2017 Auto Bild Summer Tyre Test

Test Summary
Wet BrakingContinental Premium Contact 6
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
Dry BrakingContinental Premium Contact 6
Rolling ResistancePirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
NoiseYokohama Advan Fleva V701
Snow BrakingContinental Premium Contact 6
Snow HandlingSava Intensa UHP 2
Michelin Primacy 3
Ice BrakingLeao Nova Force
Following on from the 52 tyre shootout, Auto Bild have taken the twenty best tyres through a full array of wet, dry, NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) and wear tests.

As a change from the usual FWD hatchback used for testing, Auto Bild tested the 225/50 R17 size using a RWD BMW 3 Series.

As there are a lot of tyres on test, we will keep the commentary to a minimum and just provide the key data and final results. It is worth keeping in mind, only the Kumho in twentieth place was classified as "not recommended" due to a weak wet performance, and the Yokohama in nineteenth place "conditionally recommended", again for a poor wet performance. All the other tyres at least achieved a "recommended" rating.

One of the unique tests Auto Bild perform is a wear test. Continental, who have struggled in the past with average wear seem to have fixed their only problem, and now have a tyre that has wet grip, dry grip and excellent wear properties. 

The Results

The full results are below, with the data underneath the results. Please note, the "cost" field relates to the purchase price VS predicted miles.

1st: Continental Premium Contact 6

Continental Premium Contact 6
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 56
  2. Dry: 9
  3. Wet: 9
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 9
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 10
  8. Cost: 7
Excellent results on dry and wet surfaces for braking and handling, precise steering response, good wear
Relatively low resistance to aquaplaning
Exemplary / Test Winner

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2nd: Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2

Dunlop SportMaxx RT 2
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 49
  2. Dry: 8
  3. Wet: 7
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 9
  8. Cost: 7
Very good premium tire with no obvious weaknesses, good handling on wet and dry surfaces, precise steering response and good feedback, very high resistance to aquaplaning, good wear
Relatively high rolling resistance
Exemplary

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2nd: Falken Azenis FK510

Falken Azenis FK510
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 44
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 8
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 4
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 7
Good controllability, high lateral stability and short braking distances on dry surfaces, well priced
Relatively high rolling resistance
Exemplary

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2nd: Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue

Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 49
  2. Dry: 9
  3. Wet: 7
  4. Comfort: 7
  5. Rolling Resistance: 10
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 4
Good handling on wet roads, fast and accurate steering response, lowest rolling resistance
Lowest resistance to aquaplaning
Exemplary

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5th: Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 48
  2. Dry: 8
  3. Wet: 7
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 8
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 7
Good handling and short braking distances on dry and wet roads, attractive price, low noise
Low resistance to aquaplaning
Exemplary

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6th: Fulda SportControl 2

Fulda SportControl 2
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 46
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 7
  5. Rolling Resistance: 7
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 6
Balanced performance and good handling in all conditions, short braking distances on dry and wet surfaces, good comfort, low rolling resistance, well priced
Average wear
Exemplary

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7th: Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo

Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 42
  2. Dry: 6
  3. Wet: 8
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 7
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 3
Good handling on dry and wet roads, high resistance to aquaplaning
Poor value due to high purchase price and average wear
Good

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8th: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 43
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 7
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 4
Good handling on dry and wet roads, high resistance to aquaplaning, short braking distance on dry roads
Average value due to high purchase price and average wear
Good

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9th: Michelin Primacy 3

Michelin Primacy 3
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 53
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 8
  5. Rolling Resistance: 9
  6. Noise: 9
  7. Wear: 8
  8. Cost: 6
Excellent wear, short braking distances on dry roads, low rolling resistance
Average wet grip, limited resistance to aquaplaning, highest price
Recommended

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10th: Uniroyal RainSport 3

Uniroyal RainSport 3
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 8
  4. Comfort: 4
  5. Rolling Resistance: 4
  6. Noise: 8
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 6
The highest resistance to aquaplaning, good handling and short braking distances on wet roads
Inaccurate response to steering and a tendency to understeer on dry surfaces, average travel comfort, increased rolling resistance
Recommended

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11th: Vredestein Ultrac Satin

Vredestein Ultrac Satin
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 45
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 9
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 6
Good handling on wet surfaces, high braking performance, low rolling resistance
Average levels of grip and a tendency to understeer on dry surfaces
Recommended

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12th: Sava Intensa UHP 2

Sava Intensa UHP 2
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 47
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 9
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 7
Short braking distances on dry and wet roads, good value for money
Poor steering response and a tendency to understeer on wet surfaces
Recommended

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12th: Toyo Proxes Sport

Toyo Proxes Sport
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 39
  2. Dry: 6
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 8
  7. Wear: 4
  8. Cost: 3
Good controllability on dry and wet surfaces, low noise level
Poor value
Recommended

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14th: Maxxis Premitra HP5

Maxxis Premitra HP5
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 44
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 4
  4. Comfort: 6
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 7
  8. Cost: 8
Good handling in the dry, excellent wear
Average resistance to aquaplaning, limited wet grip
Recommended

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15th: Avon ZV7

Avon ZV7
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 7
  5. Rolling Resistance: 4
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 7
Short braking distances on dry roads
Slow steering response in the dry and wet, long wet braking distances
Recommended

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15th: Nokian zLine

Nokian zLine
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 33
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 3
  5. Rolling Resistance: 4
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 4
  8. Cost: 3
Good handling on dry roads
Tendency to understeer and a relatively long braking distance on wet surfaces, poor wear, high rolling resistance
Recommended

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17th: Cooper Zeon CS8

Cooper Zeon CS8
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 36
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 4
  5. Rolling Resistance: 3
  6. Noise: 6
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 6
Good value
Unbalanced behavior in the dry, average comfort, high rolling resistance
Recommended

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17th: Leao Nova Force

Leao Nova Force
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 41
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 6
  4. Comfort: 4
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 3
  8. Cost: 10
Low noise level, cheap to buy
Slow response to steering and reduced grip on dry and wet surfaces, poor wear
Recommended

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19th: Yokohama Advan Fleva V701

Yokohama Advan Fleva V701
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 46
  2. Dry: 7
  3. Wet: 4
  4. Comfort: 9
  5. Rolling Resistance: 9
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 6
  8. Cost: 4
Short braking distances in the dry
Very poor aquaplaning resistance, slow steering response and low grip in the wet and dry
Conditionally recommended

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20th: Kumho Ecsta HS51

Kumho Ecsta HS51
  • 225/50 R17
  • 3PMSF: no
  1. Total: 35
  2. Dry: 5
  3. Wet: 4
  4. Comfort: 4
  5. Rolling Resistance: 6
  6. Noise: 7
  7. Wear: 3
  8. Cost: 6
Good resistance to aquaplaning
Slow response to steering and reduced grip on dry and wet roads, worst wear on test

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The Data


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