Akebono Brake Pads Review

Tired of replacing your brake pads every 18 months? Akebono brake pads might be the answer! These ceramic brake pads will outperform the factory pads that your dealership slaps on your car, and they will treat your rotors with the love they deserve!

Take my car, for example. I bought a 2012 Hyundai when it was brand new, but in late 2013 I was back at the dealership, getting new brake pads and rotors installed. Then again in early 2015. In 2017, I went to a private garage and had the cheapest brake pads I could find installed. Now I’m buying a new car. If I had done my research, I could have avoided all that by considering Akebono brake pads!

What are Akebono Brake Pads?

Akebono is a Japanese company that first began in 1929. This makes Akebono one of the oldest braking-solutions manufacturers in the world today! They have research and design offices in the United States and in France, where they stay on the cutting edge of brake performance. In addition to brake pads, they make brake calipers, drum brakes, and entire brake assemblies. You can find their brake systems factory-installed on Audi, Chrysler, Nissan, and other tier-one automobiles.

There are three types of Akebono brake pads: Akebono PRO-ACT Ultra-Premium Brake Pads, Akebono EURO Ultra-Premium Brake Pads, and Akebono Performance Brake Pads. Each set of brake pads comes in different size variants to fit different models of cars, so finding one that fits your car requires finding the right year, make and model. Most auto parts retailers keep a catalog on hand to help you.

Specifications

Because there are three different types of Akebono brake pads, it’s important to know the differences between them, so you are aware what type is the best for your car.

Akebono PRO-ACT Ultra-Premium Brake Pads

First up are the Akebono brake pads most commonly found on regular consumer vehicles. PRO-ACT Ultra-Premium brake pads have semi-organic, low-metallic ceramic and give you frictionless braking. They have reduced harshness, so your disc rotors will last a lot longer, as well as your brake pads.

Pros

• brakes were amazingly quiet and were able to bring even heavier vehicles to a comfortable stop.
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Cons

• brakes squealed when in reverse, although this seems more like a rare manufacturing defect than anything else when compared to the glowing reviews these brake pads received.
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Customers on Amazon rated these Akebono brake pads 4.0 out of 5 stars.

Akebono EURO Ultra-Premium Brake Pads

Next up we have the Akebono EURO brake pads, which are designed to meet the standards European automobile manufacturers must meet. High-quality German and British vehicles, such as Audi, BMW, Jaguar, and Mercedes must all meet rigorous self-imposed quality-control standards. Akebono has ensured that they have special brake pads that match the performance of these cars.

Also, these Akebono brake pads are made with the same semi-organic, low-metallic ceramic materials as their PRO-ACT brake pads. The main difference between the two is that the EURO series are wider, and are more compact which creates less brake dust to meet European Union manufacturing standards.

Pros

• smooth and effective as their factory-installed counterparts. 
• Several customers praised the lack of brake dust and the reduced amount of brake cleaning they need. 
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Cons

• Several customers did report that these pads come coated with a bit of high-temperature grease which you need to clean off before installation, otherwise, some light squealing can occur.
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With that said, these brake pads received 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Akebono Performance Brake Pads

Because the other Akebono brake pads don’t fit on sports packages, the company has made Akebono Performance brake pads. If you’ve souped up your car to a sports package and inflict high-punishment on your brakes, these are the brake pads you want. These low-dusting ceramic brake pads are made for sports cars, heavy vehicles such as pickup trucks, heavy-use vehicles such as law enforcement cars, and fleet vehicles which do a lot of stopping and starting.

Pros

• a professional racer, wrote that these are the only brake pads that he trusts when on the track!
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Cons

• Several people complained that they had to grind off several large nubs to fit them on their vehicles.
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Like all the Akebono brake pads, these come with high customer ratings, earning 4.1 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Pricing & Warranty

Akebono brake pads don’t come with a warranty. The company phased out warranties several years ago thanks to a less than one percent warranty fill rate, so check with your retailer to see if they carry their warranty.

Akebono PRO-ACT Ultra-Premium Brake Pads cost between $45 and $55, depending on the year and make of your vehicle. The Akebono EURO Ultra-Premium Brake Pads cost between $75 and $100, while the Akebono Performance line of brake pads costs between $50 and $70.

How Do They Compare?

So now you’re seriously considering picking up a set of Akebono brake pads for your vehicle, and for a good reason. They come with great quality, fantastic reviews, and at reasonable prices, so they must be the perfect brake pads! But wait a moment! How do they stack up against the competition?

For instance, how well does a set of Akebono brake pads compare to a set of German-made Bosch brake pads? Those Germans know a thing or two about cars!

How We Reviewed

To compare the Akebono brake pads to the offerings from the competition, I researched the four most similar brake pads you can get in your car. I went to each company’s website to learn about them.

Because I trust reviews written by real people, I read through a lot of Amazon customer reviews. This way I was able to get a full picture for all of these brake pads, and how they stack up to Akebono brake pads.

EBC Organic Brake Pads

First up in our comparison are EBC organic brake pads, which are comparable to the Akebono PRO-ACT and EURO line of brake pads. EBC is a British company based in Northampton, and they’ve been making brakes since the 1980s. You can find their after-market brake pads at most retailers, including Amazon.

Because these organic brake pads have DuPont Kevlar rather than ceramic, they don’t last as long as the Akebono brake pads, but they do provide very smooth stopping performance and treat your rotors with kindness. They cost between $30 and $50 and come with a one year or 10,000-mile limited warranty.

Pros

• how quiet and dust-free they were.
• The pads tend to fit perfectly on most vehicle types,
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Cons

• although they aren’t as long-lasting as some other brands.
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Customers who purchased these rated them 4.7 out of 5 stars

Bosch  Professional Ceramic Brake Pads

Next, we have Bosch brake pads, from Robert Bosch Automotive. This company is located near Stuttgart, Germany and has been making automotive parts since automobiles were only a fancy concept! Bosch produced magnetos in 1886 and by 1920 had become the biggest auto parts manufacturer in Europe. They were bombed into oblivion during the Second World War but rose up from the ashes. Since 1945 they have become one of the biggest auto parts makers in the world.

Because they have a reputation for quality, we took a look at the Bosch Professional Ceramic Brake Pads lineup, which is comparable to both the Akebono EURO and Performance brake pad lines. These brake pads feature an aerospace alloy and copper-free ceramic materials. They include thin layers of rubber for extra smooth stopping power. These are low-dust and low-friction brake pads. They are made for European standards as well as fleet vehicles, heavy SUVs and vans, and some performance vehicles.

Pros

• Most people are happy with the quality of the brakes,
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Cons

• Several customers reported that the brakes are noisy and often squeak during braking. 
• brakes were very oily and required constant cleaning to reduce squeal.
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Although Bosch is a quality name in brake pads, customers on Amazon only gave these pads 3.1 out of 5 stars. These are available for between $25 and $50.

AC Delco Professional Ceramic Brake Pads

Third on our list is AC Delco Professional Ceramic Brake Pads. AC Delco is an American company owned by GM.  You’ll find their brake systems installed on most GM-owned vehicles including Dodge, Jeep and Chevrolet makes. Whether you choose front brake pads or rear brake pads, you’ll be getting the same construction and materials. The Professional Ceramic line of pads is comparable to the Akebono PRO-ACT brake pads that will fit in most regular cars.

AC Delco pads have semi-organic, low-metallic ceramic materials that reduce harshness and save your rotors from punishment. Molded materials secure them to the backing plate, which helps reduce noise and vibration. You can pick up a set of these brake pads for between $45 and $60. They come with an awesome lifetime warranty that most major car repair businesses and dealerships will honor.

Pros

• Customers say that the brakes are quiet and smooth and are very easy to install.
• Plenty of people said that they are better than the factory pads that they had to replace! 
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Cons

• A couple of customers told of some shimmering and sudden brake propulsion after the pads were first installed, but these went away after a few days of use.
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Customers rated the AC Delco brake pads 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon.

Wagner ThermoQuiet Ceramic Brake Pads

Lastly, we have Wagner and their ThermoQuiet Ceramic Brake Pads. Wagner is an American auto parts manufacturer that started in 1891 when it made small motors for desk fans. Today you can find their parts in vehicles around the world.

Because these brake pads are standard for most cars, they are comparative to the Akebono PRO-ACT brake pads. The Wagner “UltraQuiets” have low-copper metallic alloys and ceramic and produce no noise when braking. They are not as forgiving on rotors as some of the other brake pads we’ve reviewed.

Pros

• with most people praising the low noise and very low brake dust produced. 
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Cons

• Some customers did complain that the calipers and clips don’t fit all makes and models comfortably.
• Your mileage may vary. 
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Amazon customers rated these brake pads 4.0 out of 5 stars. Wagner brake pads cost between $35 and $60 and come with a full one-year warranty.

 Pros and Cons of Akebono Brake Pads

Seeing that Akebono brake pads compare favorably to the competition and that by now you’re almost heading out the door to pick up a set, it’s important to remember that nothing in the real world is perfect. Akebono brake pads do have some drawbacks.

Pros

• Mostly quiet
• Long-lasting
• Gentle on rotors
• Low brake dust
• Average prices
• Reliable

Cons

• Some squealing, possibly due to excessive packing grease
• Does not fit all makes and models comfortably
• No warranty
• Not easy to self-install

Our Verdict

ike I said at the beginning of this review, I wish I had checked out Akebono brake pads before I spent six years replacing run-of-the-mill factory pads from dealerships. Maybe on my next vehicle, I’ll specifically request a set. These are all-around great brake pads that have good reviews from many users in the real world.

My verdict is that Akebono brake pads are as good as Bosch brake pads, and better than both EBC and Wagner brake pads. If you drive a North American vehicle, an AC Delco set of brake pads is probably your best bet. Otherwise, I would go with Akebono!