2020 AutoBild Van All Season Commercial Tyre Test

Test Size: 235/65 R16
Tyres Tested: 10 tyres
Test Categories:
5 categories (12 tests)
Similar Tests

Test Category Best Performer Worst Performer Difference
Dry (2 tests)
Dry Braking Pirelli Carrier All Season: 44.8 M Falken EuroAll Season Van11: 50.7 M5.9 M (11.6%)
Dry Handling Pirelli Carrier All Season: 59.6 Km/H Falken EuroAll Season Van11: 58.1 Km/H1.5 Km/H (2.6%)
Wet (3 tests)
Wet Braking Pirelli Carrier All Season: 51.8 M Vredestein Comtrac 2 All Season: 58 M6.2 M (10.7%)
Wet Handling Continental VanContact 4Season: 68.6 Km/H Hifly All Transit: 65.3 Km/H3.3 Km/H (5.1%)
Straight Aqua Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2: 94.5 Km/H Hifly All Transit: 89.9 Km/H4.6 Km/H (5.1%)
Snow (3 tests)
Snow Braking Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Cargo: 24.6 M Hifly All Transit: 30.2 M5.6 M (18.5%)
Snow Traction Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Cargo: 4460 N Hifly All Transit: 3840 N620.0 N (16.1%)
Snow Handling Continental VanContact 4Season: 45.1 Km/H Pirelli Carrier All Season: 43.9 Km/H1.2 Km/H (2.7%)
Comfort (2 tests)
Noise Pirelli Carrier All Season: 70.5 dB Vredestein Comtrac 2 All Season: 74.7 dB4.2 dB (5.6%)
Tyre Weight Hifly All Transit: 56 Kg Falken EuroAll Season Van11: 67.2 Kg11.2 Kg (16.7%)
Value (2 tests)
Price Hifly All Transit: 385 Continental VanContact 4Season: 630 245.0 (38.9%)
Rolling Resistance Continental VanContact 4Season: 6.36 kg / t Vredestein Comtrac 2 All Season: 7.4 kg / t1.0 kg / t (14.1%)
As motorhome, van and commercial vehicle tyre testing is new to the Tyre Reviews website, we thought we'd start with the best of the best, and cover the 2020 Auto Bild 235/65 R16 C test, which used a VW Crafter van to test eight cargo rated all season tyres, and included a summer and winter tyre as reference!

As this is an all season tyre test, Auto Bild not only tested the dry and wet performance of all eight tyres, but also the snow ability of each pattern. Read on below for the full results of what is, another fascinating test by Auto Bild.

 

Dry

During the dry testing, the Pirelli proved to be the best all season tyre on test, but was still behind the summer tyre in both braking and handling. Of the all season tyres, Falken struggled the most, however it still had an advantage over the dedicated winter pattern.

Wet

The Pirelli also proved to have the best wet braking performance, again behind the summer tyre. Kleber, Falken and Vredestein were all a significant amount behind the best, while the winter tyre stopped the VW a huge 11 meters behind the best all season, and nearly thirteen meters behind the summer tyre!

The wet handling test had the first outright win for an all season tyre, with the Continental VanContact 4S beating the summer tyre!

Straight aquaplaning testing again had just a single all season tyre besting the summer tyre, this time the Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2.

Snow

Due to the unsafe performance of the summer tyre, Auto Bild chose not to run it during snow testing.

Snow braking was narrowly won by the winter tyre, with the Goodyear and Kleber all season tyres just 0.3 meters behind.

Goodyear and Kleber also proved to be the best during snow traction, this time beating the winter tyre!

The winter tyre took back its advantage during snow handling testing, beating Continental and Vredestein.

Environment

The Pirelli Carrier AllSeason was the quietest all season tyre on test, and the only tyre quieter than the summer tyre.

There was a spread of 11.2kgs per set, or a difference of 2.8kg between the lightest and heaviest tyre on test.

The lightest tyre was also the cheapest tyre.

Continental had a significant fuel saving advantage over the rest of the group.

Results

It's worth mentioning, for a climate like the majority of the UK which sees very little snow, the Pirelli Carrier All Season might actually be the best choice of all season tyres as it offers excellent dry and wet performances while being more usable than a summer tyre in the snow.

1st: Continental VanContact 4Season

Continental VanContact 4Season
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking4th48.4 M44.8 M+3.6 M92.56%
Dry Handling3rd59.3 Km/H59.6 Km/H-0.3 Km/H99.5%
Wet Braking3rd54.8 M51.8 M+3 M94.53%
Wet Handling1st68.6 Km/H100%
Straight Aqua6th90.9 Km/H94.5 Km/H-3.6 Km/H96.19%
Snow Braking3rd25.3 M24.6 M+0.7 M97.23%
Snow Traction3rd4320 N4460 N-140 N96.86%
Snow Handling1st45.1 Km/H100%
Noise6th72.5 dB70.5 dB+2 dB97.24%
Tyre Weight3rd60.8 Kg56 Kg+4.8 Kg92.11%
Price8th630 385 +245 61.11%
Rolling Resistance1st6.36 kg / t100%
Excellent all season tyre with impressive grip in the wet and on snow. Good steering precision, very low rolling resistance.
Average comfort, high price.
Test winner.

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2nd: Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Cargo

Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Cargo
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking5th49.7 M44.8 M+4.9 M90.14%
Dry Handling3rd59.3 Km/H59.6 Km/H-0.3 Km/H99.5%
Wet Braking2nd54.3 M51.8 M+2.5 M95.4%
Wet Handling3rd68.1 Km/H68.6 Km/H-0.5 Km/H99.27%
Straight Aqua3rd92.8 Km/H94.5 Km/H-1.7 Km/H98.2%
Snow Braking1st24.6 M100%
Snow Traction1st4460 N100%
Snow Handling4th44.8 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.3 Km/H99.33%
Noise5th72.4 dB70.5 dB+1.9 dB97.38%
Tyre Weight6th65.2 Kg56 Kg+9.2 Kg85.89%
Price7th600 385 +215 64.17%
Rolling Resistance6th7.22 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.86 kg / t88.09%
All round talent with safe driving qualities in all weather conditions, good grip and short braking in the wet, good comfort.
Average dry braking.
Good.

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3rd: Kleber Transpro 4S

Kleber Transpro 4S
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking6th49.9 M44.8 M+5.1 M89.78%
Dry Handling1st59.6 Km/H100%
Wet Braking6th57.8 M51.8 M+6 M89.62%
Wet Handling5th67.2 Km/H68.6 Km/H-1.4 Km/H97.96%
Straight Aqua5th91 Km/H94.5 Km/H-3.5 Km/H96.3%
Snow Braking1st24.6 M100%
Snow Traction2nd4410 N4460 N-50 N98.88%
Snow Handling7th44.2 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.9 Km/H98%
Noise3rd71.6 dB70.5 dB+1.1 dB98.46%
Tyre Weight2nd59.2 Kg56 Kg+3.2 Kg94.59%
Price6th595 385 +210 64.71%
Rolling Resistance2nd6.8 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.44 kg / t93.53%
Good traction and braking in the snow, stable dry handling, low noise.
Slightly long dry and wet braking, slow steering in the snow.
Satisfactory.

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4th: Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2

Maxxis VanSmart AS AL2
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking3rd48.3 M44.8 M+3.5 M92.75%
Dry Handling6th58.8 Km/H59.6 Km/H-0.8 Km/H98.66%
Wet Braking4th55.4 M51.8 M+3.6 M93.5%
Wet Handling5th67.2 Km/H68.6 Km/H-1.4 Km/H97.96%
Straight Aqua1st94.5 Km/H100%
Snow Braking5th26.3 M24.6 M+1.7 M93.54%
Snow Traction6th4030 N4460 N-430 N90.36%
Snow Handling6th44.3 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.8 Km/H98.23%
Noise6th72.5 dB70.5 dB+2 dB97.24%
Tyre Weight4th61.6 Kg56 Kg+5.6 Kg90.91%
Price2nd440 385 +55 87.5%
Rolling Resistance7th7.23 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.87 kg / t87.97%
Well priced all season tyre with a balanced performance. Good winter performance.
Slow steering in the dry, average wet braking, average comfort.
Satisfactory.

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5th: Pirelli Carrier All Season

Pirelli Carrier All Season
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking1st44.8 M100%
Dry Handling1st59.6 Km/H100%
Wet Braking1st51.8 M100%
Wet Handling4th68 Km/H68.6 Km/H-0.6 Km/H99.13%
Straight Aqua2nd93.2 Km/H94.5 Km/H-1.3 Km/H98.62%
Snow Braking7th29.9 M24.6 M+5.3 M82.27%
Snow Traction7th3860 N4460 N-600 N86.55%
Snow Handling8th43.9 Km/H45.1 Km/H-1.2 Km/H97.34%
Noise1st70.5 dB100%
Tyre Weight7th66 Kg56 Kg+10 Kg84.85%
Price3rd510 385 +125 75.49%
Rolling Resistance3rd6.84 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.48 kg / t92.98%
Good grip in the dry and wet, good aquaplaning safety.
Average snow performance, moderate traction and cornering on ice and snow.
Satisfactory.

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6th: Vredestein Comtrac 2 All Season

Vredestein Comtrac 2 All Season
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking7th50.1 M44.8 M+5.3 M89.42%
Dry Handling5th58.9 Km/H59.6 Km/H-0.7 Km/H98.83%
Wet Braking8th58 M51.8 M+6.2 M89.31%
Wet Handling2nd68.2 Km/H68.6 Km/H-0.4 Km/H99.42%
Straight Aqua4th92.6 Km/H94.5 Km/H-1.9 Km/H97.99%
Snow Braking4th25.7 M24.6 M+1.1 M95.72%
Snow Traction5th4115 N4460 N-345 N92.26%
Snow Handling2nd45 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.1 Km/H99.78%
Noise8th74.7 dB70.5 dB+4.2 dB94.38%
Tyre Weight4th61.6 Kg56 Kg+5.6 Kg90.91%
Price5th585 385 +200 65.81%
Rolling Resistance8th7.4 kg / t6.36 kg / t+1.04 kg / t85.95%
Good winter qualities with balanced safe behavior, good aquaplaning reserves.
Long wet and dry braking, average dry handling.
Satisfactory.

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7th: Hifly All Transit

Hifly All Transit
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking2nd45.3 M44.8 M+0.5 M98.9%
Dry Handling7th58.7 Km/H59.6 Km/H-0.9 Km/H98.49%
Wet Braking5th55.8 M51.8 M+4 M92.83%
Wet Handling8th65.3 Km/H68.6 Km/H-3.3 Km/H95.19%
Straight Aqua8th89.9 Km/H94.5 Km/H-4.6 Km/H95.13%
Snow Braking8th30.2 M24.6 M+5.6 M81.46%
Snow Traction8th3840 N4460 N-620 N86.1%
Snow Handling5th44.5 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.6 Km/H98.67%
Noise2nd71 dB70.5 dB+0.5 dB99.3%
Tyre Weight1st56 Kg100%
Price1st385 100%
Rolling Resistance4th6.9 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.54 kg / t92.17%
Good snow handling, low noise.
Understeer and long braking distances in the wet, slow steering in the dry.
Satisfactory.

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8th: Falken EuroAll Season Van11

Falken EuroAll Season Van11
  • 235/65 R16
  • 3PMSF: no
Test#ResultBestDifference%
Dry Braking8th50.7 M44.8 M+5.9 M88.36%
Dry Handling8th58.1 Km/H59.6 Km/H-1.5 Km/H97.48%
Wet Braking6th57.8 M51.8 M+6 M89.62%
Wet Handling7th66.7 Km/H68.6 Km/H-1.9 Km/H97.23%
Straight Aqua7th90 Km/H94.5 Km/H-4.5 Km/H95.24%
Snow Braking6th26.5 M24.6 M+1.9 M92.83%
Snow Traction4th4130 N4460 N-330 N92.6%
Snow Handling3rd44.9 Km/H45.1 Km/H-0.2 Km/H99.56%
Noise4th72.3 dB70.5 dB+1.8 dB97.51%
Tyre Weight8th67.2 Kg56 Kg+11.2 Kg83.33%
Price3rd510 385 +125 75.49%
Rolling Resistance5th7.21 kg / t6.36 kg / t+0.85 kg / t88.21%
Good performance in the snow, good aquaplaning reserves.
Limited grip and understeer in the dry and wet.
Satisfactory.

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