Jack-of-all-trades?
SUV tires must not only be able to handle wet and dry asphalt, but of course also off the beaten track. Even though few SUV owners may dive into the mud with their car, these tires should be an all-rounder.
Admittedly, in normal day-to-day traffic there is almost never an opportunity to really let off steam. Struggling through mud and mud, climbing steep dunes and drifting through corners on dusty gravel roads is something most SUV drivers can only dream of. Yet there are always situations where only four-wheel drive in combination with the best possible tires can keep the car moving. In snow and ice this is a clear story, the advantages of four driven wheels in combination with winter tires are obvious. But also in the summer months you can end up in difficult situations next to the asphalt. An example: you want to leave the campsite, the tandem axle is already hanging on the tow bar, the lawn is wet and the terrain slightly sloping. Carefully you step on the accelerator, but nothing happens, all wheels scrape helplessly over what used to be grass. With a little more grip on the tires, the call for the campsite owner’s tractor could probably have been avoided. In our traction measurements on grass, sand, gravel and mud, we measured differences of up to 30 percent. Those are differences that determine whether you get ahead safely or get stuck. However, the safety reserves in normal road traffic are at least as important: short braking distances, balanced handling and large reserves in the event of aquaplaning are a must. And in the meantime you can continue dreaming about wild trips in the terrain. Even if you just drive on the A1.
This is how we tested the SUV summer tires
The ten separate test disciplines of the compulsory asphalt road program were conducted at Goodyear’s test track in Mireval, southern France. A huge proving ground in the Texas prairie was available for the five field trials.
The tests in the field
Grip on grass/gravel/sand/mud: Good lateral grip ensures neutral handling. Not all test participants leave a good impression in this area.
Driving behavior on gravel: Decisive differences can be seen on the almost two kilometer long test track on the Texan prairie. Pirelli and Hankook offer the best balance, Nexen and Toyo tires are less balanced.
Grip on gravel: After dozens of acceleration runs, Michelin’s Pilot Sport 4 SUV and Bridgestone’s Turanza 6 Enliten have been named traction champions on gravel. They can transmit about 15 percent more traction on this surface than Pirelli’s last-placed tyres.
Grip on sand: In loose sand, the Grabber GT Plus from General clearly performs better. The Toyo and Cooper candidates have to make do with 20 percent less grip. Incidentally, the grip can be clearly improved by lowering the tire pressure.
Grip in the mud: After the acceleration tests on the mud-strewn test track, the test participants are allowed to take a mud bath. The cheap tire from the Chinese manufacturer Aplus and the RainExpert 5 from Uniroyal deliver top values, they feel particularly at home in the mud puddle.
Grip on grass: Wet grass can quickly become tricky for campers with caravans. Here too, the mud champions from Aplus and Uniroyal take the highest places on the podium. Cooper and Bridgestone tires offer 25 percent less traction.
The wet road tests
Aquaplaning and cornering aquaplaning: When aquaplaning threatens, the candidates from Michelin and Uniroyal offer the greatest safety reserves. On the Aplus and Cooper tyres, our test car loses contact with the road much sooner.
Driving behavior and roundabout: A great achievement: the Michelin takes first place in all five wet test disciplines. With impressive grip and perfect balance, it is also unbeatable on the handling course. Bridgestone’s Turanza 6 Enliten and Pirelli’s Cinturato P7 are close behind. The candidates who finish at the bottom of the table in this test lack lateral grip, which also compromises driving pleasure.
Brakes: Michelin’s wet-road specialist Pilot Sport 4 SUV also scores the best mark in braking. The water-shy candidates from Cooper and Aplus, on the other hand, disappoint on this important test component. They need at least eleven meters more to come to a stop from 100 km/h, which can be at the end of a traffic jam link.
The tests on dry road surfaces
Brakes: In this basic safety test, tires must not sink through the ice. The tire of the cheap brand Aplus gives away up to six meters of safety reserve and receives the red card for this test item.
Sound when driving by: Strict EU noise emission regulations also apply to SUV tyres, making noisy off-road treads a thing of the past.
Rolling resistance: The exemplary low rolling resistance of the Bridgestone Turanza 6 Enliten helps to save fuel, about 5 percent more precisely compared to the Aplus.
Driving behaviour: Precise steering responses and balanced handling: the premium manufacturers Michelin, Pirelli and Bridgestone take the lead in this test section and collect additional bonus points for driving pleasure.
Conclusion
Five candidates have earned our ‘Excellent’ seal of approval, they make no mistakes in the wet and dry testing program, and they earn bonus points in off-the-beaten-track testing. The top 5:
- Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV
- Bridgestone Turanza 6
- Falken Ziex ZE310 Ecorun
- Goodyear Efficient Grip 2 SUV
- Hankook Ventus Prime 4
Extensive results and graphs
All results are also presented in graphs, as is an overview of all tires and their performance. We cannot show these on the web page, but you will find them in the PDF that you can download on this page.
Price comparator
With the AutoWeek Car Tire Price Comparison we offer you a handy tool to find the best offers on summer tires. The price comparator currently provides an overview of the full range of 16 different tire providers. Also here are the results all tire tests of the past 9 years.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl