Premium Touring SUV and 4x4 Tyre Tests

Auto Bild SportsCars published their second all-season tyre test in October, evaluating ten tyres in the 215/50 R 18 size. The test included products ranging from established premium manufacturers such as Continental, Pirelli, and Goodyear through to budget offerings from Linglong and Fortuna. All testing was conducted using a VW T-Roc R equipped with a 300 PS turbocharged engine and 4Motion all-wheel drive. 

Swedish automotive magazine Vi Bilägare has conducted a test of eight Nordic friction tyres (studless winter tyres) in dimension 235/60 R18, a popular size for vehicles like the Volvo XC60 which served as the test vehicle. The test comprised 13 separate testing rounds across four different surfaces: ice, snow, wet asphalt, and dry asphalt. 

For its 2025 winter tyre test, German publication Auto Bild Sportscars evaluated twelve winter tyres in the popular SUV size of 235/50 R 19. The test also included a reference summer tyre and an all-season tyre to provide broader context. All tyres were fitted to an Audi Q3 Sportback 45 TFSI quattro with 245 PS. The cold weather tests on snow and ice were conducted in Vidsel, Sweden , while the wet and dry performance evaluations took place at Bridgestone's test facility in Aprilia, Italy.

Auto Motor und Sport has published their winter tyre test for 2025, testing ten tyres in the popular 215/55 R17 size. The test field included nine new winter tyres spanning from premium to budget segments, plus one retreaded tyre. Testing was conducted on an Audi Q2 and SQ2, with comprehensive assessments across snow, wet, and dry conditions.

For 2025 Auto Bild All Rad (the SUV and 4x4 version of the magazine) have tested eleven tyres in the 215/55 R17 size. This dimension is commonly fitted to compact SUVs and crossovers, including models such as the VW T-Roc, Seat Ateca, Skoda Karoq, Toyota Yaris Cross, Hyundai Kona Electric, and Fiat 500X. The test was conducted on a VW T-Roc and included both summer and winter reference tyres to benchmark the all-season performance.

Below is the data from the Die-Reifen summer touring tyre test which tested seven popular summer tyres in 205/55 R17 using a VW T-Roc.

Auto Bild have conducted mini three set all-season tyre test specifically designed for electric vehicles, testing them in the 245/45 R19 size using a Hyundai Ionic 6S. The German publication put the Hankook iON FlexClimate, Michelin CrossClimate 2, and Vredestein Quatrac Pro EV through the usual testing across multiple climate zones to assess their performance in all weather conditions.

Nokian have just announced the Nokian SeasonProof 2, the first tyre from their new, state of the art factory in Europe. They are hopeful this will finally be the tyre that brings them to the front of the all season market, so of course I had to test it!

In this test, I will be testing seven of the best all season tyres in the popular 235/55 R18 tyre size. As these are all season tyres, I will be testing them in all seasons, covering the dry, wet and snow performance of these tyres, and testing the noise, comfort and rolling resistance levels of the tyres to help you make the most informed choice for your own driving needs.

In their latest tyre test, Teknikens Värld magazine has put eight leading SUV tyres through their paces. Using the popular Volvo XC60 as their test platform with the increasingly common 235/55 R19 tyre size, the Swedish publication's experienced test team subjected each tyre to a battery of challenges ranging from emergency braking and handling to comfort and fuel efficiency assessments.

AutoBild has recently conducted an on and off-road tyre test of ten SUV tyres in size 255/55 R18, evaluating their performance on both asphalt and in off-road conditions. The test included premium brands like Pirelli, Bridgestone, Michelin, Falken, Vredestein and Kumho, alongside budget options from Triangle and Hifly.

The testing was split into three main categories: on-road wet performance, on-road dry performance, and off-road capability across various terrains including grass, sand, gravel, and loose stone surfaces. 

The Italian newspaper al Volante has just published a tyre test with both the new Pirelli Cinturato C3 AND the Michelin Primacy 5!

The test was somewhat limited, for example there was no dry handling, but it gives a good overview of the new tyres relative performance.

The all weather category of tyres is quickly growing in popularity, as a tyre that can be used in all weathers is a big advantage for people living in snowy climates, it saves changing tyres twice a year between an all season and a winter product.

To find out which of these new all weather category tyres is best, I have tested them in the dry, wet, snow and ice to give you a really good overview of their abilities, and also looked into the the rolling resistance, comfort, noise levels and value, to find out which tyre is best in all conditions.

THIS DATA IS BASED ON INTERNAL MICHELIN TESTING.

Now that's clearly out of the way, I think it's quite an interesting datapoint. I'm confident the data will be good as when companies put competitor data in the public eye, they risk being sued over it, so they triple check everything is fair.

German auto magazine AUTO Straßenverkehr has conducted an SUV winter tyre test, evaluating ten models in the 235/55 R18 size. The test, carried out under various weather conditions including snow, wet, and dry surfaces, aims to provide consumers with valuable insights into tyre performance for the upcoming winter season.

The Michelin Pilot Alpin 5 SUV emerged as the top performer, achieving the highest score of 8.9 and a "very good" rating. It excelled particularly in snow performance and dry handling. Close behind was the Continental WinterContact TS 870 P, securing second place with a "very good" 8.6, showing balanced performance across all conditions.

Motor magazine has recently conducted an SUV all-season tyre test, focusing on the popular 235/60 R18 size commonly found on SUVs and family vans.

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 SUV won the test. It had a great balance between snow, wet, and dry performance, while maintaining low rolling resistance and noise levels. The Continental AllSeasonContact 2 secured the second position, excelling in wet conditions and achieving the lowest rolling resistance. Bridgestone's Turanza All Season 6 completed the top three, displaying consistent high-level performance across all tests. In the mid-range segment, the Falken EuroAll Season AS220 Pro showed strong dry handling characteristics but underperformed in snow conditions. The budget-oriented Dębica Navigator 3 demonstrated impressive snow performance and competitive pricing, although its wet performance was subpar. The Imperial All Season Driver, while offering the lowest price point, consistently ranked at the bottom of most performance metrics, with notable weaknesses in wet and snow conditions. These results indicate a clear correlation between tyre price and performance, with higher-priced options generally offering superior all-round capabilities. However, some mid-range and budget options showed strengths in specific areas, suggesting potential value for users with particular performance priorities.

For the 2024 AutoBild Camper test, Autobild tested the popular 235/55 R17 size. While they used a camper van for the test, this tyre dimension is commonly found on a variety of vehicles, including SUVs such as the Audi Q3 and BMW X1, and even some family cars like the Volkswagen Passat Alltrack.

The Michelin CrossClimate 2 emerged as the clear winner, earning top marks across all test categories. It demonstrated exceptional performance in winter conditions, with impressive traction and handling on snow and ice. The tyre also excelled in wet conditions, offering excellent aquaplaning resistance and short braking distances. On dry roads, it provided precise handling and low rolling resistance, contributing to fuel efficiency.

For 2024 Autobild's motorhome magazine tested ten sets of 225/55 R17 tyres using a van like Mercedes Vito Tourer.

The onset of the travel season marks a crucial time for motorhome owners to evaluate the condition and performance of their tyres. Autobild’s comprehensive review begins with practical advice on tyre inspection, emphasizing the significance of understanding tyre age through the DOT code and the necessity of regular checks for wear and damage. Generally speaking, tyres which are over five years old are nearing the end of their life, even if they have good tread depth.

For their 2024 summer tyre test, the magazine "Auto Motor und Sport" tested eight summer tyres in the popular 235/55 R18 SUV size. 

The test includes new tyres like Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance 2 SUV, Bridgestone Turanza 6, and Continental PremiumContact 7, evaluating them on wet and dry braking, handling, aquaplaning resistance, comfort, and environmental impact. 

In a data-extravaganza, Autobild have taken eleven SUV summer tyres in the popular 235/55 R19 size, and even though this size is an ultrahigh performance fitment, and is fitted to soft-roaders such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Honda CR-V and many others, tested them exhaustively in off-road tests along with the usual dry and wet testing!

The new Nokian Outpost nAT claims to be an all terrain tyre you can use in snow, but how good is it? Nokian invented winter tyres, so they're pretty confident, so confident in fact they suggested we test it against the king of winter tyres, the Nokian Hakkapeliitta R5, along with their much loved all weather tyre, the Nokian WRG4 SUV, and their high mileage all season tyre, the Nokian One SUV.

Before we start, it's worth noting that three of the tyres are 3PMSF marked, which is the 3 peak mountain snowflake symbol, sometimes called "severe snow rating". The Winter, All Weather and All Terrain tyres carry the 3PMSF marking, but the all season does not. The test size was 265/65 R17, and we used a Toyota Hilux for the test in RWD only mode.