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Sunny SN3970

The Sunny SN3970 is a Touring Summer tyre designed to be fitted to Passenger Cars.

The quick answer

Owners say 56% from 46 owner reviews 41% would buy again Read the reviews
Tests say 33rd average finish across 1 independent tests Latest: P33 of 50 · 2014 See every test

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 January 2025.

  • 46owner reviews
  • 507,725miles driven
  • 1professional tests
  • 14sizes available

Tyre Reviews Score

Sunny SN3970

5.5/10

From owner reviews only: no measured test results yet.

  • Medium Confidence
  • 46 owner reviews

How this score is built

Source Better than Weight
Independent testsNo measured test results yet – 0%
Owner reviews46 owner reviews · rated 56% 14% 75%
Typical tyreWhere every score starts before its own data counts – 25%
Combined 21% 5.5

A fixed curve turns the combined figure into the 0 to 10 score, so roughly the top 10% of a group score 9 or more.

Confidence

  1. Limited
  2. Medium
  3. High

Owner reviews decide 75% of this score. The other 25% is the typical starting point, and it shrinks as more reviews arrive.

Scored on owner reviews alone, a tyre is High once the reviews decide 90% or more, and Medium from 70%. Anything less is Limited: expect the number to move as reviews arrive.

The tests behind it

Only measured results count. A test that published its placings alone is listed, but not scored.

  1. 2014 2014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre Shootout Auto Bild · 225/50 R17 P33 / 50 Placing only
1 Tests
0 Test Wins
33rd Average
33rd Best
33rd Worst
Every independent test of the Sunny SN3970, newest first
YearTestResultAward
20142014 Auto Bild 50 Summer Tyre ShootoutAuto Bild · 225/50 R17P33 / 50
Dimensions & Label Scores
View All

Size Range13 sizes available

205-255Width30-55Profile17-20Rim84-98 WLoad/Speed Index2013First On Market

EU Label

Noise

71-72dB B

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sunny SN3970's EU tyre label rating?
Across its range, the Sunny SN3970 most commonly carries EU label ratings of D for fuel efficiency, B for wet grip and 71 dB for noise.
How comfortable and quiet are the Sunny SN3970?
Owners rate the Sunny SN3970 5.4 out of 10 for comfort and noise across 44 reviews.
How well do the Sunny SN3970 wear, according to owners?
Owners rate the Sunny SN3970 6.5 out of 10 for wear across 44 reviews. 14 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles, and the typical review covers 5,000 miles.
Would owners buy the Sunny SN3970 again?
41% of owners say they would buy the Sunny SN3970 again, based on the 41 owner reviews that answered the question. 12% of them gave it the highest possible answer.
What do owners say about the Sunny SN3970's road noise?
Of the 44 owner reviews analysed for the Sunny SN3970, 22 mention road noise: 9 praise it (quiet) and 13 criticise it (noisy). One owner wrote: "After 1000 miles the road noise was deafening". Read those reviews
More questions about the Sunny SN3970 (3)
What do owners say about the Sunny SN3970's dry grip?
Of the 44 owner reviews analysed for the Sunny SN3970, 21 mention dry grip: 18 praise it (strong dry grip) and 3 criticise it (limited dry grip). One owner wrote: "they stuck like the proverbial hot s*** to a blanket!". Read those reviews
What do owners say about the Sunny SN3970's wet grip?
Of the 44 owner reviews analysed for the Sunny SN3970, 20 mention wet grip: 4 praise it (confident wet grip) and 16 criticise it (weak wet grip). One owner wrote: "These are lethal. I've swapped them for something that doesn't to try kill me and my family every time there's a hint of rain". Read those reviews
What sizes does the Sunny SN3970 come in?
The Sunny SN3970 is available in 14 sizes, ranging from 205-255/30-55 R17-20.
Owner Questions
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Questions and Answers for the Sunny SN3970

Sorry, we don't currently have any questions and answers for the Sunny SN3970. Why not submit a question to our tyre experts using the form below!

Sunny SN3970 Owner Reviews

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What owners say

Across 46 owner ratings the Sunny SN3970 averages 56%. Owners rate Dry Grip highest at 7.1 out of 10 and Wet Grip lowest at 4.9. 14 of those reviews come from owners past 10,000 miles. 37% of owners score it 70% or better.

Owner ratings averaged from 46 ratings

  • Owner score 56%
  • Dry Grip 71%
  • Wear 65%
  • Handling 54%
  • Comfort 54%
  • Road Feedback 54%
  • Wet Grip 49%

Featured reviews

Most helpful 46%

“Had sunny tyres tyres fitted all round. After 1000 miles the road noise was deafening. Contacted seller and was told what do you expect from budget tyres. Cracks had started to appear between the treads. Had the car...”

  • Mercedes Benz E320 CDI
  • 5,000 miles
Read full review → 1,027 found this helpful
Most critical 14%

“Worst tyres I have ever bought, Have a BMW 330D M sport and the tyre walls on these sunnys are very weak, once they get warm, go round a corner and the alloy ends up scraping the road. apprantly wet road grip is 'B'. I...”

  • BMW 330d M Sport
  • 3,000 miles
Read full review → 636 found this helpful
Longest term 76%

“After reading some of the reviews on here I was wondering if I realy had signed my own death warrant! So I test drove a BMW 330 Ci with these on and was very impressed, traction and handling on a dry uneven surface was...”

  • BMW 530D M sport
  • 180,000 miles
Read full review → 523 found this helpful

All 44 Sunny SN3970 reviews

Score spread across 41 written reviews
46%
Member
Had sunny tyres tyres fitted all round. After 1000 miles the road noise was deafening. Contacted seller and was told what do you expect from budget tyres. Cracks had started to appear between the treads. Had the car checked by a mechanic for wheel bearings due to the noise but they were fine front and back.
The noise got even worse with wear.
After 5000 deafening miles I bit the bullet and replaced them with Devanti tyres. Results is bliss I can hear my engine again.
Unless you have a wheel barrow I would advise not to fit sunny tyres although they may be good for children’s swings.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 5
  • Road Feedback 1
  • Handling 6
  • Wear 10
  • Comfort 2
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 1,027
59%
Member
I drive '96 Toyota Curren, Basicly a Celica body with a Corolla drivetrain that replaced the Corolla Levin between generations for a couple of years. The Sunny 3970 tyres came fitted when I bought it, they were good all round tyres for a less than stellarly powerful but decently handling coupe, I drove mostly on hill and mountain roads and they managed .7G sideways grip in they dry but I never pushed them in the wet since the roads aren't the best. Comfort was pretty good for a 45 profile tyre, they are softer than Toyo Proxes in the same 45 profile I had fitted to another car, so a softer sidewall giving less jolt to the ride. They were over half worn when I bought the car in 2016 and lasted another 7500 Km of spirited driving before one front was down to the belt on the inside and both fronts were down to the depth indicators across the tread. (DOT manufacturing dates show they were made 2012 & 2013) They're good tyres for a mildly hot hatch or a basic sports car like a Prelude or Celica, But I wouldn't recommend fitting them to something more serious like a Boxster. I would have bought the same again but they weren't available in my town, I replaced them with Falken ZE914EC instead.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 6
  • Wet Grip 5
  • Road Feedback 6
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 5
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 6
Helpful 1,070
70%
Member
Very Skeptical about putting "budgets" on a £15k car.

Father-in-law is a mechanic and persuaded me to buy these as he had used them before and, I didn't rate the Michelin's i had on previously (absolutely shocking in the wet, but brilliant in the dry).

Having just had a baby i wanted something safe but wouldn't cost the best part of £1000 to put on all 4 corners, so expressed interest in mid-ranges i.e Nexen/ Barum etc. Having had the Sunny SN3970 just fitted i thought i would "test" them out in a rather spirited drive... By god do they grip! They have a slightly softer sidewall than most premium tyres but they cost up to 4x as much as these

Most of my journeys consist of 3/4 motorway 1/4 road use. In the wet they are grippy but can let go if jumping on the accelerator too quickly, but they are no worse than Michelin Pilot Sport's. In the dry they are on par with Continental's. The road noise is nothing compared to Michelin Cross Climates, they are pretty quiet to say how cheap they are.

Plenty of tread left on still, would estimate around 25,000 in total miles but could be more with how they're wearing. Sometime it makes you wonder what the difference really is between £70 and £200...

I have put down the scores as they are now, some of the figure may get better over time and others may get worse, but would definitely consider buying these again.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 7
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 7
Helpful 591

Which tyres do you drive?

Researching the Sunny SN3970? Rate the tyres you actually drive - and help the next buyer choose.

Own the Sunny SN3970?
43%
Member
I couldn't afford any better tyres for my Mondeo and yes I read and took with a pinch of salt the "ditchfinder" comments. However the noise levels after a little while became almost unbearable to the extent I decided I might have to go out and get a job to buy a better tyre. No. I am not on the dole but am retired. Then the other day an un-maintained bit of road with a catseye sticking 5cms above the surface ripped a hole in the outside wall of the offside front tyre. Yesterday I got another "puncture". On taking the rear wheel off it became apparent that the inner rear wall was stripped to the steel all round and in two places there was only the inner webbing visible. These are tyres one should be very careful of. On the subject of inflatable things this experience has definitely put the wind up me I can tell you!
I have discovered that tyres now have a decibel rating as well as fuel economy and braking efficiency. Just remember though that 3 decibels is the difference between virtually intolerable and fairly quiet.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 7
  • Road Feedback 2
  • Handling 5
  • Wear 5
  • Comfort 3
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 606
66%
Member
Reading previous reviews, i think these tyres depend on what car you drive. I put them on my car as both my previous back tyres succumbed to bad punctures and couldnt be repaired. So i thought pay a third of the cost. I have found them to be quite reasonable, great in dry conditions and good feel, not too bad in the wet. I have only got 10,000 miles out of them and they have got progressively noiser with wear. Debating wether to get another pair or pay double for the new uniroyal rainsports that i have on the front!!!!
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 6
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 6
  • Wear 6
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 7
Helpful 604
74%
Member
These were fitted new on the rear of a set of alloys i bought for my mk3 toyota supra. I was going to replace them before fitting to the car as its highly modified, with 365bhp and 420lb/ft of torque, but decided to give them a try. They performed very well with lots of grip in the dry, only a fool would try hard in the wet with 365hp i dont care what tyres were fitted. With that much torque it dosnt take much to make the rear step out of line, but i had to use quite a bit of right foot to make them break traction, i was impressed. I also maxed the car at 175mph ( private road of course ) without a hint of vibration. Noise was not a problem because the car is so loud anyway. When i priced them i couldnt believe how cheap they were, so paying three times as much for premium tyres proves to me your paying a lot for the name when budget tyres like these will perform at 80% of the premium ones. I wouldnt say all budget tyres are as good as these, but in this case the people who rubbish these dont know what there talking about, or are brand snobs. If your on a budget, Go and buy them, you wont be disappointed.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 7
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 8
  • Wear 7
  • Comfort 7
  • Buy again 8
Helpful 558
53%
Member
I had some sunny 18" on the back wheels when I bought the car. Had to mot the car 2 months later. Mot tester found that the inner sidewalls were TORN/SHREDDED on both wheels ALL THE WAY ROUND. They still had 7mm of tread left. I feel like I've had a lucky escape. I will not recommend these tyres or buy them again.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 6
  • Wet Grip 3
  • Road Feedback 3
  • Handling 5
  • Wear 10
  • Comfort 5
Helpful 593
32%
Member
  • Audi S3
  • 225/45 R17
  • 100 miles
  • Mostly Town
  • Spirited
bought a car with four of these on first time it rained was like driving on a skid pan avoid at all cost binned them with over seven mm on that's how bad they are
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 4
  • Wet Grip 3
  • Road Feedback 5
  • Handling 5
  • Comfort 1
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 614
31%
Member
  • Vauxhall
  • 215/50 R17 W
  • 3,000 miles
  • A Combination of Roads
  • Average
BY FAR THE WORST TYRES I HAVE EVER HAD FITTED ON A CAR IN OVER 22yrs OF DRIVING!!! These should never be allowed on cars for normal road use. The road noise is deafening! Total waste of money, stay away from them and NEVER fit them to your car!
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 7
  • Wet Grip 2
  • Road Feedback 1
  • Handling 4
  • Wear 6
  • Comfort 1
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 571
54%
Member
Bought two of these for my Focus. Had to move them from front to rear as road noise was loud, very loud. Still noisy on rear but not as bad as before. They handle fine in the dry, not so well in the wet. If you drive normally in the wet they are fine, but if you are a "spirited" driver or like quiet tyres, I would avoid.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 6
  • Road Feedback 6
  • Handling 6
  • Wear 8
  • Comfort 2
  • Buy again 2
Helpful 638
14%
Member
Worst tyres I have ever bought, Have a BMW 330D M sport and the tyre walls on these sunnys are very weak, once they get warm, go round a corner and the alloy ends up scraping the road. apprantly wet road grip is 'B'. I really don't think so. Going back to my Bridgstones, thought I would give this a try and never again. If you want to crash your car, feel free to buy these tyres.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 4
  • Wet Grip 1
  • Road Feedback 1
  • Handling 1
  • Wear 1
  • Comfort 1
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 636
53%
Member
Sunny SN 3970 looks good BUT in wet........bad grip! Also the life of the tyre is poor. In dry conditions and easy going drivestyle it's a good tyre. Cheap price.
This owner's scores
  • Dry Grip 8
  • Wet Grip 5
  • Road Feedback 7
  • Handling 7
  • Wear 3
  • Comfort 6
  • Buy again 1
Helpful 604
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