| Test Summary | |
| Wet Braking |
Continental Premium Contact 5 Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125 |
| Dry Braking |
Continental Premium Contact 5 |
| Wear |
Continental Premium Contact 5 |
This year's winner is the Continental Premium Contact 5. This tire has always tested well, but with the newer Premium Contact 6 having already been on the market for 6 months at time of test, it would have been interesting to see just how well the latest version of the Premium Contact range would have scored.
Positions two and three were taken by the Dunlop Sport BluResponse and Bridgestone Turanza T001 EVO. The Dunlop aced the dry testing and finished just 0.5% behind the Continental overall, whereas Bridgestone have upped their wet weather performance for the T001 EVO, finishing only 0.1% further back.
The entire test was separated by just 6.2% overall, which highlights how the gap between the budget tires and premium tires is still closing. As a cavveat, it's worth keeping in mind the last placed budget Syron tire needed over 10 meters further to stop in the wet, and over 5 meters in the dry when compared to the best on test, that's the difference between stopping safely, and a very big crash.
As always with the Auto Express tests, we recommend heading over to the excellent Auto Express website for the full results of the test, as we've only summarised the basic information below.
The Results
The link posted by 4cvg no longer works as it did. It still takes you to a tire review but it is now a later review of a different set of tires. This is the sort of thing that AE often do and it can be quite unhelpful.
On the other hand you might easily consider the new set of tires more relevant to you so could be very happy that they have done this.
Then again the new set of data looks to be a little at odds with some of the other test results out there so who knows?
I'm looking for some mid range/mid budget tires and the Kumho Ecsta HS51 tires score well in these tests in 2017, plus other recent independant tire testing as well.
Where I'm confused is with the EU tire labelling. Is anyone able explain the EU tire label rating of C for wet grip, yet it scores really high in all wet testing in this 2017 test? Seems strange to me as the original Kumho KU39 had an A for wet grip however, scored poorly in wet testing a number of years ago. From research I understand that EU tire label ratings are self certified by the tire company and not performed independently, but why would Kumho stamp a C for wet grip on a tire that clearly peforms well?
Any help appreciated as I'm looking to purchase some of these. Thanks.
The scoring for the label has a very strict set of parameters, and sometimes tires don't work well within that set of parameters which can give you deviation like this.
There's also a chance the tire could have been updated since the test which has altered the wet grip.
Sadly without knowing the exact part numbers and DOTs of the tires you're looking at it's hard to tell. Hankook are a similar price and consistently test well.
Really appreciate the reply. I can see in the test they list it as a C rating as well "Kumho Ecsta HS51 91V - RR: C WG: C N: 69dB". So must be that under the parameters of EU label tests it scores poorly, yet under these more realistic conditions it performs really well. I'll have a look to see if I can find detail on the wet tests for the EU labels to see if I can get any more clues there. I have also been looking at the Hankook's actually, these seem to come in at £80 more for a set of 4 in my size so may be the better bet. Thanks.
I would like to have seen the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 included in this test. For me the only choice is between the Premiumcontact 5 and the Rainsport 3, yet very few test houses seem to put them head to head.
This might be because both tires are made by Continental, and Continental don't want the cheaper tire performing almost as well as the big brother.
I just bought pair of Bridgestones t001 evo for wife's Volvo s40 2.0D. It doesn't say evo on
the tires. How do I find out they are updated evo versions? Many thanks.
From the invoice, energy labels or DOT for instance, compare the patterns with the original picture here: http://www.tirereviews.co.u...
Otherwise asking dealer when doubts.
Thanks Kolemjdouci. Will have a look at the patterns.
Unfortunately both tires use the same mould, so the patterns are the same too :(
T001 has no “EVO” markings on the sidewall.
The only way to determine if it’s EVO is to check the 4 digit date of manufacture. They can then check this against a master list.
It’s best you contact Bridgestone technical on the following:-
+44 1926 488580
[email protected]
Thank you Tirerviews. Will contact Bridgestone.
Good info there...... thanks Kolemjdouci...although I don't see your post here..as I do in my e-mail....yeah could well be a different factory. annoying though ..its put me off the P7 Blues a bit
Sadly Kolemjdouci seems to have deleted his reply regarding the information about Pirelli.
I didn't, probably the redaction system did, but if you have it, please re-publish my contribution. Thank you.
Usually disqus puts things into a pending queue that it doesn't like, but it's as if your comment never existed! @melchiz_adek:disqus if you still have the email alert feel free to copy and paste.
Kolemjdouci
P.S. Still one speculative idea which could potentially appear a bit in this test with P7 Blue and which has appeared with Pirelli P1 Verde in the ADAC 2016 summer tires test for size 185/65 R15 H (yes, in the category for small cars) and where ADAC & co. were going so far that they even didn't publish the Pirelli tires results - machine translated ADAC reason(s):
"A product of the brand Pirelli also participated in the comparison test.
There were clear differences between individual test tires in various criteria,
so that there was no clear picture of the product properties.
For this reason, the test results of this product are not published
since it is not possible to ascertain which version the customer ultimately receives
in the case of a possible purchase."
Even better in detail described the situation that time Austrian ÖAMTC-Expert Eppel: "The test always involves several tire sets. In the normal case, the individual tire sets differ only within the measurement range. In this case, however, significant differences in the wet handling characteristics were observed between two tire sets of the same model, which come from different production sites. A 2nd test with specially purchased tires from both production sites showed the same picture. Because the Pirelli Cinturato P1 Verde in the 185/65 R15 88 H range is obviously available with different characteristics
on the market, the ÖAMTC can not give a rating on this model," Eppel points out."
Later on I think was added by Pirelli that those individual different tires were from different Pirelli factories, where at least one factory (in Turkey?) had that time problems with the production process line & quality checks.
So, just some reading for tire geeks :-).
Pirelli have a fairly new plant in Slatina, Romania and plant or plants in Russia too...so who knows the tests published the laneks.lv site that I've read had the P7 Blue marked DE...deutchland
Result for the P7 Blue (esp. wet performance) is totally at odds with other recent tests by all the usual suspects.....AE said it took 6m longer than the "always winning Conti!!" braking in the wet??? So something is def amiss here...the P7 Blue was always a strong wet performer....esp wet handling, wet braking and cornering....was about to buy these... so either the Pirelli has changed or all the others have..which seems unlikely. Failing that it points to test legitimacy across the board.
Would like to hear your thoughts on this anomaly TireReviews?
There's no question about the legitimacy of the Auto Express tire test, they're one of the few magazines to go to the bother of buying their tires on the open market.
As for the result, it might be an idiocy down to to the size / load rating / car / where the tire was made combination, or a new compound from Pirelli. Without the exact EANs of each tire it's difficult to tell.
I understand AE buy from the open market....by saying 'across the board' I meant all other tests....as I understand...AE, Auto Zeitung and EVO all buy from the open market not sure about the others.
Pirelli launched new generation Cinturato P7 Blue.
The full results of the test published: http://www.autoexpress.co.u...
Enjoy details!
Were Michelin not invited to the 2017 Auto Express summer tire test party? Being one of the "big six" tire manufacturers, they seem rather a large omission. Especially with 205/55 R16 being such a popular tire size.
At a guess, I'd say they would have nominated the Michelin CrossClimate for this test instead of the Energy Saver, and Auto Express would have held that tire back for their all season test, which is due out soon.
My guess would be: Michelin would have nominated their 205/55 R16 flagship winner 2015/2016: Michelin Primacy 3
The Primacy 3 is about to be replaced, so perhaps they're waiting until they can get the Primacy 4 included!
They say that michelin was absent due to an imminent model change, so Id speculate then, that the primacy were indeed the earmarked tires...
The summer tire Primacy 4 will effectively not come before spring 2018, so it was really a pity and mistake from Michelin not to let test their current model Primacy 3.
P.S. 12/9: Michelin just introduced the NEW Primacy 4 tire model on the IAA in Frankfurt. Top highlights are the best wet braking (2.8 m less than tested competition and much higher long lasting km endurance (+18 000 km more than tested competition)).
thanks for that but when it comes to their tire tests I don't agree with your appraisal of their site:
'heading over to the excellent Auto Express website for the full results of the test, '
The tire tests are lost in the "accessories & tires" section & the search function gives uselessly many "false positives".
If you were able to have your link go straight to the relevant test's URL (as opposed to just to Auto Express) then that would help.
Oh, & the PC6 is not available in the test size so . . ..
I also didn't find it yet there, so for the moment it is only for paying subscribers of their weekly newsletter, I understand. But it will come. Unfortunate is the currently missing longevity testing.
Interesting is also how close the overall results are ("The entire test was separated by just 6.2% overall, which highlights how the gap between the budget tires and premium tires is still closing."), which could be interpreted like within those 11 tire samples there was NOT a real loser for consumers, so in the big volume numbers the price will play more and more dominant role...especially in the UK with recently quite weak currency.
Auto Express don't wear test the tires sadly. Auto Bild and ADAC are the two big publication to include longevity.
I'll link it when it's up.
I know the PC6 isn't available yet, but it would have been really interesting to see it included!
now up
http://www.autoexpress.co.u...