Semperit Speed Life 3 - Test Results

Test Statistics

14

Tests Completed

18^th

Average Position

2^nd

Best Result

41^st

Worst Result

Performance Analysis

Across 14 summer tests, the Semperit Speed Life 3 shows a clear split personality: it can be genuinely strong in wet conditions (including multiple top-4 wet braking results and standout wet handling/aquaplaning in the UHP-sized test), but repeatedly underdelivers in dry braking and often slips to the back half of large-field Autobild market overviews. This performance volatility explains the modest long-run average overall position (17.6), despite a couple of excellent 2021 results.

The tire's best-case scenario is wet-focused safety and controllability, where it can run close to class leaders. The main recurring drawbacks are dry braking (often double-digit % behind the best) and inconsistent overall competitiveness in mega-tests (e.g., 41st places), with mixed value/price and efficiency depending on test/size.

Performance Strengths

Wet Braking Performance Strong Details
• 1st place wet braking in 2021 ADAC Summer Tire Test (225/50 R17)
• 4th/53 wet braking in 2021 Auto Bild 53 Summer Tire Braking Test (+1.4% from best)
• 4th/20 wet braking in 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test (+1.3% from best)
• 3rd/50 wet braking on concrete in 2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test (+1.4% from best)
Wet Handling & Aquaplaning Resistance Strong Details
• 3rd/9 wet handling in 2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test (+0.1% from best) and 1st/9 subjective wet handling
• 3rd/50 curved aquaplaning in 2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test (+5% from best)
• 3rd/9 straight aquaplaning in 2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test (+0.6% from best)
Efficiency / Rolling Economy (size-dependent) Minor Details
• 4th/16 fuel consumption in 2024 ADAC Summer Tire Test (215/55 R17, +1.8% from best)
• 3rd/9 rolling resistance in 2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test (+25.7% from best, but still 3rd in field)

Performance Weaknesses

Dry Braking Performance Strong Details
• 32nd/50 dry braking in 2026 Auto Bild Braking Super Test (+14% from best)
• 35th/52 dry braking in 2025 Auto Bild Summer Tire Test Shootout (+14.7% from best)
• 16th/16 dry braking in 2024 ADAC Summer Tire Test (+15.5% from best)
• 45th/48 dry braking in 2023 Auto Bild Summer Tire Market Overview (+17.8% from best)
• 20th/20 dry braking in 2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test (+10.6% from best)
Overall Competitiveness in Large-Field Market Overviews Moderate Details
• 41st/48 overall in 2023 Auto Bild Summer Tire Market Overview (with wet braking 36th/48, +26.2% from best)
• 41st/44 overall in 2022 Auto Bild Summer Tire Market Overview (dry braking 42nd/44, wet braking 33rd/44)
• 23rd/55 overall in 2024 Auto Bild Summer Tire Market Overview (dry braking 35th/55, wet braking 14th/55)
Dry Handling / Sportiness (UHP context) Moderate Details
• 9th/9 dry handling in 2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test (+3% from best)
• 7th/9 dry braking in 2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test (+7.7% from best) alongside low subjective dry handling (7th/9)
Value & Wear Consistency Minor Details
• 30th/50 value in 2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test (+121.4% from best) with 18th/50 wear (+44.1% from best)
• 8th/15 wear in 2021 ADAC Summer Tire Test (205/55 R16, +39.2% from best) despite strong overall 2nd place

Performance Over Time

Test History

of 50

2026 Summer Braking Super Tire Test - How do 52 Tires Perform in Wet and Dry Braking?

2026
Winner: Linglong Sport Master

View Test

of 52

2025 Summer Tire Test Shootout

2025
Winner: Bridgestone Potenza Sport

View Test

of 16

2024 ADAC Summer Tire Test

2024
Winner: Continental PremiumContact 7

The Semperit Speed-Life 3 receives a borderline satisfactory rating in driving safety, with only adequate steering feedback on dry roads and a similar rating in handling at the limit, leading to a ...

Weak:
Dry Braking

View Test

of 55

2024 Summer Tire Market Overview

2024
Winner: Continental PremiumContact 7

View Test

of 50

2023 ADAC Summer Tire Test

2023
Winner: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

View Test

of 48

2023 Summer Tire Market Overview

2023
Winner: Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3

View Test

of 9

2022/23 Tire Reviews 17 Inch Summer Tire Test

2022
Winner: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6

The Semperit Speed-Life 3 is a wet specialist with good levels of comfort. Sadly this comes at the expense of the dry performance where it had lower grip and poor dynamics. This tire feels very sim...

Strong:
Subj. Wet Handling

Weak:
Dry Handling

View Test

of 16

2022 ADAC Summer Tire Test - 15 Inch

2022
Winner: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

The Semperit Speed-Life 3 offers good performance on dry roads and good wear behavior. In the wet, however, it shows slight weaknesses that lead to the devaluation of the overall rating. Overall, t...

View Test

of 18

2022 ADAC 16" SUV Summer Tire Test

2022
Winner: Continental Premium Contact 6

Overall, the Semperit Speed-Life 3 does not get more than a satisfactory rating. It shows weaknesses on both dry and wet roads and is therefore one of the recommended tires. However, its wear behav...

View Test

of 44

2022 Summer Tire Market Overview

2022
Winner: Bridgestone Turanza T005

View Test

of 20

2021 Auto Bild 16 Inch Summer Tire Test

2021
Winner: Kumho Ecsta HS51

Exemplary.

Weak:
Dry Braking, Price

View Test

of 17

2021 ADAC Summer Tire Test - 225/50 R17

2021
Winner: Falken Azenis FK510

The Semperit Speed-Life 3 is a wet specialist with the shortest wet braking, however the car feels imprecise in the dry with sudden oversteer during sudden maneuvers. One of the lowest wears on tes...

Strong:
Wet Braking

View Test

of 15

2021 ADAC Summer Tire Test - 205/55 R16

2021
Winner: Continental Premium Contact 6

The Semperit Speed-Life 3 is a very balanced midrange tire. It was impressive in the dry with good steering and short braking distances and excellent in the wet, leading wet braking.

View Test

of 53