Conti the victor in Aussie tyre test

According to the results of one recent comparative test, Continental is on top down under. The German tyre maker landed first place in the summer tyre test conducted by Australia’s “Choice” magazine. A total of 15 size 205/60 R 16 tyres, fitted to a Holden Cruze (sold in the UK and Europe under the Chevrolet name), were tested on a Queensland racetrack for handling, braking distance and ride comfort.

Not only did the ContiPremiumContact 2 deliver the best performance of the bunch when it came to braking on wet and dry surfaces, it came out trumps in handling tests carried out on wet asphalt.  “Compared to the two top performers, the worst-performing tyre in the wet took an extra four metres to stop at 50km/h and up to an extra ten metres to stop at 80km/h,” wrote the publication’s editors. “In an emergency stop, that ten metre distance could be the difference between pulling up a couple of car lengths short of the car in front and a trip to the auto repairer – or maybe the hospital.”

In addition to the ContiPremiumContact 2, the Choice team tested the Bridgestone Turanza ER300, Dunlop SP Sport LM703, Falken Ziex ZE912, Firestone TZ700, Goodyear Optilife, GT Radial Champiro BAX2, Hankook Optimo K415, Kumho Ecsta LX Platinum, Maxxis MA-P1 Vip, Michelin Energy XM2 Green X, Ovation Eco Vision VI-682, Pirelli Cinturato P1, Toyo Teo Plus Eco and Yokohama C Drive 2.