Best Tires for the MINI Cooper D

These tires were factory-fitted on my car. There are much better tires out there with lower price. Not recommended.

These tires really surprised me. I bought them for my Mini Cooper D F56 (205/45/17 88V) at the price of 240€. Their rubber has good quality (not nylon), are quiet, with excellent grip for the everyday drive in dry and wet conditions. In sporty driving you feel that the tire’s structure isn’t that solid, hence at the limit you don’t get the absolute feeling and grip. Overall, an excellent tire from Kormoran, which is a subsidiary of Michelin, and that to me explains its value for money.

Handling is fair wet and dry... but these tires really become a lot worse when pushed, because of this I would be untrusting of them if I ever needed to steer sharply, they just don't stick to the road like they should (Tracking on my car was also fixed prior to these been put on, so I know that is not to blame). So these tires would be ok for people who just potter about in their cars, but not for those who may drive with a heavier foot on the accelerator. I really was looking forward to trying these avons out as I have never bought them before, but I know these will definitely be the first and last time i buy avon tires.

If you’re considering buying these or have them and want an honest review then this is for you. I was hesitant when these showed up for my car. Needed budget tires and I would say they deliver quality performance.IMO Leaving the store once fitted in heavy rain, there was a lot of slip but now worn in they do very well at gripping the road at high speeds 60-70mph cornering. IMO They are a budget tire that deliver quality grip and quality performance. IMO My only complaint although I don’t care so much. They are very noisy. Possibly the noisiest tires I’ve had on a car. That aside all that noise comes with plenty of cornering capability and I can confidently rag the car with little hesitation.

All around good tires, not particularly great in the wet, but Mini being a lightweight car it is not a very heavy task for these tire to cope with so it is okay, somewhere between a 6 and an 8 depending on the amount of water on the road, as it tends aquaplan a little bit on puddles, but i guess this is what every tire does on puddles, right?
Dry grip is good, i really had confidence in them on B roads.
On my way back home on the freeway at the exit i have some really wide but agressive curves, normally it is a 90km/h area or something like that, all the cars usually take the hairpin with about 70-90km/h, i was always just blasting on that section with speeds close to 160km/h and even above as it really was a wide section and i had the space to correct any wrongs.
My friend had some goodyear eagle f1 assymetric 2 i think 215 or 225 i don't remember exactly on a GOLF 5 GT, altough the power on his was 170 hp and on mine was 110, considering the weight difference wich is only about 200kg, i could literally overpass him when we were racing on roads with many corners due to the advantage i had in grip... If he took a corner with 100 km/h (about 60mph) i was always going easily 10-20 km/h faster on that corner than he was, and i think this pretty much says it all when comparing a 80 gbp or something about that tire against a 30-40 gbp one.

Although i am saying these tires were good for me, the wear was also good, roughly 20000 miles done with them, i cannot recommend these on heavy cars as my Mini is a lightweight car, although not very much lighter than a golf, but hey, try reaching sub 1200kg with a golf without putting lightweight 15 inch wheels or removing pretty much the whole interior from it, so yeah, can't really say how they will do for heavier cars than a Mini or clio or something comparable.
Also, as a last note, currently i own a civic 1.5 turbo fitted with stock primacy 3 and hands down i can say i had more confidence on dry with the petlas than with these, and these are literally double the price also the braking i swear was better than on the honda, despite having larger diameter discs in the back and rear.

The Pirelli's came as original equipment under the winter tires option from Mini when we go our first Mini in 2014. We've used them on two Mini's now over three winters including three trips to the French Alps, an 1,800 mile round trip. We live in the Pennines in West Yorkshire up small country lanes that are never gritted or cleared. We've had a bit of snow over the last three winters and a bit of snow driving in the Alps. The tires have felt stable and secure at all times whether on dry, wet or snowy roads. On the way down to France this year, we were driving through heavy rain at the maximum allowed of 110 km/h and climbing snow covered motorways following the snow ploughs and the tires handled everything with ease. On the way back we hit snow in West Yorkshire around Holmfirth and while other cars were stuck, turning back or, in two cases, in the stone walls, we just carried on up hill, down dale and around the bends. The most reassuring thing about these tires in the snow is that when you hit the brakes, the car stops. The only other tires that I can compare them with are Goodyear Vector4Seasons which I had for a year on the car before the first Mini. They were a good performer on snow for a four season tire but I think the Pirelli's edge them on the snow. We've done almost 33,000 miles on them so they are wearing well. They are a bit more noisy than summer tires especially on slightly rough surfaces or concrete roads. This isn't much of a problem in France, however, as the motorways generally have very good surfaces.

Fine in the dry, hopeless for in the wet.
In the wet the traction is dramatically reduced and cornering is hopeless. Huge understeer. You must dramatically slow down for cornering in the wet.
Probably the worst wet weather tires I can remember in 30 years of driving.

Fitted to a Mini Cooper. Like all run flats, they are stiff and make the ride noisy and hard. These are much worst than standard fit Dunlops.
Plenty of grip in the dry although a sudden snap into a scary drift when pushed.
However, the slightest sign of moisture and they are scary and dangerous. Slippy, very slippy. Lots of noisy understeer and no grip to speak of. My big Land Rover Discovery can go round wet corners faster and safer.
Cheap and nasty. Very nasty in the damp.

These were the only tires I could get 2 years ago when I first decided to go with snow tires and they have been AWESOME. They cost me £50 per corner back then and I have done a total of 15000 miles on them and they still have 5mm of tread left.
Some of the good feeling is probably because of the mini's excellent handling feedback, but as far as security and ability I rate them very highly. In actual snow they were loads of fun and there are many times when I have overtaken 4x4s going up hills. Also gave me the ability to have a clear run down the outside lane of the motorway when everyone else is stuck in the inside 2 lanes because they would wipe out in the snow.
They also gave my wife the confidence to go out in the snow.

Unfortunately I didn't get them fitted early enough this year and rolled the mini on black ice late November.
Have bought an Audi A3 tdi quattro and have read excellent things about Continental TS850s, so have bought 4 16inch steel wheels and 4 Contis from Tiremen.co.uk. this option was over £100 cheaper than buying less good rubber for the original 18inch alloys! Tiremen were very helpful and very competetive on price.
will report back on the new tires, but quattro and snow tires should be a hoot!