For the first time around, the British portal tested crossover tires, evaluating their performance not only on asphalt, but also on gravel and grass.
List of models tested:
- Avon ZX7
- BFGoodrich Advantage SUV
- Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV K127A
- Michelin Primacy 4
- Nokian Wetproof SUV
- Uniroyal RainSport 5
- Vredestein Ultrac Satin
- Westlake SU318 H/T
In the new summer tire test, whose results the British portal Tyre Reviews has recently published, SUV tires in size 235/55 R18 were compared. The test was conducted at a Goodyear test facility in Texas, and, since the tires in question were designed to be used predominantly on asphalt, their performance in harsh off-road conditions was not evaluated, even though TR did test them on damp grass and on gravel.
The test involved tires from such popular brands as Michelin, Goodyear, Nokian, etc, while the selected size fits many SUVs and CUVs, including BMW X3 and X5, Audi Q3, Volvo XC40 and XC60, Volkswagen Tiguan, Jeep Compass, Kia Sportage, and Nissan Qashqai.
Dry braking was led by the Michelin Primacy 4, while the Westlake SU18 HT from ZC Rubber — the only budget tire on test — came last, falling way behind the rest of the group.
The best dry handling lap time, thanks to good lateral grip, was shown by the Avon and the Hankook models, which increase driving safety during an emergency maneuver. At the same time, the Westlake model again fell short of the other competitors because it was prone to understeer much more than the others. The TR experts noted that the Avon, Hankook, and Goodyear tires ensured a relatively fast response to the driver’s actions, which they could not say about the BFGoodrich and Uniroyal models.
On wet pavement, the fastest tire to bring the VW Tiguan to a halt was the Uniroyal Rainsport 5, which this time performed up to its name. The Goodyear and the Hankook tires demonstrated good braking performance in any conditions, while the remaining speed of the car driving on Westlake tires during braking from 80 km/h was 40 km/h, which cannot be considered a satisfactory result by any standards.
The wet handling test was again won by the Uniroyal tire, followed by Goodyear and Hankook, while the Michelin model, as the TR experts noted, had a relatively weak grip on stretches covered in a deeper water layer, which stopped it from demonstrating a better lap time.
In the next discipline, straight hydroplaning resistance was evaluated. The Uniroyal tire again confidently came first, while Michelin’s issues became even more prominent, and it ultimately performed even worse than the cheap Westlake model.
The best tire to combat lateral hydroplaning was the Vredestein Ultrac Satin. Although the Uniroyal model did not win this time, it did score silver, while the bottom line of the tournament bracket was occupied by the premium-class Michelin Primacy 4.
On grass, the best traction was demonstrated by Hankook, Michelin, and Goodyear, but the TR experts noted that the difference between the worst and the best results amounted to over 10%.
In the gravel test, the tire that accelerated the car the fastest was the Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV, possibly, thanks to its largest tread depth. Uniroyal, Vredestein, and Nokian also showed good results, and then, just as the team was getting to the last set, a Texas storm broke out, which is why the data is missing for Westlake.
The ride comfort was subjectively evaluated, and the BFGoodrich and Uniroyal led the group, narrowly ahead of the Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV
The Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV also came out the winner in terms of low external noise, while BFGoodrich turned out to be much noisier.
The last test consisted in measuring rolling resistance, which directly affects the fuel consumption by the vehicle, and first place was scored by Michelin, whose result was 7% better than that of Goodyear, which came second.
Verdict
First place in the final standings, even in spite of some shortcomings in wet handling, coupled with downright poor hydroplaning resistance, straight and lateral alike, was scored by the Michelin Primacy 4, whose list of achievements includes excellent braking performance and fuel efficiency. Then comes the new model 2021 — Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV — which, although it won in just one discipline, did not show any weaknesses in any of the disciplines, which spells a really well-balanced performance. Third line of the tournament bracket was this time around scored by the Uniroyal Rainsport 5, which demonstrated outstanding performance on wet pavement, but could not repeat this success in the dry, where it demonstrated less-than-perfect grip and was clearly prone to understeer.
The leaders were closely followed by the Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV, which, just as Goodyear, demonstrated well-balanced performance, its only weak side being increased rolling resistance — 20% higher than that of the tires that became the best in this discipline. Fifth place was scored by the BFGoodrich Advantage SUV, which impressed the test experts with decent ride comfort, short dry braking distance, and high hydroplaning resistance. At the same time, BFGoodrich demonstrated a less-than-perfect wet handling performance.
The Nokian Wetproof SUV was commended for well-balanced performance, while the Vredestein Ultrac Satin demonstrated a very high hydroplaning resistance, and the Avon ZX7 ensured good handling response in any conditions, yet it braking performance fell short of that of most of the competitors.
Last place was expectedly scored by the cheapest tire on test — the Westlake SU318 HT. At the same time, the TR experts noted that in North America this tire is positioned as an all-season one, meaning that, possibly, it has a better level of traction on snow than other tested tires, and this could explain its poor performance on asphalt.
1st place: Michelin / Primacy 4
Quick Take
Michelin Primacy 4
- This tire has been replaced by Michelin / e.Primacy , Michelin / Primacy 4+ , Michelin / Primacy 4 ST
- Available Sizes in Line: 143
- Year Released: 2017
- Regions for sale: Mexico, Central & South America, Europe, Russia+, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Africa, Oceania
- Short braking distance on wet and dry pavement
- Good on damp grass
- Low rolling resistance
- Very low hydroplaning resistance
- Insufficient handling response in the wet
- Average on gravel
2nd place: Goodyear / EfficientGrip 2 SUV
Quick Take
Goodyear EfficientGrip 2 SUV
- This tire replaced Goodyear / EfficientGrip SUV
- Available Sizes in Line: 55
-
Original Equipment (OE) tires
for:
- • Jeep Avenger [2023 .. 2024]
- Year Released: 2021
- Regions for sale: Europe, Russia+, Japan, China, Southeast Asia, Middle East, South Africa
- Well-balanced performance and absence of any prominent issuesr
- Quick steering response
- Good riding comfort
- Excellent grass and gravel traction
- Low rolling resistance
- Low noise emission
- Relatively low lateral hydroplaning resistance
3rd place: Uniroyal / RainSport 5
Quick Take
Uniroyal RainSport 5
- This tire replaced Uniroyal / RainSport 3
- Available Sizes in Line: 207
- Year Released: 2019
- Regions for sale: Europe
- Short braking distance and good handling response on wet pavement
- Good riding comfort
- Excellent gravel traction
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Relatively long braking distance and prone to understeer on dry pavement
4th place: Hankook / Ventus S1 evo3 SUV K127A
Quick Take
Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV K127A
- This tire replaced Hankook / Ventus S1 evo2 SUV K117A
- This tire has run-flat model:
- Available Sizes in Line: 64
-
Original Equipment (OE) tires
for:
- • BMW X5 IV (G05) [2018 .. 2023]
- • BMW X6 III (G06) [2019 .. 2023]
- • Audi RS Q8 4M [2019 .. 2023]
- • Porsche Cayenne III (9Y) [2017 .. 2023]
- • Audi Q8 4MN [2018 .. 2023]
- • Audi Q5 FY Facelift [2021 .. 2023]
- • Volkswagen Tiguan II (AD/BW) Facelift [2020 .. 2023]
- • Audi SQ8 4MN [2019 .. 2023]
- • Nissan X-Trail IV (T33) [2021 .. 2024]
- Year Released: 2019
- Regions for sale: North America, Central & South America, Europe, Russia+, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Middle East, Oceania
- Good handling response and short braking distance in any conditions
- Low noise emission
- Good on grass
- Average resistance to straight hydroplaning
- High rolling resistance
- Low gravel traction
5th place: BFGoodrich / Advantage SUV
Quick Take
BFGoodrich Advantage SUV
- This tire replaced ⛔ BFGoodrich / g-Grip SUV
- Available Sizes in Line: 23
- Year Released: 2020
- Regions for sale: Europe, Middle East
- Short braking distance on dry pavement
- Good hydroplaning resistance
- Good off-road performance
- Great riding comfort
- Low rolling resistance
- Relatively long braking distance on wet pavement
- Prone to understeer on dry and wet pavement
- High noise emission
6th place: Nokian / Wetproof SUV
Quick Take
Nokian Wetproof SUV
- Available Sizes in Line: 27
- Year Released: 2020
- Regions for sale: Europe
- Well-balanced performance
- Excellent traction on gravel and dry pavement
- Relatively low traction on grass
7th place: Vredestein / Ultrac Satin
Quick Take
Vredestein Ultrac Satin
- This tire has been replaced by Vredestein / Ultrac
- Available Sizes in Line: 128
-
Original Equipment (OE) tires
for:
- • Volkswagen Touareg II (CR) [2018 .. 2023]
- Year Released: 2016
- Regions for sale: USA+, Canada, Europe, Russia+
- Excellent hydroplaning resistance
- Relatively low rolling resistance
- Good on gravel
- Long braking distance on wet and dry pavements
- Low riding comfort
8th place: Avon / ZX7
Quick Take
Avon ZX7
- Available Sizes in Line: 50
- Year Released: 2016
- Regions for sale: Europe, Russia+
- Very good handling performance and precise steering response on dry pavement
- Great handling response in the wet
- Long braking distance on wet and dry pavements
- Poor hydroplaning resistance
- Low gravel and grass traction
- High rolling resistance
9th place: Westlake / SU318 Radial H/T
Quick Take
Westlake SU318 Radial H/T
- Available Sizes in Line: 57
- Year Released: 2012
- Regions for sale: North America, Central & South America, Europe, Russia+, East Asia, Oceania
- Relatively low noise emission
- Long braking distances and generally low traction in any conditions
- Low hydroplaning resistance
- Low riding comfort
- High rolling resistance
