The 2024 AZ Summer Tire Test evaluated nine premium touring summer tires, providing a detailed analysis of their performance in various conditions, including dry and wet braking, handling, noise level, and rolling resistance. The Continental PremiumContact 7 stood out with top marks in most categories, followed closely by other brands like Pirelli and Hankook.
The Continental PremiumContact 7 led the way in dry braking, with the Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 in close second.
Dry Braking
Spread: 1.90 M (5.8%)|Avg: 33.78 M
Dry braking in meters (100 - 0 km/h) (Lower is better)
Continental PremiumContact 7
32.90 M
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
33.00 M
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
33.30 M
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
33.60 M
Vredestein Ultrac
33.70 M
Maxxis Premitra HP5
34.20 M
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
34.20 M
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
34.30 M
Bridgestone Turanza 6
34.80 M
The Continental and Pirelli combination also led dry handling, proving their the best in the dry.
Dry Handling
Spread: 1.50 s (2%)|Avg: 76.14 s
Dry handling time in seconds (Lower is better)
Continental PremiumContact 7
75.30 s
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
75.60 s
Vredestein Ultrac
75.70 s
Maxxis Premitra HP5
76.00 s
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
76.40 s
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
76.40 s
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
76.50 s
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
76.60 s
Bridgestone Turanza 6
76.80 s
Wet
Continental was back at the front in wet braking, with a significant advantage over the Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 in second place.
Wet Braking
Spread: 5.10 M (12.9%)|Avg: 42.64 M
Wet braking in meters (100 - 0 km/h) (Lower is better)
Continental PremiumContact 7
39.50 M
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
40.90 M
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
41.90 M
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
43.10 M
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
43.20 M
Bridgestone Turanza 6
43.20 M
Maxxis Premitra HP5
43.30 M
Vredestein Ultrac
44.10 M
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
44.60 M
In a surprising turn of events, the PremiumContact 7 was also the fastest in wet handling, and the wet circle test.
Wet Handling
Spread: 3.10 s (4%)|Avg: 79.14 s
Wet handling time in seconds (Lower is better)
Continental PremiumContact 7
77.70 s
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
78.00 s
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
78.20 s
Vredestein Ultrac
78.40 s
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
78.80 s
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
79.20 s
Maxxis Premitra HP5
80.60 s
Bridgestone Turanza 6
80.60 s
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
80.80 s
Wet Circle
Wet Circle
Spread: 0.70 s (6%)|Avg: 11.98 s
Wet Circle Lap Time in seconds (Lower is better)
Continental PremiumContact 7
11.70 s
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
11.80 s
Vredestein Ultrac
11.90 s
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
11.90 s
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
11.90 s
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
11.90 s
Maxxis Premitra HP5
12.10 s
Bridgestone Turanza 6
12.20 s
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
12.40 s
The Continental had to settle for third place in the deeper water of straight aquaplaning, with the Firestone Roadhawk 2 and Maxxis Premitra HP5 beating the German tire.
Straight Aqua
Spread: 5.60 Km/H (6.7%)|Avg: 81.06 Km/H
Float Speed in Km/H (Higher is better)
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
84.20 Km/H
Maxxis Premitra HP5
83.20 Km/H
Continental PremiumContact 7
82.30 Km/H
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
81.90 Km/H
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
81.40 Km/H
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
79.40 Km/H
Vredestein Ultrac
79.30 Km/H
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
79.20 Km/H
Bridgestone Turanza 6
78.60 Km/H
Comfort
The Hankook was also the quietest in the noise test, tying the top spot with Michelin.
Noise
Spread: 3.00 dB (4.3%)|Avg: 71.22 dB
Internal noise in dB (Lower is better)
Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
70.00 dB
Michelin Primacy 4 Plus
70.00 dB
Vredestein Ultrac
71.00 dB
Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
71.00 dB
Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
71.00 dB
Bridgestone Turanza 6
71.00 dB
Continental PremiumContact 7
72.00 dB
Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
72.00 dB
Maxxis Premitra HP5
73.00 dB
Value
The Michelin Primacy 4+ also joint won the rolling resistance test, tying top spot with the Bridgestone Turanza 6.
The Continental PremiumContact 7 is a true all-rounder, delivering exceptional performance on both wet and dry surfaces. It reacts quickly to driver input and provides a thrilling driving experience, though it might not be the top choice for drivers who prioritize maximizing fuel savings.
The Pirelli P7 Cinturato is designed for those who enjoy a more spirited driving experience. It offers precise steering, excellent grip, and a sporty feel, though its focus on performance means slightly reduced comfort and average fuel efficiency.
The Hankook Ventus S1 evo³ offers a comfortable and quiet ride with good handling characteristics, making it a balanced choice with a slightly sportier feel. While it performs well overall, it's not the best choice if fuel economy is your main concern.
The Vredestein Ultrac focuses on providing a balanced driving experience with a strong emphasis on safety. It offers good grip levels in both dry and wet conditions, along with a comfortable ride and good fuel economy. Its one drawback is a slightly longer braking distance in the wet compared to some rivals.
The Firestone Roadhawk 2 is a value-oriented tire with a focus on balanced performance. It delivers a good all-around driving experience and stands out for its excellent fuel efficiency, but doesn't have any specific areas where it truly excels.
The Falken ZIEX ZE310 Ecorun is a decent tire for everyday driving, offering a comfortable ride and reasonable performance in both wet and dry conditions. However, this older model suffers from high rolling resistance, meaning it will use more fuel than its competitors.
The Michelin Primacy 4+ prioritises comfort and fuel efficiency above all else. It provides an exceptionally quiet and smooth ride while helping you save on fuel, but its wet braking performance isn't the best and it lacks the sporty handling of some competitors.
The Maxxis Premitra 5 is a budget-friendly option that delivers acceptable grip and overall performance. However, its high rolling resistance negatively impacts fuel economy, and it tends to be noisy on the road.
The Bridgestone Turanza 6 prioritizes fuel efficiency and a comfortable ride. It offers a quiet driving experience, however, its grip in wet conditions is only average.