This tire test clearly shows that the search for good summer tires is still quite difficult. Of the 53 tires we examined in the preliminary round, 14 have a braking distance that is far too long.
Charles Goodyear found a way to vulcanize rubber in 1839, John Boyd Dunlop patented the pneumatic tire in 1888. And the Michelin brothers accelerated the automotive world with their industrial tire production from 1895. Now, 120 years later, we have the task of finding the best tire for the coming summer season from the enormous and confusing range. This is not an easy job, especially for the 205 / 55R16 tire size, on which a large part of the C-segment models are used, from the Audi A3 to the Volkswagen Golf.
Fifty manufacturers offer tires in this best-selling size. The first selection round, in which the braking distances are examined, flawlessly separates the wheat from the chaff. Using a comprehensive test procedure with hundreds of measurements and tire changes, the braking distances on dry and wet road surfaces are measured. Only the twenty tires with the shortest braking distances on average will advance to the final. Emerging Korean tire manufacturer Hankook is starting from pole position for the next round of testing and is further extending its lead in the dynamic tests on dry and wet surfaces as well as on the aquaplaning test section. Only the tires of the premium manufacturer Pirelli and the Korean tire manufacturer Kumho manage to keep up with the Hankooks.
However, good performance in the driving tests is only part of the story. After all, in everyday practice it is also about the lifespan, fuel consumption and of course also the price. Thus, it is ultimately the cost chapter that determines whether a band is a winner or a loser. The products of Hankook and Pirelli, which have been in the lead until then, are sinking through the ice with only an average lifespan. Kumho tires, on the other hand, are expanding their leading position despite their higher rolling resistance and are therefore ultimately the test winner.
With the tested tires that will be delivered in 2021, the mutual differences with regard to safety reserves, driving dynamics and efficiency are strikingly large. Only five of the 53 tires we tested ultimately deserve the designation ‘excellent’ and are therefore recommended. Overall winner is the Kumho Ecstra HS51. The top five also consists of the Continental PremiumContact 6, the Semperit Speed-Life 3, the Debica Presto HP2 and the Brigdestone Turanza T005.
The full results of all 53 summer tires and all test results including charts and graphs can be read in Techzle no. 14 (7-14 April), or digitally available at the bottom of this article.
Price comparator
With the Techzle Car Tire Price Comparison we offer you a handy tool to find the best offers on summer tires. The price comparison site currently provides an overview of the full range of 18 different tire providers. Also here are the results all tire tests of the past 9 years.
Also see: