| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking |
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 Maxxis Premitra HP5 |
| Dry Braking |
Michelin Primacy 4 |
| Wear |
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 |
| Rolling Resistance |
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 |
| Snow Handling |
Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 |
As eight of the ten tires on test match tires we used in our test, but the overall results differ in places, I thought it would be an interesting exercise to look into what's different, and why that might be.
Firstly, it's important to note that while both tests were supported by Goodyear, I tested the entire of the test in Goodyear French test facility, where Auto Express split the testing between France and MIRA in the UK. This means the wet and dry handling tests conducted at MIRA were done on different surfaces, but the rest of the tests should have been done on the same tracks.
It's also important to note that Auto Express use a different overall score weighting, and frustratingly don't provide the data, just percentage scores for each category making an overall comparison trickier.
Similarities
The good news is that a lot of the data matched. Pirelli strugged in both tests with its new P7C2, and both tests had the new Goodyear amongst the very best in everything but wet braking and aquaplaning. Nokian and Maxxis both scored well too, and Bridgestone was sixth in both.
Differences
There were however two striking differences. The first was the Continental PremiumContact 6 which won the Tire Reviews test, but only placed 7th in Auto Express. Both tests rated it as excellent in dry handling, with fast times and sharp handling, and while it won the Tire Reviews dry braking, it was only 5th in AE, but just 0.5m off the best in a very close pack.
Both tests also rated it excellent in wet braking too, but auto express didn't like the wet handling, finding it soft and slow, the opposite of dry handling. While this is strange, it could be down to the temperature and surface differences between MIRA and Mireval.
The other big difference was Falken. We both found it to have high rolling resistance, which probably penalised it more in the auto express test, but it was the best wet braking tire in our test, and only managed 6th in Auto Express. On the same track, with the same car. We had the 94V, perhaps that's the difference.
Finally, Michelin finished a little higher in auto express. We both found it to be an excellent all round tire, it was just a little bit closer to the front in Auto Express tests, which isn't unusual thanks to the groups being so close, and the Auto Express score weighting being a little different to ours.
Overall this exercise shows us just how close the best tires on test are at the moment, and small variations in temperature, surfaces and even driving styles is sometimes enough to change the results in places. Add in the different score weighting, and it's no surprise our results didn't 100% match the Auto Express results, which is why it's always a good idea to not just trust one test, but to look at many different tests and user reviews to make your tire purchase decision.
Results
You can find the summary below, and the full results on the Auto Express website here.
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no
- 3PMSF: no