Brake pads Akebono or Hawk Performance
Just replaced pads on our 2018 NX300 w/80k miles on the factory pads. Used Akebono pads and Advic rotors.
Akebono makes many oem brakes, including for some toyota/lexus models. Have used them without issues for many years.
Using akebono working fine. Only did it because I was on a budget constraint, while aftermarket perform as good, they don’t last as much.
Used to swear by Akebono pads and they never let me down. For rotors I'd go with Centric or Raybestos - they're solid without breaking the bank. Skip the cheap stuff from AutoZone though, learned that lesson the hard way
I hated the OEM rotors and pads. I replaced all 4 rotors and pads with a centric premium rotor with akebono pads. This was done at 35K miles, and now at 71K miles, I am very glad I did it and the new pads have held up well.
For brake pads, I installed Akebono ceramic pads. Much less brake dust compared to the OEM brakes.
I've heard good stuff about the Hawk ones but I use Hawk HPS myself
I got what I was lead to believe were quality pads and rotors Akebono pads, dont remember the rotors.
Ever since i've had noise from my braking system. Took it in to get looked at and was told it was fine, just the noise was from not replacing the rotors.
Consider Carbotech pads. I ran XP12/XP10 combo. They worked well on my C5. I tried the Hawk DTC70/60 combo and didn't like how fast they could eat a rotor. The stopping force on them is incredible.
I had DTC70s for about 2 months and tossed them without even using them up. Terrible pad. Never used a Hawk pad I liked.
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Which brake pads to choose — Akebono or Hawk Performance?
If choosing brake pads across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare brake pads across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which brake pads are better — Hawk Performance or Akebono?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Akebono were overall better than Hawk Performance.
- Akebono received a PR Score of 87 out of 100, and Hawk Performance scored 81 point.
- Akebono ranked 3 in the overall ranking, and Hawk Performance ranked 4.
- The average rating is higher for Akebono (4.2) than for Hawk Performance (4).
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Brake pads Akebono have better feature ratings than Hawk Performance:
- Braking - owners believe, that by this property Akebono does not differ from Hawk Performance.
- Dust - drivers claim, that this property for Akebono is outperforms Hawk Performance.
- Noise - reviews suggest, that this property for Akebono is preferred to Hawk Performance.
Which brake pads are more popular — Akebono or Hawk Performance?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Akebono were overall more popular than Hawk Performance.
By vote balance, brake pads Akebono surpassed Hawk Performance:
- For Akebono, the ratio of positive (1187) to negative (164) votes is 1023 votes.
- For Hawk Performance, the ratio of positive (1010) to negative (230) votes is 780 votes.
By number of reviews, brake pads Akebono surpassed Hawk Performance:
- For brake pads Akebono there are 436 reviews: 367 positive, 43 neutral, 26 negative.
- For brake pads Hawk Performance there are 396 reviews: 302 positive, 52 neutral, 42 negative.
Which brake pads do car owners prefer — Akebono or Hawk Performance?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, brake pads Akebono led more car-specific ratings than Hawk Performance:
Akebono are chosen by owners of cars such as: Honda Civic, Hyundai Santa Fe, Infiniti G, Lexus LS, Audi Q5, Audi S4, Lexus RX, Subaru Outback, Toyota Avalon, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Tundra, and others.
Hawk Performance are chosen by owners of cars such as: Mitsubishi Lancer, Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, Toyota Supra, Volkswagen Scirocco, and others.
Other comparisons of brake pads
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of brake pads Akebono with: EBC, POWER STOP, Brembo, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex, Raybestos.
Also available: comparisons of brake pads Hawk Performance with: EBC, POWER STOP, Brembo, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Carbotech, Mintex, Raybestos.
You can also see who is better among other brake pads manufacturers: EBC or POWER STOP, EBC or Akebono, EBC or Hawk Performance, Brembo or EBC, Akebono or POWER STOP.