By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse
Hawk HPS and HPS 5.0 are both ferro-carbon street performance pads with strong cold and warm bite, but HPS 5.0 is the higher-performance evolution. It makes more torque, tolerates a higher temperature range, and resists fade better while staying street-friendly, at the cost of a bit more dust. Choose HPS for a solid street upgrade and HPS 5.0 when you want more bite and heat range for harder street and autocross.
What HPS and HPS 5.0 Have in Common
Both pads come from Hawk's ferro-carbon street performance family, and both deliver strong cold and warm bite for spirited driving. That means a firmer, more confident pedal than a stock pad from the first stop of the day, without needing to be warmed up on a track. If you enjoy driving your car hard on the street and want more grip than a factory pad gives, either compound is a genuine upgrade. They share the same basic mission: real performance bite that you can live with every day.
How HPS 5.0 Steps It Up
HPS is the original high-performance street compound, offering good bite and control over a stock pad. HPS 5.0 is the higher-performance evolution of that idea. It produces more torque for stronger stops, carries a higher temperature range so it holds up when you lean on it, and delivers better fade resistance while staying street-friendly. The trade-off is a bit more dust than the original HPS. In short, HPS 5.0 takes the street-friendly character of HPS and adds headroom for harder driving.
HPS vs HPS 5.0 Comparison
| Attribute | Hawk HPS | Hawk HPS 5.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Compound family | Ferro-carbon street performance | Ferro-carbon street performance |
| Bite | Good bite and control over stock | More torque, stronger bite |
| Temperature range | Street-focused | Higher range for harder use |
| Fade resistance | Solid for street | Better, holds up under heat |
| Dust | Lower of the two | A bit more dust |
| Best use | Street upgrade | Harder street and autocross |
Understanding Ferro-Carbon Bite
What makes both of these pads feel so different from a stock friction material is the ferro-carbon compound they share. Ferro-carbon is engineered to grip well across a broad range of temperatures, including when the pad is cold at the first stop of the morning. That cold-and-warm bite is why the family is a favorite for spirited street driving: you get a firm, immediate pedal without the warm-up lap a race pad would demand. HPS delivers this in a balanced, street-first tune, while HPS 5.0 pushes the same chemistry toward more torque and a higher usable temperature range. Understanding that both start from the same performance-street DNA makes the choice clearer. You are not picking between two unrelated pads; you are deciding how much extra heat range and bite you want layered on top of a proven street compound, and how much additional dust you are willing to tolerate to get it.
What About Noise and Dust?
Both HPS and HPS 5.0 are noisier and dustier than a quiet ceramic pad, which is the nature of a performance compound. If silent, spotless wheels are your priority, a dedicated ceramic pad is the better fit. But if you have chosen a performance pad, you have already accepted a little more character in exchange for bite. Between the two, HPS is the cleaner of the pair and HPS 5.0 adds a bit more dust in return for its extra performance. If you want a quieter everyday option, compare against our ceramic brake pads.
Which Should You Buy?
Pick based on how hard you actually drive. Choose HPS for a solid, street-friendly upgrade that sharpens the pedal and adds bite over stock without much fuss. Step up to HPS 5.0 when you want more bite and heat range for harder street driving and autocross, and you are willing to accept a little more dust for it. Neither is a full track pad, so if your car lives on a road course you should look at a dedicated track compound; for the street and the occasional autocross, these two cover the range nicely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is HPS 5.0 just a hotter version of HPS?
Essentially yes. HPS 5.0 is the higher-performance evolution of the original HPS, with more torque, a higher temperature range, and better fade resistance while staying street-friendly. The main trade-off is a bit more dust.
Can I use HPS 5.0 for autocross?
Yes. HPS 5.0 is well suited to harder street driving and autocross thanks to its higher heat range and stronger bite, without going all the way to a full track pad. HPS works for lighter spirited driving but HPS 5.0 gives more headroom.
Are these pads quiet enough for daily driving?
Both are noisier and dustier than a quiet ceramic pad. They are livable on the street, but if silence and clean wheels are your top priority, a dedicated ceramic pad is a better everyday choice than either HPS compound.
Do I need different rotors for HPS or HPS 5.0?
Both are designed as street performance pads and work on a properly sized rotor for your car. Match the pad to your exact application and keep the rotors in good condition so the compound can deliver its bite and fade resistance.
we carry Hawk street performance pads by exact application, so you can order HPS or HPS 5.0 knowing the fitment is verified for your car. Core Brake Parts offers free shipping on orders over $75, fast shipping, and a 30-day return policy. Compare both compounds in our brake pads selection and browse the wider range of brake parts to complete your setup.
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