4 categories (10 tests)
Test Category | Best Performer | Worst Performer | Difference |
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Dry (2 tests) | |||
Dry Braking | ▲ Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: 34.6 M | ▼ GT-Radial SportActive 2: 37.3 M | 2.7 M (7.2%) |
Dry Handling | ▲ Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: 125.8 Km/H | ▼ Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3: 123.1 Km/H | 2.7 Km/H (2.2%) |
Wet (5 tests) | |||
Wet Braking | ▲ Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3: 29.5 M | ▼ GT-Radial SportActive 2: 34.4 M | 4.9 M (14.2%) |
Wet Handling | ▲ Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: 88.4 Km/H | ▼ Nexen N Fera Sport SU2: 84.5 Km/H | 3.9 Km/H (4.6%) |
Wet Circle | ▲ Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: 6.67 m/s | ▼ Michelin Pilot Sport 4: 6.4 m/s | 0.3 m/s (4.2%) |
Straight Aqua | ▲ Nexen N Fera Sport SU2: 73.3 Km/H | ▼ Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3: 63 Km/H | 10.3 Km/H (16.3%) |
Curved Aquaplaning | ▲ GT-Radial SportActive 2: 2.9 m/sec2 | ▼ Nokian PowerProof: 2.4 m/sec2 | 0.5 m/sec2 (20.8%) |
Comfort (1 tests) | |||
Noise | ▲ Nexen N Fera Sport SU2: 67.3 dB | ▼ Continental Premium Contact 6: 71.1 dB | 3.8 dB (5.3%) |
Value (2 tests) | |||
Price | ▲ GT-Radial SportActive 2: 130 | ▼ Continental Premium Contact 6: 209 | 79.0 (37.8%) |
Rolling Resistance | ▲ Bridgestone Turanza T005: 6.5 kg / t | ▼ Nexen N Fera Sport SU2: 8.7 kg / t | 2.2 kg / t (25.3%) |
For 2022, the excellent publication Auto Motor und Sport have tested ten ultra high performance tires in 245/45 R19 using an Audi A6 Quattro. The new Goodyear was essentially the best in nearly all the grip tests, and had the best subjective handling on test, but did drop some points in aquaplaning.
Bridgestone placed second with the T005, proving to be a balanced tire doing well in most tests, and the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3 finished third, excelling in the braking tests but it couldn't match the performance in handling.
Interestingly, the fourth placed Continental PremiumContact 6 was the Audi AO specific tire, which meant it had both SEAL technology and foam sound absorbing system.
Dry
The new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 was best in dry braking, with Hankook in second. Falken and GT Radial finished an unusual amount of distance behind.
The Goodyear was also best in dry handling, with the sportiest handling, however Hankook dropped down to last place thanks to a sluggish and imprecise steering response.
Wet
Hankook was back at the front for wet braking, with Michelin doing unusually badly.
Goodyear was back at the front in wet handling, leading with an impressive margin. Michelin again performed poorly.
Wet circle approximately matched wet handling, which is always nice to see!
Nexen and GT Radial led the way in the two aquaplaning tests, with the GT Radial best overall.
Environment
External noise testing had no advantage for the foam damped Continental, which was the noisiest outside but the quietest inside the car.
Bridgestone and Michelin led the way in the fuel use testing.
GT Radial was the cheapest tire on test, nearly half the price of the AO Continental.
Results
1st: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very short braking distances, outstanding grip, high cornering stability, sporty but easy to control handling. Average aquaplaning resistance. Goodyear's new tire impresses with a lot of safety and the best dynamics.
Read Reviews Buy from £180.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Bridgestone Turanza T005 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Despite a small weakness in aquaplaning it is the strongest tire overall in the wet with the shortest wet braking. Very balanced and dynamic dry handling. Weakness in longitudinal aquaplaning. With no significant weaknesses, the T005 is still worth recommending. Read Reviews Buy from £173.27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Very short braking distances in the wet, safe wet handling. Limited aquaplaning resistance, sluggish steering response, poor feedback. The tire focuses on being excellent in safety. Read Reviews Buy from £152.63 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4th: Continental Premium Contact 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Tires designed for Audi focus more on dry performance than wet, plus the noise foam makes this a quiet tire. Limited performance in the wet. Only the Audi AO self seal version of the PC6 was available in this size. Read Reviews Buy from £181.87 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5th: Nexen N Fera Sport SU2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Safe braking in the wet, good aquaplaning resistance, very easy to control in the dry, comfortable and quiet. Limited wet cornering grip. Inexpensive but balanced, just limited wet cornering performance. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th: Nokian PowerProof | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Neutral to understeer balance in the wet, precise steering and easy to control in the dry. Low aquaplaning resistance, noisy. Good for every day summer weather, deficits only in heavy rain. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dynamic and precise steering in the dry while still being safe in wet braking. Narrow limit of grip in the wet, quiet sensitive to puddles. Impressively precise and direct in the dry, showing its age in the wet. Read Reviews Buy from £191.59 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
8th: Falken Azenis FK510 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Acceptable wet braking performance, good grip in the wet and dry. Limited aquapaning resistance, poor balance in the dry, limited sportiness. Well priced and essentially safe in the wet. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th: Maxxis Victra Sport 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Despite poor wet braking, surprisingly good and dynamic steering in wet handling. Poor steering precision in the dry, limited wet braking and aquaplaning resistance, uncomfortable. Good dry performance but limited unbalanced grip in the wet. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: GT Radial SportActive 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Good aquaplaning resistance, safe and easy to control in the dry. Long dry and wet braking distances, less driving stability in the wet. Inexpensive tire with some strengths but also noticeable weaknesses. Read Reviews Buy from £163.57 |