Minerva Radial 209 vs Matador Hectorra 5
Ahead in each discipline
The Minerva Radial 209 and the Matador Hectorra 5 have met in one independent test so far, and the Radial 209 finished ahead. The Radial 209 was stronger in dry and wet.
Performance profile
Their shared test recorded too few of the same measurements to chart, so the chart shows what owners rate each tyre on every question.
Where owners rate each higher
Radial 209
Hectorra 5
Not ahead in any category
Point at or tap any spoke for both tyres' figures.
Owners rate the Radial 209 94% from 3 reviews and the Hectorra 5 87% from 8. Each spoke is one question owners answer out of 10; reviews are vetted by hand before publication.
Every measurement, side by side
Both tyres' figures from the one test that ran them together, on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The bar grows towards the tyre that did better.
| Measurement | Radial 209 | Gap | Hectorra 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry Radial 209 ahead | |||
| Dry Braking m | 39.3 | 2% | 40.1 |
| Wet Radial 209 ahead | |||
| Wet Braking m | 31.6 | 4% | 32.9 |
Braking distances and lap times are better when lower; speeds, wear and grip figures when higher. A test's figures are its own: sizes, cars, surfaces and temperatures differ from one to the next, which is why the averages here are only ever of tests the two tyres shared.
Head to head in 1 test in 2024
Each row is one published test in which both tyres ran on the same car, in the same size, on the same day. The line is the whole field, winner on the left.
| Test | Radial 209 | Field | Hectorra 5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 Summer Tyre Market Overview | P29 of 55 | P43 of 55 |
Radial 209 vs Hectorra 5: your questions
Is the Minerva Radial 209 or the Matador Hectorra 5 the better tyre?
The Minerva Radial 209 and the Matador Hectorra 5 have met in one independent test so far, and the Radial 209 finished ahead. On the Tyre Reviews Score, which weighs every test and review we hold, the Radial 209 scores 5.5 and the Hectorra 5 6.1 out of 10.
Which is better in the wet, the Radial 209 or the Hectorra 5?
The Radial 209 led 1 of the 1 wet measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is better in the dry?
The Radial 209 led 1 of the 1 dry measurements the shared tests recorded.
Which is quieter and more comfortable?
Owners rate comfort 9.7/10 for the Radial 209 and 8.6/10 for the Hectorra 5.
What do owners say?
Owners rate the Radial 209 94% from 3 reviews and the Hectorra 5 87% from 8.
Are they available in the same sizes?
The Radial 209 is made in 24 sizes (14 to 16 inch) and the Hectorra 5 in 94 (14 to 21 inch). 12 sizes are available in both. On the EU label the Radial 209 is graded B for wet grip and C for rolling resistance in most sizes; the Hectorra 5 B and C.
Which is the newer tyre?
The Hectorra 5 is the newer design: it reached the market in 2022, the Radial 209 in 2016.
More comparisons with these tyres
Run either of these?
Your review is the part of this page no test can supply: how the tyre wore, how it aged, what it was like in the rain in year three. It takes about five minutes.
Where this data comes from
Finishing positions and measurements are transcribed from each published test. A test only counts here when both tyres ran in it, so every figure was recorded on the same car, size and day as the one it is compared to.
About the TR Score
The Tyre Reviews Score rates each tyre out of 10 from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold, so two tyres can be compared even before a test has run them together.
Who does the testing
Every test published as a Tyre Reviews test is run by Jonathan Benson, who has been testing tyres independently since 2007.