2020 Tyre Reviews Ultimate Summer Tyre Test

Do you want to know what tyre is best for every day, real world driving? In this test we take eleven of the very best 205/55 R16 tyres on the market, plus a well regarded budget tyre, to see exactly what tyre performs best in the dry, wet, comfort, noise and rolling resistance tests!

Dry BrakingContinental Premium Contact 6: 34.2 MGoodride RP28: 37.5 M
Dry HandlingGoodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2: 101.17 sGoodride RP28: 104.01 s
Subj. Dry HandlingContinental Premium Contact 6: 10 PointsBFGoodrich Advantage: 07 Points
Wet BrakingFalken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun: 35.7 MGoodride RP28: 45.8 M
Wet HandlingMaxxis Premitra HP5: 69.86 sGoodride RP28: 76.76 s
Subj. Wet HandlingPirelli Cinturato P7 C2: 10 PointsGoodride RP28: 05 Points
Straight AquaUniroyal RainSport 5: 91.62 Km/HGoodride RP28: 72.08 Km/H
Subj. ComfortBFGoodrich Advantage: 10 PointsFalken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun: 08.2 Points
NoiseBFGoodrich Advantage: 61.2 dBMaxxis Premitra HP5: 62.3 dB
Tyre WeightNokian WetProof: 7.98 KgFalken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun: 9.16 Kg
PriceGoodride RP28: 156 Michelin Primacy 4: 267
Rolling ResistanceBridgestone Turanza T005: 7.19 kg / tFalken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun: 9.82 kg / t
It's the Tyre Reviews long overdue, 16" tyre test! The 16" tyres is the most popular size in the world, and is fitted to a large percentage of "daily" cars, so this test will hopefully be relevant to a large number of drivers!

In this test we have twelve of the most popular tyres on the market, including the multiple test winning Continental PremiumContact 6 and Michelin Primacy 4, going up against the new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2, Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2, Uniroyal RainSport 5 and BFGoodrich Advantage, with the usual tyres from Falken, Nokian, Bridgestone, Maxxis, Hankook and Goodride.

All twelve tyres will be tested in dry and wet handling, dry and wet braking, aquaplaning, internal cabin noise and fuel use, and have subjective grades given to their dry and wet handling, and most importantly for this type of tyre, their comfort levels.

The overall score will be weighted as 35% dry (35% lap time, 10% subjective, 55% braking), 50% wet (35% lap time, 5% subjective, 55% braking, 5% aquaplaning), 7.5% NVH (50% internal noise, 50% comfort) and 7.5% value (80% rolling resistance, 20% price), however if you prefer qualities such as subjective dry handling over wet braking, all the data will be below to allow you to make your own purchase decision.

As always, any questions, please ask below! 

 

Dry

You might not think the dry performance of a 16" tyre is important, but dry braking and handling show you exactly how much grip each tyre will have in an emergency situation, where you lean on the tyre more than normal.

For dry braking, the Continental had the advantage over a very close group, with the Pirelli, Falken, and Nokian joint second! Uniroyal, Hankook and Goodride all had longer than ideal dry stopping distances.

The new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 was the fastest tyre round dry handling, with the joint second placed Continental and Maxxis both having the best subjective handling feel.

Wet

Wet braking had three tyres significantly ahead of the rest, with Falken, Continental And Uniroyal all having over 2 meters to the next best tyre on test. Again, Hankook and Goodride struggled with grip levels.

With a couple of deeper parts of water on track, the wet handling test favoured the tyres with higher levels of aquaplaning resistance, meaning the Continental couldn't match its excellent wet braking result.

Only the budget Goodride had worse aquaplaning resistance than the two premium Continental and Goodyear tyres, with the Uniroyal RainSport 5 once again proving its unique tread pattern was the best way to clear water.

Comfort

Comfort is an important quality for a 16" tyre, and the BFGoodrich and Michelin pair had a significant advantage over the bumps and road imperfections.

We tested internal noise levels rather than external, averaging the noise from two different road surfaces at two different speeds, giving you a true picture of how loud a tyre is to the driver. Again, the BFGoodrich had a clear advantage.

Value

The Bridgestone Turanza T005 once again aced the rolling resistance test, finishing top, but the new Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 was a close second.

At the time of test, the budget Goodride was the cheapest tyre to buy, and the Michelin the most expensive.

Sadly, we couldn't test wear, however there are plenty of other tests on Tyre Reviews, along with user reviews, showing the wear rates of most of these tyres.

Overall Results

View Results as a single table and adjust the score weighting

1st: Continental Premium Contact 6

Continental Premium Contact 6
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 0120
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking1st100%
Dry Handling2nd+0.08 s99.92%
Subj. Dry Handling1st100%
Wet Braking2nd+0.4 M98.89%
Wet Handling9th+1.78 s97.52%
Subj. Wet Handling10th-2.5 Points75%
Straight Aqua10th-13.14 Km/H85.66%
Subj. Comfort8th-1.2 Points88%
Noise9th+0.9 dB98.55%
Tyre Weight4th+0.58 Kg93.22%
Price11th+96 61.9%
Rolling Resistance5th+1.18 kg / t85.9%
Excellent dry grip with sporty handling and the shortest dry braking distances. Very short wet braking distances.
Low aquaplaning resistance, average comfort, relatively high noise levels, high price.
Once again the braking advantage of the Premium Contact 6 secures it a test win, however it was very close at the top. If you prefer driving dynamics over comfort, this is the tyre to pick.


Read Reviews    Buy from £68.99

2nd: Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2

Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 5019
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking8th+0.9 M97.44%
Dry Handling1st100%
Subj. Dry Handling4th-1 Points90%
Wet Braking4th+2.4 M93.7%
Wet Handling3rd+0.18 s99.74%
Subj. Wet Handling3rd-0.8 Points92%
Straight Aqua10th-13.14 Km/H85.66%
Subj. Comfort3rd-0.6 Points94%
Noise2nd+0.2 dB99.67%
Tyre Weight2nd+0.12 Kg98.52%
Price8th+68 69.64%
Rolling Resistance2nd+0.09 kg / t98.76%
The new EfficientGrip Performance 2 is a very well rounded tyre with excellent grip in the dry and wet, low levels of noise, high levels of comfort, very low rolling resistance and well priced.
Low aquaplaning resistance and slightly long braking distances in the dry and wet cost it victory.
An extremely well rounded tyre with no major weaknesses, other than aquaplaning. Good levels of comfort and low fuel use make this an excellent tyre for real world driving.


Read Reviews    Buy from £56.59

3rd: Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun

Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
  • 205/55 R16 94V
  • Production: 0820
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking2nd+0.3 M99.13%
Dry Handling4th+0.3 s99.7%
Subj. Dry Handling8th-2 Points80%
Wet Braking1st100%
Wet Handling5th+0.23 s99.67%
Subj. Wet Handling5th-1.4 Points86%
Straight Aqua4th-9.01 Km/H90.17%
Subj. Comfort11th-1.8 Points82%
Noise5th+0.4 dB99.35%
Tyre Weight12th+1.18 Kg87.12%
Price4th+36 81.25%
Rolling Resistance12th+2.63 kg / t73.22%
Excellent, balanced results in the dry, with the shortest wet braking distances on test and good aquaplaning resistance. Low noise levels and well priced.
Low subjective comfort and the highest rolling resistance on test.
A very strong performance for the Falken ZIEX ZE310, with good grip in the dry and wet.


Read Reviews    Buy from £49.69

4th: Uniroyal RainSport 5

Uniroyal RainSport 5
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 4819
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking10th+1.5 M95.8%
Dry Handling10th+1.6 s98.44%
Subj. Dry Handling11th-3 Points70%
Wet Braking2nd+0.4 M98.89%
Wet Handling6th+0.53 s99.25%
Subj. Wet Handling10th-2.5 Points75%
Straight Aqua1st100%
Subj. Comfort5th-1 Points90%
Noise5th+0.4 dB99.35%
Tyre Weight3rd+0.54 Kg93.66%
Price3rd+35 81.68%
Rolling Resistance8th+1.66 kg / t81.24%
Highest resistance to aquaplaning, very short wet braking, good comfort, well priced.
Low grip in dry handling, extended dry braking, poor subjective handling, average rolling resistance.
The new RainSport 5 remains a tyre that prioritises wet performance above all else, and is a great choice if you live in a climate with a lot of rainfall.


Read Reviews    Buy from £49.99

5th: Nokian WetProof

Nokian WetProof
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 4919
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking2nd+0.3 M99.13%
Dry Handling7th+1.07 s98.95%
Subj. Dry Handling4th-1 Points90%
Wet Braking6th+3.3 M91.54%
Wet Handling2nd+0.09 s99.87%
Subj. Wet Handling4th-1.2 Points88%
Straight Aqua7th-10.36 Km/H88.69%
Subj. Comfort3rd-0.6 Points94%
Noise11th+1 dB98.39%
Tyre Weight1st100%
Price5th+45 77.61%
Rolling Resistance6th+1.25 kg / t85.19%
Good dry braking, excellent handling in the wet, high levels of comfort, well priced.
Average wet braking, high noise levels, average rolling resistance.
The Nokian Wetproof is a well priced, balanced tyre.


Read Reviews    Buy from £53.79

6th: Bridgestone Turanza T005

Bridgestone Turanza T005
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 0820
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking5th+0.6 M98.28%
Dry Handling5th+0.5 s99.51%
Subj. Dry Handling6th-1.4 Points86%
Wet Braking10th+5.3 M87.07%
Wet Handling4th+0.19 s99.73%
Subj. Wet Handling5th-1.4 Points86%
Straight Aqua8th-10.44 Km/H88.61%
Subj. Comfort5th-1 Points90%
Noise3rd+0.3 dB99.51%
Tyre Weight5th+0.76 Kg91.3%
Price7th+62 71.56%
Rolling Resistance1st100%
Good grip in the dry, both handling and braking, good wet handling, low noise, lowest rolling resistance on test.
Long wet braking, average aquaplaning resistance.
The T005 is a well rounded tyre with excellent low fuel use.


Read Reviews    Buy from £57.19

7th: Michelin Primacy 4

Michelin Primacy 4
  • 205/55 R16 91H
  • Production: 0620
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking6th+0.7 M97.99%
Dry Handling9th+1.4 s98.64%
Subj. Dry Handling6th-1.4 Points86%
Wet Braking7th+4.1 M89.7%
Wet Handling8th+1.11 s98.44%
Subj. Wet Handling5th-1.4 Points86%
Straight Aqua3rd-8.76 Km/H90.44%
Subj. Comfort2nd-0.2 Points98%
Noise5th+0.4 dB99.35%
Tyre Weight9th+0.96 Kg89.26%
Price12th+111 58.43%
Rolling Resistance3rd+0.89 kg / t88.99%
High levels of comfort and low noise, very low rolling resistance, high aquaplaning resistance.
Most expensive tyre on test, relatively slow dry and wet handling laps.
The Primacy 4 is a great all round tyre, and while it doesn't excel in any category, it has relatively few flaws.


Read Reviews    Buy from £69.69

8th: Maxxis Premitra HP5

Maxxis Premitra HP5
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 1119
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking7th+0.8 M97.71%
Dry Handling2nd+0.08 s99.92%
Subj. Dry Handling1st100%
Wet Braking9th+4.6 M88.59%
Wet Handling1st100%
Subj. Wet Handling1st100%
Straight Aqua2nd-6.4 Km/H93.01%
Subj. Comfort8th-1.2 Points88%
Noise12th+1.1 dB98.23%
Tyre Weight7th+0.82 Kg90.68%
Price6th+49 76.1%
Rolling Resistance11th+2.58 kg / t73.59%
Excellent dry and wet handling with a sporty feel and high levels of grip. Good aquaplaning resistance and well priced.
Long dry and wet braking, high noise levels, high rolling resistance, average comfort levels.
A very well priced sporty feeling tyre, perfect for those who enjoy driving enjoyment with a smaller wheel.


Read Reviews    Buy from £56.39

9th: BFGoodrich Advantage

BFGoodrich Advantage
  • 205/55 R16 91H
  • Production: 4719
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking8th+0.9 M97.44%
Dry Handling11th+1.9 s98.16%
Subj. Dry Handling11th-3 Points70%
Wet Braking5th+3.2 M91.77%
Wet Handling10th+2.07 s97.12%
Subj. Wet Handling5th-1.4 Points86%
Straight Aqua9th-10.69 Km/H88.33%
Subj. Comfort1st100%
Noise1st100%
Tyre Weight5th+0.76 Kg91.3%
Price9th+80 66.1%
Rolling Resistance4th+1.15 kg / t86.21%
The quietest and most comfortable tyre on test, low rolling resistance.
Low grip in the dry and wet with understeer behaviour, average aquaplaning resistance.
The new BF Goodrich Advantage is aimed at those who prioritise comfort over handling.

Conditionally Recommended

Read Reviews    Buy from £67.49

10th: Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2

Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
  • 205/55 R16 94V
  • Production: 5019
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking2nd+0.3 M99.13%
Dry Handling8th+1.15 s98.88%
Subj. Dry Handling3rd-0.6 Points94%
Wet Braking8th+4.2 M89.47%
Wet Handling7th+1.02 s98.56%
Subj. Wet Handling1st100%
Straight Aqua6th-9.6 Km/H89.52%
Subj. Comfort11th-1.8 Points82%
Noise3rd+0.3 dB99.51%
Tyre Weight11th+1.06 Kg88.27%
Price10th+82 65.55%
Rolling Resistance10th+2.57 kg / t73.67%
Excellent dry braking, low noise levels, good subjective handling in the dry and wet.
Average dry and wet handling and long wet braking, average comfort and high rolling resistance.
The new P7 C2 is a great update to the P7, with an excellent dry grip and sporty handling. If the wet performance was a little better it would have been near the very top of the test.

Conditionally Recommended

Read Reviews    Buy from £72.49

11th: Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125

Hankook Ventus Prime 3 K125
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 0920
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking11th+2.1 M94.21%
Dry Handling6th+0.88 s99.14%
Subj. Dry Handling9th-2.5 Points75%
Wet Braking11th+6.4 M84.8%
Wet Handling11th+2.42 s96.65%
Subj. Wet Handling5th-1.4 Points86%
Straight Aqua5th-9.09 Km/H90.08%
Subj. Comfort5th-1 Points90%
Noise9th+0.9 dB98.55%
Tyre Weight9th+0.96 Kg89.26%
Price2nd+31 83.42%
Rolling Resistance9th+1.79 kg / t80.07%
Good grip in dry handling, good levels of comfort, well priced.
Long dry braking, poor wet grip, high rolling resistance.
If price is important to you, this might be a good option, but the Prime 3 is soon to be replaced by a much improved version, so we recommend waiting for that.

Not Recommended

Read Reviews    Buy from £52.39

12th: Goodride RP28

Goodride RP28
  • 205/55 R16 91V
  • Production: 5119
Test#Difference%
Dry Braking12th+3.3 M91.2%
Dry Handling12th+2.84 s97.27%
Subj. Dry Handling9th-2.5 Points75%
Wet Braking12th+10.1 M77.95%
Wet Handling12th+6.9 s91.01%
Subj. Wet Handling12th-5 Points50%
Straight Aqua12th-19.54 Km/H78.67%
Subj. Comfort8th-1.2 Points88%
Noise8th+0.7 dB98.87%
Tyre Weight8th+0.84 Kg90.48%
Price1st100%
Rolling Resistance7th+1.62 kg / t81.61%
Low price, reasonable levels of comfort.
Longest dry and wet braking, slowest dry and wet handling, average rolling resistance.
Not the worst budget tyre ever tested, however it was still a long way behind the 11th placed tyre, and not that much cheaper.

Not Recommended

Read Reviews    Buy from £50.99

Similar Tyre Tests




Discussion:

comments powered by Disqus