Automotive brake pads with four different sizes of zircon particles (average sizes of 1㎛, 6㎛, 75㎛, and 140㎛, respectively) were investigated to evaluate the size effect of abrasive particles on friction performance. Results showed that the brake pads with the larger size of zircon particles tend to show better frictional stability and low pad wear. However, the rotor surface was severely abraded in the case of using larger zircon particles. On the other hand, the small zircon particles in the pads showed the fast increase of the coefficient of friction with friction force oscillation and the tendency was pronounced at low sliding speeds. The brake pads with small particle sizes also exhibited strong fade phenomena at elevated temperatures.