It's rare you find tire tests specifically scoring subjective handling qualities as it's a very difficult thing for tire testers to quantify, but this latest tire test from the Finish publication Test World scores the tires subjective behaviour out of a possible ten points in both the dry and wet. This is particularly interesting if you're not worried about that final 0.1 seconds of dry lap time, but do rate the subjective qualities of a tire such as steering feel, feedback and car balance.
This test covers sixteen 225/45 R17 UHP tire patterns using an Audi A3 - perhaps not the last word in dynamic handling but it is still an insight to the tires we don't usually get.
Dry
Strangely Test World didn't publish dry handling lap times, instead looking at dry braking from 90 km/h and subjective points. Continental, Hankook and Michelin all scored well in the dry tests, offering short dry braking and good subjective handling.
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
Wet
In the wet, Test World added wet handling and an aquaplaning test. As we've previously seen in 2018, the new Falken dominated wet braking, and was 0.4 seconds off during the wet handling lap.
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
Environment
Test world published the rolling resistance scoring as a percentage difference from the best tire on test. The Bridgestone had the lowest rolling resistance so was the 100% reference, Pirelli was mid pack using 2.6% more fuel than the Bridgestone, and the Yokohama tire finished last but still only 5.7% more fuel use than the winning tire.
Again, the in-cabin noise levels were very close, with the best and worst tires on test less than 2 dB apart.
- Cooper Zeon CS8
- Gislaved Ultra Speed
- Falken Azenis FK510
- Bridgestone Turanza T005
- Kumho Ecsta PS71
- Pirelli CINTURATO P7
- Nokian Hakka Black 2
- Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
- Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
- Hankook Ventus S1 evo2
- Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
- Continental Premium Contact 6
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4
- Triangle Sportex TSH11
- Yokohama Advan Sport V105
- Nankang Sportnex AS2 Plus
Results
Short braking distances in the dry and wet, excellent handling in all conditions, excellent balance during emergency maneuvers, excellent feedback in all conditions.
Relatively high rolling resistance.
Total: 79.9
Dry
10
Wet
28
Subjective
9
Wet Subjective
10
Rolling Resistance
6
Noise
8
Overall
8.9
Good handling and short braking distances in the dry and wet, low rolling resistance, low noise.
None mentioned.
Total: 76.5
Dry
9
Wet
24
Subjective
9
Wet Subjective
10
Rolling Resistance
7
Noise
9
Overall
8.5
Shortest wet braking, low noise levels, quick and accurate steering, very well priced.
None mentioned.
Total: 75.3
Dry
9
Wet
25
Subjective
8
Wet Subjective
8
Rolling Resistance
7
Noise
10
Overall
8.3
Precise reactions to steering movements, predictable behavior and very high grip on a dry surface.
Average wet braking, weak aquaplaning resistance.
Total: 72.1
Dry
10
Wet
21
Subjective
10
Wet Subjective
9
Rolling Resistance
6
Noise
8
Overall
8.1
God handling and stability in the wet, low rolling resistance.
Relatively long wet braking.
Total: 72.9
Dry
8
Wet
22
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
10
Rolling Resistance
10
Noise
9
Overall
7.9
Good handling in the wet, short dry braking, low noise.
Oversteer balance in the dry, high rolling resistance.
Total: 69.8
Dry
10
Wet
24
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
9
Rolling Resistance
4
Noise
9
Overall
7.8
A balanced tire with good dry and wet grip.
Oversteer balance when making emergency maneuvers.
Total: 68.7
Dry
10
Wet
22
Subjective
8
Wet Subjective
8
Rolling Resistance
4
Noise
9
Overall
7.7
Good handling in the wet, low rolling resistance.
Poor dry handling.
Total: 66.5
Dry
6
Wet
22
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
8
Rolling Resistance
8
Noise
9
Overall
7.5
Good wet handling.
Understeer in the dry.
Total: 68.5
Dry
8
Wet
21
Subjective
7
Wet Subjective
9
Rolling Resistance
7
Noise
9
Overall
7.5
Good wet braking.
Poor balance during emergency maneuvers.
Total: 67.5
Dry
7
Wet
24
Subjective
7
Wet Subjective
6
Rolling Resistance
7
Noise
9
Overall
7.5
Low noise.
Understeer in the dry and wet.
Total: 62
Dry
6
Wet
20
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
8
Rolling Resistance
6
Noise
9
Overall
7
Lowest noise, stable handling in the dry, low rolling resistance.
Understeer in the dry and wet.
Total: 58.1
Dry
6
Wet
19
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
5
Rolling Resistance
6
Noise
10
Overall
6.1
None mentioned.
Long wet braking, oversteer during emergency maneuvers.
Total: 53
Dry
8
Wet
17
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
8
Rolling Resistance
2
Noise
6
Overall
6
None mentioned.
Poor dry and wet braking, poor balance during emergency maneuvers.
Total: 48.4
Dry
3
Wet
21
Subjective
4
Wet Subjective
6
Rolling Resistance
3
Noise
6
Overall
5.4
Acceptable dry handling.
Poor dry and wet braking, poor balance during emergency maneuvers.
Total: 47.1
Dry
3
Wet
16
Subjective
6
Wet Subjective
4
Rolling Resistance
5
Noise
8
Overall
5.1
Low noise, low rolling resistance.
Long dry and wet braking, understeer and oversteer at different points in the dry and wet.
Total: 44.4
Dry
3
Wet
12
Subjective
3
Wet Subjective
3
Rolling Resistance
9
Noise
10
Overall
4.4
