Featured: 2022 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test

The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is new to market, but so is its main rival, the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6! 

To find out which of these new ultra high performance tires are best, I use a VW Golf GTI wearing 225/45 R17 tires and test the dry, wet, comfort, noise and rolling resistance of nine sets of performance tires, to see if the new PS5 or Asym 6 can retain their crowns, or whether another brand of tire will prove to be best!

Featured: What is ACTUALLY new with the Michelin Pilot Sport 5?

Michelin has just launched the new Michelin Pilot Sport 5, and it looks to be a very interesting, but perhaps not what we expected, update!

First up, some general information to clear up some confusion online. This tire is not a replacement for the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 AND 4S. The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 (PS5) directly replaces the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 (PS4), and while there's been no official announcement about the replacement of the Pilot Sport 4 S (PS4S), it is likely this will be replaced at some point in the future.

The "non-S" version of the Pilot Sport summer tire range has always been aimed at smaller wheel sizes, and is slightly less performance orientated than the "S version". As an example, in Europe the Pilot Sport 4 was available from 16" to 22" wheel sizes, and aimed at the segment of cars and SUVs which need less ultimate performance, and a little more comfort.

This is the segment of user the PS5 is aimed at.

The Pilot Sport 4 S, in Europe at least, started in 19" for most of its life and went up to 23", offering slightly improved dry and wet grip and handling, at the expense of a little comfort and rolling resistance. The differences were small, but they existed.

North America is a slightly different market, and they had almost no sizes of the PS4 instead having the PS4S in 16" and above. According to the press releases it's likely that North America will have a little more availability of the PS5, especially while we're globally waiting for the replacement of the PS4S.

Tire Reviews will first be testing the PS5 in March against all it's premium rivals, including the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, but there are some key things we can learn from the press releases and data floating around online. Or more to the point, some of the lack of data...

Featured: 2022 Tire Reviews UUHP Summer Tire Test

It's the 2022 Tire Reviews Ultra-Ultra High Performance Summer Tire Test! You can watch the video here, or scroll down for the full write up and data!

In this tire test, I'll be testing ten of the most popular ultra-ultra high performance tires on the market to find out exactly what tire is best at what.

Bridgestone WeatherPeak - Launched

The new Bridgestone WeatherPeak is Bridgestones first attempt at an all weather tire for the North American market, and if the initial data is correct, it could be the first tire to knock the dominant Michelin CrossClimate 2 from its top spot!

2022 Track Day Tire Test

With 2022 seeing the launch of the track day specific Bridgestone Potenza Race, the German publication Auto Bild have decided to see how the new Bridgestone fairs up against its key rivals in the segment, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect, Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R, and Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport R.

As usual with Auto Bild tests they have been extremely thorough, not just testing the dry track performance of the tire, but also looking at long run wear, wet grip, and dry and wet braking performance of the track specific rubber.

Hankook Ventus iON S - Launched

Hankook are one of the tire manufacturers leading the charge developing specific ranges of EV (electric vehicle) tires, with the culmination of their work being the new iON range.

As you would expect, the new iON range of EV specific tires focus on less energy usage, enabling the driver to go further on a single charge, lower noise levels, with Hankooks sound absorber material inside the tire, all while keeping excellent performances in the dry and wet.

The new Hankook Ventus iON S and SX (for SUVs) covers the summer range and is available to buy now, with the winter Hankook Winter i*cept iON due later this year. There is also an all season tire specifically for North America, more on that in the near future.

At time of writing there has been no chance to test the new iON tire, so instead you can read the press release below, and keep an eye on the site for when Tire Reviews gets chance to get the new range of tires.

Hankook Ventus iON S: new summer tire for e-cars to join global tire family ­

• ­Greater range per battery charge and a quieter drive
• Efficient, redeveloped product available in sizes 18 to 22 inches
• TÜV SÜD* certified: conflict of objectives successfully managed­­ ­ ­

Michelin Pilot Sport 4S vs Cup 2 vs Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar 3 vs 3R vs Toyo R888R

It doesn't take much to make me happy, but a Chevrolet Camaro SS 1LE at Nelson Ledges with five sets of tires ranging from treadwear 300 to treadwear 100... well that's a very easy place to be happy.

The reason for this test was to see if a lower treadwear value, which is a number the American Uniform Tire Quality Grade (UTQG) standards body assign to a tire based on a basic wear test, really does mean more grip, but it turned out to be a fascinating insight into some of the big hitting tires used on track in North America.

Watch the video below for the full details.

Everything you need to know about the Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV

Michelin have just announced the successor to the hugely popular Michelin CrossClimate SUV all season / all weather tire, the new Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV!

As with the CrossClimate 2 launch, Michelin are heavily focused on the overall performance of the new SUV four season tire, claiming to be the leader in braking on snow covered, dry and wet roads, and being the leader in longevity.

Everything you need to know about the EU Tire Label

Since the introduction of mandatory EU tire labels in 2012, all tires have to carry a label informing the consumers how well the tire performs based on 3 key performance criteria. Prior to the EU tire labels, consumers mostly get to know how well the tire performs via a press test. However with the introduction of labels, consumers are able to clearly and quickly compare different tires at a glance of the product info. Before getting into the debate on whether wet braking, rolling resistance & exterior noise are worthy of a label status, let’s have a deep look at each performance criteria which is currently on the EU tire label. 

The New Bridgestone Potenza Race Looks to be an Excellent Track Tire!

Bridgestone have just released their new Bridgestone Potenza Race road-legal semi slick, and according to initial data, it looks to be an exceptional dry weather tire!

New semi-slick track day tires are a rare occurrence, with the last major release being the Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperSport R in 2019 and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect in 2020, so the new Bridgestone has a few years on the existing products. Even considering that advantage, the data looks good!

The independent testing organisation TUV tested the new Potenza Race against the Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport R, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect and Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R in 245/35 R19 using a Mercedes AMG A45S using the (extremely long) Nardo handling circuit.

The average lap time of three laps was: Bridgestone Potenza Race - 2:35.39,  Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R - 2:37.62, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 Connect - 2:37.87, and Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport R - 2:37.89

The Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS is coming to North America

In 2021 Tire Reviews tested eight sets of 200tw track day tires, but sadly due to the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71R being discontinued and the replacement RE-71RS not being available in North America at the time, Bridgestone were missing from the test. Many people questioned the omission in the comments, as the RE71R was a much loved tire, and were disappointed to find out it was no longer available.

Fortunately, Bridgestone have answered all our prayers and have just announced they are bringing the Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS to North America! Initially it will be available in 38 sizes in the US and Canada, ranging from smaller 15 inch wheels, all the way to 20 inches!

2022 ViBilagare Eco vs Normal Tire Test

If like me you've been wondering exactly how low rolling resistance / eco / EV tires differ from their regular counterparts, this is the test for you!

The wonderful people at the Swedish publication ViBilagare have tested ten sets of tires in the popular 205/55 R16 size, and included "normal" AND "eco / EV" tires from Continental, Michelin and Nokian. This means we have the Continental PremiumContact 6 vs EcoContact 6, Michelin Primacy 4 vs e.Primacy and Nokian Hakka Blue 3 vs Green 3 (these are the Nordic specific versions of the Nokian WetProof.)

Why no eco / low rolling resistance / EV tires from Goodyear and Bridgestone? This test highlights the different approaches of certain tire manufacturers, and while Tire Reviews isn't sure on Bridgestones philosophy, Goodyear firmly believe that EV specific tires aren't needed if you make all your tires EV Ready, by focusing on low fuel consumption and excellent grip in all conditions for every tire.

2022 AutoBild 19 Inch Summer UHP Tire Test

For AutoBild's third summer tire test for 2022, the German publication tested ten sets of 245/40 R19 tires using a BMW 5 Series.

As this is the first test with both the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 AND Continental SportContact 7, it makes for a very interesting test!

The new Goodyear wins overall thanks to excelling in nearly every test, other than aquaplaning (though strangely Auto Bild still said the tire has good aquaplaning reserves, we're not sure why.)

The SportContact 7 was the fastest tire in the dry and had the best dry braking, however it couldn't match the stellar wet performance we found in the Tire Reviews 2022 UUHP Tire Test.

2022 AutoBild SUV 4x4 Summer Tire Test

Autobild are at it again, with the best SUV / mild 4x4 summer tire test you'll see all year (Tire Reviews sadly isn't doing one)! The German publication have tested ten leading SUV tires in the popular 235/55 R18 tire size using a VW Tiguan, and have managed to test the tires in the usual range of tests covering the dry and wet performance of the tires, but also test them on grass, dirt, gravel and even sand!

To add even more awesomeness Autobild included the multiple award winning Goodyear Vector 4Season Gen 3 all season tire. There's been a number of driver reviews on Tire Reviews claiming that an all season tire is actually pretty cabible in certain offroad conditions, and now we get to see!

2022 AutoBild Sports Cars UHP Summer Tire Test

The 2022 Autobild Sportscars summer tire test has tested eleven 225/45 R18 sizes using a BMW 3 Series, but has also tested four of the SAME sets in a staggered 225/45 R18 front and 255/4 R18 rear size to compare the two different options.

First up, the main test. Sadly the test was missing Goodyear and Pirelli, and interestingly the testers found the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 not only to be the best, but also to have the sportiest handling, something we're don't see often.

Even more surprising was that the Vredestein Ultrac Vorti+ finished joint first, beating every tire in the wet handling test and ending up with enough points to match the Pilot Sport 4.

It was the test of ties, with the Falken FK510 and Toyo Proxes Sport A finishing joint third and the Bridgestone Potenza Sport and Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 3 finishing joint fifth.

2022 AMS Performance Summer Tire Test

It's the first test of the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6, and it's the first test win for the new tire!

For 2022, the excellent publication Auto Motor und Sport have tested ten ultra high performance tires in 245/45 R19 using an Audi A6 Quattro. The new Goodyear was essentially the best in nearly all the grip tests, and had the best subjective handling on test, but did drop some points in aquaplaning.

2022 Auto Bild Summer Tire Test

The 2022 AutoBild summer tire is here! As usual, the test started out as a wet and dry braking test of fifty sets of tires in the popular 215/55 R17 size, with the best twenty one moving through to this full test. Not only have AutoBild managed to test the new Hankook Ventus Prime 4 and Kumho Ecsta HS52, they've also put all twenty one sets of tires through a wear test, and included an (unnamed) all season tire as a reference in the grip tests!

The Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 won the test by combining good grip in the dry and wet, very low rolling resistance and the best wear on test. Even though it wasn't the cheapest tire, when AutoBild divided the purchase price by the projected mileage it also proved to be the best value tire on test, a very impressive showing from Goodyear.

2022 Sport Auto UHP, UUHP and Semi Slick Tire Test

For summer 2022, Sport Auto tested four sets of UHP tires, three sets of UUHP and three semi set of slick track day tires, all in the popular 235/35 R19 size! This is of course very interesting, and in parts a little confusing! 

As the Tire Reviews database doesn't yet have the ability to deal with different types of tires in the same test gracefully, we'll run over the results below before presenting all the data.

Hankook Ventus Prime 4 - Press Release

The Hankook Ventus Prime 4 has been launched! Sadly, it's unlikely we'll have chance to test the new tire this year, so for now here's the press release with all the information you could ever need about the Prime 3 successor!

Hankook Ventus Prime 4: Press Release

- Compared to its successful predecessor, the new Ventus Prime 4 impresses with further improved properties in practically all relevant points. 

- The handling and rolling resistance of the new high-performance generation from the premium manufacturer have been further optimised. 

- Hankook engineers were also able to increase the mileage. 

- Available now in numerous sizes from 16 to 20 inches.

2022 ADAC 16" SUV Summer Tire Test

For the 2022 ADAC tire test, the German publication have tested a crossover SUV size of 215/60 R16 (this test) and a smaller 185/65 R15 tire size which can be read here.

2022 ADAC Summer Tire Test - 15 Inch

For the 2022 ADAC tire test, the German publication have chosen the small 185/65 R15 tire size usually fitted to city cars and hatchback vehicles.

Sadly, as usual there's no actual data provided behind the scores, but ADAC have graded and commented on all the tires in detail which you can read below.

2022 Summer Tire Market Overview

Without fail, each year German publication Auto Bild provides the most comprehensive overview of the summer tire market by testing a huge amount of tires ability in the dry and wet, in order to work out which twenty tires deserve to be tested in their full summer tire test.

For 2022, Auto Bild have tested 50 tires in the most popular tire size in Europe, 215/55 R17.

Falken AZENIS FK520 - Launched

It should need no introduction, the highly popular Falken FK510 has just been replaced by the new Falken Azenis FK520! 

For now, this is all the information we have, but be sure to keep an eye on the site and Tire Reviews social media for further information.

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 - Press Release

Here at Tire Reviews we're always excited about new tires, and you can always guarantee a new tire in Goodyear's much loved Asymmetric range peaks our excitement.

The Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 was a multiple test winning tire, including the 2021 Tire Reviews UHP tire test, so to learn that the new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 promises to improve the outgoing model in the dry and wet, while also lowering the rolling resistance so the tire is "EV ready" sounds almost too good to be true.

Rest assured, we're working flat out to perform one of the first tests of the new Asymmetric 6 early next year, and for now you can read the press release below. It will be available for purchase January 2022 in popular 17 and 18 inch wheel sides, with more coming across the first half of the year.

2022 is going to be another exciting year for tire testing.

2021 Tire Reviews All Season Tire Test

Do you want to know what all season tire is best for year round driving whatever the weather? In this test we take nine of the very best 205/55 R16 all season tires on the market, plus a well regarded summer and winter tire as references, to see exactly what tire performs best in the dry, wet, snow, comfort, noise and rolling resistance tests!

Michelin CrossClimate 2 - Available Sizes

As you're probably aware, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 launched in Europe this month, and is a big improvement over the outgoing Michelin CrossClimate+ (you can see our review of the Michelin CrossClimate 2 vs CrossClimate+ here!) 

The most common question we've had since the tire launched has been "Is the CrossClimate 2 available in my size?" 

To answer this, here's a list of all sizes the Michelin CrossClimate 2 is available in Europe. There's a few more sizes due later this year, and a further expansion in 2022, however this is a really impressive launch list.

Michelin e.Primacy - Launched

In December 2020 Michelin announced the new Michelin e.Primacy, and now in March 2021, it is widely available for purchase in the UK market. Designed to sit alongside the hugely popular Michelin Primacy 4, the new Michelin e.Primacy has some incredible statistics both for electric vehicle (EV), and internal combustion (IC) drivers who want to save money, range, and have an interest in protecting the environment. 

The new Michelin e.Primacy is the first tire to be carbon neutral at point of purchase, and has the lowest rolling resistance in its class. It is built on the core Michelin principle that a tire should perform all the way to 1.6mm, which avoids early changing of tires, reducing the environmental impact and saving the customer money. Impressively, it is still capable of passing the EU wet braking test after 30,000 km, a distance at which some competitor tires might be already past the legal tread depth limit!