Best Brake Pads for Cars

Hawk HB302P.700 do not top the list because these brake pads are versatile and all that. In fact, they're the opposite. The product has been specially engineered for heavy-duty professional truck fleets, trucks, and SUVs towing heavy loads.

The biggest game changer here is the company's Ferro-Carbon material. The material is able to offer practically absurd braking performance under high inertia and repetitive braking applications.

It can be difficult to drive in a safe manner with heavy payloads. Heavy-fleet trucks, light trucks, and SUVs carrying heavy tow loads always suffer from high braking temperatures. These higher temperatures will contribute to premature brake pad wear.

That's where these brake pads with the Ferro-Carbon composition come in. The pads have an extremely high friction coefficient that works wonders providing as much truck and SUV stopping power as necessary with outstanding high temperature heat dissipation.

The product's fade resistance is very high too. The pre-chamfered edges make it possible to effectively stop the vehicle with dated brake rotors. The slotted center groove works just as well removing moisture and dust from the pads during driving.

All things considered, Hawk HB302P.700 are the best pads for professional fleets (greater than 1 ton) and light trucks towing excessive payloads on a regular basis. These things will be able to keep you safe on the road no matter what, giving the necessary peace of mind to ride with heavy loads.

The "ultra-premium" part in the pad set is a little unnecessary but we can definitely get behind the underlying message here. Akebono ACT914 ProACT pads are great on many levels.

The manufacturer's developments into ceramic formulations have been working wonders reducing and practically eliminating the usual brake squealing, groaning, and vibration issues.

These things are really durable too, able to significantly improve pad wear performance in regular driving conditions compared to your average brake pads. As far as we're concerned, longer times between brake jobs is never a bad thing.

These ceramic pads are more compatible with the aluminum, open-wheel designs that are so prevalent these days. They do not fail to significantly minimize and, sometimes, entirely eliminate dusting.

The last but not the least important detail here is that the pads are able to deliver consistently smooth stopping power over many different driving conditions, including panic stops.

The only issue worth mentioning with these pads is that they aren't that thick. On the flip side, the pads' initial effectiveness means there's no break-in period required.

All in all, you can count on the Akebono ACT914 ProACT pads to stop your car with smooth and quiet assurance every time you cruise along the interstate, creep through rush hour traffic, and/or navigate through the neighborhood. These things are practically silent but do not compromise braking performance in return for that silence.

Bosch BC905 QuietCast is all about the materials that make the product so effective but, at the same time, such a pleasure to deal with. The pads' OE-style rubber core multilayer shim is able to provide increased strength and superior insulation against noise and vibrations. Plus, these things are very much resistant to corrosion. The powder-coated backing plate does that too, preventing rust and corrosion for overall prolonged pad life.

There's a nice protective ceramic transfer layer that does an excellent job extending the pad and rotor lifespan. The slots and chamfers here are absolutely nothing to complain about too. The hardware kit that comes with the package, including the synthetic lubricant, will let you perform a complete brake job.

The titular QuietCast™ technology excels at minimizing the braking noise and vibrations.

Aside from the pads' quiet operation and everything else stated above, there's nothing here that we haven't necessarily seen before. Some customers complain that the pads do not always include wear indicators. But we haven't really seen too many people report that to call it an actual issue with the product.

To sum it all up, Bosch BC905 QuietCast are pretty good all-around brake pads. They're particularly durable and convenient on more ways than one.

ACDelco 17D1367CH are about as professional as the brake pads in this price range come. The biggest contributor here is the product's ceramic, semi-metallic, and organic formulation that is able to provide safety and reliability for a multitude of vehicle applications. The only problem we have with the formulation is that it doesn't really do much to make the brake pads less loud.

On the other hand, the well-thought-out shims, slots, and chamfers are pretty good at reducing the noise, vibration, and harshness levels, making the brakes not necessarily quiet but very much responsive and balanced.

Other than that, it is the little details that add up to make a significant difference. For example, the friction material that's been molded to the backing plate is able to deliver excellent bond integrity. The stamped backing plate allows for proper pad movement within the caliper assembly. It is able to reduce noise, brake pulsation, and help protect the brakes against premature wear.

Last but not least, these are the most versatile break pads on the list. You can find the cars that are compatible with these pads in the chart above.

Long story short, ACDelco 17D1367CH brake pads are as versatile as these pads come. They're able to deliver the fit, form, and function that not many pads in this price range are capable of replicating. Plus, they are very low-maintenance and should be able to last for years to come.

Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1324 brake pads aren't necessarily the best pads on the list but the set has its moments too.

The product's thermal-sensitive friction is probably its most standout feature. Reducing the temperature under high inertia and repetitive braking applications, the pads are able to significantly lower the brakes' overheating chances, especially going downhill and/or driving through mountain roads.

The low-copper friction and laser-shaped friction technologies make the pads effective enough with the most worn-out rotors.

The models' stopping power, fade, and noise levels are very similar to Toyota's OEM pads, a testament to the Japanese company's quality rather than a dig at the product. On that note, the pads are very well compatible with Lexus (NX 2015-2019, RX 2010-2019) and Toyota (Highlander 2008-2019, Sienna 2011-2019) cars.

The only major weak link here is the dust situation. Depending on the car, these pads seldom do very much to limit the brake dust accumulating on the mag wheels. You won't have to go through every nook and cranny with a toothbrush but there are pads that are able to practically eliminate that dust buildup.

In other words, Wagner ThermoQuiet QC1324 brake pads are great for Lexus and Toyota enthusiasts in general. These pads perform equally well under different driving conditions. You'll be able to tackle any road with the same confidence and conviction levels.