The same three tires being discussed here - the OEM tire (RE010), the Yokohama ES100, and the Falken Azenis Sport - are the leading choices for my other car, and are often compared with each other. I've driven each of them as well. Here are the pluses and minuses of each:
RE010 - Superbly precise handling. Great grip on dry pavement. Good grip on wet pavement. The most expensive of the three. Great on the track.
ES100 - Great value. Good grip on dry pavement - not as good as the others, but not bad at all, especially for the price. Great grip on wet pavement. The least expensive and longest-lasting of the three. (Outperform the previously-mentioned Kumho 712 in every regard.)
Azenis - Great grip on dry pavement. Not good at all on wet pavement. The shortest treadlife of the three. Most folks love it on the track, but a few claim that it gets slippery when it heats up.
The treadlife of the RE010 is typically about 50 percent more than the Azenis, and the treadlife of the ES100 is 50-100 percent more that of the RE010. While the Azenis is fairly inexpensive, on a cost-per-mile basis, the cost advantage vanishes due to its short treadlife.
The RE010 is a great tire if you are looking for a tire that can be driven on the street and on the track, without any real downsides on either. It's a little expensive but is rewarding in terms of performance.
The ES100 is not the best tire around, but offers tremendous bang for the buck. It's an appropriate tire for someone who rarely pushes his car hard, uses it mostly for highway and commuting miles, really doesn't care all that much about performance, and is willing to sacrifice some performance to save money on tires (particularly if he has a separate set of track tires).
The Azenis offers really great grip for street driving on dry pavement. It's a good choice for those living in climates where it rarely rains, and for those who want a streetable tire primarily for track use.
Again, I think the OEM tire is a great all-around choice for a car that is going to be driven on the street as well as the track, for those who don't want track tires (R compound). It does extremely well at both, and is even good in rain. The Azenis is another good choice as long as your car rarely sees rain, although its short treadlife prevents it from qualifying as any great bargain, despite the low purchase price. I would not use the ES100 for a car that is expected to do much track time.
Note - None of these tires is suitable for use in winter conditions.
