Test Charts / Car and Driver

2017 Car and Driver UHP Tire Test

Compare each discipline in the tested size. See the measured result, position and gap to the best tire, then read the verdict for the trade-offs behind the finishing order.

Tested size: 245/40 R18
Tires tested: 5
Disciplines: 5

Read the measurements, not just the rank

Lower is better for braking distances and lap times; higher is better for subjective scores and aquaplaning speed. Bars start at zero. Read the gap alongside the position: adjacent tires can be separated by very different margins.

Positions and gaps always refer to the full test field within each group. Selecting tires does not recalculate rankings or change the best-in-test benchmark.

Dry

Dry Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S	79 ft	Best
1Continental ExtremeContact Sport	79 ft	Best
3Pirelli P Zero PZ4	80 ft	+1 ft
4Hankook Ventus V12 evo2	81 ft	+2 ft
5Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	82 ft	+3 ft

The difference between best and worst was 4.2% (3 ft).

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S	29.5 s	Best
2Pirelli P Zero PZ4	30 s	+0.50 s
3Continental ExtremeContact Sport	30.1 s	+0.60 s
4Hankook Ventus V12 evo2	30.3 s	+0.80 s
5Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	30.4 s	+0.90 s

The difference between best and worst was 3.1% (0.9 s).

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental ExtremeContact Sport	95 ft	Best
2Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S	101 ft	+6 ft
3Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	107 ft	+12 ft
4Hankook Ventus V12 evo2	108 ft	+13 ft
5Pirelli P Zero PZ4	109 ft	+14 ft

The difference between best and worst was 14.5% (14 ft ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental ExtremeContact Sport	31.8 s	Best
2Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S	32.2 s	+0.40 s
3Pirelli P Zero PZ4	33.2 s	+1.40 s
4Hankook Ventus V12 evo2	33.6 s	+1.80 s
5Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	33.8 s	+2.00 s

The difference between best and worst was 6.3% (2 s).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Hankook Ventus V12 evo2	66 dB	Best
2Continental ExtremeContact Sport	67 dB	+1.00 dB
2Pirelli P Zero PZ4	67 dB	+1.00 dB
4Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3	69 dB	+3.00 dB
4Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S	69 dB	+3.00 dB