Volkswagen Passat 1.9TDi Sport Estate (Chipped) Tyres

A great all round tyre with a fantastic, eye catching tread pattern. Been very impressed with their wet weather performance on motorways, instilling confidence even in the heaviest Swedish downpours.

Would certainly buy these again, HOWEVER there is a catch! Vredestein (in their wisdom) have STOPPED MANUFACTURING THE ULTRAC MODEL! I found this out last week when I got a side wall puncture (unrepairable) and have been trying every avenue to get a new one.

If anyone from Vredestein reads this, please go back into production with the ULTRAC, they are much better than your Sessanta model!!

Review for the Nokian Z - Recommened these by some of our family that are living in Sweden, their Winter tyres have a huge reputation in Northern Europe, Canada etc.

These have been nothing short of incredible - I've gone through the Michelin Primacy, Goodyear NCT's, Bridgestone ER 30 & 300...and by far the Nokians have been the best.

In simple terms I hardly see the traction control light come on anymore, the grip is excellent especially under power - with the engine management re-done on the car I was forever slipping the front's with previous tyres but with these it's almost gone. The horrible under-steer I'd got used to with the Michelins has gone, with no real loss in over all wear - done nearly 30,000 on the set.

Wet grip is easily as good as the other brands - feedback is a little remote, but they are quiet.

About half way through their life I did have new Koni Shocks and Eibach springs fitted, which has also probably helped the tyres perform at their best - but they really haven't felt out of place in this suspension set up.

I'd buy them again, but they are very difficult to find here in the UK - when I bought them they were about ?55.00 fitted - best I can find via the web now is - ?74.00 non fitted...they really deserve more pressence in the market.

These are the first change of tyre Ive had to make on my current car, but after only the first 1000miles or so, can only compliment them. They have given good traction in wet & dry with no need for our traction control to kick in in wet or ice yet. Wear looks good & they even have the bobbly bits on still so lasting well. For the money they are excellent VFM and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

Great in slush & on muddy roads and pretty good in snow and cut through a reasonable depth of standing water. Easy round bends, especially in the dry. Only once suffered a serious loss of traction & that was going round a new roundabout after light rain following quite lengthy dry spell. May well have been a diesel spill or extreme greasiness on new road surface; good fun though.
They're a bit noisy, but well balanced & good sidewall rigidity. Tread seems to sit well on the road.
Had them on for 3 months through some interesting weather & they have done well. Replaced Bridgestones which were great most of the time but lousy in the snow.

These came with the car from new and look very good on the car. Unfortunately that is all that is good about the front tyres. I am having to change the front 2 at 16000 miles as they are down to the wear limits already. The rear tyres are still OK and look to have a good few thousand miles on them. There is also an unacceptable level of road noise compared to other tyres i have had.
I am changing to Uniroyal Rainsport 2 to see if they perform better.