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Sonar SX2

Sonar Tyres High Performance Summer

The Sonar SX2 is a High Performance Summer tyre designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.

6.0
Tyre Reviews Score Based on User Reviews
Limited Confidence View Breakdown
Dry Grip
69%
Wet Grip
58%
Road Feedback
60%
Handling
56%
Wear
85%
Comfort
68%
Buy again
63%
12 Reviews
66% Average
112,926 miles driven
1 Tests (avg: 43rd)
Sonar SX2

Sonar SX2

Summer Economy
BETA
6 / 10
Based on User Reviews · Limited Confidence · Updated 30 Jan 2026

The Tyre Reviews Score is the most comprehensive tyre scoring system available. It aggregates professional test data from multiple independent publications, user reviews, and consistency analysis using Bayesian statistical methods, weighted normalisation, and recency-adjusted scoring to produce a single, reliable performance rating.

Learn more about our methodology
Score Components
Professional Tests
Weight: 80%
Tests: 1
Publications: 1
Period: 2014
User Reviews
Weight: 15%
Reviews: 12
Avg Rating: 65.5%
Min Required: 5
Consistency
Weight: 5%
Score Std Dev: 1.81
History Points: 10
Methodology & Configuration
Scoring Process
  1. Collect Test Data: Gather results from professional tyre tests across multiple publications. Minimum 1 test(s) required.
  2. Normalize Positions: Convert test positions to percentile scores using exponential weighting (factor: 1.2).
  3. Apply Recency Weighting: More recent tests are weighted higher with a decay rate of 0.95.
  4. Incorporate User Reviews: Factor in user review data (minimum 5 reviews). Weight: 15%.
  5. Bayesian Smoothing: Apply Bayesian prior (score: 7, weight: 1.5) to prevent extreme scores with limited data.
  6. Calculate Final Score: Combine all components using normalization factor of 1.1. Max score with limited data: 9.5.
Component Weights
Test Data
80%
User Reviews
15%
Consistency
5%
All Configuration Parameters
ParameterValueDescription
safety_weight 0.7 Weight multiplier for safety-related metrics
performance_weight 0.55 Weight multiplier for performance metrics
comfort_weight 0.4 Weight multiplier for comfort metrics
value_weight 0.45 Weight multiplier for value-for-money metrics
user_reviews_weight 0.15 How much user reviews contribute to the final score
test_data_weight 0.8 How much professional test data contributes to the final score
consistency_weight 0.05 How much score consistency contributes to the final score
recency_decay_rate 0.95 Rate at which older test results lose influence (higher = slower decay)
min_test_count 1 Minimum number of professional tests required
min_review_count 5 Minimum number of user reviews required
score_version 1.8 Current version of the scoring algorithm
score_normalization_factor 1.1 Factor used to normalize raw scores to the 0-10 scale
confidence_factor_weight 0.2 How much data confidence affects the final score
position_penalty_weight 0.2 Penalty applied for poor test positions
gap_penalty_threshold 8 Score gap (%) that triggers additional penalties
min_metrics_count 2 Minimum number of test metrics needed per test
limited_data_threshold 2 Number of tests below which data is considered limited
single_test_penalty 0.1 Score multiplier when only one test is available
critical_metric_penalty 0.7 Penalty for poor performance on critical safety metrics
critical_metric_threshold 70 Score below which a critical metric penalty applies
position_exponential_factor 1.2 Exponent used to amplify position-based scoring
position_exponential_threshold 0.9 Position percentile below which exponential scoring applies
gap_multiplier_critical 3 Multiplier for critical gap penalties
max_category_weight 2 Maximum weight any single category can have
max_score_limited_data 9.5 Score cap when data is limited
bayesian_prior_weight 1.5 Weight of the Bayesian prior in smoothing
bayesian_prior_score 7 Prior score used for Bayesian smoothing
evidence_test_multiplier 1.9 Multiplier for test evidence in confidence calculation
evidence_metric_divisor 3 Divisor for metric count in evidence calculation
evidence_review_divisor 10 Divisor for review count in evidence calculation
Data Sources
TestPublicationDateSizePositionMetrics
2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre Shootout Auto Bild 2014 225/50 R17 43/50 0 metrics
All Tests
View Test Results
1
Tests
43rd
Average
43rd
Best
43rd
Worst
Latest Tyre Test Results
2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre Shootout
225/50 R17 • 2014
43rd/50

Questions and Answers for the Sonar SX2

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Top 3 Sonar SX2 Reviews

Given 76% while driving a Vauxhall Insignia CDTI SRI 130 (225/55 R17) on a combination of roads for 16,000 average miles
These are a good budget tyre, you will notice that most of the poor reviews for these are from BMW owner and rear wheel drive cars, anyone putting budget tyres on a 530 and expecting it to stay on the road.....!! shouldn't be buying these. They do what it says on the tin and nothing more. Grand in the dry and average road holding in wet, reasonable ware rate 16k+ miles is okay in my book.
Ask a question | Helpful 671
August 1, 2018
Given 39% while driving a BMW 530D (225/40 R18) on mostly country roads for 1,000 average miles
Lethal in the wet!!!
DO NOT BUY!
Ask a question | Helpful 584
September 11, 2016
Given 27% while driving a BMW 3 series (225/50 R16) on a combination of roads for 1,000 average miles
I drive a 1986 BMW E30/2.5 liter stock engine [168HP].I first had Linglong tires which were as stable as jello.The tire dealer said that Sonar was recommended by BMW co and replaced the Linglongs. The dry road performance was nothing to write home about and I thought they''d handle well in the rain,but as soon as we started to have rain I was like a stuntman driving on the worst tires money can buy !! I have driven tens of cars in my life and I never experienced anything worse or more dangerous !
Ask a question | Helpful 510
October 28, 2017
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Latest Sonar SX2 Reviews

Given 90% while driving a Mercedes Benz C180 Kompressor Elegance Se saloon (255/35 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 47,000 spirited miles
Drive a C180 and clock over 40k miles a years. Bought mine in Mar 2016 and only just reached the faded markers / indicators. That's a year and 4 months. Well impressed
Ask a question | Helpful 480
July 31, 2017
Given 43% while driving a BMW 1 series (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 5,000 spirited miles
Good in the dry, ok noise for a budget tire.
Want to live? Dont buy those if you're living in a place with alot of bends and rainy weather!

Changing for Dunlop Sportmaxx RT as soon as possible! Life is to valuble to waste on bugdet tires!
Ask a question | Helpful 529
August 13, 2016
Check out how the BEST all seasons tyres perform against premium summer and winter tyres!
Given 47% while driving a Toyota MR2 (225/45 R17) on a combination of roads for 5,000 average miles
Partially my own fault for not spending more considering it's a sports car I drive.

Very hard wearing and decent enough in the dry but absolutely useless in the wet with zero progressive warning when they are about to let go.

A good buy for an average runaround and for someone that is only really concerned about getting thousands of miles from a tyre, other than that I would avoid.
Ask a question | Helpful 467
December 24, 2015
Given 93% while driving a Volkswagen (205/55 R16) on a combination of roads for 26 spirited miles
When being offered these as an alternative to the mid range brand I usually buy, for our fleet of vehicles, at a cheaper price, I thought I would be getting a budget tyre!
By golly, these are no budget tyre, I am getting more miles and much better performance while saving money.
Ask a question | Helpful 514
February 2, 2015
Given 89% while driving a Volvo XC90 D5 185 HP (235/55 R17 V) on mostly town for 0 spirited miles
these tyres came from nowhere.....recommended by the dealer, I was typically British and sceptically resistant to change but they really are the real deal. I put them on our personal vehicle and got on very well - lasted well and evenly. Because of the positive results, I put them forward for our work fleet of 20 vehicles and our fleet manager is equally impressed.

It's not often I've felt moved to upload reviews at all, let alone something as 'interesting' as tyres but my dealer encouraged me to put something on this site.

Well done to whoever discovered this brand
Ask a question | Helpful 520
January 29, 2015
Given 51% while driving a Porsche BOXSTER 2.7 (265/35 R18 W) on a combination of roads for 100 average miles
Garage put these on as part of car purchase - keeping their costs down
100 miles on driving, being cautious.
Not my favoured tyre, and wont be driving to any limits
Not expecting them to last very long - being budget
Ask a question | Helpful 448
January 12, 2015
Given 93% while driving a Volkswagen Golf (205/55 R16 V) on a combination of roads for 22,300 spirited miles
Brilliant tyres, I had Hankook on the car from the shop and was recommended that I would get the same performance and mileage out of Sonar Tyres, I would say well done Mr tyre fitter, you know your stuff as actually I got more miles and I think, better handling than I got from the Hankooks

GREAT ALL ROUND TYRE IN ALL WEATHERS!!

As a result I have now bought Sonar Winter tyres and they are excellent in the cold wet

Thanks SONAR
Ask a question | Helpful 491
January 3, 2015
Given 74% while driving a Ford Mondeo (205/55 R16 W) on a combination of roads for 15,000 average miles
I needed to replace my budget tyres on the front, did not expect too much, but actually they were much better in dry, in wet, never had any real problems. Wear is average, fuel consumption stayed low, I would buy them again.
Ask a question | Helpful 548
August 8, 2014