Summer Passenger Car Tyre Tests

The ADAC tyre tests are always my favourite tyre tests, while they don't release all the data they generate; they do provide excellent notes with their tests, and most importantly they are the most independent tyre testing team in the world meaning there is no manufacturer involvement in any way, which is rare in the world of tyre testing. 

For the 2026 Summer Test ADAC tested 16 tyres in the dry/wet noise comfort value and, most importantly, tread life to find out exactly which tyre is best for you. They tested the popular 225/50R17 tyre size using an Audi A4 but this is a premium touring tyre size that is available in which fits many vehicles. 

Every year Auto Zeitung perform a summer tyre test, and it's always an interesting read as they are one of the few publications that purchase all of their own tyres blindly from the market instead of manufacturer submissions, and they now include a wear test!

This year they have tested 10 tyres in 235/45 R18 using an Audi A5 TS-FI front wheel drive vehicle and the amount of data they provide is fantastic.

A new publication in Germany has started tyre testing. It is Netzwelt , a German newspaper, and for their first summer tyre test, they have tested six tyres, one premium tyre (the Continental PremiumContact 7), five mid-range products and one budget product.

Unfortunately, the data shared is limited to wet and dry braking- they have translated all the other results into a point system, which we don't database here, so we recommend using the link below to check out a full test in German. You can read the subjective comments below for each tyre's overall position. 

While technically this is the second tyre test of the 2026 summer tyre testing season, I always think of the AutoBild mega test as the true start to the summer tyre test season. It's our first opportunity to see how 50 tyres available in 245/45 R19 do in a massive dry and wet braking test!

The Michelin Pilot Sport 5 is a customer favourite - it's test-winning, long-lasting, and one of the best all-round UHP tyres you can buy. So adding a low rolling resistance "Energy" version was always going to be tricky. Historically, energy-focused performance tyres have meant giving up a noticeable chunk of wet grip. The question is whether Michelin has managed to close that gap.

The data here comes from two test programmes, both commissioned by Michelin. Performance testing was carried out by TÜV SÜD at TRIWO Pferdsfeld in August 2025 (Report Nr. 713379856-S32-01), covering wet braking, dry braking, wet handling, and rolling resistance. Tread wear testing was conducted by DEKRA in Narbonne, France, during September and October 2025 (Report CPA MARK25H). Both used a Tesla Model Y (RWD, 75 kWh, 2,080 kg) and a tyre size of 255/40 R20 101Y XL.

The ACE Auto Club Europa has published the first summer tyre test of 2026, kicking off this year's test season. Ten tyres in the 225/40 R18 size were tested across wet and dry braking, aquaplaning resistance, handling on both surfaces, rolling resistance, and exterior noise.

The 2025 evo tyre test evaluated nine ultra-high performance tyres in the 235/35 R19 size. The field comprised eight premium brand offerings alongside one budget and used an AWD BMW 135i X-Drive.

Below is the data from the Die-Reifen summer performance tyre test which tested eight popular summer tyres in 225/40 R18 using a VW Golf GTI.

It's the second test for the new Pirelli P Zero PZ5, and the second win! This years Auto Express summer tyre test has tested nine popular summer tyres in 225/40 R18, with some rather interesting results.

Tire Rack are on a mission this year to test more tyres than anyone has before, which is very exciting. Their summer performance tyre test has tested eleven of the most popular tyres in 275/35 R19 using their new BMW M2 test vehicle.

In this test I will finally compare the new Hoosier TrackAttack Pro to the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 R and the Bridgestone Potenza RE71RS on a track AND autocross course.

Autobild Sports have tested seven premium and budget offerings in a staggered fitment of 245/35 R20 front and 295/30 R20 rear. Using a Lotus Emira as their test vehicle, Auto Bild Sportscars put these high-performance tyres through their paces across dry and wet conditions to determine which delivers the best balance for demanding sports car applications.

There's a new tyre on the market aiming to be the best of the best performance summer tyres. The Pirelli P Zero PZ5 is designed to take on the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Continental SportContact 7, Bridgestone Potenza Sport, Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 6 and more, but can the latest UUHP summer tyre on the market really move the game on in both handling AND grip? There's only one way to find out - testing!

To find out if the new PZ5 is as good as Pirelli claim, I have tested it against all the tyres mentioned above, and the Falken Azenis FK520 and a budget tyre. I've put all seven sets of tyres through dry and wet testing, and I've looked into the noise, comfort and rolling resistance levels of each set of tyres to ensure you have all the information needed to make the correct purchase decision. 

Autobild Sports Cars tests are usually nice and simple. Fast car, the best of the UUHP tyres, put them together and see what's best.

Thankfully, in the strange year of 2025 testing, Autobild have kept that formula and tested eight performance summer tyres in 245/35 R19 using an Audi TTS.

As this is a nice and simple test, we'll let the data do the talking.

Every year there's a tyre test that makes me stop and wonder how they got to their conclusion, and this year that award goes to the UTAC / Aftonbladet summer tyre test.

As a bit of scene setting, Aftonbladet is a Scandinavian newspaper, so UTAC, who performed the testing, focused on the cold weather ability of the tyres, which is something I love. However, they did make some interesting statements, and ended up with some interesting findings. In total they tested 14 tyres, 10 summer and 4 European spec all season tyres, all in 225/45 R17.

German publication AutoBild has tested eight summer tyres in the 215/55 R18 size specifically aimed at electric vehicles. The test aimed to find tyres that could achieve the difficult balance between energy efficiency (for maximum EV range) and safety performance.

AutoBild evaluated models from premium manufacturers like Continental, Goodyear and Michelin alongside offerings from mid-range brands including Falken, Firestone and Yokohama, plus budget option Goodride. Interestingly, only two tyres in the test - the Hankook iON evo and Falken e.Ziex - were specifically designed as EV tyres, while others were standard tyres that manufacturers claim are also suitable for electric vehicles.

In their latest tyre test, Motor magazine has taken a unique approach to evaluating summer tyres, focusing on models that combine energy efficiency with high performance. The test specifically targeted tyres with the lowest rolling resistance ratings, examining whether fuel-saving characteristics would compromise grip and safety features.

The testing team selected seven tyres in the popular 205/55 R16 size, a dimension commonly found on vehicles ranging from the Audi A3 to the Volvo V70. Six of the tested models carried the EU label's top "A" rating for both rolling resistance and wet grip, while the seventh tyre (Prinx XLAB Comfort EV) featured an "A" rating for rolling resistance but a "B" for wet grip.

Auto Motor Und Sport always pushes traditional tyre testing in new directions, and this years summer tyre test has a new twist - sustainability. The test focused on the 215/55 R17 size, suitable for midsize sedans, station wagons, and compact SUVs, with particular attention paid to tyres achieving at least a "B" rating for rolling resistance on the EU tyre label.

The 2025 Sport Auto UUHP tyre test is the first to test the new Falken Azenis RS820!

The test used a G series BMW M4 with 275/35 R19 front and 285/30 R20 rear tyre sizes. Sport Auto evaluated four performance tyres: Continental SportContact 7, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Falken Azenis RS 820, and the BMW OE-marked Pirelli P Zero (PZ4*). Testing covered wet and dry braking, handling, aquaplaning resistance, and rolling resistance.

In the world of high-performance tyres, Hoosier has long been a name synonymous with speed and grip. Recently, we had the opportunity to put three of their top offerings to the test at the BMW driving school, using an M4 GT4 race car as our platform. The tyres in question? The Hoosier R7, a medium compound Hoosier slick, and the new Hoosier Track Attack Pro. Each brought its own unique characteristics to the track, and the results were nothing short of impressive.