tire with impressive traction offers dependable grip, which helps to shorten braking distances and improve safety.

The BlackHawk Street-H HU01 earns a great traction score of 8.0, which makes it a go-to choice for spirited driving. This UHP all-season tire features a silica-based rubber compound that helps improve grip on wet roads and reduce rolling resistance for improved fuel efficiency. With four wide circumferential grooves and angled channels, it evacuates water quickly and mitigates the risk of hydroplaning during heavy rain. The tread helps you maintain consistent road contact, so you experience stable braking with predictable grip in dry and wet conditions.

The Kelly Edge Sport scores 8.1 in traction, which gives it a slight edge in this category. Backed by an all-season rubber compound, the Kelly tire features a ribbed tread pattern that delivers great year-round traction. Thanks to its circumferential grooves, the Edge Sport can efficiently remove water and slush from the contact patch, which helps you maintain decent traction in wet conditions. With its sturdy shoulder blocks and reinforced center ribs, the tire helps you maintain effective grip during braking and cornering.

The Kelly Edge Sport performs marginally better in terms of traction and scores higher than the BlackHawk Street-H HU01.

ADVANTAGE: Kelly Edge Sport

BlackHawk Street-H HU01 vs Kelly Edge Sport tires on handling

The handling you experience with a UHP all-season tire determines the steering response and stability behind the wheel. While driving at highway speeds, you need predictable handling for confident control, particularly with sporty sedans or coupes.

At 8.0, the handling score of the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 looks commendable. The solid center rib present on this tire improves stability as you drive in straight lines, while delivering precise steering at high speeds. The tapered tread edges help to distribute forces evenly and improve overall stability and minimize uneven wear. Along with its reinforced tread design, the BlackHawk tire provides a composed handling experience for daily commuting and spirited rides on highways.

The Kelly Edge Sport earns a great handling score of 8.1, which is marginally better than that of the HU01. Thanks to its reinforced shoulder blocks and continuous center ribs, the tire can maintain a larger contact patch, which helps you gain stability. With an asymmetrical tread pattern, the tire improves steering precision and balance across different road conditions.

The Kelly Edge Sport emerges as the winner in terms of handling and earns a marginally better score (8.1).

ADVANTAGE: Kelly Edge Sport

BlackHawk Street-H HU01 vs Kelly Edge Sport tires on longevity

Longevity is a key parameter you would consider while choosing a UHP all-season tire. You need a tire that wears evenly and offers a longer warranty, which enhances its long-term value.

The BlackHawk Street-H HU01 bags a great longevity score of 8.7, and it’s backed by a 50,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The tire features tapered tread edges, which distribute the road forces evenly to minimize regular wear, while its silica-based compound helps to maintain a long tread life.

The Kelly Edge Sport gets 8.6 in longevity, and it comes with a solid backing of 45,000 mile limited manufacturer tread life warranty. The stabilized footprint of the Kelly tire helps to reduce uneven wear, keeping premature wear at bay. This allows the tire to maintain consistent performance throughout its service life.

The BlackHawk Street-H HU01 wins in terms of longevity with a higher SimpleScore and a longer tread life warranty.

ADVANTAGE: BlackHawk Street-H HU01

When to use each

UHP all-season tires are suitable for drivers who prefer spirited rides with responsive handling and confident control. These tires provide dependable traction throughout the year and are commonly used on sporty sedans and coupes.

If you prefer longer tread life and are looking for better overall value, the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 will be a more suitable choice. It offers a longer mileage warranty and comes with a silica-based compound, which makes it a decent pick for daily commuting and driving on highways.

The Kelly Edge Sport would be a better choice if you prefer slightly sharper handling and better traction. The tire comes with a reinforced tread design and asymmetrical pattern that makes the driving experience more responsive.

Which one should you choose?

To sum it up, both these tires offer balanced performance year-round, but the Kelly Edge Sport wins the comparison as it beats the BlackHawk in traction and handling performance while the latter pins the former in longevity.

If longevity matters the most to you, go for the BlackHawk Street-H HU01, as it comes with a higher longevity score (8.7 vs. 8.6). It is also backed by a longer warranty (50,000 miles vs. 45,000 miles). The Kelly Edge Sport would be a better option for you if you want a tire offering better traction (8.1 vs. 8.0) and handling (8.1 vs. 8.0). However, each tire comes with its own attributes, which should be considered and weighed against your needs and budget.

For the 245/45R17 tire size, the cost of each BlackHawk Street-H HU01 is around $115, which brings the cost of four such tires to $460. On the other hand, each Kelly Edge Sport tire costs around $157, which means four such tires would cost you around $628 (a difference of $168).

Based on SimpleScore, you may choose the BlackHawk Street-H HU01 if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford Mustang, Tesla Model 3, or the Chevrolet Impala
• Want better longevity (8.7 vs. 8.6)
• Need a longer tread life warranty (50,000 miles vs. 45,000 miles)
• Want an affordable yet reliable set of UHP all-season tires

On the other hand, you may choose the Kelly Edge Sport if you:

• Drive vehicles like the Ford Focus, Toyota Camry, and Hyundai Elantra
• Want better traction (8.1 vs. 8.0)
• Need better handling (8.1 vs. 8.0)
• Are ready to pay a higher cost for improved handling and grip

Still not sure which tire to buy? Fortunately, SimpleTire is here to help, as our helpful agents are more than happy to assist you in selecting the right tire for your ride and budget.