The Polish Motor Magazine recently conducted a premium touring tyre test. The test included eight different tyre brands, all in the popular size of 205/55 R16, which is commonly used in compact and some larger car models. The brands tested were Continental, Goodyear, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Hankook, Pirelli, Michelin, and Vredestein. The test was comprehensive, covering various aspects of tyre performance including wet and dry handling, rolling resistance, noise, and comfort.

Test setup & methodology

The test setting, the conditions recorded and how the results contribute to the score.

Recorded test conditions

Dry Braking: 100 → 0 km/h
Wet Braking: 100 → 0 km/h

Wet

In the wet braking test, the Continental PremiumContact 7 stood out with the shortest braking distance from 100 km/h.

Wet Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Continental PremiumContact 7	51.1 m	Best	0 km/h
2Michelin Primacy 4+	54.6 m	+3.50 m	33 km/h
3Hankook Ventus Prime 4	56 m	+4.90 m	38 km/h
4Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	57.5 m	+6.40 m	43 km/h
5Bridgestone Turanza T005	58.9 m	+7.80 m	47 km/h
6Vredestein Ultrac	59 m	+7.90 m	48 km/h
7Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	59.6 m	+8.50 m	49 km/h
8Dunlop Sport BluResponse	64.6 m	+13.50 m	59 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 26.4% (13.5 m ≈ 3 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Dunlop Sport BluResponse would still be travelling at 59 km/h when the Continental PremiumContact 7 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

The Continental was also the fastest around the wet handling lap.

Wet Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental PremiumContact 7	83.8 s	Best
2Vredestein Ultrac	84.7 s	+0.90 s
2Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	84.7 s	+0.90 s
4Bridgestone Turanza T005	85.4 s	+1.60 s
5Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	85.6 s	+1.80 s
5Michelin Primacy 4+	85.6 s	+1.80 s
7Hankook Ventus Prime 4	87.6 s	+3.80 s
8Dunlop Sport BluResponse	88.2 s	+4.40 s

The difference between best and worst was 5.3% (4.4 s).

The Vredestein had the highest resistance to aquaplaning in deeper water.

Straight Aqua
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Vredestein Ultrac	80.6 km/h	Best
2Michelin Primacy 4+	78.1 km/h	-2.50 km/h
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	77.4 km/h	-3.20 km/h
4Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	77 km/h	-3.60 km/h
5Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	76 km/h	-4.60 km/h
5Continental PremiumContact 7	76 km/h	-4.60 km/h
7Bridgestone Turanza T005	75.3 km/h	-5.30 km/h
8Hankook Ventus Prime 4	74 km/h	-6.60 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 8.2% (6.6 Km/H).

Dry

When it came to dry, Continental again took the lead, providing the best performance in terms of handling and braking. Goodyear and Dunlop also showed strong performance in dry handling, but lost a little during the braking test.

Dry Braking
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Residual speed
1Continental PremiumContact 7	35.6 m	Best	0 km/h
2Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	36.3 m	+0.70 m	18 km/h
2Hankook Ventus Prime 4	36.3 m	+0.70 m	18 km/h
4Bridgestone Turanza T005	36.6 m	+1.00 m	21 km/h
5Michelin Primacy 4+	36.7 m	+1.10 m	23 km/h
6Vredestein Ultrac	37.4 m	+1.80 m	29 km/h
7Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	37.7 m	+2.10 m	31 km/h
8Dunlop Sport BluResponse	39.6 m	+4.00 m	41 km/h

The difference between best and worst was 11.2% (4 m ≈ 0.9 Car Lengths). From 130 km/h, the Dunlop Sport BluResponse would still be travelling at 41 km/h when the Continental PremiumContact 7 had stopped.

Residual speed is calculated from the measured braking distances, assuming constant deceleration; it is not a separate measurement.

Dry Handling
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Continental PremiumContact 7	55.2 s	Best
2Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	55.7 s	+0.50 s
3Dunlop Sport BluResponse	55.9 s	+0.70 s
4Bridgestone Turanza T005	56 s	+0.80 s
5Hankook Ventus Prime 4	56.2 s	+1.00 s
6Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	56.3 s	+1.10 s
7Michelin Primacy 4+	56.7 s	+1.50 s
8Vredestein Ultrac	56.8 s	+1.60 s

All the tyres in the Dry Handling test finished less than 3% apart.

Environment

The Goodyear had the lowest external noise on test.

Noise
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best
1Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	64 dB	Best
2Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	64.2 dB	+0.20 dB
3Michelin Primacy 4+	64.3 dB	+0.30 dB
4Continental PremiumContact 7	64.6 dB	+0.60 dB
5Hankook Ventus Prime 4	64.7 dB	+0.70 dB
6Bridgestone Turanza T005	64.9 dB	+0.90 dB
7Vredestein Ultrac	65.3 dB	+1.30 dB
7Dunlop Sport BluResponse	65.3 dB	+1.30 dB

All the tyres in the Noise test finished less than 3% apart.

In terms of rolling resistance, Bridgestone outperformed its rivals, which translates to better fuel efficiency.

Rolling Resistance
Position / Tyre	Result	Gap to best	Extra fuel / year
1Bridgestone Turanza T005	0.67 kg/t	Best	£0
2Dunlop Sport BluResponse	0.75 kg/t	+0.08 kg/t	£53
3Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	0.78 kg/t	+0.11 kg/t	£72
4Michelin Primacy 4+	0.8 kg/t	+0.13 kg/t	£86
5Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	0.82 kg/t	+0.15 kg/t	£99
5Hankook Ventus Prime 4	0.82 kg/t	+0.15 kg/t	£99
7Continental PremiumContact 7	0.83 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t	£105
8Vredestein Ultrac	0.89 kg/t	+0.22 kg/t	£145

The difference between best and worst was 32.8% (0.22 kg / t). Over 19,000 km a year at £1.45/L, the Vredestein Ultrac uses about 100 L (£145) more fuel than the Bridgestone Turanza T005.

Adjust the assumptions

Calculated estimates, not additional measurements. Use the controls to explore the assumptions.

Petrol/Diesel Electric

Annual Mileage

19,000 km

km (L)

miles (US gal)

Fuel Price

£1.45/L

GBP (£)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

Set my vehicle consumption

Estimates based on typical driving conditions. Rolling resistance accounts for approximately 20% of IC vehicle fuel consumption and 25% of EV energy consumption. Actual savings vary based on driving style, vehicle weight, road conditions, and tyre age. For comparative purposes only. Lifetime savings based on a 40,000km / 25,000 mile tread life.

The Vredestein was the cheapest tyre on test.

Results

This tyre emerged as the clear winner of the test, scoring the highest points in both wet and dry conditions. It offered the shortest braking distances on both wet and dry surfaces and was the fastest on the track in all conditions. The tyre also demonstrated excellent handling precision and the highest level of safety.

Dry100%

Wet99%

Comfort99.1%

Rolling Resistance80.2%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	1^st / 8	35.6 m	Best in this discipline
Dry HandlingLower is better	1^st / 8	55.2 s	Best in this discipline
Wet BrakingLower is better	1^st / 8	51.1 m	Best in this discipline
Wet HandlingLower is better	1^st / 8	83.8 s	Best in this discipline
Straight AquaHigher is better	5^th / 8	76 km/h	-4.60 km/h
NoiseLower is better	4^th / 8	64.6 dB	+0.60 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	7^th / 8	0.829 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t

Price: 6938.00

Although it didn't win any test category, its consistent high-level performance across all tests allowed it to secure the second place. It is a well-balanced tyre that ensures a high level of safety in all conditions.

Dry97.2%

Wet96%

Comfort99.5%

Rolling Resistance83.4%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	5^th / 8	36.7 m	+1.10 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	7^th / 8	56.7 s	+1.50 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	2^nd / 8	54.6 m	+3.50 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	5^th / 8	85.6 s	+1.80 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	2^nd / 8	78.1 km/h	-2.50 km/h
NoiseLower is better	3^rd / 8	64.3 dB	+0.30 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	4^th / 8	0.797 kg/t	+0.13 kg/t

Price: 6750.00

Securing the third place, this tyre confirmed the high quality of Bridgestone products. It stood out for its excellent rolling resistance score, which translates into noticeable fuel savings. It is a stable tyre with very good handling precision.

Dry97.9%

Wet92.6%

Comfort98.6%

Rolling Resistance100%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	4^th / 8	36.6 m	+1.00 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	4^th / 8	56 s	+0.80 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	5^th / 8	58.9 m	+7.80 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	4^th / 8	85.4 s	+1.60 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	7^th / 8	75.3 km/h	-5.30 km/h
NoiseLower is better	6^th / 8	64.9 dB	+0.90 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	1^st / 8	0.665 kg/t	Best in this discipline

Price: 6625.00

This tyre narrowly missed the podium, scoring just 0.2 points less than Bridgestone. Interestingly, Pirelli achieved better results than its competitor in tests conducted on both dry and wet tracks. The final ranking was decided by its lower rolling resistance score.

Dry98.1%

Wet93.8%

Comfort99.7%

Rolling Resistance81.1%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	2^nd / 8	36.3 m	+0.70 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	6^th / 8	56.3 s	+1.10 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	4^th / 8	57.5 m	+6.40 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	5^th / 8	85.6 s	+1.80 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	4^th / 8	77 km/h	-3.60 km/h
NoiseLower is better	2^nd / 8	64.2 dB	+0.20 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	5^th / 8	0.82 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t

Price: 6750.00

With a very good point score, it secured the fifth place. It slightly lags behind Pirelli on both dry and wet asphalt, while having slightly better rolling resistance. Goodyear is a well-balanced tyre that provides a comparable high level of safety in all conditions.

Dry96.8%

Wet92.7%

Comfort100%

Rolling Resistance85.8%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	7^th / 8	37.7 m	+2.10 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	2^nd / 8	55.7 s	+0.50 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	7^th / 8	59.6 m	+8.50 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	2^nd / 8	84.7 s	+0.90 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	5^th / 8	76 km/h	-4.60 km/h
NoiseLower is better	1^st / 8	64 dB	Best in this discipline
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	3^rd / 8	0.775 kg/t	+0.11 kg/t

Price: 7000.00

This tyre lost the competition with Goodyear by only 0.1 point, showing that a good class tyre from the middle segment can compete with premium rubber. Interestingly, Vredestein performed much better than Goodyear on wet surfaces, but lost due to lower scores for dry competitions and high rolling resistance.

Dry96.2%

Wet94.1%

Comfort98%

Rolling Resistance74.9%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	6^th / 8	37.4 m	+1.80 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	8^th / 8	56.8 s	+1.60 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	6^th / 8	59 m	+7.90 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	2^nd / 8	84.7 s	+0.90 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	1^st / 8	80.6 km/h	Best in this discipline
NoiseLower is better	7^th / 8	65.3 dB	+1.30 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	8^th / 8	0.888 kg/t	+0.22 kg/t

Price: 6250.00

This tyre does not lag behind in quality from premium segment products. It is the cheapest tyre in the set, and it provides a decent level of safety. It only noticeably lags behind in aquaplaning tests, but it is not dangerous in these conditions. It receives a low score for rolling resistance.

Dry98.1%

Wet93.2%

Comfort98.9%

Rolling Resistance80.8%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	2^nd / 8	36.3 m	+0.70 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	5^th / 8	56.2 s	+1.00 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	3^rd / 8	56 m	+4.90 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	7^th / 8	87.6 s	+3.80 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	8^th / 8	74 km/h	-6.60 km/h
NoiseLower is better	5^th / 8	64.7 dB	+0.70 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	6^th / 8	0.823 kg/t	+0.16 kg/t

Price: 6500.00

This tyre achieves a final result that lags behind its competitors, even those from the middle segment. It loses the most points for poor braking distance on wet asphalt. In other competitions, it performs well and ensures the required level of safety. It has a reasonable price and a good rolling resistance coefficient.

Dry94.3%

Wet88.7%

Comfort98%

Rolling Resistance88.2%

Category scores (% of best)

All discipline results (7)

Discipline positions compare the ranked tyres in this test, not the whole market. These are individual measurements, not weighted overall scores.

Test	Position in discipline	Result	Gap to best
Dry BrakingLower is better	8^th / 8	39.6 m	+4.00 m
Dry HandlingLower is better	3^rd / 8	55.9 s	+0.70 s
Wet BrakingLower is better	8^th / 8	64.6 m	+13.50 m
Wet HandlingLower is better	8^th / 8	88.2 s	+4.40 s
Straight AquaHigher is better	3^rd / 8	77.4 km/h	-3.20 km/h
NoiseLower is better	7^th / 8	65.3 dB	+1.30 dB
Rolling ResistanceLower is better	2^nd / 8	0.754 kg/t	+0.09 kg/t

Price: 6563.00

Tyre	Continental PremiumContact 7	Michelin Primacy 4+	Bridgestone Turanza T005	Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2	Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2	Vredestein Ultrac	Hankook Ventus Prime 4	Dunlop Sport BluResponse
Position	1^st	2^nd	3^rd	4^th	5^th	6^th	7^th	8^th
Category scores (% of best)
Dry	100%	97.2%	97.9%	98.1%	96.8%	96.2%	98.1%	94.3%
Wet	99%	96%	92.6%	93.8%	92.7%	94.1%	93.2%	88.7%
Comfort	99.1%	99.5%	98.6%	99.7%	100%	98%	98.9%	98%
Rolling Resistance	80.2%	83.4%	100%	81.1%	85.8%	74.9%	80.8%	88.2%
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Tyre shortlist

The evidence behind the verdict

Test setup & methodology

Recorded test conditions

Wet

Dry

Environment

Results

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