Test Charts /

2019 NAF Summer 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: 205/55 R16
Tires tested: 7
Disciplines: 7

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
1Continental Premium Contact 6	114 ft	Best
2Bridgestone Turanza T005	116 ft	+2 ft
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	117 ft	+3 ft
3Firestone RoadHawk	117 ft	+3 ft
5Michelin Primacy 4	118 ft	+4 ft
6Nokian Hakka Blue 2	118 ft	+4 ft
7Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	119 ft	+5 ft
RefReference Winter	151 ft	+37 ft

The difference between best and worst was 32.9% (37 ft ≈ 2.5 Car Lengths).

Dry Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Premium Contact 6	108.52 s	Best
2Firestone RoadHawk	108.94 s	+0.42 s
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	109 s	+0.48 s
4Bridgestone Turanza T005	109.01 s	+0.49 s
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	109.31 s	+0.79 s
6Nokian Hakka Blue 2	109.38 s	+0.86 s
7Michelin Primacy 4	109.4 s	+0.88 s
RefReference Winter	111.13 s	+2.61 s

All the tires in the Dry Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Wet

Wet Braking
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Michelin Primacy 4	161 ft	Best
2Continental Premium Contact 6	166 ft	+5 ft
3Nokian Hakka Blue 2	167 ft	+6 ft
4Firestone RoadHawk	168 ft	+7 ft
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	170 ft	+9 ft
RefReference Winter	171 ft	+10 ft
6Dunlop Sport BluResponse	172 ft	+11 ft
7Bridgestone Turanza T005	174 ft	+13 ft

The difference between best and worst was 8.1% (13 ft ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Premium Contact 6	69.46 s	Best
2Firestone RoadHawk	69.82 s	+0.36 s
3Bridgestone Turanza T005	70.08 s	+0.62 s
4Nokian Hakka Blue 2	70.18 s	+0.72 s
5Dunlop Sport BluResponse	70.38 s	+0.92 s
6Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	71.09 s	+1.63 s
7Michelin Primacy 4	71.14 s	+1.68 s
RefReference Winter	71.51 s	+2.05 s

All the tires in the Wet Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Straight Aqua
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
RefReference Winter	56.0 mph	+3.8 mph
1Nokian Hakka Blue 2	52.2 mph	Best
2Michelin Primacy 4	52.1 mph	-0.1 mph
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	51.4 mph	-0.8 mph
4Firestone RoadHawk	50.9 mph	-1.3 mph
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	50.8 mph	-1.4 mph
6Bridgestone Turanza T005	50.5 mph	-1.7 mph
7Continental Premium Contact 6	49.6 mph	-2.6 mph

The difference between best and worst was 11.4% (6.4 mph).

Comfort

Noise
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best
1Continental Premium Contact 6	72.2 dB	Best
1Bridgestone Turanza T005	72.2 dB	Best
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	72.4 dB	+0.20 dB
3Firestone RoadHawk	72.4 dB	+0.20 dB
5Nokian Hakka Blue 2	72.8 dB	+0.60 dB
RefReference Winter	72.8 dB	+0.60 dB
6Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	73 dB	+0.80 dB
7Michelin Primacy 4	73.4 dB	+1.20 dB

All the tires in the Noise test finished less than 3% apart.

Value

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tire	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Bridgestone Turanza T005	5.34 kg/t	Best	$0
2Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance	5.39 kg/t	+0.05 kg/t	$3
3Continental Premium Contact 6	5.48 kg/t	+0.14 kg/t	$8
4Dunlop Sport BluResponse	5.51 kg/t	+0.17 kg/t	$9
5Michelin Primacy 4	5.57 kg/t	+0.23 kg/t	$13
6Firestone RoadHawk	5.58 kg/t	+0.24 kg/t	$13
RefReference Winter	5.61 kg/t	+0.27 kg/t	$15
7Nokian Hakka Blue 2	5.62 kg/t	+0.28 kg/t	$15

The difference between best and worst was 5.2% (0.28 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Nokian Hakka Blue 2 uses about 4 gal ($15) more fuel than the Bridgestone Turanza T005.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions. These calculators use the full test field, independently of your tire selection above.

Gas/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

12,000 mi

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

$3.60/gal

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tire age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.

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