Summer Tire Tests

Every year Auto Zeitung perform a summer tire test, and it's always an interesting read as they are one of the few publications that purchase all of their own tires blindly from the market instead of manufacturer submissions, and they now include a wear test!

This year they have tested 10 tires in 235/45 R18 using an Audi A5 TS-FI front wheel drive vehicle and the amount of data they provide is fantastic.

A new publication in Germany has started tire testing. It is Netzwelt , a German newspaper, and for their first summer tire test, they have tested six tires, one premium tire (the Continental PremiumContact 7), five mid-range products and one budget product.

Unfortunately, the data shared is limited to wet and dry braking- they have translated all the other results into a point system, which we don't database here, so we recommend using the link below to check out a full test in German. You can read the subjective comments below for each tire's overall position. 

While technically this is the second tire test of the 2026 summer tire testing season, I always think of the AutoBild mega test as the true start to the summer tire test season. It's our first opportunity to see how 50 tires available in 245/45 R19 do in a massive dry and wet braking test!

The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is a customer favourite - it's test-winning, long-lasting, and one of the best all-round UHP tires you can buy. So adding a low rolling resistance "Energy" version was always going to be tricky. Historically, energy-focused performance tires have meant giving up a noticeable chunk of wet grip. The question is whether Michelin has managed to close that gap.

The data here comes from two test programmes, both commissioned by Michelin. Performance testing was carried out by TÜV SÜD at TRIWO Pferdsfeld in August 2025 (Report Nr. 713379856-S32-01), covering wet braking, dry braking, wet handling, and rolling resistance. Tread wear testing was conducted by DEKRA in Narbonne, France, during September and October 2025 (Report CPA MARK25H). Both used a Tesla Model Y (RWD, 75 kWh, 2,080 kg) and a tire size of 255/40 R20 101Y XL.

The ACE Auto Club Europa has published the first summer tire test of 2026, kicking off this year's test season. Ten tires in the 225/40 R18 size were tested across wet and dry braking, aquaplaning resistance, handling on both surfaces, rolling resistance, and exterior noise.

The 2025 evo tire test evaluated nine ultra-high performance tires in the 235/35 R19 size. The field comprised eight premium brand offerings alongside one budget and used an AWD BMW 135i X-Drive.

Below is the data from the Die-Reifen summer performance tire test which tested eight popular summer tires in 225/40 R18 using a VW Golf GTI.

Below is the data from the Die-Reifen summer touring tire test which tested seven popular summer tires in 205/55 R17 using a VW T-Roc.

It's the second test for the new Pirelli P Zero PZ5, and the second win! This years Auto Express summer tire test has tested nine popular summer tires in 225/40 R18, with some rather interesting results.

Tire Rack are on a mission this year to test more tires than anyone has before, which is very exciting. Their summer performance tire test has tested eleven of the most popular tires in 275/35 R19 using their new BMW M2 test vehicle.

In this test I will finally compare the new Hoosier TrackAttack Pro to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and the Bridgestone Potenza RE71RS on a track AND autocross course.

Autobild Sports have tested seven premium and budget offerings in a staggered fitment of 245/35 R20 front and 295/30 R20 rear. Using a Lotus Emira as their test vehicle, Auto Bild Sportscars put these high-performance tires through their paces across dry and wet conditions to determine which delivers the best balance for demanding sports car applications.

In the most comprehensive motorcycle tire comparison test ever conducted by PS Magazine, twelve high-performance motorcycle tires went head-to-head to answer a fundamental question: how close can everyday sport tires get to specialized hypersport rubber when pushed to their limits?

In their latest tire test, Teknikens Värld magazine has put eight leading SUV tires through their paces. Using the popular Volvo XC60 as their test platform with the increasingly common 235/55 R19 tire size, the Swedish publication's experienced test team subjected each tire to a battery of challenges ranging from emergency braking and handling to comfort and fuel efficiency assessments.

AutoBild has recently conducted an on and off-road tire test of ten SUV tires in size 255/55 R18, evaluating their performance on both asphalt and in off-road conditions. The test included premium brands like Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin, Falken, Vredestein and Kumho, alongside budget options from Triangle and Hifly.

The testing was split into three main categories: on-road wet performance, on-road dry performance, and off-road capability across various terrains including grass, sand, gravel, and loose stone surfaces. 

The Italian newspaper al Volante has just published a tire test with both the new Pirelli Cinturato C3 AND the Michelin Primacy 5!

The test was somewhat limited, for example there was no dry handling, but it gives a good overview of the new tires relative performance.

There's a new tire on the market aiming to be the best of the best performance summer tires. The Pirelli P Zero PZ5 is designed to take on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Continental SportContact 7, Bridgestone Potenza Sport, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 and more, but can the latest UUHP summer tire on the market really move the game on in both handling AND grip? There's only one way to find out - testing!

To find out if the new PZ5 is as good as Pirelli claim, I have tested it against all the tires mentioned above, and the Falken Azenis FK520 and a budget tire. I've put all seven sets of tires through dry and wet testing, and I've looked into the noise, comfort and rolling resistance levels of each set of tires to ensure you have all the information needed to make the correct purchase decision. 

Autobild Sports Cars tests are usually nice and simple. Fast car, the best of the UUHP tires, put them together and see what's best.

Thankfully, in the strange year of 2025 testing, Autobild have kept that formula and tested eight performance summer tires in 245/35 R19 using an Audi TTS.

As this is a nice and simple test, we'll let the data do the talking.

Every year there's a tire test that makes me stop and wonder how they got to their conclusion, and this year that award goes to the UTAC / Aftonbladet summer tire test.

As a bit of scene setting, Aftonbladet is a Scandinavian newspaper, so UTAC, who performed the testing, focused on the cold weather ability of the tires, which is something I love. However, they did make some interesting statements, and ended up with some interesting findings. In total they tested 14 tires, 10 summer and 4 European spec all season tires, all in 225/45 R17.

In the world of high-performance tires, Hoosier has long been a name synonymous with speed and grip. Recently, we had the opportunity to put three of their top offerings to the test at the BMW driving school, using an M4 GT4 race car as our platform. The tires in question? The Hoosier R7, a medium compound Hoosier slick, and the new Hoosier Track Attack Pro. Each brought its own unique characteristics to the track, and the results were nothing short of impressive.