| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking | Pirelli P Zero |
| Dry Braking | Pirelli P Zero |
| Rolling Resistance | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 |
| Noise | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 Continental Sport Contact 5 Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 |
| Snow Handling | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 Kumho Ecsta PS91 Falken FK453 Westlake SA 07 Dunlop SportMaxx RT |
This year AZ have tested fourteen tire patterns in the popular 225/40 R18 tire size. During the testing they covered over 1,200km of dry and wet testing, and weighted the scores in favour of the wet results.
There were no real surprises in the top six places, with Bridgestone the only premium brand being edged out by Nokian. None the less, this is a strong result for the Bridgestone Turanza T001 which seems to have come good in the last six months of testing, normally Bridgestone would have submitted the Potenza S001 in this size, so there's obviously an upgrade to the range happening.
Vredestein ended up in a disappointing 11th with the Vorti. The Ultrac Sessanta was always well regarded for its wet performance, however the Vorti seems to have taken a step back when compared to its other midrange rivals such as Falken, Kumho and Nokian.
As always, the test was concluded with a budget tire. The Westlake had some of the best rolling resistance on test, but had extremely long wet braking distances, and a tendency to snap oversteer in the wet, combined with early understeer in the dry.
Results
1st: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2 | |
| High traction, good lateral support and braking on wet surfaces, short braking distances and high level of safety in the dry, low rolling resistance Read Reviews Buy from £112.50 |
2nd: Pirelli P Zero | |
| Very short braking distances, excellent handling and predictable behavior at the limit of grip on wet surfaces, Good handling and safe execution of the emergency maneuver in the dry Read Reviews Buy from £113.87 |
3rd: Continental Sport Contact 5 | |
| Good handling when cornering on wet surface, High resistance to aquaplaning, Low rolling resistance, Good results in the dry Longer braking on wet surfaces, high noise levels Read Reviews Buy from £97.62 |
4th: Dunlop SportMaxx RT | |
| Short braking distances on wet surfaces, short braking distance on dry roads, low rolling resistance Slow response to steering and a tendency to understeer in the dry Read Reviews Buy from £89.99 |
5th: Nokian zLine | |
| Good braking on dry and wet surfaces, low rolling resistance Lack of agility and lateral stability in the wet, tendency to oversteer in the dry Read Reviews |
6th: Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3 | |
| Predictable behavior with a tendency to understeer in the wet, effective braking on wet surface, good handling on dry roads, best time slalom in the dry Read Reviews Buy from £143.99 |
7th: Bridgestone Turanza T001 | |
| Good traction on wet roads, high speed, good security and straight steering response on dry road, low rolling resistance Relatively long braking distances on wet surfaces Read Reviews Buy from £112.50 |
8th: Yokohama Advan Sport V105 | |
| Balanced behavior, good lateral stability of the front wheels and acceptable braking properties on wet surface, good lap time and high grip on dry surfaces High rolling resistance Read Reviews Buy from £95.95 |
9th: Falken FK453 | |
| Good resistance to aquaplaning, good lateral stability and late transition to understeer in the wet, stable handling on dry roads Relatively long braking distances on wet surfaces, high rolling resistance Read Reviews |
10th: Kumho Ecsta PS91 | |
| Good dry braking, low rolling resistance Poor handling and a relatively long braking distances on wet surfaces, tendency to oversteer in the dry Read Reviews |
11th: Vredestein Ultrac Vorti | |
| Good lateral grip on the front axle on a dry surface, short braking distance on dry roads Nervous behavior and long braking distances on wet roads, tendency to oversteer in the dry Read Reviews |
12th: Fulda SportControl | |
| Low rolling resistance Long braking distances on wet surfaces - a clear tendency to understeer and long braking distances on dry roads Read Reviews |
13th: Cooper Zeon CS Sport | |
| Long stopping distances, remarkable tendency to oversteer and low speed cornering on wet surfaces, low traction and braking in the dry Read Reviews |
14th: Westlake SA 07 | |
| Low rolling resistance Nervous handling on the rear axle, and the longest braking distances on wet surfaces, poor resistance to aquaplaning, long braking distances and very early transition to understeer in the dry Read Reviews |
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