The new test of UHP tires conducted by experts from the popular German magazine Auto Bild Sportscars involved a large number of new models, which for the first time faced each other on a test and race track. In addition, for the first time in this test, the incredible hot hatch Toyota GR Yaris with a 261-horsepower engine, all-wheel drive, and a differential lock was used as the test car, which inherited genes from the WRC rally car. After just a few turns on the race track at the Wachauring circuit of the Austrian Automobile, Motorcycle and Touring Club ÖAMTC in Melk (Lower Austria), the «sporty» strengths and weaknesses of the tested tires became obvious.

The tires were tested using Toyota GR Yaris. Source: autobild.de

It should be noted that among the 13 participants of the 225/40R18 summer tire test, there were models to suit any taste and budget: from expensive premium-class sports tires to budget ones from Asian tire makers. So, here are the contestants:

• Bridgestone Potenza Sport;
• Continental SportContact 7;
• Falken Azenis FK520;
• Firestone Firehawk Sport;
• Giti GitiSport S2;
• Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6;
• Hankook Ventus S1 Evo3;
• Linglong Sport Master;
• Maxxis Victra Sport 5 VS5;
• Michelin Pilot Sport 5;
• Pirelli P Zero PZ4;
• Superia Ecoblue UHP;
• Toyo Proxes Sport 2.

In the handling test, last year’s Michelin Pilot Sport 5 model is still the benchmark in terms of cornering and maneuverability. However, the new 2023 UHP tire models from Pirelli, Continental, and Bridgestone slightly outperform the French competitor on the track and achieve virtually identical record times. On wet tracks, Michelin also lags behind the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, which, just like the new Potenza Sport from Bridgestone, is characterized by excellent steering response and well-balanced performance. With cheaper models, there is a clear correlation between price and quality, and it’s best to avoid them, especially in the sports segment where tires are pushed to the limit, and the guardrail is too close.

The takeaway of this test is that new always beats old. Tire technologies are constantly evolving and becoming faster and more efficient. And this means that maybe it’s time for Michelin to consider updating their best-selling Pilot Sport 5.

Wet

Handling. The Yaris on Bridgestone’s Potenza Sport sticks to the road surface like glue, while on Goodyear and Pirelli, the test car takes the track like it’s on rails. The complete opposite of this are the cheap Superia tires, which completely lack lateral stability and are simply unsafe.

Braking. The Continental, Hankook and Michelin tires demonstrated the best braking performance, with the shortest braking distance of 39 meters on average, while the other competitors lag behind by at least two meters. Giti and Linglong tires lag behind the leaders by a whole car length, and the outsider again became the Ecoblue UHP from Superia, which lags behind the leader by more than 10 meters, which means a residual speed of 48 km/h!

Lateral Stability. The best lateral stability on the wet circle was demonstrated by Bridgestone and Pirelli. The Newcomer Proxes Sport 2 from Toyo was close on their heels, redeeming itself for average results in other tests. The outsider remained unchanged — it was the «low-performance» Superia.

Hydroplaning. The GitiSport S2 very effectively evacuates water from the contact patch. The cheap tires from Linglong and Superia lose grip and start «floating» very early on.

Dry

Handling. The Toyota GR Yaris, when driven in track or sport modes, requires stable traction on the rear axle due to its short wheelbase, which is best demonstrated when fitted with Bridgestone and Continental tires. On Linglong and Maxxis tires, the test hatchback suffers from significant understeer, while Superia completely undermines its dynamics and ruins the driving pleasure.

Braking. The braking distance of less than 34 meters and an impressive lead over all others was achieved by Bridgestone and Continental. Behind them, there is a large group of followers with results between 34 and 35 meters, while the Chinese brand Superia has an endless braking distance of 38.6 meters.

Noise. The road noise inside the car is hardly distinguishable, and the first fiddle is always played by the rumbling of the three-cylinder engine. From the outside, the difference in noise levels between all tires is almost indistinguishable and varies within a range of three decibels between the quietest and loudest models.

Rolling resistance. A sporty character and fuel saving performance are not necessarily mutually canceling characteristics. The Continental, Goodyear, and Hankook models are rather fuel-efficient, yet at the same time have enough wet and dry grip in them.

The Final Standings

Result summary. Auto Bild Sportscars Summer Tire Test— 225/40R18 Places 1–12. (click to enlarge)

Summary

Partly, significant differences between the tested sports tires were noticeable thanks to the powerful Toyota GR Yaris, which really can push its tires to the limit. However, to some extent, this difference will also be noticeable on an average car. Interestingly, the order in the final standings correlates with the price of the tires, with expensive ones at the top and budget ones at the bottom. All the five models with the «exemplary» verdict belong to the category of expensive premium-class tires. And this is not accidental, because in this segment, many unique technologies are introduced and high-quality materials are used to achieve high performance, which ultimately increases the end cost of the product.

Price