If you've ever dreamed of seeing the Michelin Pilot Sport 5, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, Continental SportContact 7 and Bridgestone Potenza Sport in the same test, your dreams have just been answered with the 2023 Auto Bild Sportscars Summer Tire Test! They even included the new Falken FK520!
The German publication tested thirteen of the most popular UHP tires in 225/40 R18 using a Toyota GR Yaris, and yes you read that right, the SportContact 7 is now available in some 18" wheel sizes!
Want to know which of the UHP titans is best overall? Read on below!
4 categories (10 tests)
Test Category | Best Performer | Worst Performer | Difference |
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Dry (2 tests) | |||
Dry Braking | ▲ Continental SportContact 7: 33.3 M | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 38.6 M | 5.3 M (13.7%) |
Dry Handling | ▲ Bridgestone Potenza Sport: 115.5 Km/H | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 109.3 Km/H | 6.2 Km/H (5.7%) |
Wet (5 tests) | |||
Wet Braking | ▲ Continental SportContact 7: 38.8 M | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 50.2 M | 11.4 M (22.7%) |
Wet Handling | ▲ Bridgestone Potenza Sport: 86.9 Km/H | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 73 Km/H | 13.9 Km/H (19.0%) |
Wet Circle | ▲ Bridgestone Potenza Sport: 11.04 s | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 11.66 s | 0.6 s (5.3%) |
Straight Aqua | ▲ Giti GitiSportS2: 78.6 Km/H | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 68.7 Km/H | 9.9 Km/H (14.4%) |
Curved Aquaplaning | ▲ Michelin Pilot Sport 5: 2.96 m/sec2 | ▼ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 2.14 m/sec2 | 0.8 m/sec2 (38.3%) |
Comfort (1 tests) | |||
Noise | ▲ Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6: 66.5 dB | ▼ Bridgestone Potenza Sport: 69 dB | 2.5 dB (3.6%) |
Value (2 tests) | |||
Price | ▲ Superia Ecoblue UHP: 280 | ▼ Michelin Pilot Sport 5: 500 | 220.0 (44.0%) |
Rolling Resistance | ▲ Firestone Firehawk Sport: 7.05 kg / t | ▼ Bridgestone Potenza Sport: 9.9 kg / t | 2.9 kg / t (28.8%) |
Wet
It seems like the Hankook has a new rival in wet braking, as the Continental SportContact 7 knocked the Korean tire off it's usual top sport to beat it to first place, with the Hankook close behind and the Michelin Pilot Sport 5 in third.
The Bridgestone Potenza Sport jumped up the order to post the fastest lap around wet handling, with the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 proving to be impressive in second and the Pirelli P Zero PZ4 finishing third. Oddly, the wet braking winner dropped all the way down to seventh place overall, though the group was very close.
Wet circle kept the Bridgestone at the top, with the Continental moving up a little.
The Giti GitiSportS2 was the best in straight aquaplaning, with the Goodyear and Michelin tied for second place.
Dry
The braking master Sport Contact 7 once again topped the braking test, this time in the dry, narrowly beating the Bridgestone.
Bridgestone and Continental traded top spots in dry handling, with the Pirelli a close third.
Environment
The Goodyear proved to have the lowest external noise with the Potenza Sport trailing the field.
The new Firestone Firehawk Sport had a crazy lead in rolling resistance, with the Continental and Goodyear the best of the named tires. The Pirelli and Bridgestone both faltered in this test, being significantly harder to roll than their key rivals.
As always, the Michelin was the most expensive and the budget tire the cheapest.
Results
1st: Continental SportContact 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The new SportContact 7 is completely convincing in its first test: dynamic cornering, stable cornering, precise steering behavior with very good feedback, convincingly safe braking performance on wet and dry slopes.
Moderate safety reserves for curve aquaplaning. Exemplary. Read Reviews Buy from £102.91 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2nd: Bridgestone Potenza Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Potenza Sport has excellent handling qualities on wet and dry roads, good balance, precise steering behavior with good feedback, short wet and dry braking distances, decent safety reserves in the event of aquaplaning. Increased rolling resistance, average comfort. Exemplary. Read Reviews Buy from £88.00 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Asymmetric 6 is a premium tire without fault and reproach, safe driving behavior on wet and dry slopes, sporty and direct steering behavior with good feedback, well-balanced, good safety reserves in the event of aquaplaning, short wet and dry braking distances, quiet passing noise, fuel-saving rolling resistance. None mentioned. Exemplary. Read Reviews Buy from £101.15 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Michelin Pilot Sport 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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the PS5 is a top-class sports tires with dynamic handling qualities on wet and dry roads, agile handling with good balance, precise steering, very good safety reserves in the event of aquaplaning, short braking distances in the wet, good comfort, quiet rolling noise. High price level. Exemplary. Read Reviews Buy from £111.26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3rd: Pirelli P Zero PZ4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The P Zero PZ4 has excellent handling qualities on both dry and wet roads, good aquaplaning properties, precise steering behavior, balanced dynamic balance, high level of grip, short wet and dry braking distances, quiet passing noise. Increased rolling resistance, average comfort. Exemplary. Read Reviews Buy from £124.60 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6th: Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Ventus S1 evo 3 is a balanced sports tire with dynamic handling qualities on wet and dry roads, very good braking performance on wet slopes, agile steering behavior, fuel-saving rolling resistance, very good price-performance ratio. Satisfactory safety reserves for curve aquaplaning. Good. Read Reviews Buy from £97.26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th: Toyo Proxes Sport 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The new Toyo Proxes Sport 2 has well-balanced, safe handling qualities on wet and dry roads, good grip and short braking distances on dry roads, good ride comfort, low rolling resistance, good value for money. Slightly longer wet braking distances, average safety reserves when aquaplaning in curves. Good. Read Reviews Buy from £97.03 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
7th: Falken Azenis FK520 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The new FK520 has convincing handling qualities on both dry and wet slopes, good aquaplaning properties, precise steering behavior, well-balanced dynamic balance, high level of grip, short wet and dry braking distances, quiet pass-by noise. Increased rolling resistance, average comfort Good. Read Reviews Buy from £95.35 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
9th: Firestone Firehawk Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The new Firehawk Sport has agile handling behavior on dry slopes, short wet and dry braking distances, exceptionally low rolling resistance, low price level. Average aquaplaning properties, delayed steering response and clearly understeering cornering behavior on wet roads. Fair. Read Reviews Buy from £90.38 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: Giti GitiSportS2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The GitiSportS2 has convincing aquaplaning properties, stable dry handling, pleasantly quiet passing noise.
Limited level of grip on wet roads, delayed steering response and understeering when cornering on wet roads, slightly longer wet braking distances, higher price level. Fair. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
10th: Maxxis Victra Sport 5 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Victra Sport 5 has good safety reserves for aquaplaning, short braking distances on wet roads, quiet passing noise, low travel.
. Moderate grip level and clearly understeering handling on wet and dry slopes, delayed steering response, limited ride comfort. Fair. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
12th: Linglong Sport Master | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Inexpensive sports tire with low rolling resistance and quiet rolling noise.
Moderate grip on wet and dry roads, limited safety reserves in the event of aquaplaning, delayed steering response and understeering handling on wet and dry roads, longer wet and dry braking distances. Conditionally Recommended. Read Reviews | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
13th: Superia Ecoblue UHP | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Low price level, low rolling resistance, quiet rolling noise.
Low-budget tires with poor grip and dangerously long braking distances on wet and dry roads, low safety reserves in the event of aquaplaning, delayed steering response, severe understeer in wet and dry handling. Not Recommended. Read Reviews |