Auto Bild: Performance still has its price in sporty tyre sizes

This year, Auto Bild Sportscars promises its readers a tyre test featuring products covering every price range from the most expensive premium tyres to budget. Its test team lined up a baker’s dozen of size 225/40 R18 tyres and fitted them to a 257bhp, AWD Toyota GR Yaris, a car that highlighted “both the sporting qualities and the weak points” of each and every candidate after “just a few bends” of track.

When the dust and water spray had settled, five tyres proudly wore Auto Bild Sportscars’ top ‘exemplary’ rating while three were marked as ‘good’ and a further trio gained a ‘satisfactory’ rating. Lower down the results table appeared a ’conditionally recommendable’ result and, in last place, ‘not recommendable’. The correlation between price tag and rating can’t be overlooked.

Rated: Exemplary

Test winner: Continental SportContact 7
+ Dynamic handling when cornering, stable lateral control, precise turn-in with good response, convincingly safe braking performance on wet & dry roads.
– Modest safety reserves when aquaplaning during cornering.

Bridgestone Potenza Sport
+ New high-performance sports tyre with excellent handling characteristics on wet & dry roads, well balanced, precise turn-in behaviour with good response, short wet & dry braking distances, orderly aquaplaning safety reserves.
– Elevated rolling resistance, average comfort.

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6
+ Blemish-free premium sports tyre with safe driving behaviour on wet & dry roads, sporty, direct turn-in with good response, well balanced, good aquaplaning safety reserves, short wet & dry braking distances, low external noise, low rolling resistance.

Michelin Pilot Sport 5
+ Top-level sports tyre with dynamic handling characteristics on both wet & dry roads, agile and well-balanced handling qualities, precise turn-in, very good aquaplaning safety reserves, short wet braking distances, good comfort and low ride noise.
– High purchase price.

Pirelli P Zero PZ4
+ Sporty all-round talent with convincing handling characteristics on wet & dry surfaces, good aquaplaning qualities, precise steering, dynamically well-balanced, high levels of grip, short wet & dry braking distances, low external noise.
– Elevated rolling resistance, average comfort.

“All five ‘exemplary’ candidates come from the expensive premium tyre category,” comment Auto Bild Sportscars testers Henning Klipp und Dierk Möller. “This is no coincidence, because a lot of know-how goes into the prestigious dimensions and high-quality and thus expensive materials are used. Remember: in tyre construction, performance and quality simply have their price.”

Rated: Good

Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3
+ Balanced sport tyre with dynamic handling characteristics on wet & dry roads, very good braking performance in the wet, agile steering, low rolling resistance, very good value for money.
– Aquaplaning safety reserves only satisfactory when cornering.

Falken Azenis FK520
+ Stable lateral control and sporty, balanced driving behaviour, particularly on dry roads, convincing aquaplaning safety reserves, very low external noise, good ride comfort, good value for money.
– Delayed steering response and slightly extended braking distance in the wet.

Toyo Proxes Sport 2
+ Sporty tyre with balanced, safe handling characteristics on wet & dry roads, good grip and short braking distances in the dry, good ride comfort, low rolling resistance, good value for money.
– Slightly extended braking distance in the wet, average aquaplaning safety reserves when cornering.

Rated: Satisfactory

Firestone Firehawk Sport
+ New sport tyre with agile handling behaviour on dry roads, short wet & dry braking distances, very low rolling resistance, low purchase price.
– Average aquaplaning characteristics, delayed steering response and marked understeer when cornering in the wet.

Giti GitiSport S2
+ Convincing aquaplaning qualities, stable dry handling, pleasantly low external noise.
– Limited levels of grip on wet roads, delayed steering response and understeer when cornering in the wet, slightly extended braking distance on wet roads, fairly pricey.

Maxxis Victra Sport 5 VS5
+ Convincingly good aquaplaning safety reserves, short braking distances on wet roads, low external noise, affordably priced.
– Modest levels of grip and marked understeer on wet & dry roads, delayed steering response, limited ride comfort.

Rated: Conditionally recommendable

Linglong Sport Master
+ Affordable sports tyre with low rolling resistance and low ride noise.
– Modest grip on wet & dry surfaces, limited aquaplaning safety reserves, delayed steering response and understeer on wet & dry roads, extended wet & dry braking distances.

Rated: Not recommendable

Superia Ecoblue UHP
+ Affordably priced, low rolling resistance, low ride noise.
– Poor grip and dangerously long braking distances on wet & dry roads, low aquaplaning safety reserves, delayed steering response, strong understeer in wet & dry conditions.