Upon the completion of their next test, the AB experts noted that they had rarely come across tires with such a bad performance.
List of models tested:
- Bridgestone Potenza Sport
- Continental PremiumContact 6
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Fulda SportControl 2
- GT Radial SportActive 2
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 K127
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Nexen N’Fera Sport SU2
- Tomket Sport 3
- Toyo Proxes Sport A
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+
The German motoring magazine Auto Bild Sportscars tested sports summer tires in size 225/45 R18, and after the test the experts noted that they had rarely come across tires with such a bad performance in terms of driving safety. On dry pavement, all the tires showed acceptable results, and the differences between them were not all that significant, but once the sprinkler system was on, the performance of some of the tires dropped to «catastrophically low». When braking from 100 km/h, the stopping distance demonstrated by the GT Radial model was two cars longer than that of Bridgestone’s, while the Tomket Sport 3 tires (a private brand owned by the Czech online store Nejlevnejsipneu.cz) needed a whopping 20 meters more to fully stop the car. For this reason, both these tire models were rated as «Not Recommended» by the experts.
As for the first place, it was shared by the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 and Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+, which both demonstrated well-balanced performance, Michelin’s downside being an expensive price, Vredestein’s downside being increased rolling resistance. Then comes a couple of tires from Japanese brands — Falken Azenis FK510 and Toyo Proxes Sport A — which also ensure optimum driving safety on dry and wet pavement, Falken’s drawback being the expensive price, Toyo’s drawback being relatively rough ride. Then followed the Bridgestone Potenza Sport, which demonstrated excellent wet performance, and the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3, which demonstrated well-balanced performance but lost points only due to low resistance to lateral hydroplaning.
The Continental PremiumContact 6, created with a special focus on ride comfort, came only seventh because it had a relatively low hydroplaning resistance and a long wet braking distance, then followed the Fulda SportControl 2 (a subsidiary brand of Goodyear), which also demonstrated average wet braking performance.
The ninth place was scored by the inexpensive Nexen N’FERA Sport, which could not match the leaders in terms of grip and handling, and the 10th and 11th places went to GT Radial and Tomket, respectively, with their dangerously long stopping distances on wet pavement.
1st place: Michelin / Pilot Sport 4
Quick Take
Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Excellent handling performance on dry pavement
- Precise steering response and good handling feedback
- Great handling response in the wet
- Short braking distance on wet and dry pavement
- Low rolling resistance
- High price
- Exemplary
1st place: Vredestein / Ultrac Vorti+
Quick Take
Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+
- Well-balanced performance
- Good grip on wet pavement
- Very high hydroplaning resistance
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on wet and dry pavement alike
- Precise steering response
- High rolling resistance
- Exemplary
3rd place: Falken / Azenis FK510
Quick Take
Falken Azenis FK510
- Very high hydroplaning resistance
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on wet and dry pavement alike
- Good riding comfort
- Overpriced
- Exemplary
3rd place: Toyo / Proxes Sport A
Quick Take
Toyo Proxes Sport A
- Very high hydroplaning resistance
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on wet and dry pavement alike
- Fair price
- Relatively rough ride
- Increased rolling resistance
- Exemplary
5th place: Bridgestone / Potenza Sport
Quick Take
Bridgestone Potenza Sport
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on wet and dry pavement alike
- Precise steering response
- Good riding comfort
- Increased rolling resistance<
- Increased noise
- Good
5th place: Hankook / Ventus S1 evo3 K127
Quick Take
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 K127
- Well-balanced performance
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on wet and dry pavement alike
- Low noise emission
- Low rolling resistance
- Attractive price
- Limited lateral hydroplaning resistance
- Good
7th place: Continental / PremiumContact 6
Quick Take
Continental PremiumContact 6
- Good handling response and a short stopping distance on dry pavement
- Low rolling resistance
- Great riding comfort
- Low hydroplaning resistance
- Delayed steering response
- Long braking distance on wet pavement
- Satisfactory
8th place: Fulda / SportControl 2
Quick Take
Fulda SportControl 2
- Acceptable handling response in the wet and in the dry
- Good hydroplaning resistance
- Short braking distance on dry pavement
- Low rolling resistance
- Great riding comfort
- Long braking distance on wet pavement
- Average lateral stability on dry pavement
- Fuzzy steering response
- Satisfactory
9th place: Nexen / N Fera Sport
Quick Take
Nexen N Fera Sport
- Good hydroplaning resistance
- Short braking distance on dry pavement
- Low price
- Insufficient handling response on wet and dry pavement
- Poor lateral stability
- Delayed steering response
- Increased rolling resistance
- Satisfactory
10th place: GT Radial / SportActive 2
Quick Take
GT Radial SportActive 2
- Good hydroplaning resistance
- Short braking distance on dry pavement
- Low rolling resistance
- Poor traction, poor lateral stability, prone to understeer and a very long braking distance on wet pavement
- Delayed steering response
- Average riding comfort
- Not recommended
11th place: Tomket Sport 3
- Short braking distance on dry pavement
- Low rolling resistance
- Weak grip on wet pavement
- Extremely prone to understeer on dry and wet pavement
- Fuzzy steering response
- Dangerously long braking distance on wet pavement
- Very low hydroplaning resistance
- Not recommended
