| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking |
Continental Sport Contact 6 |
| Dry Braking |
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 |
| Rolling Resistance |
Pirelli P Zero PZ4 Firestone Firehawk SZ90 Rotalla RU01 S Pace |
| Noise |
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2 |
| Snow Handling |
Rotalla RU01 S Pace |
Testing nine 235/35 R19 maximum performance tyres using a Focus ST, Auto Bild have focused on the raw performance of these tyres, weighting the score heavily in favour of wet and dry handling.
The Top Three
Sadly, the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is missing from this test, which means it was a fairly easy win for the Continental Sport Contact 6. The Continental dominated in both dry braking and dry handling, won the wet handling test, but could only manage mid pack for wet braking. The testers also noted the Continental gave them the most driving pleasure from all tyres on test, something which is important from a performance tyre.
Second place was awarded to the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 2 K117. Like the Continental, it proves to be a very balanced tyre, with just a little understeer in the wet the only negative point. The top three were rounded out by the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 which is again a very balanced tyre, with a hint of understeer in the wet.
The Rest
Falken will be pleased with fourth place, beating the more expensive Dunlop tyre in fifth. The Falken FK510 proved to have short wet braking and good dry braking and handling characteristics, but when compared to the best on test the rolling resistance was high, comfort low and the steering was slightly sluggish. The Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 won the aquaplaning tests, which were combined with excellent wet and dry braking results, but had a poor dry handling score leaving it in fifth overall.
Sixth to last place all had their individual issues which can be seen in the full results below. Only two tyres on test, the mid-range Firestone and budget Rotalla were deemed to be "not recommended", both due to poor wet performances.
The Results
Dry score weighting - 60% dry handling, 40% dry braking.
Wet score weighting - 15% longitudinal aquaplaning, 5% cross aquaplaning, 40% wet handling, 10% lateral stability, 30% wet braking
Why I get an impression that Auto Bild is getting "special" tires from Hankook.
All the models in all sizes AutoBild tests, and Hankooks are so impressive and in top possitions.
But, if you see other magazines or ADAC or other associations, especially those that are buying tires from retail where all of us are buying, and Hankooks somehow are middle class with average performance.
Auto Bild are the biggest tyre testers in Europe every year. I'm not exactly sure how they obtain the tyres, but I am sure they will have safeguards in place against "special" tyres being tested.
My point is not if Auto Bild has ways to check the tires, but it looks to me as if Hankook is making paid commercial through Auto Bild.
Paying media to "advertise" you as among the best is nothing new and is widely used. In Auto Bild-Hankook situation, what caught my eye is that in all the latest tests from Auto Bild, Hankook is far better than in the tests from other magazines or organizations.
Is this "updated" P zero; is there a way to differentiate prior and new version when buying this model?
Yes, this would be the PZ4 version of the P Zero.
We need to work out a way of making that clearer on this website!
Going to change my nokian zline and I don't know what to buy next...
Was wondering how the hankook v12 evo2 were, but there aren't many reviews (I loved the old v12 evo)
Can't understand how they compare with s1 evo2
Falken's azenis 510 seems a good bang for the bucks, but not avaylable in my size (205/50r17)
According to this test, you wouldn't have any problems with either! If you were pleased with the older Hankook pattern, it would make sense, especially as the test winning Conti won't be available in your size either.