Al Volante: Summer Tire Test R16 2022

The Al Volante magazine conducted a test of summer tires designed for compact crossovers in size 205/60 R16, comparing their performance on dry and wet pavement. The test car was a Volkswagen T-Cross. The test pool included tires priced from 80 to 100 Euros in Italy, and, since many drivers yield to the temptation of buying their next set of tires based solely on their price, the test also involved the cheapest tire that the experts could find online — the Linglong Green-Max HP010 coming at 45 Euros. The tests were performed in the fall of 2021 in warm weather.

Pirelli Cinturato P7 (P7C2) - Winner

82 60

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Short braking distance and very good handling performance on wet pavement (quickly responds to the driver’s actions). Very good lateral hydroplaning resistance. Predictable behavior on dry pavement.
Wet Handling Wet Braking Lateral Hydroplaning

North America · Central & South America · Europe · Russia+ · Japan · China · Middle East · Oceania

Test Score:

98.1
Bridgestone Turanza T005

83 61

· Summer · 2018 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Short wet and dry braking distances. Low noise emission. Somewhat unstable steering response on dry pavement.
Wet Braking Dry Braking Noise Steering Response

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

Test Score:

98
Michelin Primacy 4

84 59

· Summer · 2017 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Short braking distance on dry pavement. Very good handling response in the wet. Relatively low straight and lateral hydroplaning resistance.
Wet Handling Dry Braking Lateral Hydroplaning Straight Hydroplaning

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

Test Score:

97.5
Continental PremiumContact 6

88 70

· Summer · 2016 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Very low rolling resistance. Predictable behavior on wet pavement. Relatively long braking distance on dry pavement. Relatively weak straight hydroplaning resistance.
Wet Handling Wet Braking Rolling Resistance Dry Braking Straight Hydroplaning

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

Test Score:

96.6
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

85 64

· Summer · 2020 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
Invariably good results in all of the disciplines. No prominent issues found. Slightly delayed steering response on wet pavement.
Wet Handling Dry Handling Steering Response

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

Test Score:

96
Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun

77 41

· Summer · 2017 · Passenger - High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Strong straight and lateral hydroplaning resistance. Good braking performance on wet pavement. Good riding comfort. Delayed steering response on wet and dry pavement. Increased rolling resistance.
Comfort Lateral Hydroplaning Straight Hydroplaning Steering Response Rolling Resistance

Europe · Russia+ · South Africa

Test Score:

94.6
Nokian Wetproof

81 43

· Summer · 2019 · Passenger - Premuim Touring Summer

Verdict:
High resistance to straight hydroplaning. Relatively long braking distance and delayed steering response on wet pavement. The steering wheel feels «hollow» on dry pavement (yet the grip remains stable). Increased noise.
Straight Hydroplaning Steering Response Wet Braking Noise

Europe

Test Score:

94.2
Linglong GREEN-Max HP010

67 17

· Summer · 2012 · Passenger - High Performance Summer

Verdict:
Low price. Relatively long braking distance on dry and wet pavement. Poor grip and less-than-ideal wet handling performance (frequent steering adjustments required). Increased noise.
Price Wet Handling Wet Braking Dry Braking Noise

Europe · Russia+ · East Asia

Test Score:

92.8