I wasn't used to spinning wheels on dry roads on my car even when I wanted to. These tires made it real. Maybe it was just bad luck (or because they were made in Portugal) but these had really bad grip on both dry and wet road.
After maybe a year of use and 10 000km small chunks of rubber started to fall off the tires. Some of the tires worn out too unevenly for a summer tire - I'd expect something like that from a winter tire which in my case doesn't really show any sign of uneven wear.
Matador Tires
Economy brand
Part of Continental Group
17 current Matador tires, ranked using 37 independent tire tests and 166 owner reviews covering 1,466,917 miles of driving.
- 17current tires
- 37professional tests
- 166owner reviews
- 1,466,917 milescovered on them
The quick answer
| Pick | Tire | The evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Summer | Matador MP 46 Hectorra 2 8.6 | TR Score 8.6 / 10 medium confidence score |
| All Season | Matador MP72 Izzarda AT2 8.5 | TR Score 8.5 / 10 limited data so far |
| Winter | Matador MP93 Nordicca 7.9 | TR Score 7.9 / 10 medium confidence score |
| Owners' favorite | Matador Hectorra 5 6.1 | 87% from 8 owner reviews |
| Latest test result | Matador MP93 Nordicca | #16 / 20 2026 Auto Bild Winter Tire Test |
Each season pick is the highest TR Score among the brand's current tires; the owners' favorite is the highest rated by the drivers who run them. The full rankings and the evidence behind every pick are below.
The Matador test record
Matador has entered 37 independent comparison tests indexed on Tire Reviews.
Most recent test appearances
Positions are each test's overall ranking, with the brand represented by its best placed tire. Tests that rank tires within groups count towards the totals above but are not listed, because a position inside a group is not a position in the test. All tests featuring Matador →
The current Matador range, ranked
The highest scoring Matador you can buy today is the Matador MP 46 Hectorra 2, with a TR Score of 8.6 out of 10. 12 of the 17 current tires have earned a score.
Summer Tires 6
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Matador MP 46 Hectorra 2
|
High Performance | 8.6 | 82% | 57 |
| 2 |
Matador MP 44 Elite 3
|
High Performance | 8.2 | 82% | 16 |
| 3 |
Matador MP 16 Stella 2
|
Touring | 7.4 | 74% | 10 |
| 4 |
Matador MP 42 Elite 2
|
Touring | 6.8 | 64% | 6 |
| 5 |
Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3
|
Ultra High Performance | 6.7 | 73% | 30 |
| 6 |
Matador Hectorra 5
|
Touring | 6.1 | 87% | 8 |
All Season Tires 3
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Matador MP 62 All Weather Evo
|
Touring | 7 | 60% | 7 |
| 2 |
Matador MP 61 Adhessa
|
Touring | - | - | - |
| 3 |
Matador Adhessa Evo MP 61
|
Touring | - | - | - |
Winter Tires 5
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Matador MP93 Nordicca
|
Touring | 7.9 | 82% | 8 |
| 2 |
Matador MP 59 Nordicca MS
|
Touring | 7.6 | 83% | 12 |
| 3 |
Matador MP 30 Sibir Ice 2
|
Touring | 7.6 | - | - |
| 4 |
Matador MP 58 Silika MS
|
Touring | - | 75% | 3 |
| 5 |
Matador MP 54 Sibir Snow
|
Touring | - | 76% | 2 |
SUV and 4x4 Summer Tires 1
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Matador MP 71
|
Touring | - | - | - |
SUV and 4x4 All Season Tires 1
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matador MP72 Izzarda AT2 | On-Road All-Terrain | 8.5 | - | - |
SUV and 4x4 Winter Tires 1
| # | Tire | Category | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow
|
Touring | 6.8 | 85% | 7 |
Tables are ranked by TR Score, which rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and owner reviews weighted by how much evidence backs them. Unscored tires link to their pages, where a review counts towards a score.
The best Matador for each condition
One brand, different jobs: the Matador that lead in each condition, from the per-condition TR scores.
Best in the wet
Rated across 4 tires in the range:
Condition scores run 0-100 within each condition, built from the same test results and owner reviews as the overall TR Score.
Matador EU label data
8 of the 17 tires on record carry EU label data. These are the range's label headliners, using each tire's best available size figures.
A Best wet grip
1 tires reach EU wet grip class A. The highest scoring:
B Lowest rolling resistance
The most fuel efficient choice: 1 tires reach rolling resistance class B. The highest scoring:
70dB Quietest tires
The quietest tires in the range are labelled from 70 dB external noise:
Label values come from the EU EPREL database and vary by size - the figures here are each tire's best declared size. Wet grip and rolling resistance run from class A (best) to E; noise is the measured drive-by figure. A good label is a floor, not a verdict: the tests and rankings above tell you far more.
What drivers say about Matador tires
Across 166 owner reviews and 1,466,917 miles of driving, Matador tires average 79% overall. The scores below show where owners rate the brand strongest.
- Dry Grip 8.4/10
- Wet Grip 7.5/10
- Road Feedback 7.7/10
- Handling 7.3/10
- Wear 8.2/10
- Comfort 8.1/10
- Buy again 7.8/10
- Snow Grip 8.2/10
- Ice Grip 8/10
Question averages are weighted by review count across every tire of the brand. Snow and ice scores come only from the drivers of the brand's winter-capable tires.
The most recent reviews, in their own words
All round excellent tire , XL rated and very good towing caravan. Recommended to both my son who's a driving instructor and my wife and daughter. My local tire depot recommends them.
I have had some other brands on this car, Firestone, Hankook, Vredestein, but I have to say, these Matadors are way better.
They have good balance between comfort and performance. Good levels of grip on dry and wet roads, but smoothen the ride well on rough or damaged tarmac. The noise level is ok.
The tires are soft (both sidewalls and tread), shows some delay in steering in the corner entries, but it's not a big deal. Not a sporty tire, tuned for comfort ride, they have the feeling I'm driving a Michelin subbrand, however It's a brand of Continental.
I got more what I expected for the price, I'm waiting how they will perform on long term.
I have driven a total of 7,000 km-spanning both summer and winter seasons-in a mix of city and highway conditions. In the summer heat, the road holding on long-distance trips was quite good. I also drove on wet, rainy roads; while the braking distance was reasonable, the tires didn't inspire confidence as speeds increased, so I slowed down. In winter, on icy surfaces, the braking performance at moderate speeds was good. My vehicle is a Toyota Corolla, and the tire noise is excessive.
Car came from factory with Continental EcoContact 6Q, which were decent enough, but needed replacing at 14k on the front. The dealer I bought the car off fitted these Matadors, and I was honestly expecting them to be terrible. They really are quite good.
Only when really pushing on in the wet do they start to let go. They handle the cars 201hp no problem.
I would certainly consider buying them in the future if they weren't the price they are - for the same money you can get Falkens and only a tenner more for Goodyear.
Matador shares a lot of Continental knowledge, and really I can't tell the difference between them and the EcoContact 6Q. The Matador even have the Continental "wet grip" wear bars, same as the 6Q.
If you can get them cheap, then go for it.
Only when really pushing on in the wet do they start to let go. They handle the cars 201hp no problem.
I would certainly consider buying them in the future if they weren't the price they are - for the same money you can get Falkens and only a tenner more for Goodyear.
Matador shares a lot of Continental knowledge, and really I can't tell the difference between them and the EcoContact 6Q. The Matador even have the Continental "wet grip" wear bars, same as the 6Q.
If you can get them cheap, then go for it.
We are on our third set of Matadors used on a 1.8 Seat Leon tsi FR. The car is driven sensibly and always within the road conditions primarily in 50 mph twity poor country roads and motorways in the UK and France. We do not do drag strip dashes as seems prevalent with a lot of people these days.
These Matadors are fantastic and last incredibly well. At 30 k miles fronts were still legal but near the 1.6 mm marker. The rears were totally legal but had began to go slightly out of round. Ive put these tires on my other car too (e class Mercedes).
SIMPLY FANTASTIC. The price has sadly increased over the years. People used to refer to them as budget but now the tire snobs call them mid range. We're in the UK and have driven at 110 kph in France in heavy rain . No sign of aqua planning and superb handling and feedback. Why anyone would choose to spend two or three times as much beats me.
These Matadors are fantastic and last incredibly well. At 30 k miles fronts were still legal but near the 1.6 mm marker. The rears were totally legal but had began to go slightly out of round. Ive put these tires on my other car too (e class Mercedes).
SIMPLY FANTASTIC. The price has sadly increased over the years. People used to refer to them as budget but now the tire snobs call them mid range. We're in the UK and have driven at 110 kph in France in heavy rain . No sign of aqua planning and superb handling and feedback. Why anyone would choose to spend two or three times as much beats me.
Every Matador tire on Tire Reviews
The complete record, including discontinued tires and tires with too little evidence to rank, ordered by the amount of evidence. The most researched this month: Matador MP93 Nordicca, Matador Hectorra 5, Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3.
| Tire | Season | TR Score | Owner rating | Reviews | Distance reviewed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matador MP 46 Hectorra 2 | Summer | 8.6 | 82% | 57 | 528,200 miles |
| Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3 | Summer | 6.7 | 73% | 30 | 214,251 miles |
| Matador MP 44 Elite 3 | Summer | 8.2 | 82% | 16 | 65,313 miles |
| Matador MP 59 Nordicca MS | Winter | 7.6 | 83% | 12 | 86,300 miles |
| Matador MP 16 Stella 2 | Summer | 7.4 | 74% | 10 | 192,108 miles |
| Matador MP93 Nordicca | Winter | 7.9 | 82% | 8 | 29,600 miles |
| Matador Hectorra 5 | Summer | 6.1 | 87% | 8 | 84,200 miles |
| Matador MP 62 All Weather Evo | All Season | 7 | 60% | 7 | 51,530 miles |
| Matador MP 92 Sibir Snow | Winter | 6.8 | 85% | 7 | 90,300 miles |
| Matador MP 42 Elite 2 | Summer | 6.8 | 64% | 6 | 92,665 miles |
| Matador MP 58 Silika MS | Winter | - | 75% | 3 | 26,000 miles |
| Matador MP 54 Sibir Snow | Winter | - | 76% | 2 | 6,450 miles |
| Matador MP72 Izzarda AT2 | All Season | 8.5 | - | - | - |
| Matador MP 30 Sibir Ice 2 | Winter | 7.6 | - | - | - |
3 more Matador tires have no reviews yet
About Matador
Matador, founded in 1905 in Slovakia, is a tire brand that became part of the Continental Group, offering reliable mid-range products (now produced under Continental).
Find your next tire
All tire tests →The latest Tire Reviews tests
- Oct 2026The BEST All Weather Tires for 2026/27 →
- Oct 2026All Season vs All Terrain Tires Tested: Do You Actually Need an All Terrain? →
- Oct 2026The BEST Winter Tires for 2026/27 →
Summer Tires
All Season Tires
Winter Tires
SUV and All Terrain Tires
Track Tires
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Where this data comes from
Rankings combine independent test results with owner reviews submitted through this site, each naming the car, the tire, the size and the distance covered. Reviews are checked by hand before publication, and the page rebuilds automatically as new evidence arrives.
About the TR Score
The Tire Reviews Score rates each tire out of 10 using independent test results and the full body of owner reviews, weighted by how much evidence backs them.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tire Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tires independently since 2007.