For 2021, the testing experts at ViBilagare have tested eight of the latest 225/45 R17 tires, with a surprising result!

The Maxxis Premitra HP5 aced the tire test to finish in first spot overall, ahead of the new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 in second place and Continental PremiumContact 6 in third. This is a really impressive result for the Maxxis brand, especially when you consider price was NOT taken into account for the final results!

The only caveat worth remembering is wear was not tested in this test. In previous tests where wear results were included, the second placed Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 had a significant advantage over other tires on test, and the Maxxis didn't score too well..

You can find our summary of the data below, but for the full details be sure to head over to the ViBilagare website.

Dry

Dry braking was a close group overall, and was lead by the Continental PremiumContact 6 which stop the car 0.4 meters ahead of the new Landsail Sentury Qirin 990!

The test winning Maxxis Premitra HP5 was the fastest tire across a dry handling lap, edging out Goodyear and Continental in second place.

Wet

Continental also won the wet braking testing, but this time by nearly a full meter over the second placed Nokian Hakka Blue 2, which is a similar tire to the Central European Nokian WetProof.

Continental was also the fastest tire around the wet handling lap, with the budget Hifly again performing poorly.

Nokian and Maxxis led the way in the aquaplaning testing by a large margin!

Environment

ViBilagare are one of the few publications to rate comfort and noise subjectively, which is a really interesting metric.

In the subjective comfort testing, the Nokian and Pirelli had a small advantage over the group of tires, rounding out bumps and road imperfections better than the rivals.

Subjective noise testing showed the Goodyear had an advantage over the group, especially on rough surfaces.

The price (in Euros) chart highlights the huge difference between the cheapest and most expensive tires on test.

And finally, it will be no surprise to regular tire tests viewers to see the Michelin Primacy 4 and Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 leading the way in the rolling resistance testing.

Results

1st: Maxxis Premitra HP5
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: C/A/70 Origin: China UTQG: 340 Weight: 8.9kgs Tread: 7.3mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 34.9 M 33.7 M +1.2 M 96.56% Dry Handling 1st 99.9 s 100% Wet Braking 4th 34.3 M 31.6 M +2.7 M 92.13% Wet Handling 3rd 70.2 s 69.9 s +0.3 s 99.57% Wet Circle 3rd 14.67 s 14.61 s +0.06 s 99.59% Straight Aqua 2nd 85.6 Km/H 86 Km/H -0.4 Km/H 99.53% Subj. Comfort 6th 2 Points 4 Points -2 Points 50% Subj. Noise 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Price 3rd 75.53 65.32 +10.21 86.48% Fuel Consumption 4th 5.51 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.14 l/100km 97.46% Excellent stability and steering response in the dry, good levels of grip in the wet with a neutral wet balance, best aquaplaning resistance on test, well priced. Mid pack stopping distances, average comfort. Read Reviews
2nd: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: B/A/70 Origin: Poland UTQG: 360 Weight: 9kgs Tread: 8.1mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 34.8 M 33.7 M +1.1 M 96.84% Dry Handling 2nd 100.3 s 99.9 s +0.4 s 99.6% Wet Braking 6th 34.6 M 31.6 M +3 M 91.33% Wet Handling 4th 70.4 s 69.9 s +0.5 s 99.29% Wet Circle 1st 14.61 s 100% Straight Aqua 6th 81.8 Km/H 86 Km/H -4.2 Km/H 95.12% Subj. Comfort 3rd 3 Points 4 Points -1 Points 75% Subj. Noise 1st 5 Points 100% Price 5th 123.07 65.32 +57.75 53.08% Fuel Consumption 2nd 5.44 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.07 l/100km 98.71% Responsive and easy to drive in the wet and dry, very good levels of comfort and quietest tire on test. Average aquaplaning resistance. Read Reviews    Buy from £81.30
3rd: Continental Premium Contact 6
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: C/A/72 Origin: France UTQG: 280 Weight: 9.5kgs Tread: 7.5mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 33.7 M 100% Dry Handling 2nd 100.3 s 99.9 s +0.4 s 99.6% Wet Braking 1st 31.6 M 100% Wet Handling 1st 69.9 s 100% Wet Circle 4th 14.72 s 14.61 s +0.11 s 99.25% Straight Aqua 4th 83 Km/H 86 Km/H -3 Km/H 96.51% Subj. Comfort 6th 2 Points 4 Points -2 Points 50% Subj. Noise 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Price 8th 146.94 65.32 +81.62 44.45% Fuel Consumption 3rd 5.49 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.12 l/100km 97.81% Easy to drive, stable rear and slight understeer balance in the dry, fastest around the wet handling lap, shortest braking distances in the dry and wet. Worse curved aquaplaning resistance on test, low levels of comfort, average noise. Read Reviews    Buy from £89.17
3rd: Nokian Hakka Blue 2
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: C/A/72 Origin: Russia UTQG: 300 Weight: 10.4kgs Tread: 7.8mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 7th 35.3 M 33.7 M +1.6 M 95.47% Dry Handling 6th 100.8 s 99.9 s +0.9 s 99.11% Wet Braking 2nd 32.5 M 31.6 M +0.9 M 97.23% Wet Handling 2nd 70.1 s 69.9 s +0.2 s 99.71% Wet Circle 2nd 14.64 s 14.61 s +0.03 s 99.8% Straight Aqua 1st 86 Km/H 100% Subj. Comfort 1st 4 Points 100% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 6th 140.55 65.32 +75.23 46.47% Fuel Consumption 8th 5.71 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.34 l/100km 94.05% Excellent aquaplaning resistance and short wet braking, very good levels of comfort. Long dry braking, soft and imprecise dry handling. Read Reviews
5th: Michelin Primacy 4
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: B/A/68 Origin: Italy UTQG: 340 Weight: 9.1kgs Tread: 6.3mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 34.7 M 33.7 M +1 M 97.12% Dry Handling 5th 100.7 s 99.9 s +0.8 s 99.21% Wet Braking 3rd 33.8 M 31.6 M +2.2 M 93.49% Wet Handling 5th 70.9 s 69.9 s +1 s 98.59% Wet Circle 6th 14.95 s 14.61 s +0.34 s 97.73% Straight Aqua 5th 82.6 Km/H 86 Km/H -3.4 Km/H 96.05% Subj. Comfort 3rd 3 Points 4 Points -1 Points 75% Subj. Noise 5th 3 Points 5 Points -2 Points 60% Price 7th 142.81 65.32 +77.49 45.74% Fuel Consumption 1st 5.37 l/100km 100% Good aquaplaning resistance given it's shallow starting tread depth, lowest fuel consumption on test, short braking in the dry and wet. Average comfort and low lateral wet circle grip. Read Reviews    Buy from £100.93
6th: Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: C/A/69 Origin: Russia UTQG: 320 Weight: 9.4kgs Tread: 6.9mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 34.2 M 33.7 M +0.5 M 98.54% Dry Handling 4th 100.5 s 99.9 s +0.6 s 99.4% Wet Braking 7th 35 M 31.6 M +3.4 M 90.29% Wet Handling 6th 71.3 s 69.9 s +1.4 s 98.04% Wet Circle 5th 14.85 s 14.61 s +0.24 s 98.38% Straight Aqua 3rd 83.4 Km/H 86 Km/H -2.6 Km/H 96.98% Subj. Comfort 1st 4 Points 100% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 4th 122.78 65.32 +57.46 53.2% Fuel Consumption 7th 5.63 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.26 l/100km 95.38% Good in the dry with the best steering feedback and handling, good aquaplaning resistance, low noise levels ang good comfort. Long wet braking, difficult wet handling. Read Reviews    Buy from £100.19
7th: Landsail Qirin 990
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: B/A/66 Origin: China UTQG: 520 Weight: 9.5kgs Tread: 7.1mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 34.1 M 33.7 M +0.4 M 98.83% Dry Handling 7th 101.4 s 99.9 s +1.5 s 98.52% Wet Braking 5th 34.5 M 31.6 M +2.9 M 91.59% Wet Handling 7th 71.9 s 69.9 s +2 s 97.22% Wet Circle 6th 14.95 s 14.61 s +0.34 s 97.73% Straight Aqua 8th 79.4 Km/H 86 Km/H -6.6 Km/H 92.33% Subj. Comfort 3rd 3 Points 4 Points -1 Points 75% Subj. Noise 2nd 4 Points 5 Points -1 Points 80% Price 2nd 65.42 65.32 +0.1 99.85% Fuel Consumption 5th 5.55 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.18 l/100km 96.76% Very good dry braking, low noise. Poor handling in the dry, understeer in the wet, low aquaplaning resistance. Read Reviews
8th: Hifly HF805
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: E/E/72 Origin: China UTQG: 280 Weight: 10.1kgs Tread: 7.4mm 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 36 M 33.7 M +2.3 M 93.61% Dry Handling 8th 102.3 s 99.9 s +2.4 s 97.65% Wet Braking 8th 37.1 M 31.6 M +5.5 M 85.18% Wet Handling 8th 73.2 s 69.9 s +3.3 s 95.49% Wet Circle 8th 15.28 s 14.61 s +0.67 s 95.62% Straight Aqua 7th 80.5 Km/H 86 Km/H -5.5 Km/H 93.6% Subj. Comfort 6th 2 Points 4 Points -2 Points 50% Subj. Noise 8th 2 Points 5 Points -3 Points 40% Price 1st 65.32 100% Fuel Consumption 6th 5.6 l/100km 5.37 l/100km +0.23 l/100km 95.89% Cheapest tire on test. Very poor wet braking, low grip in all conditions, high noise and low levels of comfort. Read Reviews