The Results
Dry: Shortest dry braking and fastest lap time due to extremely high grip. Excellent steering precision and cornering stability
Wet: Excellent braking, high lateral grip and second fastest wet lap time
A well balanced tyre, extremely strong in both the wet and dry means the new Dunlop Sport BluResponse is the test winner
Total: 262
Dry
127
Wet
135
Dry: Close to the Dunlops dry lap time, the Goodyear has a good dry balance and high grip. Low rolling resistance.
Wet: Like the Dunlop, the Goodyear is extremely stable with good wet grip. Only a slightly longer wet braking distance drops it a point
As with all Goodyear products, the new EfficientGrip Performance shines with its safety related qualities, taking second in this test
Total: 255
Dry
121
Wet
134
Dry: Stabling handling in the dry, good braking and a very low rolling resistance
Wet: Strong wet braking. Not the fastest wet lap time, but extremely safe in the wet
While the Premium Contact 5 isn't the fastest tyre in the dry or wet, it does provide a good all round ability with an extremely low rolling resistance
Total: 241
Dry
119
Wet
122
Dry: Excellent dry braking and a very fast dry lap time. Low rolling resistance
Wet: Wet braking not on par with the top 3, but a quick wet lap with balanced grip
Good in the wet and excellent in the dry, the new Sportrac 5 gets a commendable fourth place
Total: 237
Dry
121
Wet
116
Dry: Very quite and low rolling resistance, short braking distances and well balanced handling
Wet: Excellent aquaplaning properties, lacking a little traction in the wet lap
The Turanza T001 is a very well balanced tyre and very close to the Vredestein
Total: 234
Dry
116
Wet
118
Dry: Good dry braking and a very comfortable tyre. Not the quickest dry lap due to slightly snappy handling
Wet: A fast wet lap, but fairly unstable at the limit, losing traction quickly
Good overall grip for the Nokian Line but let down by the tyres stability at the limit
Total: 224
Dry
106
Wet
118
Dry: The RainExpert is known as a wet weather tyre, and it shows here with a slow dry laptime and average dry braking
Wet: Best longitudinal aquaplaning, excellent load change results, very safe to drive in the wet
Living up to its name, the Uniroyal is one of the best tyres in the wet, only to be let down by its dry performance
Total: 223
Dry
95
Wet
128
Dry: In the dry the Michelin is fast and safe
Wet: The Michelin Primacy 3 has a relatively weak wet performance needing large steering angles to turn the car
As a near opposite to the Universal, the Michelin is extremely strong in the dry, only to be let down by clumsy wet performance
Total: 218
Dry
121
Wet
97
Dry: High rolling resistance, but strong on the brakes. Slight lack of grip in the long corners, average lap time
Wet: Excellent aquaplaning results and well balanced handling
A good start for the new Apollo Alnac 4G, high rolling resistance and slightly slow wet lap time leave it in ninth
Total: 218
Dry
108
Wet
110
Dry: A fast lap time, but highest rolling resistance and understeer in the fast corners
Wet: Average braking and a large steering angle needed in the wet
Strong braking, but the handling and stability of the tyre suffers
Total: 215
Dry
106
Wet
109
Dry: Average braking in the dry, but a good balance on the handling course. High rolling resistance
Wet: Good aquaplaning but long wet braking distances. Poor wet traction
Except in aquaplaning, the Pirelli doesn't really shine in any category
Total: 208
Dry
107
Wet
101
Dry: Quick dry steering but only average braking and a slow lap time
Wet: Oversteer at the limit, a lack of traction on the drive axle, long braking and a slow turn-in make the Falken ZE914 Ecorun poor in the wet
Poor braking in both the wet and dry, and average lap times make the Falken a non-recommended tyre
Total: 176
Dry
102
Wet
74
Considering replacing the sp01 I have with these. Just need to find them in stock.
I take it that they're the next generation but with better grip and economy.
Let's hope they drive just as well.
Noise seems to be up though. Rolling resistance is better so could still be quieter.
Just hope the EU tests won't cause the same problem that has been caused by tax bands...making tires that fit the tests and not the consumer!
"Just hope the EU tests won't cause the same problem that has been caused by tax bands...making tires that fit the tests and not the consumer!"
This is exactly what is happening at the budget end of the market!
I now have a set of Pirelli Cinturato P7s and found them to be very good in wet weather. I bought it for its wet weather performance after reading previous tyre tests. That being said, I haven't had any experience with any of the oher tyres tested here so I guess I can't really compare them in the same way that they have done.
However, I'm curious: in the 2010 Auto Zeitung Premium Touring Tyre Test, the Cinturato P7 came second with 253 points, and they commented that it had good wet braking performance and in fact won the wet braking test. In 2013, the same organisation rates the same tyre as having long wet braking distances and poor wet traction, and it finished with a score of 208.
Why is there such a discrepancy between the two results? Even if I were to accept that the Cinturato P7 is a 2009 release and there are better and more advanced tyres released since then, surely the Cinturato P7's strong points in 2010 can't suddenly become its weak points in 2013.
There are many factors which influence a wet braking tyre test such as tyre size, ambient temperature, water depth, road CoF.
Also worth considering is how far the competition have moved the game on to ensure a strong wet braking label score, with nearly all the tyres above it newer designs.
Well, it's worthless trying to explain what the factor might have been. If you took your time to post their review in your site, take your time also to ask them why the results ended up being so different and post it here. These so called tyre tests are anything but scientific. It's impossible that a 2010 review from the same company labels the P7 as a low rolling resistance tyre and now says it has a high rolling resistance. I won't review a tyre in the summer with 35 celsius and give it a high score and review it again later in the spring with 3 or 4 degrees and call it a piece of crap. If the reviewer didn't explain the conditions on their article page (temps, pressures, water depth, car, weight and traction...) shame on them, otherwise, shame on you.
I had P7 for 4 years and it was made in Poland. Worst tyre ever. Everything they said on top is true...