2009 Auto Zeitung Summer Tire Test

In Germany annual tire tests are the norm. Auto Zeitung is Germanys oldest and most respected trade magazine and they have just published their 2009 tire test. Testing 16 of the latest tires, they use the common 225/45 R 17 Y size on a VW Golf FSI with 170 hp.

During the tests, they inspect the following characteristics with both subjective (feel) and actual measured data:

Aquaplaning: The speed at which the car starts to aquaplane.
Braking: 100km/h to standstill, measuring time and stopping distance.
Handling: A timed lap.
Subjective Handling: Assessing the feel and progressiveness of the tire on track.
Slalom: The average speed between cones 18 metres apart.

The results are surprising. Including both the measured data, and the subjective scores the final results looks like this:
1. Pirelli P Zero
2. Continental Sport Contact 3
3. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT
4. Hankook Ventus V12 Evo
5. Bridgestone Potenza RE 050 A
6. Michelin Pilot Sport 2
7. Uniroyal Rainsport 2
8. Nokian ZG2
9. Goodyear Eagle F1 A
10. Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta
11. BF Goodrich G-Force Profiler
12. Firestone firehawk S790
13. Fulda Carat Excelero
14. Kumho Ecsta
15. Bravuris Barum
16. Toyo T1R

The results are interesting for a number of reasons. If you look at the most recent EVO tire test, tires we would expect to score well have been beaten by rather unexpected contenders. The Goodyear Eagle F1A, winner of the EVO test, scored well in raw data but was accused of being difficult to drive on the limit. This criticism was also aimed at the EVO runner up, the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta. Pirelli must have really improved the P Zero as it usually scores in the bottom third of group tests but this time lead the pack on both measured data and subjective handling while Toyo, a tuners favourite, ended up in a surprising final place.

What can we conclude from this? Clearly the P Zero has had a significant update, and Pirelli are once again a serious contender in the replacement market. The Hankook Ventus V12 is also placed surprisingly strong, and over the next 12 months could easily steal Toyo's crown as the budget performance tire to be on. As for the rest of the results? If you drive a Golf, or another FWD car built on the VAG platform then you can make a pretty accurate tire choice but if you drive a different type of car, such as a RWD vehicle then, as they say, "your mileage may vary"...

The top 8 positions based on the raw data showed a slightly different story:
1. Pirelli P Zero [257]
2. Hankook Ventus V12 Evo [238]
3. Goodyear Eagle F1 A [237]
3. Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta [237]
3. Bridgestone Potenza RE 050 A [237]
6. Michelin Pilot Sport 2 [232]
7. Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT [231]
8. Uniroyal Rainsport 2 [226]

You can read a translated version of the full article here:

https://www.autozeitung.de/reifentests/sommerreifen-der-dimension-22545-r-17
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