Bought this all season tire to replace a dedicated winter/summer touring set so i can focus on having a dedicated Summer Sport tire set and an all season for the rest of the year when its not hot and when the mountain roads are slippery and tracks are closed. I live in Central Europe, winter has a few snowy days, the rest is just wet in different levels from soaking to foggy. Summer is hot and starts early without a real spring. So all seasons look like a reasonable choice. I didn't exactly look for a sporty all season tire, as when I bought it the CC3 Sport was still months aways from stock, so I wanted to use it for regular street driving and maybe a little bit of sporty driving.
The thing is, i'm sure the grip is good, but there are two super weak points in this tire that makes sporty driving impossible.
1., Complete absence of road feedback or traction feedback, you feel NOTHING on the front or rear axle, and it couldn't be said the the GR86 have little feedback itself, its completely tire related numbness, which when you drive regulary its fine, quiet and comfortable ride, but try to push it and all you will notice is the traction control works all the time especially ->
2., Wet braking. I have two tires I can comprare it to, summer Eagle F1 and winter Blizzak LM006s, both excellent in the wet and are dedicated season tires, the blizzaks but even the Eagles stop my other car without issues in the same circumstances with little wheels lock (no ABS on Toyota Celica). So compared to a dedicated winter wet king, the wet breaking is medicore at best.
I would have to say, so feel it you really have to provoke them, which only occur in emergency or if you push the car, both can be avoided by driving like a normal person does in winter.. carefully. If thats the case, the tires are great even.
The tires are still new, half a year old, Snow and Ice didn't occure at this time of writing the review, I will update it if that happens.
(for GR owners: with this tire at highway speed around 110-130km/h the road noise is low, you don't have to raise your voice even a little, really nice ride if you can cool your petrol blood for the winter season, coming from a 25mm lowered car)
