Which Brake Pad Is Best For You?

In my last article titled "What Are You Using to Stop Your Car?", I went over the different compounds used in brake pads as well as provided a brief description of their advantages and disadvantages. Some brake pad applications work better with some vehicles while others are superior in other cars. With all these choices available today, it can be a bit mind-boggling trying to decide which is best for you. Usually the type of vehicle you have and what it's used for will determine the answer.

Light compact cars - It doesn't take as much force to stop a compact car as a truck. For applications such as the Nissan Versa, Toyota Yaris or Honda Fit, organic compound brakes would work just fine. They have enough stopping power, will be much quieter than other brake pads available, and are inexpensive. If you will be bothered by potential brake dust build-up you can also substitute in a ceramic brake pad for more money.

Mid-size cars - Due to their increased size, a slightly beefier pad may be recommended such as a low-metallic NAO set. The metal in the pad will provide better stopping power but may also be a little noisier. Some mid-size cars and sedans would include the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, Nissan Altima, Mitsubishi Galant, Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fusion. Once again, ceramic pads would be a great fit but at a bigger price.

Sports cars - Anything that can go from 0-60 mph in the blink of an eye also needs to go from 60-0 mph just as fast. Vehicles like the Nissan 370z, Mitsubishi Evolution, Subaru Impreza, Chevrolet Camaro, and Ford Mustang fit in this category. The European sports cars such as the BMW M3 and M5, Mercedes S-class, Audi S6 and S8, and Porsche models would also qualify. A semi-metallic brake pad or performance ceramic brake pad set would be optimum for these vehicles.

Trucks, SUV's, CUV's, Mini-vans and Vans - The SUV's such as the Honda Pilot, Nissan Xterra, Toyota Rav 4 and popular Toyota 4-Runner could use anything from a low-metallic NAO, semi-metallic or ceramic brake pad. The Nissan Rouge and Murano as well as the Acura MDX CUV models would also do well with these pads. The bigger Nissan Titan, Toyota Tundra, GMC Sierra and Ford F-150 may want to stick with a semi-metallic brake pad for the best braking results. When using these vehicles for towing or hauling, a severe-duty brake pad with a higher metal content may want to be considered.

A general rule is that the more braking power you need, the more metal content should be in your brake pads. Although these can be noisier, they may also save your life. Also, ceramic brake pads are a good substitution in most regular driving circumstances if you are willing to fork over the extra dough.