Don't higher rated tires have firmer sidewalls? And won't lower rated tires feel "mushier?"

When I upgraded from H to V, I chose EXACTLY the same tire. I even had them siped (aftermarket cut siping) just like the old ones.

I noticed no change in cornering/handling.

Bah, I'm at work right now and can't go into great detail on it, but when I get home and have my book with me, I'll go into an extended discourse about tires.

In short: H-rated tires are good for our cars, unless you're heavily modded, if you are, (which I know you aren't), move up a grade or two, but don't get Z rated, while Z rated TEND to have better traction, you'll be replacing tires about every 18 months or so due to a softer compound for the tread.

Ah, softer compound! If that'* the main thing about it, then I suppose that the Z tires are better for drag racing.

I thought too that the H and such have squishier sidewalls, but then I saw 1337ssei'* Z tires, 235 55 16, are so soft that regardless of air pressure, the sidewalls are really flexible. And willwren had a video in which jiggled his car side to side, and the sidewalls on his drag radials flexed by the width of a spare tire!

Then again, the 235 55 16 tires of the same brand and such might have even squishier tires as V or so.