Test World: Large Summer Tire Test R16 2021

The test involved 14 summer tire models from various price segments, and what made it different was the fact that the braking tests were performed in four temperature modes (the lowest temperature being +1°C) on two types of road surfaces. TW already shared about how tires react to temperature changes, the best tires in the final standings being Continental, Michelin, and, unexpectedly, Linglong, which were the quickest to bring the car to a standstill at relatively low temperatures. At the same time, the Nokian tires, which are positioned as «tires for the northern summer», did not show any outstanding results, which became yet another surprise (the tables show the mean value calculated after all the test runs).

Michelin Primacy 4 - Winner Recommended

84 59

· Summer · 2017 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Well-balanced performance. Reliable behavior without any unpleasant surprises in any conditions. Short braking distance in any conditions. Low noise emission. Low rolling resistance.
Wet Braking Rolling Resistance Dry Braking Noise

Mexico · Central & South America · Europe · Russia+ · East Asia · Southeast Asia · Middle East · Africa · Oceania

Test Score:

8.9
Continental PremiumContact 6

88 70

· Summer · 2016 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Good handling performance on wet pavement (although slightly prone to oversteer). Good handling performance on dry pavement, including during emergency maneuvers. Very high rolling resistance.
Dry Handling Wet Handling Rolling Resistance

North America · Europe · Russia+ · Japan · Middle East · Africa · Oceania

Test Score:

8.7
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

85 64

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Short braking distance and good handling response on dry and wet pavement. Low aquaplaning resistance.
Wet Braking Dry Braking Wet Handling Dry Handling Aquaplaning

Europe · Russia+ · Japan · China · Southeast Asia · Middle East · South Africa

Test Score:

8.6
Linglong Sport Master SA220

67 33

· Summer · 2021 · Passenger - Ultra High Performance Summer

Verdict:
A great result for an economy-class tire. Short braking distance on wet and dry pavement at any temperature. Good handling performance (even though the steering response is slightly delayed during emergency maneuvers). Low hydroplaning resistance.
Wet Braking Dry Braking Dry Handling Aquaplaning

Europe

Test Score:

8.3
Nokian Hakka Blue 2

85 23

· Summer · 2016 · Passenger - Ultra High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Great handling in the wet and in the dry. Excellent hydroplaning resistance. Braking performance declines significantly as the temperature drops.
Dry Handling Wet Handling Aquaplaning Wet Braking

Europe · Russia+ · Japan

Test Score:

8.3
Sentury Qirin 990

N/A 23

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Short braking distance on wet and dry pavement. Low rolling resistance. Relatively weak lateral stability and delayed steering response.
Wet Braking Dry Braking Rolling Resistance Lateral Stability

Europe

Test Score:

8.1
Bridgestone Turanza T005

83 61

· Summer · 2018 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Good lateral stability and crisp steering response. Low rolling resistance. Poor result for such a big-time tire maker. Long braking distance on wet pavement that grows even longer as the temperature drops.
Rolling Resistance Lateral Stability Wet Braking

North America · Central & South America · Europe · Russia+ · China · South Korea · Southeast Asia · Middle East · Africa · Oceania

Test Score:

8
Sava Intensa HP2

61 32

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Well-balanced performance. Excellent hydroplaning resistance. Prone to abrupt loss of grip on dry pavement.
Aquaplaning Dry Handling

Europe

Test Score:

7.8
Toyo Proxes Comfort

72 42

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - Ultra High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Good lateral stability on wet pavement (although the grip can be lost too abruptly). Excellent hydroplaning resistance. Long braking distance on dry pavement.
Aquaplaning Lateral Stability Dry Braking

Europe · Russia+

Test Score:

7.8
Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125

78 54

· Summer · 2015 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Good handling response in the dry. Low hydroplaning resistance. Increased rolling resistance.
Dry Handling Aquaplaning Rolling Resistance

Mexico · Central & South America · Europe · Russia+ · East Asia · Southeast Asia · Middle East · Africa · Oceania

Test Score:

7.4
Westlake ZuperEco Z-107

N/A 30

· Summer · 2019 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Excellent hydroplaning resistance. Long braking distance on wet and dry pavements. Bad handling response in the wet.
Aquaplaning Wet Braking Dry Braking Wet Handling

Europe

Test Score:

7.4
Kumho Ecsta HS51

72 37

· Summer · 2015 · Passenger - Ultra High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Good lateral stability on wet pavement. Long braking distance on dry pavement. High rolling resistance.
Lateral Stability Dry Braking Rolling Resistance

Central & South America · Europe · Russia+ · East Asia · Southeast Asia · Middle East · North Africa · Oceania

Test Score:

7.3
Cooper Zeon CS8

74 21

· Summer · 2015 · Passenger - High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Acceptable braking performance on wet pavement. Poor handling response in the wet and in the dry. High rolling resistance.
Wet Braking Dry Handling Wet Handling Rolling Resistance

Europe · Russia+ · South Africa

Test Score:

7.2
CST Medallion MD-A1

N/A 32

· Summer · 2018 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Acceptable braking performance on wet pavement. Poor lateral stability and poor handling performance on wet pavement.
Wet Braking Wet Handling Lateral Stability

Central & South America · Europe

Test Score:

7.1