Dry and Wet Video can be watched here - This article will be updated with the snow performance shortly

What's the best ultra high performance all season tire on the market? To find out, I test 7 of the most popular ultra high performance all season tires, and test them in dry handling, dry braking, wet handling, wet braking, noise and comfort tire tests, to see which is the top UHP AS tire.

Ultra high performance all season tires are performance sports tires that are designed to be used all year, and perform well in hot summer conditions and cold winter weather, while having more snow performance than a summer tire.

Dry

During dry braking testing, the Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 had an impressive lead to the second placed Bridgestone Potenza RE880AS.

The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate proved to be the most dynamic UHP all season tyre during the dry handling testing, with the Michelin a close second.

Subjectively the Goodyear also had a small lead over the Michelin and Bridgestone, with the Cooper, Continental and Kumho all having similar overall scores, but delivering the result in different ways.

Wet

Michelin retained its advantage during wet braking testing, but this time had to share the top spot with the Cooper Zeon RS3 G1. The budget Fuzion tyre took significantly longer than the other tyres to stop the car.

In a very close group, the Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 proved to have the quickest laptime, but any of the top five tyres were extremely close.

As in the dry, subjectively all the top tyres were very close during the wet handling testing.

Snow - Updated 16th Febuary 2021

Snow braking testing showed the Michelin to have a clear advantage over the group, with only the Continental anywhere close in terms of raw grip.

Snow handling saw a very similar order to snow braking, with the Michelin retaining its vast lead, and the Continental being the best of the rest.

Snow traction moved Kumho slightly up the order, with Michelin again dominating the snow testing.

Environment

The Cooper had the best subjective comfort on test, with the Goodyear and Continental a close second.

The Kumho had the best subjective noise qualities on test.

There seems to be a link between tyre weight and comfort levels, as the heavier tyres on test were some of the least comfortable.

The Fuzion was significantly cheaper than all but the Kumho, with a set of 4 Fuzion tyres costing over 300 dollars less to buy.

Results

1st: Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4
245/40 R18 97Y UTQG: 540 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 34.97 M 100% Dry Handling 2nd 49.65 s 49.54 s +0.11 s 99.78% Subj. Dry Handling 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Wet Braking 1st 18.84 M 100% Wet Handling 4th 49.84 s 49.65 s +0.19 s 99.62% Subj. Wet Handling 4th 8.5 Points 10 Points -1.5 Points 85% Snow Braking 1st 13.66 M 100% Snow Traction 1st 4.86 s 100% Snow Handling 1st 99.66 s 100% Subj. Comfort 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Subj. Noise 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Tyre Weight 5th 47.72 Kg 42.48 Kg +5.24 Kg 89.02% Price 7th 193.99 118.03 +75.96 60.84% Good grip in the dry and wet, significant lead in dry braking and shortest wet braking. Expensive purchase price, average levels of noise and comfort. The new Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4 earns a win in its first test, proving to have a balanced performance in almost all tests, and an impressive ability to top the vehicle quickly and safely in all conditions. Read Reviews
2nd: Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate
245/40 R18 97Y UTQG: 500 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 36.53 M 34.97 M +1.56 M 95.73% Dry Handling 1st 49.54 s 100% Subj. Dry Handling 1st 10 Points 100% Wet Braking 3rd 19.03 M 18.84 M +0.19 M 99% Wet Handling 3rd 49.71 s 49.65 s +0.06 s 99.88% Subj. Wet Handling 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Snow Braking 6th 16.46 M 13.66 M +2.8 M 82.99% Snow Traction 5th 5.89 s 4.86 s +1.03 s 82.51% Snow Handling 5th 108.98 s 99.66 s +9.32 s 91.45% Subj. Comfort 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Subj. Noise 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Tyre Weight 2nd 45 Kg 42.48 Kg +2.52 Kg 94.4% Price 4th 183.99 118.03 +65.96 64.15% Excellent all round tire, sporty handling in the dry and wet, good levels of comfort, low noise, well priced. Average dry braking. The Goodyear Eagle Exhilarate is an impressively sporty feeling ultra high performance tyre, that manages to blend good handling with good levels of nose and comfort. Read Reviews
3rd: Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS
245/40 R18 97W UTQG: 500 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 35.47 M 34.97 M +0.5 M 98.59% Dry Handling 3rd 49.97 s 49.54 s +0.43 s 99.14% Subj. Dry Handling 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Wet Braking 3rd 19.03 M 18.84 M +0.19 M 99% Wet Handling 2nd 49.66 s 49.65 s +0.01 s 99.98% Subj. Wet Handling 1st 10 Points 100% Snow Braking 3rd 15.93 M 13.66 M +2.27 M 85.75% Snow Traction 6th 5.93 s 4.86 s +1.07 s 81.96% Snow Handling 3rd 106.91 s 99.66 s +7.25 s 93.22% Subj. Comfort 5th 6.5 Points 10 Points -3.5 Points 65% Subj. Noise 7th 6.5 Points 10 Points -3.5 Points 65% Tyre Weight 6th 49.72 Kg 42.48 Kg +7.24 Kg 85.44% Price 6th 191.99 118.03 +73.96 61.48% Excellent performance in the dry and wet, quick feeling sporty steering. Low levels of comfort, high levels of noise, lacked steering detail at the very limit, expensive. The Bridgestone Potenza RE980AS is a dynamic feeling ultra high performance all season tyre with excellent grip in the dry and wet, that just lacks a little detail at the limit of grip. Read Reviews
4th: Cooper Zeon RS3 G1
245/40 R18 97W UTQG: 500 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 35.82 M 34.97 M +0.85 M 97.63% Dry Handling 6th 50.67 s 49.54 s +1.13 s 97.77% Subj. Dry Handling 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Wet Braking 1st 18.84 M 100% Wet Handling 5th 49.88 s 49.65 s +0.23 s 99.54% Subj. Wet Handling 6th 7.5 Points 10 Points -2.5 Points 75% Snow Braking 7th 16.58 M 13.66 M +2.92 M 82.39% Snow Traction 7th 6.1 s 4.86 s +1.24 s 79.67% Snow Handling 7th 110.53 s 99.66 s +10.87 s 90.17% Subj. Comfort 1st 10 Points 100% Subj. Noise 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Tyre Weight 4th 47.36 Kg 42.48 Kg +4.88 Kg 89.7% Price 3rd 158.99 118.03 +40.96 74.24% Excellent wet braking, good dry braking, highest levels of comfort. Average dry and wet handling, subjectively it felt more like a touring tire than a UHP tire. The Cooper Zeon RS3-G1 proved to have excellent levels of comfort and good grip in dry and wet braking, but didn't feel as sporty as the best tyres on test. Read Reviews
5th: Continental Extremecontact DWS 06
245/40 R18 97Y UTQG: 560 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 36.17 M 34.97 M +1.2 M 96.68% Dry Handling 5th 50.52 s 49.54 s +0.98 s 98.06% Subj. Dry Handling 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Wet Braking 5th 19.22 M 18.84 M +0.38 M 98.02% Wet Handling 1st 49.65 s 100% Subj. Wet Handling 3rd 9 Points 10 Points -1 Points 90% Snow Braking 2nd 14.74 M 13.66 M +1.08 M 92.67% Snow Traction 3rd 5.7 s 4.86 s +0.84 s 85.26% Snow Handling 2nd 106.74 s 99.66 s +7.08 s 93.37% Subj. Comfort 2nd 9.5 Points 10 Points -0.5 Points 95% Subj. Noise 3rd 8.5 Points 10 Points -1.5 Points 85% Tyre Weight 1st 42.48 Kg 100% Price 4th 183.99 118.03 +65.96 64.15% Excellent wet handling, good levels of comfort, low levels of noise. Average dry performance, subjectively it felt more like a touring tire than a UHP tire. The Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 was very strong in the wet and had good levels of comfort, but had an average performance in the dry, feeling more like a comfort bias tire. Read Reviews
6th: Kumho Ecsta PA51
245/40 R18 97W UTQG: 500 AA A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 7th 37.66 M 34.97 M +2.69 M 92.86% Dry Handling 4th 50.45 s 49.54 s +0.91 s 98.2% Subj. Dry Handling 4th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Wet Braking 6th 20.46 M 18.84 M +1.62 M 92.08% Wet Handling 6th 51.07 s 49.65 s +1.42 s 97.22% Subj. Wet Handling 5th 8 Points 10 Points -2 Points 80% Snow Braking 4th 16.14 M 13.66 M +2.48 M 84.63% Snow Traction 2nd 5.53 s 4.86 s +0.67 s 87.88% Snow Handling 6th 110.08 s 99.66 s +10.42 s 90.53% Subj. Comfort 5th 6.5 Points 10 Points -3.5 Points 65% Subj. Noise 1st 10 Points 100% Tyre Weight 7th 50.08 Kg 42.48 Kg +7.6 Kg 84.82% Price 2nd 134.99 118.03 +16.96 87.44% Low purchase price, quietest tire on test, good handling in the dry. Longest dry braking distance, slow wet handling time, low levels of comfort. The Kumho Ecsta PA51 had good dry handling, and felt sporty at lower speeds, but it had limited grip during dry and wet braking and low levels of comfort compared to the best on test. Read Reviews
7th: Fuzion UHP Sport AS
245/40 R18 97W UTQG: 380 A A 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 36.53 M 34.97 M +1.56 M 95.73% Dry Handling 7th 50.9 s 49.54 s +1.36 s 97.33% Subj. Dry Handling 7th 7 Points 10 Points -3 Points 70% Wet Braking 7th 21.87 M 18.84 M +3.03 M 86.15% Wet Handling 7th 52.17 s 49.65 s +2.52 s 95.17% Subj. Wet Handling 7th 6 Points 10 Points -4 Points 60% Snow Braking 5th 16.24 M 13.66 M +2.58 M 84.11% Snow Traction 4th 5.82 s 4.86 s +0.96 s 83.51% Snow Handling 4th 108.23 s 99.66 s +8.57 s 92.08% Subj. Comfort 5th 6.5 Points 10 Points -3.5 Points 65% Subj. Noise 6th 7.5 Points 10 Points -2.5 Points 75% Tyre Weight 3rd 45.56 Kg 42.48 Kg +3.08 Kg 93.24% Price 1st 118.03 100% Low purchase price, reasonable levels of comfort. Longest wet braking, slowest dry and wet handling times, low subjective handling scores. The Fuzion UHP Sport AS was the least expensive tire on test, and had reasonable levels of comfort, but it lacked outright grip and couldn't match the more expensive tires in any of the objective tests. Read Reviews