Test source Auto Bild Sportscars

2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tire Test

Overall test winnerContinental Sport Contact 6

The Auto Bild sports cars test is usually one of our favorite tests of the year, and this year looks to be no different.

Data analyzed and reviewed byJonathan Benson

March 13, 2017 5 min read Updated January 8, 2025

Tire shortlist Read the test

Tires tested: 9
Tested size: 235/35 R19
Disciplines: 4

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

Continental Sport Contact 6

+Outstanding handling on dry and wet surfaces, fast, accurate steering response, pleasurable fun driving experience

−High rolling resistance

100 owner reviews Test Results

2^nd

Hankook Ventus S1 evo2

+Good handling on dry surfaces, well priced

−A tendency to understeer on wet surfaces

84 owner reviews Test Results

3^rd

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3

+Good controllability, precise steering response and short braking distances on dry roads, high resistance to aquaplaning

−Understeer on wet roads

186 owner reviews Test Results

4^th

Falken Azenis FK510

+Short braking distances on wet surfaces, good handling and steering feel in the dry and wet, attractive price

−Slightly slower steering than the best on test, low level of comfort, high rolling resistance

156 owner reviews Test Results

5^th

Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2

+The highest resistance to aquaplaning, good handling on wet surfaces, short braking distances on dry and wet roads

−Slow response to steering and relatively poor grip on dry roads

94 owner reviews Test Results

6^th

Pirelli P Zero PZ4

+High lateral stability and good handling on wet surfaces, good steering feel and short braking distances on dry roads, low rolling resistance

−Relatively long braking distance on wet surfaces, low resistance to aquaplaning

96 owner reviews Test Results

7^th

Kumho Ecsta PS91

+Good resistance to aquaplaning, short braking distances on dry roads, well priced

−Low lateral stability and strong understeer on wet roads, slow response to steering and relatively poor grip on dry surfaces, increased rolling resistance

47 owner reviews Test Results

8^th

Firestone Firehawk SZ90

+Good resistance to aquaplaning, low rolling resistance, cheap

−Low lateral stability, strong understeer and long braking distances on wet surfaces, slow response to steering and unbalanced behavior on dry surfaces

25 owner reviews Test Results

9^th

Rotalla RU01 S Pace

+Low rolling resistance, low noise level, very low price

−Dangerously long wet braking distances, strong understeer and unbalanced behavior on wet surfaces, weak grip and sluggish steering response on dry surfaces

27 owner reviews Test Results

Tire shortlist

Compare selected tires

2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tire Test · 235/35 R19

Tire	Continental Sport Contact 6	Hankook Ventus S1 evo2	Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	Falken Azenis FK510	Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2	Pirelli P Zero PZ4	Kumho Ecsta PS91	Firestone Firehawk SZ90	Rotalla RU01 S Pace
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

The Auto Bild sports cars test is usually one of our favorite tests of the year, and this year looks to be no different.

Testing nine 235/35 R19 maximum performance tires using a Focus ST, Auto Bild have focused on the raw performance of these tires, weighting the score heavily in favor of wet and dry handling.

The Top Three

Sadly, the new Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S is missing from this test, which means it was a fairly easy win for the Continental Sport Contact 6. The Continental dominated in both dry braking and dry handling, won the wet handling test, but could only manage mid pack for wet braking. The testers also noted the Continental gave them the most driving pleasure from all tires on test, something which is important from a performance tire.

Second place was awarded to the Hankook Ventus S1 Evo 2 K117. Like the Continental, it proves to be a very balanced tire, with just a little understeer in the wet the only negative point. The top three were rounded out by the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 which is again a very balanced tire, with a hint of understeer in the wet.

The Rest

Falken will be pleased with fourth place, beating the more expensive Dunlop tire in fifth. The Falken FK510 proved to have short wet braking and good dry braking and handling characteristics, but when compared to the best on test the rolling resistance was high, comfort low and the steering was slightly sluggish. The Dunlop Sport Maxx RT2 won the aquaplaning tests, which were combined with excellent wet and dry braking results, but had a poor dry handling score leaving it in fifth overall.

Sixth to last place all had their individual issues which can be seen in the full results below. Only two tires on test, the mid-range Firestone and budget Rotalla were deemed to be "not recommended", both due to poor wet performances.

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Falken Azenis FK510	148 ft	Best
2Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2	150 ft	+2 ft
3Hankook Ventus S1 evo2	160 ft	+12 ft
4Kumho Ecsta PS91	161 ft	+13 ft
4Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	161 ft	+13 ft
6Continental Sport Contact 6	162 ft	+14 ft
7Pirelli P Zero PZ4	169 ft	+21 ft
8Firestone Firehawk SZ90	179 ft	+31 ft
9Rotalla RU01 S Pace	182 ft	+34 ft

The difference between best and worst was 23.3% (34 ft ≈ 2.3 Car Lengths).

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Sport Contact 6	115 ft	Best
2Pirelli P Zero PZ4	118 ft	+3 ft
3Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2	119 ft	+4 ft
4Kumho Ecsta PS91	119 ft	+4 ft
5Hankook Ventus S1 evo2	120 ft	+5 ft
6Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	121 ft	+6 ft
7Falken Azenis FK510	123 ft	+8 ft
8Firestone Firehawk SZ90	126 ft	+11 ft
9Rotalla RU01 S Pace	128 ft	+13 ft

The difference between best and worst was 11.4% (13 ft ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Sport Contact 6	48.6 mph	Best
2Pirelli P Zero PZ4	48.5 mph	-0.1 mph
3Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2	48.2 mph	-0.4 mph
4Falken Azenis FK510	47.8 mph	-0.8 mph
5Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	47.5 mph	-1.1 mph
6Hankook Ventus S1 evo2	47.2 mph	-1.4 mph
7Kumho Ecsta PS91	47.1 mph	-1.5 mph
8Firestone Firehawk SZ90	46.1 mph	-2.5 mph
9Rotalla RU01 S Pace	43.4 mph	-5.2 mph

The difference between best and worst was 10.7% (5.2 mph).

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Sport Contact 6	72.8 mph	Best
2Falken Azenis FK510	72.1 mph	-0.7 mph
3Hankook Ventus S1 evo2	71.9 mph	-0.9 mph
4Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	71.5 mph	-1.3 mph
5Pirelli P Zero PZ4	71.3 mph	-1.5 mph
6Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2	71.0 mph	-1.8 mph
7Kumho Ecsta PS91	70.8 mph	-2.0 mph
8Rotalla RU01 S Pace	70.6 mph	-2.2 mph
9Firestone Firehawk SZ90	70.3 mph	-2.5 mph

The difference between best and worst was 3.3% (2.5 mph).

The Results

Dry score weighting - 60% dry handling, 40% dry braking.

Wet score weighting - 15% longitudinal aquaplaning, 5% cross aquaplaning, 40% wet handling, 10% lateral stability, 30% wet braking

Exemplary / Test Winner

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	9
Wet	7
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	6
Noise	6

Total: 34

Exemplary

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	7
Wet	6
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	6
Noise	6

Total: 31

Exemplary

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	7
Wet	6
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	6
Noise	6

Total: 31

Recommended

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	7
Wet	7
Comfort	4
Rolling Resistance	4
Noise	6

Total: 28

Satisfactory

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	6
Wet	8
Comfort	7
Rolling Resistance	6
Noise	6

Total: 33

Satisfactory

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	7
Wet	6
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	7
Noise	6

Total: 32

Satisfactory

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	5
Wet	6
Comfort	4
Rolling Resistance	4
Noise	6

Total: 25

Not recommended

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	5
Wet	3
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	7
Noise	3

Total: 24

Not recommended

All discipline results (5)

Test	Result
Dry	4
Wet	1
Comfort	6
Rolling Resistance	7
Noise	7

Total: 25

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Discussion

7 comments

Igor Mar 15, 2017 archived

Why I get an impression that Auto Bild is getting "special" tires from Hankook.
All the models in all sizes AutoBild tests, and Hankooks are so impressive and in top possitions.
But, if you see other magazines or ADAC or other associations, especially those that are buying tires from retail where all of us are buying, and Hankooks somehow are middle class with average performance.

#2466
1. TireReviews Igor Mar 15, 2017 archived
  
  Auto Bild are the biggest tire testers in Europe every year. I'm not exactly sure how they obtain the tires, but I am sure they will have safeguards in place against "special" tires being tested.
  
  #2468
  1. Igor TireReviews Mar 15, 2017 archived
    
    My point is not if Auto Bild has ways to check the tires, but it looks to me as if Hankook is making paid commercial through Auto Bild.
    Paying media to "advertise" you as among the best is nothing new and is widely used. In Auto Bild-Hankook situation, what caught my eye is that in all the latest tests from Auto Bild, Hankook is far better than in the tests from other magazines or organizations.
    
    #2470
Santorini11 Mar 14, 2017 archived

Is this "updated" P zero; is there a way to differentiate prior and new version when buying this model?

#2465
1. TireReviews Santorini11 Mar 15, 2017 archived
  
  Yes, this would be the PZ4 version of the P Zero.
  We need to work out a way of making that clearer on this website!
  
  #2467
suppax Mar 14, 2017 archived

Going to change my nokian zline and I don't know what to buy next...
Was wondering how the hankook v12 evo2 were, but there aren't many reviews (I loved the old v12 evo)
Can't understand how they compare with s1 evo2
Falken's azenis 510 seems a good bang for the bucks, but not avaylable in my size (205/50r17)

#2463
1. TireReviews suppax Mar 14, 2017 archived
  
  According to this test, you wouldn't have any problems with either! If you were pleased with the older Hankook pattern, it would make sense, especially as the test winning Conti won't be available in your size either.
  
  #2464

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2017 Auto Bild Sports Cars Tire Test