Ford
(205/55 R16 V) on
a combination of roads
for 20,000
average miles
Bought these tires as a replacement for the Michelin Primacy 3 tires that were fitted to the car when it was new. I got 62,000km out of the originals which was outstanding mileage (some may ask why I didn't buy another set - i'll come to that). On reading multiple reviews I opted for the Goodyears as they were highly rated generally and £15 cheaper a corner. Even if I didn't get 62,000km out of them I reasoned they would be more or less as good as the Michelins. Well, in short I was wrong the difference in performance is very noticeable in certain conditions. After 20,000km they are 50% worn, but by far and away the biggest disappointment is the performance in cold & damp weather. I do a lot of early morning commuting at temperatures between 0 - 5 °C in the winter. Well, that's the achilles heal of these tires they have very little grip when its cold and damp they are strictly a summer tire. The wheels seem to spin every time I take off from a junction or roundabout in the cold & damp and then the traction control of the car kicks in and the car cuts the power. This problem just didn't exist with the Michelins, so it must be an issue with the firmness of the tread compound which is designed for energy efficiency in the summer. To be fair and balanced the tires perform much better in warm & dry conditions, in fact in the summer the Goodyears are every bit as good as the Michelins and have lots of grip. Overall, I am going to replace the Goodyears in the autumn and guess what this time I'll happily pay the £15 extra per corner for Michelins which perform year round.