The Test World ultra high performance summer tire test puts thirteen 225/40 R18 tire patterns through the usual array of wet, dry and environment testing using a VW Golf GTI.
Sadly, there's no Michelin Pilot Sport 4 in this test, with Test World testing the older Pilot Sport 3 pattern, but they have included the new Goodyear and Dunlop tires.
Premium VS Budget
The most interesting aspect of this test was the inclusion of the Jinyu, Delinte and Aptany budget brands of tires. Jinyu is now sold as a "premium budget" in the UK, so comparing the results against the best premiums gives an insight into how much progress the big Chinese budget manufacturers are making. The answer is "some".
Under wet braking, the winning Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 stopped the car from 50 mph in 79 feet, where as the worst tire on test, the Jinyu, stopped the car in 90 feet. While this could still mean the difference of "no accident" and a "large accident" under emergency wet braking from high speeds, the gap is markedly closer than it was a few years ago, and the three budget tires on test all performed all performed on par with the Toyo T1 Sport Plus, which is a well regarded mid range brand.
Under dry braking the results were even closer. The test winning Hankook stopped the car from 60mph in 110 feet, and the Jinyu finished in eigth place at 117 feet, beating the Michelin and Toyo and stopping the car just 1 foot behind the Goodyear.
Does this now mean budget tires are a viable safe option? This year you're still certainly better off choosing a midrange tire, however the gap is closing all the time, and soon the budget Chinese tire manufactures will be making excellent products. The question is, when the Chinese tires are as good as the premium tires, will they still be a cheaper option?
Results
Continental Sport Contact 5
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.4 |
Total: 9.4
Nokian Hakka Black
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 9.3 |
Total: 9.3
Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.9 |
Total: 8.9
Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.9 |
Total: 8.9
Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.7 |
Total: 8.7
Pirelli P Zero
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.6 |
Total: 8.6
Michelin Pilot Sport 3 PS3
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.5 |
Total: 8.5
Nankang Sportnex AS2+
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 8.1 |
Total: 8.1
Maxxis Victra Sport VS01
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 7.5 |
Total: 7.5
Jinyu YU63
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 7.4 |
Total: 7.4
Delinte DH2
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 7.1 |
Total: 7.1
Toyo Proxes T1 Sport+
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 7 |
Total: 7
Aptany RA301
225/40 R18
All discipline results (1)
| Test | Result |
|---|---|
| Overall | 6.5 |
Total: 6.5
I never find test to 215/40/17 tire size, i have Hankook Ventus V12 with 45000km done, and they are very poor in the wet since new. Before i hade Bridgestone Potenza RE050A, and i think they were best, however, mostly every test i saw before buy it, made me believe that the Hankook would be better. They are not, weak in the wet, and weak at high speed, good wear and very good fuel saving comparing with the Bridgestone
Because the results change with the tire size, i read all this test but in the end i still not now wich tire to buy and i'm needing 4 new tires, that i can trust for the rigth price.
I find contradictory the Hankook tire review, some test said they are great in the wet and here and others tests they are not so good. AuBild Test always put Hankook as "wet specialist". I use Hankook Ventus S1 for a while and they are really good in the wet, why this very different reviews? For 205/55/16 there are few choices for sport tires, as I live in a mountainous (dangerous roads) environment with dramatic weather changes, there are other solutions for upgrading safety?
It's worth remembering the difference between the top tires are now tiny, so while the comments were "relatively weak in the wet", they still beat Michelin and Pirelli overall, and were leagues ahead of the midrange brands like Toyo.
This still means they're an excellent wet weather tire when compared to bad tires, it's just they haven't quite matched the best Continental and Goodyear have to offer this time.
It is a pity that wear isn't taken into account with these tests, because if user reports are anything to go by the Sportcontact 5 does very badly.
In the list "New Summer Tires" why RT2 and P Zero are not exist???
How original...
The Dunlop is mentioned, and the P Zero tested was the old pattern.
Wrong picture? Looks like the new PZ4.
I miss the PS4, dunno the Hakka Black and can´t remember that the PS3 ist that bad.
And the Toyo is more worse than Nankang, Maxxis etc. ? Can´t believe that
You are correct, it's sadly a limitation of our database, but we'll add a note to indicate it's the old P Zero!