Tires

The aim of the test was to evaluate the driving characteristics of the treads, which is probably the most important factor. The tires were tested in both dry and wet conditions. Twenty of the tested patterns had dimensions of 205/55 R16, which is probably the most common size in our country. A week ago we brought you a test from the German ADAC car club. However, the Czech Auto Club focused on other characteristics of the tires and left the ecological aspects aside. That’s why the results vary, and that’s why this particular test may be more relevant to you.

The twenty sets of tires tested were divided into two basic categories – Premium and more affordable Budget. Subsequently, they underwent a total of 16 predetermined disciplines on the test track in Germany.

The recording technique measured their behavior during acceleration and braking as well as the limit of aquaplaning, both in the longitudinal and transverse directions. Noise and rolling resistance were then measured on dry land, and time was measured in both directions on the circular track.

An interesting part of the test is called Handling, i.e. a set of disciplines that take place on the circuit. In this case, licensed test drivers subjectively assess the car’s handling with a given type of footwear – the main factors here are the car’s response to steering and its stability under increased load. At the same time, none of the drivers has any idea which tire they are riding on at any given moment.

For logical reasons, differences between individual tire classes are also taken into account. For these purposes, the Firestone Roadhawk was chosen as the reference tire, which the judges assigned a reference value of 100%. The winner of the Budget category was the pattern from the Semperit brand, just ahead of the Firestone brand. This was followed by tires from Dunlop, Kumho, Apollo and Matador.

In the Premium class, the Continental PremiumContact 7 was the best overall, followed by the Michelin Primacy 4+. “The test results can help the consumer choose the tire that will best suit their needs. We recommend comparing the parameters that are the most important for consumers,” Veronika Truhlářová, general motoring manager of the Autoklub ČR, advised drivers.

While in the economy class the differences between the individual “competitors” were by no means essential, in the premium class the Bridgestone Turanza tire was placed in 3rd place, just behind the two prizes from Continental and Michelin. Further on in the rankings, the point differences in driving characteristics were a bit more pronounced, with the exception of the shared 6th place of Nokian and Vredestein patterns.

Nevertheless, it is not necessarily the case that the test winner is ideal for all consumers – after all, everyone has slightly different preferences and especially the type or method of use. “A driver who mostly drives around in city traffic may have different preferences, while a driver who often makes long journeys on highways behind the wheel may have different preferences,” confirmed Truhlářová.

With this in mind, it is understandable that the aforementioned reference tire (Firestone Roadhawk) performed very well in the more affordable tire class (2nd place), but in the premium class it already finished in last place. So it does not necessarily mean that it is an outright bad tire.