Test Charts / Auto Express
2026 Auto Express All Season 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
- 8
- Disciplines
- 12
- Test vehicle
- Volkswagen Golf, Skoda Octavia
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.
Focus on your tires
Select tires to highlight them throughout the charts.
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
2Dry Braking
Dry braking in feet (62 - 0 mph)
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best | Residual speed |
|---|---|---|---|
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
117 ft | -10 ft | 0 mph |
| 127 ft | Best | 0 mph | |
| 131 ft | +4 ft | 14 mph | |
| 133 ft | +6 ft | 16 mph | |
| 134 ft | +7 ft | 18 mph | |
| 136 ft | +9 ft | 21 mph | |
| 136 ft | +9 ft | 21 mph | |
| 137 ft | +10 ft | 21 mph | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
146 ft | +19 ft | 29 mph |
| 146 ft | +19 ft | 29 mph |
The difference between best and worst was 25.6% (29 ft ≈ 2 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Tomket Allyear 3 would still be travelling at 29 mph when the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 had stopped.
Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.
Dry Handling
Dry handling time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
55.22 s | -0.55 s |
| 55.77 s | Best | |
| 55.94 s | +0.17 s | |
| 56.16 s | +0.39 s | |
| 56.33 s | +0.56 s | |
| 56.5 s | +0.73 s | |
| 56.56 s | +0.79 s | |
| 56.73 s | +0.96 s | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
57.55 s | +1.78 s |
| 57.55 s | +1.78 s |
The difference between best and worst was 4.2% (2.33 s).
Wet
5Wet Braking
Wet braking in feet (50 - 0 mph)
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best | Residual speed |
|---|---|---|---|
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
90 ft | -15 ft | 0 mph |
| 105 ft | Best | 0 mph | |
| 105 ft | 0 ft | 4 mph | |
| 105 ft | 0 ft | 4 mph | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
108 ft | +3 ft | 15 mph |
| 110 ft | +5 ft | 17 mph | |
| 110 ft | +5 ft | 18 mph | |
| 111 ft | +6 ft | 19 mph | |
| 112 ft | +7 ft | 21 mph | |
| 136 ft | +31 ft | 38 mph |
The difference between best and worst was 51.3% (46 ft ≈ 3.1 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Tomket Allyear 3 would still be travelling at 38 mph when the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 had stopped.
Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.
Wet Handling
Wet handling time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
84.75 s | -1.95 s |
| 86.7 s | Best | |
| 86.79 s | +0.09 s | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
87.14 s | +0.44 s |
| 87.31 s | +0.61 s | |
| 88.02 s | +1.32 s | |
| 88.2 s | +1.50 s | |
| 88.74 s | +2.04 s | |
| 88.92 s | +2.22 s | |
| 96.55 s | +9.85 s |
The difference between best and worst was 13.9% (11.8 s).
Wet Circle
Wet Circle Lap Time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
11.76 s | -0.55 s |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
12.1 s | -0.21 s |
| 12.31 s | Best | |
| 12.33 s | +0.02 s | |
| 12.36 s | +0.05 s | |
| 12.36 s | +0.05 s | |
| 12.47 s | +0.16 s | |
| 12.47 s | +0.16 s | |
| 12.6 s | +0.29 s | |
| 13.12 s | +0.81 s |
The difference between best and worst was 11.6% (1.36 s).
Straight Aqua
Float Speed in mph
Higher is better ↑| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 51.9 mph | Best | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
51.4 mph | -0.5 mph |
| 50.1 mph | -1.8 mph | |
| 49.5 mph | -2.4 mph | |
| 48.7 mph | -3.2 mph | |
| 47.7 mph | -4.2 mph | |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
47.5 mph | -4.4 mph |
| 45.9 mph | -6.0 mph | |
| 44.4 mph | -7.5 mph | |
| 42.3 mph | -9.6 mph |
The difference between best and worst was 18.7% (9.6 mph).
Curved Aquaplaning
Remaining lateral acceleration
Higher is better ↑| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 11.5 ft/s² | Best | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
11.0 ft/s² | -0.5 ft/s² |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
10.9 ft/s² | -0.6 ft/s² |
| 10.6 ft/s² | -0.9 ft/s² | |
| 10.1 ft/s² | -1.4 ft/s² | |
| 10.0 ft/s² | -1.5 ft/s² | |
| 9.8 ft/s² | -1.7 ft/s² | |
| 8.6 ft/s² | -2.9 ft/s² | |
| 7.6 ft/s² | -3.9 ft/s² | |
| 7.3 ft/s² | -4.2 ft/s² |
The difference between best and worst was 37.2% (4.2 ft/s²).
Snow
3Snow Braking
Snow braking in feet (25 - 3 mph)
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best | Residual speed |
|---|---|---|---|
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
61 ft | -1 ft | 0 mph |
| 62 ft | Best | 0 mph | |
| 63 ft | +1 ft | 12 mph | |
| 63 ft | +1 ft | 12 mph | |
| 63 ft | +1 ft | 12 mph | |
| 63 ft | +1 ft | 13 mph | |
| 64 ft | +2 ft | 14 mph | |
| 64 ft | +2 ft | 15 mph | |
| 65 ft | +3 ft | 17 mph | |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
143 ft | +81 ft | 60 mph |
The difference between best and worst was 133.4% (82 ft ≈ 5.5 Car Lengths). From 80 mph, the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 would still be travelling at 17 mph when the Michelin CrossClimate 3 had stopped.
Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.
Snow Traction
Snow acceleration time
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
| 5.68 s | Best | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
5.91 s | +0.23 s |
| 5.93 s | +0.25 s | |
| 5.94 s | +0.26 s | |
| 5.98 s | +0.30 s | |
| 5.99 s | +0.31 s | |
| 6.04 s | +0.36 s | |
| 6.07 s | +0.39 s | |
| 6.09 s | +0.41 s | |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
17.59 s | +11.91 s |
The difference between best and worst was 209.7% (11.91 s).
Snow Handling
Snow handling time in seconds
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
89.2 s | 0.00 s |
| 89.2 s | Best | |
| 90.65 s | +1.45 s | |
| 91.02 s | +1.82 s | |
| 91.11 s | +1.91 s | |
| 91.49 s | +2.29 s | |
| 92.34 s | +3.14 s | |
| 93.8 s | +4.60 s | |
| 94.49 s | +5.29 s | |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
137.65 s | +48.45 s |
The difference between best and worst was 54.3% (48.45 s).
Comfort
1Noise
Internal noise in dB
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best |
|---|---|---|
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
67.7 dB | -0.30 dB |
| 68 dB | Best | |
| 68.1 dB | +0.10 dB | |
| 68.1 dB | +0.10 dB | |
| 68.2 dB | +0.20 dB | |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
68.3 dB | +0.30 dB |
| 68.3 dB | +0.30 dB | |
| 68.4 dB | +0.40 dB | |
| 68.5 dB | +0.50 dB | |
| 68.7 dB | +0.70 dB |
All the tires in the Noise test finished less than 3% apart.
Value
1Rolling Resistance
Rolling resistance in kg t
Lower is better ↓| Position / Tire | Result | Gap to best | Extra fuel / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7.51 kg/t | Best | $0 | |
| 7.57 kg/t | +0.06 kg/t | $2 | |
| 7.77 kg/t | +0.26 kg/t | $10 | |
| 7.79 kg/t | +0.28 kg/t | $11 | |
| 7.99 kg/t | +0.48 kg/t | $19 | |
| 8.06 kg/t | +0.55 kg/t | $22 | |
RefContinental WinterContact TS 870 |
8.21 kg/t | +0.70 kg/t | $27 |
RefContinental PremiumContact 7 |
8.43 kg/t | +0.92 kg/t | $36 |
| 8.72 kg/t | +1.21 kg/t | $47 | |
| 8.78 kg/t | +1.27 kg/t | $50 |
The difference between best and worst was 16.9% (1.27 kg / t). Over 12,000 miles a year at $3.60/gal, the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF3 uses about 14 gal ($50) more fuel than the Tomket Allyear 3.
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.
Test setup & methodology
The test setting, the conditions recorded and how the results contribute to the score.
Recorded test conditions
Recorded test conditions
- Dry Braking
- 62.1 → 0.0 mph
- Wet Braking
- 49.7 → 0.0 mph
- Snow Braking
- 24.9 → 3.1 mph
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