Tyres are much of a muchness these days, at least to look at. Auto Bild Sportscars laments that tyre brands are no longer easily identifiable by their tread patterns, as the diversity of former times has been replaced by a “yawning boredom in the uniformity of unimaginatively cut longitudinal groove patterns.” But an absence of aesthetic outliers doesn’t mean all tyres offer the same levels of performance or safety.
This year, auto motor und sport (AMS) examines products from the “eight most popular tyre brands” in its local market. For its 2024 summer tyre test, the German motoring publication thus looks at the Bridgestone Turanza 6, Continental PremiumContact 7, Falken Azenis FK 520, Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 SUV, Hankook Ventus S1 Evo³ SUV, Maxxis Victra Sport 5 SUV, Michelin Primacy 4+ and Vredestein Ultrac.
Autozeitung recently conducted its summer tyre test for 2024, joining the ranks of evaluations by Auto Bild as well as European motoring clubs ADAC, ÖAMTC and TCS. The German motoring publication looked at nine brands of 225/45 R17 94W/Y XL tyres, mounting them on a BMW 1-Series and subjecting all to a range of tests in wet and dry conditions.
In this year’s summer tyre test, German automobile club ADAC took a close look at 16 current 215/55 R17 models – including the Goodride Solmax 1 for the first time. The ZC Rubber-produced summer tyre scored well in several criteria. Indeed, in the overall ranking, Goodride Solmax 1 beats at least one European brand.
Any prospective tyre buyer searching online for 205/55 R16 tyres risks being overwhelmed by a plethora of products. This bread-and-butter tyre size has been an absolute bestseller for many years and is standard equipment on popular compact cars such as the VW Golf, Audi A3, Vauxhall Astra and Seat Leon. The presence of so many tyres in this dimension complicates the process of separating the wheat from the chaff, but Auto Bild helps here with its 2024 summer tyre test.
For their 2024 summer tyre test, European motoring organisations ADAC, ÖAMTC and TCS have shined the spotlight on 215/55 R17, a dimension suitable for mid-size cars and smaller SUVs. The test team put 16 brands of tyre through their paces and was satisfied with overall results, even though some tyres showed “minor weaknesses”.
Size 205/55 R16 is the most frequently purchased tyre dimension in Europe, primarily due to its fitment on compact class vehicles. Recognising this, Auto Bild has selected this size for its comprehensive 2024 summer tyre test. The motoring publication is examining 55 tyres; it hasn’t finished testing but tells its readers that the preliminary round of braking tests in wet and dry conditions has delivered “noteworthy data” for each evaluated tyre.
All-season tyres are a logical choice for smaller vehicles primarily used in urban areas, and for this reason, it is surprising that few tyre tests focus on fitments for cars such as these. Tyre Reviews addressed this in its 2023 all-season test, looking at ten tyres in size 195/65 R15. Site founder and resident tester Jonathan Benson fitted these to a VW Golf 7 and evaluated the tyres’ performance in dry, wet and snowy conditions as well as for comfort and value.
It’s not uncommon for motoring clubs or magazines to withhold their recommendation when testing tyres, but they typically reserve this cautionary result for low-priced candidates that struggle to compete against premium and mid-range rivals. But Autozeitung has declined to recommend no less than five tyres in its 2023 all-season test – more than half the entire field – including products from known names.
In addition to evaluating the performance of 16 winter tyres in size 225/45 R17, European motoring clubs ADAC, TCS and ÖAMTC have tested a further 16 in size 205/60 R16, a dimension primarily worn by smaller SUVs. The test team fitted the tyres to a VW T-Roc and appraised their performance in dry, wet and wintry conditions as well as for environmental and sustainability-related factors such as noise, wear and rolling resistance.
Unusually, two tyres won this year’s Tyre Reviews winter tyre test – both the Michelin Alpin 5 and the Bridgestone Blizzak LM005. According to Tyre Reviews founder and head tester Jonathan Benson, “technically the Michelin Alpin 5 did pip the Bridgestone, but it was such a tiny margin I am calling them both test winners.”
The days are getting shorter and cooler, but we don’t need to go outdoors to realise that winter is fast approaching – the glut of seasonal tyre tests give the game away. European motoring associations ADAC, TCS and ÖAMTC are readying their members by testing winter tyres in two dimensions. Here we look at 225/45 R17, a popular size for cars such as the Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and – the test team’s chosen vehicle – the VW Golf.
In the preamble to its 2023 winter tyre test, SUV and 4×4 specialist publication Auto Bild Allrad argues that tyres play an even more important role than all-wheel drive when piloting a vehicle in wintry conditions. While employing four driving wheels instead of two undoubtedly improves traction, this only represents one aspect of vehicle safety – when it comes to braking and negotiating curves, tyres are decisive.
Winter tyres are niche products in the UK but make a lot of sense in particular situations. High-powered performance cars, for example, may benefit from the added grip that season-specific rubber provides. Auto Bild Sportscars has evaluated 11 brands of tyre in size 225/40 R18 to gauge performance in snowy, wet and dry conditions. Four tyres gain the motoring publication’s highest recommendation, but Auto Bild Sportscars also warns against bad eggs in the basket.
The verdict is now out on the 20 finalists in the Auto Bild 2023 winter tyre test. While the Auto Bild test team found that most of these size 225/45 R18 tyres offered “really good performance” when snow and ice were present, the picture looked different when testing in conditions that motorists more typically encounter. They observed “surprisingly large differences in performance potential” on wet and dry roads and gave only three tyres their top ‘exemplary’ rating. One of the 20 receives a non-recommendation.
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