Al Volante: Summer Tire Test R16 2022

Al Volante: Summer Tire Test R16

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.

  1. Pirelli Cinturato P7 (P7C2) - Winner
    Pirelli Cinturato P7 (P7C2)
    82 58
    · 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 North America · Central & South America Central & South America · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan · China China · Middle East Middle East · Oceania Oceania
    Test Score:
    98.1
  2. Bridgestone Turanza T005
    Bridgestone Turanza T005
    84 63
    · 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 North America · Central & South America Central & South America · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · China China · South Korea South Korea · Southeast Asia Southeast Asia · Middle East Middle East · Africa Africa · Oceania Oceania
    Test Score:
    98
  3. Michelin Primacy 4
    Michelin Primacy 4
    85 61
    · 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 Mexico · Central & South America Central & South America · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia · Southeast Asia Southeast Asia · Middle East Middle East · Oceania Oceania
    Test Score:
    97.5
  4. Continental PremiumContact 6
    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 North America · Europe Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan · Middle East Middle East · Oceania Oceania
    Test Score:
    96.6
  5. Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
    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 Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · Japan Japan · China China · Southeast Asia Southeast Asia · Middle East Middle East · South Africa South Africa
    Test Score:
    96
  6. Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun
    Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun
    76 43
    · 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 Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · South Africa South Africa
    Test Score:
    94.6
  7. Nokian Wetproof
    Nokian Wetproof
    81 45
    · 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 Europe
    Test Score:
    94.2
  8. Linglong GREEN-Max HP010
    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 Europe · Russia+ Russia+ · East Asia East Asia
    Test Score:
    92.8
Year
2022
Max Score, points
100
Tire Size
205/60R16
Season
Summer
Auto Type
Passenger
List Type
Professional Tire Test
Region
Europe
Date added
May 23, 2022
Date updated
May 30, 2022
Infographic

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