Test source Auto Review

2012 Autoreview Touring Tire Test

Overall test winnerHankook Ventus Prime2

While German tire tests are great at putting raw figures together, they often miss out on some of the subjective feel of the tire.

Data analyzed and reviewed byJonathan Benson

July 16, 2012 4 min read Updated January 8, 2025

Tire shortlist Read the test

Tires tested: 9
Tested size: 205/55 R16

At a glance

Tire shortlist

9 Tires tested

Published finishing positions, with the strengths and considerations from this test. Owner reviews cover other sizes and driving conditions.

1^st

Hankook Ventus Prime2

+Best aquaplaning result, strong grip on dry and wet roads

−A little unstable during the wet handling tests

63 owner reviews Test Results

2^nd

Nokian Hakka Blue

+Fastest laptimes in the dry and wet

−Increased rolling resistance, average aquaplaning results

6 owner reviews Test Results

3^rd

Pirelli CINTURATO P7

+One of the lowest rolling resistance, excellent braking, good dry handling

−A little unstable during the wet handling tests

192 owner reviews Test Results

4^th

Continental Premium Contact 5

+One of the lowest rolling resistances, accurate steering, good control in the wet

−Low resistance to aquaplaning

119 owner reviews Test Results

5^th

Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3

+Well balanced in all tests, good grip in the dry and wet

−Low resistance to aquaplaning, slightly slow steering response

308 owner reviews Test Results

6^th

Goodyear EfficientGrip

+Good steering response, predictable at the limit, high resistance to aquaplaning

−Average overall grip in the wet and dry

148 owner reviews Test Results

7^th

Dunlop SP Sport Fast Response

+Quick steering response, very quiet, high resistance to aquaplaning

−Due to the quick steering, can be difficult to control in the wet

103 owner reviews Test Results

8^th

Barum Bravuris 2

+Low rolling resistance, price

−Very sluggish handling in the wet and dry, noisy, low resistance to aquaplaning

127 owner reviews Test Results

9^th

BFGoodrich gGrip

+Low rolling resistance

−Poor grip in the wet, poor handling in the wet and dry, low resistance to aquaplaning

47 owner reviews Test Results

Tire shortlist

Compare selected tires

2012 Autoreview Touring Tire Test · 205/55 R16

Tire	Hankook Ventus Prime2	Nokian Hakka Blue	Pirelli CINTURATO P7	Continental Premium Contact 5	Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3	Goodyear EfficientGrip	Dunlop SP Sport Fast Response	Barum Bravuris 2	BFGoodrich gGrip
Position	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th	9^th
Keep researching	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results	Read owner reviews Test Results

Explore the complete results →

The full test

The evidence behind the verdict

While German tire tests are great at putting raw figures together, they often miss out on some of the subjective feel of the tire. This is where the Russian magazine Auto Review comes into its own, combining great data along with the subjective feel felt when driving on each tire.

In 2012 Auto Review have tested 9 touring tires on an Audi A3 in 205/55 R16 91V. Auto Review selected the newest breed of touring tires, specifically designed to save fuel without sacrificing performance in any other areas, such as wet grip.