Auto Express tyre test issue! Goodyear wins :D

[jon-]

As always, Auto Express have released their summer tyre test issue just in time for winter , but as always it's a fairly good test.

They don't seem to have it online yet, so go and buy the magazine, but the summary is:

1) Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 2
2) Michelin Pilot Sport 3
3) Pirelli P Zero
4) Vredestein Ultrac Cento
5) Nokian Z G2
6) Continental Sport Contact 3
7) Dunlop Sport Maxx TT
8) Bridgestone Potenza S001
9) Apollo Aspire 4
10) Hankook Ventus S1 EVO

Here's my short write up of the Tyre Test, it just covers the above and goes into a little more detail. You really need to buy the mag or wait for AE to publish their version as there was loads of data!

The results seemed very bias towards aquaplaning performance, which seems to have jumbled up the results a little, but it's still good to see the PH favourite in the top spot

[jon-]

Dino D said:

Falken not even in top ten?

Falken generally don't put their tyres forward for the group tests, and why would they, they have an amazing imagine online which might not quite be represented in a proper back to back test. Toyo did the same with the T1R, now the replacement T1 Sport is appearing in the tests, and not doing so well, some of the shine has been taken off the brand.

[jon-]

Fox- said:

Interesting to see the Hankook - a tyre raved about by internet forums who subconciously seem to place 80% of the weighting on price and then deny they do - as awesome, has come last.

Indeed, and somewhat more worryingly in my experience the S1 Evo is a better tyre than a couple of the other internet heros.

[jon-]

Nige_GTI said:

I dont agree with the placing of the Pirelli P-Zero, I had them on my previous 207 GTi, and now on the missus' SportKa, they only last around 8k miles, have poor wet grip and are noisy. the compound feels like hard when driving, yet wears far too quickly.

Replaced both with Kumho's (KH31's?), which for half the price are better in every way.

I would suggest in those sizes, they might not be the P Zero, probably the P Zero Nero which is (confusingly) a very different tyre!

[jon-]

E30M3SE said:

What size was tested on what type of car?

225/45/17 on a Golf

[jon-]

Mr2Mike said:

Fox- said:

Interesting to see the Hankook - a tyre raved about by internet forums who subconciously seem to place 80% of the weighting on price and then deny they do - as awesome, has come last.

Interesting that the Pilot Sport 3 which has been widely berated as not a worthy replacement for the PS2 has come second.

Also note the performance difference between the best and worst tyres was just 3.5%, and the same rag rated the Hankook 5th in their last test. With such little difference in performance the results are relevant only for the car and conditions they were tested on. Change the car and tyre size and doubtless the results would change as well.

Here in lies the issue with score weighting.

This test is obviously strongly weighted towards aquaplaning results, which the PS3 does very well. It's been berated because it's not as performance focused as the PS2 was, which makes sense as it actually replaces the Pilot Exalto PE2.

Had this test focused on dry performance and steering feel, I expect the results would have been very difference.

Also, I've back-to-backed the Bridgestone with other tyres a number of times now, and it has never once felt like the best tyre in the dry.

Still, good tyres will rise to the top and bad ones won't, as proven by the Goodyear.

[jon-]

Fox- said:

Have they fixed the rolling resistence with the Goodyear now? I gained something ridiculous like 2-3mpg moving from Eagle F1 Assymetric's to ContiSport Contact 3!

Goodyear finishes second, Conti Sport Contact 3 4th 3% behind the Goodyear.

I think that's a yes

[jon-]

muffinmenace said:

I've got Eagle F1 A1's on the front of my STD at the moment, coming from Michelin PS2's I've noticed a massive increase in road noise, reduced economy, poor turn in and I feel they lack in communication department, however I did benefit from better wet performance and a smoother ride. I'm literally about to go out to fit some Eagle F1 A2's to the car now so I'm keen to see if they've improved on the feedback and turn in as they are the two most important aspects for me.

or maybe I should get some T1-R's

Targarama said:

Whose proving ground was host for this tyre test?

Bridgestone i think...

Would be good to hear your feedback, one thing I never did was F1 A vs F1 A2!

Correct, it was Bridgestone. So much for the home advantage!

[jon-]

HellDiver said:

Edit: Interesting to see Apollo on the test - I always quite liked the Accelera Alpha (Accelera is a different brand name for Apollo). They're up there with the little known Tigar and Lassa which are budgets far and away better than LingLong, Wanli, etc.

That I didn't know. Other reasonable budgets seem to be Neuton and Infinity, though at the end of the day a budget is a budget!

Thanks jatinder

[jon-]

Classic Grad 98 said:

I'm surprised there aren't more tyre tests like these and I would like to see one covering the budget end of the spectrum. Dispite what most will say, there is such thing as an okay budget and some are truly shocking.

That's something I've been trying to put together, but unsurprisingly no budget manufacturer a) has the test facilities to support it and b) wants to give you tyres so you can tell the world how rubbish they are

[jon-]

Classic Grad 98 said:

Yeah I can see how those factors cause problems. I've noticed that there are no user reviews online either- presumably based on the perception (right or wrong) that the type of people that buy cheap tyres don't care about their performance.

There's a few, and they're mostly amusing reads! Sorry for the shameless self linking again but...

Linglong L688
Sunny SN3800
Wanli S1088
Event WL905
Goodride SA05
Primewell PZ900
Sunew YS618

The problem I have is keeping up with all the budget brands, one study showed something insane like 800 different Chinese budget brands, ironically all coming out of the same 2 or 3 factories over there.

[jon-]

drivin_me_nuts said:

mmm-five said:

Sukh13 said:

Except that you pay more than the 3% difference in performance for the top of the list tyres?

Would you choose:

• Price A for a surgeon with a 97% success rate, or
• Price B (2 x Price A) for a surgeon with a 100% success rate?

Your analogy is slightly worrysome if you feel that extra 3% gives you 10% more opportunities to drive on the 'limit'.

The 3% is overall. In the real world there's much more in it/

Wet braking:

1st Pirelli - 100%
10th Apollo - 78.5%

Curved aquaplaning:
1st Michelin - 100%
10th Hankook - 69.3%

[jon-]

VeeFour said:

As usual, though, there are a disproportionate number of tools with 'drama queen' stories of understeering at 2mph on slightly damp roads or how they 'saved the car with a dab of oppo' making comments.

Which kind if renders the whole site pointless, unless you're willing to filter out the largely pointless overly dramatic posts.

I absolutely refuse to jump on the P6000s should be made illegal bandwagon, so am unlikely to take many other comments on that site seriously.

You should see the stuff that gets deleted

[jon-]

The issue with the P6000s is the amount of OE variations, all with slightly different compound and constructions.

While a few seem to work quite well (Jag sizes), most of the others seem to be rubbish.