Data Explorer / Auto Express
2026 Auto Express Summer Tire Test
- Tested size
- 205/55 R16
- Tires tested
- 8
- Disciplines
- 9
- Test vehicle
- Audi A3
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| ft ↓ | s ↓ | ft ↓ | s ↓ | s ↓ | mph ↑ | ft/s² ↑ | dB ↓ | kg/t ↓ | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 96.70 | 118 | 53.50 | 100.0 | 90 | 88.00 | 11.66 | 48.7 | 11.8 | 96.1 | 68.9 | 98.7 | 8.05 | 87.0 | |
StrengthsThe Falken Ziex ZE320 was the most complete tire in this test, and it won on breadth rather than on any single standout result. It set the fastest lap on both the wet and the dry handling circuits and recorded the shortest dry braking distance, so it led the two areas Auto Express weights most heavily. It was also on the podium around the wet circle, in both aquaplaning tests and for cabin noise. The testers found it stable and easy to place from the first wet lap, with the traction and lateral grip to be driven hard without the balance moving around. ConsiderationsThe Falken Ziex ZE320 has one clear weakness, and it is in the test that matters most: straight-line wet braking, where it sat in the bottom half of the field and gave away a useful margin to the Continental. Rolling resistance was mid-pack rather than competitive, so it is not the tire to pick if fuel economy is the priority. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry100 × 35% = 35 Wet96.13 × 50% = 48.07 Comfort98.69 × 5% = 4.93 Rolling Resistance86.96 × 10% = 8.7 | ||||||||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 96.54 | 119 | 53.99 | 99.0 | 82 | 88.89 | 11.52 | 47.8 | 10.9 | 97.2 | 68.4 | 99.4 | 8.43 | 83.0 | |
StrengthsThe Continental PremiumContact 7 remains the reference for straight-line wet braking, stopping clearly shorter than anything else here and rebuilding a real safety margin over the rest of the field. It backed that up with the second shortest dry braking distance, a podium place in dry handling, second place around the wet circle and the second quietest cabin. Drivers described crisp turn-in into both fast and slow corners and a neutral balance that made it quick without ever asking for correction. ConsiderationsThe Continental PremiumContact 7 was well off the pace in deep water, finishing in the bottom half of the field in both the straight-line and the curved aquaplaning tests. It also gave away ground in rolling resistance, sitting towards the back of the group, which counts against it over a set's lifetime given it is one of the more expensive tires here. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry99 × 35% = 34.65 Wet97.23 × 50% = 48.61 Comfort99.42 × 5% = 4.97 Rolling Resistance83.04 × 10% = 8.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 96.23 | 126 | 54.20 | 96.1 | 89 | 88.71 | 11.68 | 52.8 | 12.5 | 97.4 | 68.0 | 100.0 | 7.87 | 89.0 | |
StrengthsThe Firestone Roadhawk 2 was the standout in deep water, winning both the straight-line and the curved aquaplaning tests and finishing clear of the second-placed tire in each. It was also the quietest tire in the cabin over the mixed surfaces and took third place in wet handling and in rolling resistance. On the wet circuit it combined tidy turn-in with useful agility and strong traction, which is a good foundation for a tire being asked to do everything. ConsiderationsThe Firestone Roadhawk 2 is the weakest of the leading tires under dry braking, finishing near the back of the field, and it was only mid-pack in straight-line wet braking. Testers noted it was neither the quietest tire when working for grip nor the sharpest in steering response, so it lacks the precision of the tires either side of it in the order. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry96.11 × 35% = 33.64 Wet97.38 × 50% = 48.69 Comfort100 × 5% = 5 Rolling Resistance88.95 × 10% = 8.9 | ||||||||||||||||
| 4 | 5 | 95.25 | 126 | 53.71 | 96.8 | 89 | 89.34 | 11.50 | 47.2 | 10.0 | 94.4 | 69.7 | 97.6 | 7.53 | 93.0 | |
StrengthsThe Maxxis Premitra HP6 is a substantial improvement on the Premitra HP5 it replaces, which finished last in this size three years ago. It won the wet circle outright, took second place in dry handling and second in rolling resistance, and finished in the top half of the field in straight-line wet braking. Drivers found it responsive and progressive in a way that made the grip easy to use, and it did that while remaining one of the cheaper tires in the group. ConsiderationsThe Maxxis Premitra HP6 struggles in standing water, finishing seventh of eight in both the straight-line and the curved aquaplaning tests. Dry braking was in the bottom half of the field as well, and cabin noise was only mid-pack, so there is still a gap to the premium tires in a couple of important areas. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry96.8 × 35% = 33.88 Wet94.38 × 50% = 47.19 Comfort97.56 × 5% = 4.88 Rolling Resistance92.96 × 10% = 9.3 | ||||||||||||||||
| 5 | 7 | 93.71 | 120 | 54.26 | 98.5 | 86 | 88.62 | 13.76 | 48.4 | 11.3 | 92.4 | 69.3 | 98.1 | 8.61 | 81.3 | |
StrengthsThe Pirelli Cinturato C3 was quick and confidence-inspiring where it counts, taking second place in both straight-line wet braking and wet handling and third in dry braking. Auto Express rated it the best tire in the test for feel and feedback, with strength under braking and mid-corner and an agility that never turned into a handful. It was also solid in both aquaplaning tests and close to the best for cabin noise. ConsiderationsThe Pirelli Cinturato C3 was last in the wet circle test, a long way adrift of the leaders and out of step with the rest of its wet performance. Rolling resistance was the second highest in the field, and on the dry handling circuit it needed restraint to find a clean line, pushing wide easily when hurried. It is also comfortably the most expensive tire here. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry98.48 × 35% = 34.47 Wet92.4 × 50% = 46.2 Comfort98.12 × 5% = 4.91 Rolling Resistance81.3 × 10% = 8.13 | ||||||||||||||||
| 6 | 4 | 95.79 | 124 | 54.87 | 96.2 | 88 | 90.72 | 11.93 | 48.4 | 11.2 | 94.5 | 69.8 | 97.4 | 7.00 | 100.0 | |
StrengthsThe Michelin Primacy 5 delivered the lowest rolling resistance in this test by a clear margin, making it the most economical tire in the group and comfortably the best choice for fuel or range. It also took third place in straight-line wet braking, which is a strong result in a field this close, and it was solid in both aquaplaning tests. Testers found it stable and predictable, with the front axle doing most of the work. ConsiderationsThe Michelin Primacy 5 was last around the dry handling circuit and well down the order in wet handling, out of touch with the group of tires immediately ahead of it. Drivers reported soft steering response and a lack of positivity, and grip that never quite keyed into the surface on the wet circuit. Cabin noise was towards the back of the field as well, and it is one of the more expensive tires here. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry96.25 × 35% = 33.69 Wet94.47 × 50% = 47.23 Comfort97.42 × 5% = 4.87 Rolling Resistance100 × 10% = 10 | ||||||||||||||||
| 7 | 6 | 93.95 | 123 | 54.26 | 97.4 | 91 | 89.61 | 13.61 | 51.6 | 12.3 | 92.6 | 69.8 | 97.4 | 8.06 | 86.9 | |
StrengthsThe Nokian Powerproof 2 marks the company's return after a three-year absence and it arrived with a clear specialism, finishing second in both the straight-line and the curved aquaplaning tests. It was also fourth in dry braking and mid-field on the wet handling circuit, where drivers found strong mid-corner grip and precision they could trust once the tire had settled into a corner. ConsiderationsThe Nokian Powerproof 2 was towards the back of the field in straight-line wet braking and in wet cornering, which is an awkward combination for a tire promoted on wet-weather ability. It was also among the noisiest tires in the cabin, and rolling resistance was only mid-pack, so there is no efficiency benefit to offset it. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry97.43 × 35% = 34.1 Wet92.59 × 50% = 46.29 Comfort97.42 × 5% = 4.87 Rolling Resistance86.85 × 10% = 8.69 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | 8 | 88.19 | 135 | 54.20 | 93.0 | 106 | 97.02 | 12.07 | 45.4 | 9.5 | 86.5 | 69.1 | 98.4 | 9.37 | 74.7 | |
StrengthsThe Dynamo Street-H MH01 is among the cheapest tires available in this size and the price is the whole of its case. It finished mid-field around the dry handling circuit and for cabin noise, which shows the pattern is not without merit on a dry road, and it was ahead of two better-known rivals in the wet circle test. ConsiderationsThe Dynamo Street-H MH01 was last in the great majority of this test, including straight-line wet braking, wet handling, both aquaplaning tests, dry braking and rolling resistance. The wet braking deficit is the serious one: at the point the best tire in that test had come to a stop, a car on the Dynamo was still travelling at a speed that would do real damage. Testers reported very little traction or bite, with the front or rear letting go unpredictably once it was asked for anything. Score contributionCategory score × of overall score Dry93.05 × 35% = 32.57 Wet86.46 × 50% = 43.23 Comfort98.41 × 5% = 4.92 Rolling Resistance74.71 × 10% = 7.47 | ||||||||||||||||
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Leading with these priorities
Falken ZIEX ZE320
These are calculated scenarios, not new test awards. The published verdict may reflect judgement, close results and factors outside this calculation.
Not ranked: a measurement needed for these weights is missing. Missing results are not treated as zero or redistributed.
Reference tires provide context only. They do not set the benchmark and cannot win the personalised ranking.
Weighting vs real impact
What decides this ranking
The weighting is how much each category counts. The real impact is how much of the difference between the tires it creates: a discipline in which every tire performed about the same barely changes the order, however much it counts.
No weighting is recorded for this test, so the weighting here starts from Tire Reviews’ season defaults, not from the test’s own scoring.
- Dry Weighting 35% Real impact 24%
- Wet Weighting 50% Real impact 54%
- Comfort Weighting 5% Real impact 2%
- Rolling Resistance Weighting 10% Real impact 19%
- Curved Aquaplaning counts for 5.5% of the score but creates 15% of the difference between the tires, because their results in it were far apart.
- Dry Handling counts for 17.5% of the score but creates only 3% of the difference, because most tires performed about the same in it.
Every discipline 9
| Discipline | Weighting | Real impact |
|---|---|---|
| Dry Braking | 17.5% | 21% |
| Dry Handling | 17.5% | 3% |
| Wet Braking | 13% | 8% |
| Wet Handling | 13% | 5% |
| Wet Circle | 13% | 22% |
| Straight Aqua | 5.5% | 5% |
| Curved Aquaplaning | 5.5% | 15% |
| Noise | 5% | 2% |
| Rolling Resistance | 10% | 19% |
How it is worked out: each discipline’s weighting is multiplied by the spread of its results (the gap across the middle half of the tires, as a percentage of the best result), then shared out so that all the disciplines add up to 100%. It estimates what separates the tires; it is not a second set of weights, and it follows the weights you set.
How your ranking is calculated
Each discipline is scored against the best non-reference tire in the full test field: best ÷ result × 100 when lower is better, or result ÷ best × 100 when higher is better. Discipline scores are rounded to two decimal places, then combined using your weights.
Within-category weights divide that category’s share of the overall score. A 50% wet category and 40% wet-braking share give wet braking 20% of the total. A weight is a scoring priority, not a measure of its actual effect on the ranking: the performance gaps matter too. What decides this ranking ↑
Published joint positions are preserved separately. Calculated positions tie only when their underlying scores match; two displayed scores can look equal after rounding.
A zero weight excludes that category or discipline. At least one active discipline is required, and the disciplines in every active category must have a positive total.
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