The 2024 AZ Summer Tyre Test evaluated nine premium touring summer tyres, providing a detailed analysis of their performance in various conditions, including dry and wet braking, handling, noise level, and rolling resistance. The Continental PremiumContact 7 stood out with top marks in most categories, followed closely by other brands like Pirelli and Hankook.

Test Publication:

https://www.autozeitung.de/reifen-test

Test Size: 225/45 R17

Tyres Tested: 9 tyres

Test Categories:
4 categories (8 tests)

View Test Summary

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Test Category	Best Performer	Worst Performer	Difference
Dry (2 tests)
Dry Braking	▲ Continental PremiumContact 7: 32.9 M	▼ Bridgestone Turanza 6: 34.8 M	1.9 M (5.5%)
Dry Handling	▲ Continental PremiumContact 7: 75.3 s	▼ Bridgestone Turanza 6: 76.8 s	1.5 s (2.0%)
Wet (4 tests)
Wet Braking	▲ Continental PremiumContact 7: 39.5 M	▼ Michelin Primacy 4 Plus: 44.6 M	5.1 M (11.4%)
Wet Handling	▲ Continental PremiumContact 7: 77.7 s	▼ Michelin Primacy 4 Plus: 80.8 s	3.1 s (3.8%)
Wet Circle	▲ Continental PremiumContact 7: 11.7 s	▼ Michelin Primacy 4 Plus: 12.4 s	0.7 s (5.6%)
Straight Aqua	▲ Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN: 84.2 Km/H	▼ Bridgestone Turanza 6: 78.6 Km/H	5.6 Km/H (7.1%)
Comfort (1 tests)
Noise	▲ Michelin Primacy 4 Plus: 70 dB	▼ Maxxis Premitra HP5: 73 dB	3.0 dB (4.1%)
Value (1 tests)
Rolling Resistance	▲ Michelin Primacy 4 Plus: 7.6 kg / t	▼ Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun: 8.9 kg / t	1.3 kg / t (14.6%)

Dry

The Continental PremiumContact 7 led the way in dry braking, with the Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2 in close second.

The Continental and Pirelli combination also led dry handling, proving their the best in the dry.

Wet

Continental was back at the front in wet braking, with a significant advantage over the Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3 in second place.

In a surprising turn of events, the PremiumContact 7 was also the fastest in wet handling, and the wet circle test.

Wet Circle

The Continental had to settle for third place in the deeper water of straight aquaplaning, with the Firestone Roadhawk 2 and Maxxis Premitra HP5 beating the German tyre.

Comfort

The Hankook was also the quietest in the noise test, tying the top spot with Michelin.

Value

The Michelin Primacy 4+ also joint won the rolling resistance test, tying top spot with the Bridgestone Turanza 6.

Results

1st: Continental PremiumContact 7
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: C/A/72 Weight: 9.38kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 1st 32.9 M 100% Dry Handling 1st 75.3 s 100% Wet Braking 1st 39.5 M 100% Wet Handling 1st 77.7 s 100% Wet Circle 1st 11.7 s 100% Straight Aqua 3rd 82.3 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -1.9 Km/H 97.74% Noise 7th 72 dB 70 dB +2 dB 97.22% Rolling Resistance 6th 8.6 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +1 kg / t 88.37% The Continental PremiumContact 7 is a true all-rounder, delivering exceptional performance on both wet and dry surfaces. It reacts quickly to driver input and provides a thrilling driving experience, though it might not be the top choice for drivers who prioritize maximizing fuel savings. Read Reviews    Buy from £98.66
2nd: Pirelli Cinturato P7 C2
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: B/A/70 Weight: 8.94kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 2nd 33 M 32.9 M +0.1 M 99.7% Dry Handling 2nd 75.6 s 75.3 s +0.3 s 99.6% Wet Braking 3rd 41.9 M 39.5 M +2.4 M 94.27% Wet Handling 3rd 78.2 s 77.7 s +0.5 s 99.36% Wet Circle 3rd 11.9 s 11.7 s +0.2 s 98.32% Straight Aqua 5th 81.4 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -2.8 Km/H 96.67% Noise 3rd 71 dB 70 dB +1 dB 98.59% Rolling Resistance 5th 8.2 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +0.6 kg / t 92.68% The Pirelli P7 Cinturato is designed for those who enjoy a more spirited driving experience. It offers precise steering, excellent grip, and a sporty feel, though its focus on performance means slightly reduced comfort and average fuel efficiency. Read Reviews    Buy from £100.19
3rd: Hankook Ventus S1 evo 3
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: C/A/72 Weight: 9.84kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 3rd 33.3 M 32.9 M +0.4 M 98.8% Dry Handling 7th 76.5 s 75.3 s +1.2 s 98.43% Wet Braking 2nd 40.9 M 39.5 M +1.4 M 96.58% Wet Handling 2nd 78 s 77.7 s +0.3 s 99.62% Wet Circle 3rd 11.9 s 11.7 s +0.2 s 98.32% Straight Aqua 6th 79.4 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -4.8 Km/H 94.3% Noise 1st 70 dB 100% Rolling Resistance 7th 8.7 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +1.1 kg / t 87.36% The Hankook Ventus S1 evo³ offers a comfortable and quiet ride with good handling characteristics, making it a balanced choice with a slightly sportier feel. While it performs well overall, it's not the best choice if fuel economy is your main concern. Read Reviews    Buy from £95.77
4th: Vredestein Ultrac
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: C/A/69 Weight: 8.96kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 5th 33.7 M 32.9 M +0.8 M 97.63% Dry Handling 3rd 75.7 s 75.3 s +0.4 s 99.47% Wet Braking 8th 44.1 M 39.5 M +4.6 M 89.57% Wet Handling 4th 78.4 s 77.7 s +0.7 s 99.11% Wet Circle 3rd 11.9 s 11.7 s +0.2 s 98.32% Straight Aqua 7th 79.3 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -4.9 Km/H 94.18% Noise 3rd 71 dB 70 dB +1 dB 98.59% Rolling Resistance 4th 7.9 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +0.3 kg / t 96.2% The Vredestein Ultrac focuses on providing a balanced driving experience with a strong emphasis on safety. It offers good grip levels in both dry and wet conditions, along with a comfortable ride and good fuel economy. Its one drawback is a slightly longer braking distance in the wet compared to some rivals. Read Reviews    Buy from £98.13
5th: Firestone Roadhawk 2 ENLITEN
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: B/A/71 Weight: 9.14kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 34.2 M 32.9 M +1.3 M 96.2% Dry Handling 8th 76.6 s 75.3 s +1.3 s 98.3% Wet Braking 4th 43.1 M 39.5 M +3.6 M 91.65% Wet Handling 5th 78.8 s 77.7 s +1.1 s 98.6% Wet Circle 2nd 11.8 s 11.7 s +0.1 s 99.15% Straight Aqua 1st 84.2 Km/H 100% Noise 7th 72 dB 70 dB +2 dB 97.22% Rolling Resistance 3rd 7.8 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +0.2 kg / t 97.44% The Firestone Roadhawk 2 is a value-oriented tyre with a focus on balanced performance. It delivers a good all-around driving experience and stands out for its excellent fuel efficiency, but doesn't have any specific areas where it truly excels. Read Reviews    Buy from £88.08
6th: Falken ZIEX ZE310 EcoRun
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: D/A/69 Weight: 9.78kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 8th 34.3 M 32.9 M +1.4 M 95.92% Dry Handling 5th 76.4 s 75.3 s +1.1 s 98.56% Wet Braking 5th 43.2 M 39.5 M +3.7 M 91.44% Wet Handling 6th 79.2 s 77.7 s +1.5 s 98.11% Wet Circle 3rd 11.9 s 11.7 s +0.2 s 98.32% Straight Aqua 8th 79.2 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -5 Km/H 94.06% Noise 3rd 71 dB 70 dB +1 dB 98.59% Rolling Resistance 9th 8.9 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +1.3 kg / t 85.39% The Falken ZIEX ZE310 Ecorun is a decent tyre for everyday driving, offering a comfortable ride and reasonable performance in both wet and dry conditions. However, this older model suffers from high rolling resistance, meaning it will use more fuel than its competitors. Read Reviews    Buy from £81.99
7th: Michelin Primacy 4+
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: C/A/70 Weight: 9.02kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 4th 33.6 M 32.9 M +0.7 M 97.92% Dry Handling 5th 76.4 s 75.3 s +1.1 s 98.56% Wet Braking 9th 44.6 M 39.5 M +5.1 M 88.57% Wet Handling 9th 80.8 s 77.7 s +3.1 s 96.16% Wet Circle 9th 12.4 s 11.7 s +0.7 s 94.35% Straight Aqua 4th 81.9 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -2.3 Km/H 97.27% Noise 1st 70 dB 100% Rolling Resistance 1st 7.6 kg / t 100% The Michelin Primacy 4+ prioritises comfort and fuel efficiency above all else. It provides an exceptionally quiet and smooth ride while helping you save on fuel, but its wet braking performance isn't the best and it lacks the sporty handling of some competitors. Read Reviews    Buy from £104.78
8th: Maxxis Premitra HP5
225/45 R17 94W EU Label: C/A/70 Weight: 8.96kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 6th 34.2 M 32.9 M +1.3 M 96.2% Dry Handling 4th 76 s 75.3 s +0.7 s 99.08% Wet Braking 7th 43.3 M 39.5 M +3.8 M 91.22% Wet Handling 7th 80.6 s 77.7 s +2.9 s 96.4% Wet Circle 7th 12.1 s 11.7 s +0.4 s 96.69% Straight Aqua 2nd 83.2 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -1 Km/H 98.81% Noise 9th 73 dB 70 dB +3 dB 95.89% Rolling Resistance 8th 8.8 kg / t 7.6 kg / t +1.2 kg / t 86.36% The Maxxis Premitra 5 is a budget-friendly option that delivers acceptable grip and overall performance. However, its high rolling resistance negatively impacts fuel economy, and it tends to be noisy on the road. Read Reviews
9th: Bridgestone Turanza 6
225/45 R17 94Y EU Label: B/A/70 Weight: 9.26kgs 3PMSF: no	Test # Result Best Difference % Dry Braking 9th 34.8 M 32.9 M +1.9 M 94.54% Dry Handling 9th 76.8 s 75.3 s +1.5 s 98.05% Wet Braking 5th 43.2 M 39.5 M +3.7 M 91.44% Wet Handling 7th 80.6 s 77.7 s +2.9 s 96.4% Wet Circle 8th 12.2 s 11.7 s +0.5 s 95.9% Straight Aqua 9th 78.6 Km/H 84.2 Km/H -5.6 Km/H 93.35% Noise 3rd 71 dB 70 dB +1 dB 98.59% Rolling Resistance 1st 7.6 kg / t 100% The Bridgestone Turanza 6 prioritizes fuel efficiency and a comfortable ride. It offers a quiet driving experience, however, its grip in wet conditions is only average. Read Reviews    Buy from £89.26