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Are Budget Tyres Finally Good Enough? 8 Cheap Tyres VS 1 Premium Tyre

Jonathan Benson
Tested and written by Jonathan Benson
9 min read Updated

Adjust Result Weighting

The overall scores below are calculated using our weighting system based on the test methodology. You can adjust the weightings below to explore how different priorities affect the results.

Dry 35%
Wet 50%
Comfort 5%
Value 10%
Dry 35% · Wet 50% · Comfort 5% · Value 10%
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Dry
Wet
Comfort
Value

Test Results Data

BEST Good Average Below Average
# Tyre Total Score Dry Wet Comfort Value
Braking M Handling s Subj. Dry Handling Points % Braking M Handling s Subj. Wet Handling Points Circle s Straight Aqua Km/H Curved Aquaplaning m/sec2 % Subj. Comfort Points Noise dB % Price Rolling Resistance kg / t %
1 Continental PremiumContact 7 99.6% 35.27 ★ 51.73 ★ 100 ★ 100% 31.58 ★ 84.85 ★ 100 ★ 11.5 ★ 74.91 ★ 3.3 ★ 100% 92 2 72 94.8% 86.19 8.38 3 98.4%
2 Tomket Sport Series 1 92.1% 37.83 2 52.78 3 85 3 94.6% 38.69 2 89.21 2 90 2 12 3 70.52 2.8 88.7% 91 3 72.6 93.8% 50.49 8.28 ★ 99.9%
3 Nankang Econex NA1 89.8% 38.45 3 52.23 2 75 93.3% 39.61 3 89.36 3 70 11.9 2 74.13 2 3.2 2 86.8% 90 71.9 3 93.8% 46.69 3 9.18 90.3%
4 Winrun R330 89.5% 39.41 52.85 90 2 93.3% 40.91 92.25 70 12.4 70.83 3 84% 100 ★ 72.2 98.6% 46.59 2 8.37 2 98.9%
5 Davanti DX390 88.3% 39.08 53.32 70 91.3% 40.75 92.19 65 12.4 70.98 3 3.1 3 83.8% 91 3 70.3 2 95.4% 57.78 8.56 96.6%
6 Triangle SporteX TH201 86.8% 40.01 52.97 80 91.6% 43.6 93.11 70 12.7 69.51 2.7 81.1% 91 3 73.2 93.5% 56.08 8.71 94.9%
7 King-Meiler Sport 1 KM 85.9% 39.48 52.84 85 3 92.8% 43.93 95.24 65 12.7 69.61 2.8 79.9% 91 3 72.9 93.7% 54.3 9.42 87.9%
8 Maxtrek MAXIMUS M1 85.7% 39.32 53.21 75 91.6% 43.45 93.93 75 3 12.7 67.3 2.6 81.1% 91 3 74.4 92.7% 55.18 9.82 84.3%
9 Double-Coin DC99 82.5% 39.62 53.39 30 86.7% 46.04 96.27 50 12.8 64.55 2.3 75.6% 90 70.2 ★ 95% 45.87 ★ 8.63 96%
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1
Continental PremiumContact 7
99.6%
Dry 100% Wet 100% Comfort 95% Value 98%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 35.27 M ★
Dry Handling 51.73 s ★
Subj. Dry Handling 100 Points ★
Wet
Wet Braking 31.58 M ★
Wet Handling 84.85 s ★
Subj. Wet Handling 100 Points ★
Wet Circle 11.5 s ★
Straight Aqua 74.91 Km/H ★
Curved Aquaplaning 3.3 m/sec2 ★
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 92 Points 2
Noise 72 dB
Value
Price 86.19
Rolling Resistance 8.38 kg / t 3
More information
2
Tomket Sport Series 1
92.1%
Dry 95% Wet 89% Comfort 94% Value 100%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 37.83 M 2
Dry Handling 52.78 s 3
Subj. Dry Handling 85 Points 3
Wet
Wet Braking 38.69 M 2
Wet Handling 89.21 s 2
Subj. Wet Handling 90 Points 2
Wet Circle 12 s 3
Straight Aqua 70.52 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 2.8 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 91 Points 3
Noise 72.6 dB
Value
Price 50.49
Rolling Resistance 8.28 kg / t ★
More information
3
Nankang Econex NA1
89.8%
Dry 93% Wet 87% Comfort 94% Value 90%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 38.45 M 3
Dry Handling 52.23 s 2
Subj. Dry Handling 75 Points
Wet
Wet Braking 39.61 M 3
Wet Handling 89.36 s 3
Subj. Wet Handling 70 Points
Wet Circle 11.9 s 2
Straight Aqua 74.13 Km/H 2
Curved Aquaplaning 3.2 m/sec2 2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 90 Points
Noise 71.9 dB 3
Value
Price 46.69 3
Rolling Resistance 9.18 kg / t
More information
4
Winrun R330
89.5%
Dry 93% Wet 84% Comfort 99% Value 99%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 39.41 M
Dry Handling 52.85 s
Subj. Dry Handling 90 Points 2
Wet
Wet Braking 40.91 M
Wet Handling 92.25 s
Subj. Wet Handling 70 Points
Wet Circle 12.4 s
Straight Aqua 70.83 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 3 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 100 Points ★
Noise 72.2 dB
Value
Price 46.59 2
Rolling Resistance 8.37 kg / t 2
More information
5
Davanti DX390
88.3%
Dry 91% Wet 84% Comfort 95% Value 97%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 39.08 M
Dry Handling 53.32 s
Subj. Dry Handling 70 Points
Wet
Wet Braking 40.75 M
Wet Handling 92.19 s
Subj. Wet Handling 65 Points
Wet Circle 12.4 s
Straight Aqua 70.98 Km/H 3
Curved Aquaplaning 3.1 m/sec2 3
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 91 Points 3
Noise 70.3 dB 2
Value
Price 57.78
Rolling Resistance 8.56 kg / t
More information
6
Triangle SporteX TH201
86.8%
Dry 92% Wet 81% Comfort 94% Value 95%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 40.01 M
Dry Handling 52.97 s
Subj. Dry Handling 80 Points
Wet
Wet Braking 43.6 M
Wet Handling 93.11 s
Subj. Wet Handling 70 Points
Wet Circle 12.7 s
Straight Aqua 69.51 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 2.7 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 91 Points 3
Noise 73.2 dB
Value
Price 56.08
Rolling Resistance 8.71 kg / t
More information
7
King-Meiler Sport 1 KM
85.9%
Dry 93% Wet 80% Comfort 94% Value 88%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 39.48 M
Dry Handling 52.84 s
Subj. Dry Handling 85 Points 3
Wet
Wet Braking 43.93 M
Wet Handling 95.24 s
Subj. Wet Handling 65 Points
Wet Circle 12.7 s
Straight Aqua 69.61 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 2.8 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 91 Points 3
Noise 72.9 dB
Value
Price 54.3
Rolling Resistance 9.42 kg / t
More information
8
Maxtrek MAXIMUS M1
85.7%
Dry 92% Wet 81% Comfort 93% Value 84%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 39.32 M
Dry Handling 53.21 s
Subj. Dry Handling 75 Points
Wet
Wet Braking 43.45 M
Wet Handling 93.93 s
Subj. Wet Handling 75 Points 3
Wet Circle 12.7 s
Straight Aqua 67.3 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 2.6 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 91 Points 3
Noise 74.4 dB
Value
Price 55.18
Rolling Resistance 9.82 kg / t
More information
9
Double-Coin DC99
82.5%
Dry 87% Wet 76% Comfort 95% Value 96%
View detailed scores
Dry
Dry Braking 39.62 M
Dry Handling 53.39 s
Subj. Dry Handling 30 Points
Wet
Wet Braking 46.04 M
Wet Handling 96.27 s
Subj. Wet Handling 50 Points
Wet Circle 12.8 s
Straight Aqua 64.55 Km/H
Curved Aquaplaning 2.3 m/sec2
Comfort
Subj. Comfort 90 Points
Noise 70.2 dB ★
Value
Price 45.87 ★
Rolling Resistance 8.63 kg / t
More information
Not every driver has the same priorities. Adjust the category weightings above to re-rank the tyres based on what matters most to your driving style.
Scores are colour-coded from red (weakest) through yellow to green (strongest) to help you quickly spot each tyre's strengths and weaknesses.
The original test ranking is shown in the # column. Arrows indicate how each tyre moves when your custom weighting is applied.

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Discussion

20 comments
  1. alespa archived

    How bad is the ice performance of the current crop of all-seasons (& more specifically, the best) vs, say, a reference winter tire (blizzak/870/etc)?

    I'm looking at moving to all-seasons (the contis, in particular) for my winter set of tires on a gs450h (currently 225/50/17 alpin 6 about to start its 4th season - might replace early). Winters here are generally mild (Sofia, Bulgaria), but I do drive in conditions that sometimes form the worst kind of ice (a few below subzero + wet weather + road with basically no sunlight = smooth, slick... you know) - plus the hard ice at winter resort parkings, of course. Same day I can be driving on a highway (140kph) in 15+ degrees dry & sunny weather (say, going to the seaside or to Greece or anywhere southern and/or generally flat), which sounds like the perfect way to degrade winter tires (both compound and thread) - or am I perhaps worrying too much and should stick with winters? And yes, I do see snow regularly, but the snow performance of today's all-seasons seems almost indistinguishable from a non-X-Ice-type winter tires.

    #9665
    1. TyreReviews alespa archived

      I've only done ice traction and braking but it was broadly similar. Data out in next few weeks.

      #9672
      1. alespa TyreReviews archived

        ...and I guess I should've posted under the correct article. Not sure how I ended up here, I was looking at the "best 2024 all-seasons" one. Sorry and please move if you're able - my bad.

        #9675
  2. Mark archived

    I'd be very interested to know the relative effect of tyre wear. We all know that a 50% worn tyre does not perform as well as it did when it was new. What we dont know is how does a 50% worn premium tyre compare against a brand new budget tyre...?
    Maybe if you buy budget but change at 50% wear, you might be overall safer than if you buy premium but run it til it's not legal anymore, I don't know?
    A purist will buy premium AND change well within the limit but not all of us have the budget to do that, so I'd love to see some hard facts on the topic.
    thanks, Mark

    #9486
    1. TyreReviews Mark archived

      In aquaplaning you likely would be safer with two budget tyres, but in every other way I would rather be on the premium tyre.

      #9495
  3. Osama Bin Jinping archived

    all your tests are done at high speeds. i am interested in the slow speed dry/wet braking test. does that also translate to cars driven inside the city at slow speeds (30 to 40 km/h)?

    #9018
    1. TyreReviews Osama Bin Jinping archived

      Trends continue but naturally things are much closer as distances are shorter

      #9019
  4. Denis archived

    I would compare budget summer tyres with the European winter tyres, as this should be the case. Those who wants to save some money, they would not even change non-studded winter tyres. I'm working in tyre online store in Latvia, mostly this is the issue - most of the drivers does not see the benefit in switching tyres, European winter tyres are considered as All season tyres: www.jaunasriepas.lv

    #8910
    1. TyreReviews Filip archived

      lol, top gif.

      External noise is a factor, however tyre companies can direct the noise of the tyre with tread pattern design, meaning some companies can direct the noise into the wheel arch to get a better EU label score, but have worse internal noise. I don't think it makes a massive difference.

      Pitch is also another thing you notice a lot more inside which isn't recorded on the external noise tests.

      #8891
        1. TyreReviews Filip archived

          Ah thanks, that's a copy and paste issue on my part!

          #8893
  6. Jon archived

    Did you try putting 4 different budget tyres on the car - some part worn etc. The number of times while I've been waiting for a tyre change someone has come in and asked for a single tyre change with the cheapest replacement going.

    #8859
    1. TyreReviews Jon archived

      I've not done all 4 but there's a video on the channel comparing budgets on the rear and premium on front of an M2

      #8864
  7. TassieLorenzo archived

    Best thinking face emoji in video thumbnail yet! :D

    #8855
  8. juraj archived

    I would add another recent test, where they compare set of premium tyres vs set of budget brands (some maybe rather known midrange brands, not necessarily Asian unknown brands):
    https://autozurnal.com/test...

    I know it is in Slovak, but nowadays with google translate available... anyway, it is mostly about graphs and numbers :)

    Btw, the test also confirms CPC7's great wet road abilities. I think the test was done in cooperation with Czech car club, as they have the same results in different graphic design on their web.

    #8853
    1. TyreReviews juraj archived

      There's a bunch of similar tests on the site from this year, all very similar results. It's nice when tyre testers agree.

      Though you are correct, I wouldn't call any of those tyres budget at all, lowest is mid range / tier 2. This is a true budget test!

      #8854
      1. TyreReviews TyreReviews archived

        Sorry, I realised there was a page 2 with lots of budget tyres on too, but I realised that as I was taking off on a flight so just got around to replying now :)

        Thanks for the link!

        #8856
  9. David Hoffman archived

    Retreaded passenger car tires are sometimes good for slow moving low load vehicles that travel on dirt roads. Farm cars, hunting cars we call them. In the USA the last company to offer retail retreaded passenger car tires finally went out of business recently. They produced lots of junk tires that failed at highway speeds and were a nightmare to own. Their off road low speed low load tires performed much better.

    #8827
    1. TyreReviews David Hoffman archived

      Agreed! Truck and bus tires also often get re-treaded, but they're designed to be!

      #8832