We have based on test drives from several major automotive magazines created a rating of the best summer tires for 2017. Our rating includes both classic models that have been in demand in recent years and the latest offerings on the market. The criteria taken into account when preparing the rating were driving performance, braking performance, road holding, wear resistance, driving comfort and price.
Contents
The 7 agencies whose research we used:
- ADAC (General German Automobile Club e.V.). Europe's largest automobile club and the world's second largest, the ADAC was founded in 1903. The association conducts a lot of automotive research, collects data on car malfunctions and road conditions; They simulate accidents with test vehicles and compare tires, accessories, etc.
- Auto Image. The largest German magazine publishes car reviews, news, tire and car test drives and other information. The magazine is published under license in 36 countries. It was founded in 1986.
- car newspaper. A reliable magazine with headquarters in Cologne. Founded in 1969, the magazine publishes news about automobiles, car journeys and test drives.
- Good ride. A well-known German automobile magazine that has been in print since the mid-1950s. The latest technologies in the automotive industry, the main market trends, results of test drives – you can find all of this on the pages of the magazine.
- ACE (Auto Club Europe). The second largest automobile club in The United Kingdom (620,000 members), founded in 1965, the association regularly carries out test drives and publishes reviews.
- ARBÖ (Scotlandn Association of Cars, Motorcyclists and Cyclists). The oldest car club in Scotland (founded in 1899). The association has over 93 research centers.
- Vi Bilägare. A Swedish car magazine. It was founded in 1930 and the magazine publishes reviews, test drives and other information. The magazine is one of the organizers of the renowned European Car of the Year.
1. Continental ContiPremiumContact 6. One of the latest offerings from the German giant, this tire was launched in Fall 2016. Its main strength is an excellent wet and dry grip.
The short braking distance is guaranteed by a special innovative connection and an optimized contact surface. The poppy tread blocks ensure good handling, while the shoulder zones are structured to reduce noise levels. The Continental ContiPremiumContact 6 tires showed the best results in the qualification stage during the test drive.
Later, during the final stages, they overtook their competitors in endurance and attrition resistance tests. Experts calculated that Continental ContiPremiumContact 6 tires could provide efficient braking over 40,000 km of driving. They are in the top 5 based on the price-to-lifetime ratio. That's why they're number 1 in our rating.
2. Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance. These tires were launched in 2013. They are still in high demand as premium summer tires.
This continued popularity comes from road holding and high wet grip, excellent on-road performance and low rolling resistance. However, they are a little behind first place because of their noise reduction.
Goodyer EfficientGrip Performance made their debut in the ADAC 2017 adhesion and stability tests, while Gute Reise magazine, based on its own research, put these tires on the third rank.
3 . Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue. Introduced in 2012, these tires are still in high demand today. Auto Bild employees were supervised in 2017 checking the tires and enjoyed the way the vehicle was fitted with these tires on both wet and dry roads.
In addition, these tires provided the shortest braking distance on water-covered roads and significant fuel consumption. However, they took 3rd place in our rating due to average resistance to aquaplaning and rather high price.
4. Bridgestone Turanza T001. This model was also released in 2012. Since then, cars with these tires have taken part in numerous test drives. According to ADAC experts, they are particularly reliable during emergency braking. They also have high resistance to aquaplaning and good wet grip.
Another model from the same series, the Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo, took 6th place in the Auto Bild ranking and was marked as an example. However, the weakness of these tires is the average wear compared to the high purchase price, so we gave them fourth place.
5. Michelin Energy Saver +. The fifth tire in our rating was launched in 2013. This was selected as the most wear-resistant tire out of all 2017 models tested by ADAC.
Michelin Energy Saver + tires ensure a smooth, comfortable and noiseless ride. They have low rolling resistance, which reduces fuel consumption. Their weak points are mediocre resistance to aquaplaning and handling in wet weather, and high price compared to tires from other brands.
Top 5 of mid-price tyres
1. Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125. These tires only came out in 2016. They balanced out the wet and dry grip. Worth the price, they are silent and showed good results in each of the Auto Bild tests, these tires deserve 1st place in the mid-price segment.
2. Uniroyal Rainsport 3. These have been manufactured since 2013 and positioned as rain weather tires and have proven their reliability and durability in numerous test drives. In this year's Auto Bild test drive, for example, these tires had the longest grip on a water-covered road and did not skid until the speed of over 93 km/h was reached. For comparison, the tires that didn't perform well in this test skidded from a speed of 86.8 km/h.
On dry asphalt you could see that the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 reduced their handling significantly. In addition, their rolling resistance is quite high. That puts them second in our rating.
3. Vredestein SPORTRAC 5. These tires have been manufactured since 2012. They are safe and inexpensive. Some of the cheapest in their price range. Low rolling resistance.
According to the ADAC specialists, these are among the most durable summer tires: They came second in the ADAC drive test, only slightly behind the Michelin Energy Saver + premium model. In 2016, they took first place in Vi Bilägare magazine's cost-effectiveness tests. However, these tires are a bit inferior when it comes to aquaplaning resistance, handling, and wet and dry grip.
4. Avon ZV7. One of the British manufacturer's latest debuts, launched in 2016. The tires demonstrated excellent dry grip.
According to Auto Bild, when they tested lateral aquaplaning, these tires turned out to be better than the cheaper Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo and Continental PremiumContact 6. They also had higher roll stability than Michelin Primacy 3 and Cooper Zeon CS8 .
However, the less than perfect wet grip and slow response to steering didn't let these tires rise above fourth place in our rating.
5. Kumho Ecsta HS51. This tire model was presented at the end of 2014. They are great tires for moderate driving. In 2017, Auto Bild experts praised the resistance to aquaplaning, which was higher than that of some premium tires.
The specialists at Vi Bilägare believe that these tires will also ensure a comfortable ride. Also, these are ranked 5th in our rating due to slow steering response on dry roads, average wear and tear, and long rolling distance.
Top 5 cheap summer tires
1. Nexen N’Blue HD Plus. These tires have been manufactured since 2014, are reliable and offer impeccable grip and handling – both on dry and wet roads. Joint ACE and ARBÖ tests showed that these tires had the shortest braking distances, regardless of the weather conditions. They also had the lowest price out of all tires tested.
2. Barum Brilliant 2. Start of production: 2010. Main strengths: Good handling on wet roads, decent dry catcher, resistance to aquaplaning. But since these cost more than the Nexen N'Blue HD Plus, they're second in our rating.
3. BFGoodrich g-Grip. First introduced in 2009, these are currently still in production. Resistant to aquaplaning, they also offer short braking distances on dry roads. Because of the low rolling resistance, they help to reduce fuel costs. The weak points of these tires are the price, which is probably too high for this segment, and insufficiently secure wet grip.
4. Maxxis Premitra HP5. These tires were launched in 2015. They provide the car with stability, even when driving at high speeds. In 2015, the Chinese magazine „Motor Trend“ him the tire of the year. In the ADAC test, they showed good braking results on dry and wet roads and also help to reduce fuel consumption. However, they could be better in terms of wear compared to other tire models.
5. Sava Intensa HP. In 2011, these tires debut as some of the most popular in their price segment. In the ACE/ARBÖ tests of 2016, the tires showed good handling, high wear resistance, good price and a short braking distance when driving on dry roads. Their shortcomings are low aquaplaning resistance and excessively long braking distance on wet roads.
lso, which tires should I choose?
The fact that the tires we have listed above have all been selected for tests by prestigious magazines – and have passed these tests – speaks of their reliability and performance. Therefore, when choosing tires for your car, pay attention not only to the position that a particular model has in our rating, but also to the conditions in which you drive, your driving style and personal preferences.
When you enjoy high speeds, it is important to consider a tire's dry and wet grip parameters, as well as its speed of response to steering actions. Those who are very quiet and drive long distances will appreciate the price and durability of the tires. You can find our review quickly and easily – Find tires that best suit your needs, both in price and level of wear.