The Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3 is an economy ultra high performance summer tyre that can feel like a bargain in everyday use, with many drivers praising its quiet, comfortable ride and reassuring dry-road grip for the price. However, both real-world feedback and independent testing point to clear safety margins being lost in the wet. If you mainly drive in fair weather and want low-cost refinement, it can make sense; for frequent rain or high-demand driving, its limitations are harder to ignore.
User reviews suggest the MP 47 Hectorra 3 delivers a surprisingly pleasant day-to-day experience: good dry grip and braking, decent steering feel for a budget option, and notably low noise and ride comfort. Value is a dominant theme, with some owners feeling it performs above its price point and stating they would repurchase.
Professional summer tyre tests, however, consistently place it in the lower end of the rankings, highlighting a recurring performance gap that aligns with the main user complaint: wet grip and especially wet braking. Test data indicates meaningfully longer stopping distances in the wet versus the best tyres, alongside below-average dry braking as well. Some drivers also note softer sidewalls that can reduce crispness and stability, and tread life appears mixed with reports of only average or uneven wear. Overall, it's best viewed as a comfort-leaning budget summer tyre with acceptable dry manners, but with wet-weather performance that may not meet expectations in the UHP category.
Built from every independent test result and vetted owner review we hold for this tyre - the evidence is all further down the page. Data updated October 2026.
Tested 4 times by independent publications, the Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3 averages a finish of 30th.
Finishing position in each test
| Year | Test | Result | Award |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 2023 Summer Tyre Market OverviewAuto Bild · 225/45 R18 | P35 / 50 | |
| 2022 | 2022 ADAC Summer Tyre Test - 15 InchADAC · 185/65 R15 | P16 / 16 | |
| 2020 | 2020 Tyre Market Overview Braking TestAuto Bild · 245/45 R18 | P33 / 50 | |
| 2019 | 2019 Summer 53 Tyre Braking ShootoutAuto Bild · 225/45 R17 | P36 / 53 |
On the full record: Record by disciplineHead-to-head recordEvery published verdict
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Size Range101 sizes available
145-295Width30-80Profile13-21Rim71-111 T-YLoad/
EU LabelAcross 101 sizes - the grade depends on the size you buy.
Fuel
Wet
Noise
70-75dB B
What owners say summarised from 22 reviews
Drivers generally describe the Matador MP 47 Hectorra 3 as a strong value tyre with good dry grip, comfortable ride quality, and low noise for the money. Many higher-scoring reviews are pleasantly surprised by overall performance and would buy again, sometimes even comparing it favorably to more expensive brands. However, a significant portion of users report noticeably weaker wet grip (braking/traction and confidence in rain, sometimes with wheelspin or understeer), making wet performance the most common concern.
What owners mention most counted across 20 reviews
Tap one to read only the reviews that mention it.
Owner ratings averaged from 30 ratings
“I think these are the best tyres I have had soo far. They are really good in wet conditions even cornering and setting off the grip is really good. And even better in the dry. I would buy these tyres again.”
“Fitted these to an Astra GTC and totally ruined the car. They were cheap, but you get what you pay for. If the road is wet I have to slow right down, and on a wet roundabout I get loads of understeer. These are...”
“After 40000 km it is time to change the mp47. The verdict. Very good traction in wet and dry conditions, good traction in snow and very good wear and definitely I would buy them again. For the price or even for a...”
I wasn't used to spinning wheels on dry roads on my car even when I wanted to. These tyres made it real. Maybe it was just bad luck (or because they were made in Portugal) but these had really bad grip on both dry and wet road.
After maybe a year of use and 10 000km small chunks of rubber started to fall off the tyres. Some of the tyres worn out too unevenly for a summer tyre - I'd expect something like that from a winter tyre which in my case doesn't really show any sign of uneven wear.
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