Auto Bild tests all-season tyres for mid-sized cars

All-season tyres have found favour with tyre testers in recent years, but Auto Bild points out that most tests focus on tyres for small and compact cars. To address a dearth of testing for sporty mid-sized saloons, the German motoring publication has evaluated 32 tyre models in size 225/50 R17. In Auto Bild tradition, the testers performed wet and dry braking tests to pare down the field of candidates to a shortlist of the 16 top performers. They then subjected the finalists to various tests in dry, wet and snowy conditions and also evaluated characteristics such as rolling resistance, mileage potential and price-performance ratio.

Just four of the 16 finalists gained an ‘exemplary’ or ‘good’ rating, with Auto Bild labelling the remainder ‘satisfactory’. Yet the test team was generally positive about the tyres, summing up that although all-season tyres “don’t offer the top performance (in its respective seasonal conditions) of a summer or winter tyre,” they nonetheless deliver safe and dynamic driving, even for drivers of sporty mid-sized cars. Furthermore, they offer a measure of certainty when caught out by changeable weather conditions.

Rated Exemplary

Test winner: Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen3
+ Convincing performance in all conditions, dynamic handling behaviour, short stopping distances in the wet, very good aquaplaning safety reserves, high mileage potential, good price-performance ratio.

Continental AllSeasonContact
+ Convincing all-round talent with good winter characteristics, precise steering behaviour, top aquaplaning safety reserves, good ride comfort and rolling resistance.
– High purchase price.

Rated Good

Hankook Kinergy 4S2
+ Balanced driving characteristics, stable wet & dry handling, short wet & snow stopping distances, good aquaplaning characteristics, affordably priced.
– Limited mileage potential.

Vredestein Quatrac Pro
+ Wet specialist with dynamic handling and short stopping distances on wet surfaces, precise turn-in, good comfort.
– Limited mileage potential, raised rolling resistance.

Rated Satisfactory

Falken EuroAll Season AS 210
+ Good traction & short stopping distances on snow, dynamic wet & dry handling, short stopping distances in the wet, good mileage potential.
– Understeer on snow, raised rolling resistance.

Nokian Seasonproof
+ ice-cold winter expert with convincing driving qualities on snow, high mileage potential, good price-performance ratio.
– Understeer on wet & dry roads.

Michelin CrossClimate 2
+ Strong performer in dry conditions with safe snow qualities, dynamic handling qualities, gut aquaplaning characteristics, low rolling resistance.
– Understeer in the wet, high purchase price.

Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3
+ Good lateral control & high traction on snow, short stopping distances in the dry & on snow, quiet, affordably priced.
– Mediocre wet characteristics, mileage potential just satisfactory.

Bridgestone Weather Control A005 Evo
+ Sporty-dynamic dry handling, good traction & short stopping distances on ice & snow, stable driving behaviour on wet surfaces.
– Understeer on snow, limited mileage potential.

Dunlop Sport AllSeason
+ New all-season tyre with gut performance & driving dynamics on wet & dry surfaces, good aquaplaning safety reserves.
– Strong understeer on snow, mediocre mileage potential.

Viking Four Tech
+ Short stopping distances in the wet & on snow, good aquaplaning characteristics, low rolling resistance.
– Mediocre traction on snow, understeer in the wet, extended stopping distance on dry surfaces.

Kumho Solus 4S HA32
+ Dynamic handling qualities on dry surfaces, best mileage potential in test.
– Restricted grip levels in the wet, understeer on snow & in the wet.

Firestone Multiseason Gen02
+ Good traction & short stopping distances on snow, stable dry & snow handling, good mileage potential.
– Very limited aquaplaning reserves, mediocre lateral control on wet roads.

Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2
+ Dynamic handling & short stopping distances on snow & in the dry, low rolling resistance.
– Driving performance just satisfactory, extended stopping distances on wet surfaces.

Nexen N’blue 4Season
+ Good mileage potential, short dry stopping distances, affordably priced.
– Winter qualities just satisfactory, strong understeer on wet & dry surfaces, raised rolling resistance.

Giti Allseason AS1
+ Short stopping distances in the wet & on snow, good comfort, low noise.
– Weak lateral control on dry & snowy surfaces, limited mileage potential, slightly raised rolling resistance.

Eliminated in the preliminary round

Uniroyal AllSeasonExpert 2

BF Goodrich G-Grip All Season

Barum Quartaris 5

Kleber Quadraxer 2

Laufenn G Fit 4S

Semperit AllSeason-Grip

Avon AS7

Kenda Kenetica 4S (KR202)

Cooper Discoverer All Season

Apollo Alnac 4G All Season

CST Medallion All Season ACP1

General Tire Altimax A/S 365

GT Radial 4Seasons

Fulda Multicontrol

Berlin Tires All Season 1

Tomket Allyear 3