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2018 New and Worn Summer Tyre Test

Compare each discipline in the tested size. See the measured result, position and gap to the best tyre, then read the verdict for the trade-offs behind the finishing order.

Tested size
205/55 R16
Tyres tested
14
Disciplines
5

Read the measurements, not just the rank

Lower is better for braking distances and lap times; higher is better for subjective scores and aquaplaning speed. Bars start at zero. Read the gap alongside the position: adjacent tyres can be separated by very different margins.

Positions and gaps always refer to the full test field within each group. Selecting tyres does not recalculate rankings or change the best-in-test benchmark.

Dry

2

Dry Braking

Dry braking in meters

Lower is better ↓
Position / TyreResultGap to best
1Bridgestone Turanza T005
 14 m Best
2Michelin CrossClimate
 14.1 m +0.10 m
2Michelin Primacy 4
 14.1 m +0.10 m
4Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance
 14.7 m +0.70 m
5Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
 14.9 m +0.90 m
6Infinity Ecosis
 15.2 m +1.20 m
6Taurus 401 HighPerformance
 15.2 m +1.20 m
6BFGoodrich gGrip
 15.2 m +1.20 m
RefReference Winter
 15.2 m +1.20 m
9Continental Premium Contact 5
 15.3 m +1.30 m
10Firestone RoadHawk
 15.4 m +1.40 m
11Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
 15.9 m +1.90 m
12Semperit SpeedLife 2
 17.4 m +3.40 m
13Laufenn S fit EQ
 18 m +4.00 m
RefReference Summer Worn
 19.7 m +5.70 m
14Dayton Touring 2
 21.2 m +7.20 m
RefReference Winter Worn
 30.1 m +16.10 m

The difference between best and worst was 115% (16.1 m ≈ 3.6 Car Lengths).

Dry Handling

Dry Handling Average Speed

Higher is better ↑
Position / TyreResultGap to best
1Bridgestone Turanza T005
 56 km/h Best
2Michelin Primacy 4
 55.5 km/h -0.50 km/h
3Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
 55.3 km/h -0.70 km/h
4Firestone RoadHawk
 54.4 km/h -1.60 km/h
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance
 53.5 km/h -2.50 km/h
RefReference Winter
 51.4 km/h -4.60 km/h
6Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
 51 km/h -5.00 km/h
7Michelin CrossClimate
 50.6 km/h -5.40 km/h
8Laufenn S fit EQ
 49.6 km/h -6.40 km/h
9Continental Premium Contact 5
 49.5 km/h -6.50 km/h
10Semperit SpeedLife 2
 49.2 km/h -6.80 km/h
11BFGoodrich gGrip
 49 km/h -7.00 km/h
12Taurus 401 HighPerformance
 47.8 km/h -8.20 km/h
RefReference Winter Worn
 47.3 km/h -8.70 km/h
13Dayton Touring 2
 45.8 km/h -10.20 km/h
14Infinity Ecosis
 44.4 km/h -11.60 km/h
RefReference Summer Worn
 43.5 km/h -12.50 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 22.3% (12.5 Km/H).

Wet

2

Wet Braking

Wet braking in meters

Lower is better ↓
Position / TyreResultGap to best
1Michelin Primacy 4
 13.5 m Best
2Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
 14.1 m +0.60 m
3Infinity Ecosis
 14.4 m +0.90 m
3BFGoodrich gGrip
 14.4 m +0.90 m
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance
 14.5 m +1.00 m
6Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
 14.8 m +1.30 m
7Continental Premium Contact 5
 15.2 m +1.70 m
7Bridgestone Turanza T005
 15.2 m +1.70 m
9Michelin CrossClimate
 15.5 m +2.00 m
RefReference Winter
 15.5 m +2.00 m
10Taurus 401 HighPerformance
 15.7 m +2.20 m
11Firestone RoadHawk
 16.3 m +2.80 m
RefReference Winter Worn
 16.8 m +3.30 m
12Semperit SpeedLife 2
 17.2 m +3.70 m
13Laufenn S fit EQ
 20.3 m +6.80 m
RefReference Summer Worn
 20.4 m +6.90 m
14Dayton Touring 2
 24.7 m +11.20 m

The difference between best and worst was 83% (11.2 m ≈ 2.5 Car Lengths).

Wet Handling

Wet Handling Average Speed

Higher is better ↑
Position / TyreResultGap to best
1Michelin Primacy 4
 49.8 km/h Best
2Bridgestone Turanza T005
 49.6 km/h -0.20 km/h
3Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
 48 km/h -1.80 km/h
4Michelin CrossClimate
 47.8 km/h -2.00 km/h
5Laufenn S fit EQ
 47.1 km/h -2.70 km/h
6BFGoodrich gGrip
 47 km/h -2.80 km/h
RefReference Winter
 47 km/h -2.80 km/h
7Continental Premium Contact 5
 46.8 km/h -3.00 km/h
8Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
 46.6 km/h -3.20 km/h
8Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance
 46.6 km/h -3.20 km/h
10Firestone RoadHawk
 46.3 km/h -3.50 km/h
11Semperit SpeedLife 2
 45.8 km/h -4.00 km/h
12Infinity Ecosis
 45.3 km/h -4.50 km/h
13Taurus 401 HighPerformance
 44.8 km/h -5.00 km/h
14Dayton Touring 2
 44.3 km/h -5.50 km/h
RefReference Summer Worn
 42.2 km/h -7.60 km/h
RefReference Winter Worn
 42 km/h -7.80 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 15.7% (7.8 Km/H).

Comfort

1

Noise

External noise in dB

Lower is better ↓
Position / TyreResultGap to best
1Michelin CrossClimate
 57.8 dB Best
RefReference Winter
 59 dB +1.20 dB
2Michelin Primacy 4
 59.4 dB +1.60 dB
3Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance
 59.5 dB +1.70 dB
4Continental Premium Contact 5
 59.7 dB +1.90 dB
4Hankook Kinergy Eco 2
 59.7 dB +1.90 dB
6Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue
 60.1 dB +2.30 dB
7Infinity Ecosis
 60.5 dB +2.70 dB
7Dayton Touring 2
 60.5 dB +2.70 dB
9Taurus 401 HighPerformance
 60.9 dB +3.10 dB
9Semperit SpeedLife 2
 60.9 dB +3.10 dB
11BFGoodrich gGrip
 61 dB +3.20 dB
12Bridgestone Turanza T005
 61.2 dB +3.40 dB
RefReference Winter Worn
 61.5 dB +3.70 dB
13Firestone RoadHawk
 61.6 dB +3.80 dB
RefReference Summer Worn
 62.6 dB +4.80 dB
14Laufenn S fit EQ
 63 dB +5.20 dB

The difference between best and worst was 9% (5.2 dB).

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