Given
41%
while driving a
Vauxhall Vectra
(215/50 R17 W) on
mostly motorways
for 18,000
spirited miles
Factory fit on my 1.8VVT SRi. Second worst tires I've driven on, and in the past 14 years on the road I've averaged 60k a year as an IT Engineer driving mostly company cars.
The NCT5 has a soft sidewall which is excellent for comfort, but rubbish for handling and feedback through the steering. It almost feels like I'm driving with flat tires, despite trying various pressures.
Actual grip in the dry is average for a touring tire, and wet performance is reasonable for the first 2mm of tread. After that the fussy little tread bits wear off and you're left with 4 solid bands of rubber which do nothing in the wet only float about.
Considering they're a Treadwear 280 tire, and I do mostly motorway miles, fronts were down to 3mm by 16,500 on the clock. Rears are down to about 5.5mm.
Replaced the fronts with a pair of Bridgestone Turanza ER300, and couldn't believe how they transformed the car. I can pull out of junctions without spinning, I can brake without setting the ABS off, and I can even stay in the same lane on the motorway without having to make constant course corrections as per Goodyear's "finest".
The sooner Vauxhall wise up and stop fitting this junk in the factory, the better.