ASICS vs New — which brand is better?
We compare them two ways: as makers overall — where each ranks and how trustworthy each is across everything it builds — and head-to-head inside each category they both sell in. We don’t crown a winner — the differences are the point.
Where they go head-to-head
Pick a category they both sell in — see who ranks higher on that shelf. The real either/or a shopper faces.
Local · per categoryAs makers, overall
Standing, reputation and — crucially — honesty across everything they build. A maker’s character doesn’t change by category.
Global · across the catalogGo with ASICS for the stronger overall AI standing; go with New for wider category coverage. They only partly fight over the same shelf — the differences are the point.
Built from what 5 AI models (Google-ai-mode · ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity · Gemini) recommend across the catalog, layered with company reviewer takes, press coverage, marketing-honesty checks and price positioning. The short answer and verdict are derived from where those signals diverge — not written by hand for either brand.
Independent — not a vendor, not advertising, not a paid review. How we score →
Where they compete
The like-for-like view. Which categories they both fight in, and who ranks higher on each shelf — the comparison only makes sense where they actually overlap.
Who leads each category
The like-for-like view — where each brand competes, and who ranks higher in every field they share. The comparison only makes sense where they actually overlap.?
Head-to-head, category by category
The same two brands look completely different depending on what you’re buying. Pick a category to see who ranks higher on that shelf and the buyer questions where they go head-to-head.?
As makers
Step back from any single shelf. Across the whole catalog: how the AI panel ranks them, and how reviewers and the press read them.
Overall standing
Step back from any single shelf. Across the whole catalog: the panel’s combined average rank, each model’s pick, how often each brand gets mentioned, and how their standing moved.?
What each is known for
The advantage tags AI models attach most to each brand’s products, sized by how often they come up. The middle column is what they have in common.?
What reviewers say about each brand
Summarised from video reviews across each brand’s line — what they consistently praise, where they push back, and who each is for.?
Reviewers praise
- FF Blast and FF Blast Plus foam delivers a distinctive combination of softness and spring-back that reviewers rate above comparable foams from rival brands
- Outsole rubber earns consistent praise for grip and long-term durability across road and mixed surfaces
- Build quality holds up over hundreds of miles with minimal compression loss or visible wear
Reviewers push back
- Wet-weather traction is unreliable on some models; at least one reviewer's household found certain ASICS outsoles slippery in rain
- Sizing is inconsistent across the lineup, with some models running small or narrow, creating guesswork when buying without trying them on
- Toe box width is a recurring complaint for wide-footed runners, as not all models offer a wide option
“A standout shoe not only in Asex range, but the whole running shoe market and one I'll continue to be recommending.”
Where reviewers split on ASICS: Reviewers disagree on ride character: one finds the Superblast line too firm for easy runs while another — coming from a heavier-runner perspective — finds the same generation's updated foam ideally compressive and easygoingGrip gets split assessments: one reviewer calls ASICS grip excellent across surfaces and models, while another reports slipping on wet pavement in a different model from the same brand
What the press says
Recent news coverage — the overall tone, the positive/neutral/critical split, and a couple of recent headlines each.?
ASICS receives consistently favorable coverage focused on product innovation, collaborations, and competitive positioning in running and skate categories.
No recent press coverage collected.
Character, price & the verdict
The maker’s track record — does it tell the truth in its marketing, anywhere it sells? How it prices, how much people trust it, and our final read.
Can you trust their marketing
Honesty is a brand-character trait — it doesn’t matter which category a brand overstates a claim in, only whether its claims hold up. So we check every product’s marketing against real tests across all categories, then roll it up per brand.?
Which brand do people trust more
A single trust reading per brand, built from how honest its marketing is and how the press talks about it — from skeptical to loved.?
Only ASICS has enough signal for a trust reading so far (88). It combines marketing honesty and press sentiment.
The verdict, both ways
Read it through both lenses: which brand to trust for the category you’re buying, and who’s the stronger maker overall. They can give different answers — and that’s the honest result.
If you already know what you’re buying, the category decides it — pick the brand that leads the shelf you’re shopping.
As makers: ASICS leads 2 of 4 · New 0.
Breadth vs focus — and the right answer depends on the shelf.
Go with ASICS if…
…you want range and the safe default. It ranks #1 overall and competes across 4 fields, so there's a fit for most needs.
Go with New if…
…you care about its focus. It plays fewer fields (4) but is hard to beat where it does compete.
We don’t crown a winner. Globally they may both be top-tier; locally, the category can flip the answer. Pick the brand that’s strong where you’re actually shopping — when a brand doesn’t compete in a category, we leave it blank rather than invent a rank.
as of June 29 · 4 shared questions?
Common questions
The questions people most often ask, answered from the data above.
By our ranking ASICS sits higher overall, but it's breadth vs focus — ASICS competes in more categories while the other plays narrower. The answer flips by category: pick the brand that leads the shelf you're shopping.
ASICS — named in 104 AI answers across the panel, against New's 8.
ASICS, ranking in 4 fields versus 4 for New.