Test Summary | |
Array | Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R |
Array | Michelin Pilot Sport 4 |
Array | Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo Pirelli P Zero PZ4 |
Array | Pirelli P Zero PZ4 |
Array | Toyo Proxes Sport |
Road VS Trackday Tyres
The Toyota GT86 isn't the most powerful of cars, with the 2 litre NA engine producing just 197 bhp. This means the car won't take advantage of the higher grip levels of semi slicks as much as a more powerful heavy car, but the increase in performance was still noticeable.
The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyre was the fastest semi slick in the dry lapping the handling course with an average speed of 87.1 km/h, an average of 2 km/h faster than the Michelin Pilot Sport 4.
Dry braking is a key advantage for track day tyres, which have a softer compound and less tread pattern to increase the tyres contact patch with the road. The Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R proved best in this test, stopping the Toyota in 32.8 meters, where the road Pirelli P Zero took a further 2.4 meters, stopping the car in 35.2 meters. The biggest surprise of the dry braking test wasn't the advantage of the semi slick tyres, but that the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 matched the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2, both stopping the car in 34.4 meters, an impressive result for the road bias Michelin.
Wet testing brings the advantage back to the road tyres. All three semi slick tyres finished at the bottom of the wet handling and aquaplaning tests, with the Michelin track day tyre proving to be the most useful in the tests. Still not a tyre we'd want to fit for year round use in the UK.
The wet braking tests reversed the dry braking tests, with the test winning Toyo Proxes Sport stopping the GT86 in 32 meters from 80 km/h, where the Toyo R888R track day tyre took a further 2.5 meters, stopping in 34.5 meters.
The comfort, noise and rolling resistance tests were again dominated by the road tyres, with the track day tyres giving up noise and comfort for increased steering precision and speed.
The Results
Please note, due to limitations in our database, we've had to group the track day and "normal" tyres together in the overall results. In the magazine they were rated separate, but they did undergo the same tests.
1st: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 | |
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| Good steering feedback, stable behavior, excellent grip and very short braking on wet surfaces
+ short stopping distance on dry Slightly high levels of noise Particularly recommended Read Reviews Buy from £107.84 |
1st: Pirelli P Zero Trofeo R | |
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| Excellent grip and accurate steering in the dry Poor wet grip Particularly recommended Read Reviews |
2nd: Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 | |
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| Good handling on wet roads, short braking distances on dry roads Poor handling on dry roads Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £87.22 |
2nd: Toyo R888 R | |
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| Good wet traction for a semi slick, high grip and good steering in the dry Very nervous in wet handling, very noisy Particularly recommended Read Reviews |
3rd: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 | |
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| Balanced performance and accurate steering int he dry Poor wet grip Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £161.14 |
3rd: Bridgestone Turanza T001 Evo | |
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| High traction and good handling and stability on wet roads Inaccurate and slow steering the dry, poor resistance to aquaplaning Recommended Read Reviews |
4th: Continental Sport Contact 5 | |
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| Excellent in the wet, high resistance to aquaplaning, short braking and good handling in the dry Poor comfort, high noise Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £97.62 |
5th: Pirelli P Zero PZ4 | |
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| Short braking on dry roads, accurate steering and good stability in cornering on dry roads Relatively long stopping distance on wet roads Recommended Read Reviews Buy from £106.72 |
6th: Toyo Proxes Sport | |
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| The shortest braking distance on a wet roads, high resistance to aquaplaning Slow reaction to steering, weak lateral stability on wet roads Recommended Read Reviews |
7th: Kumho Ecsta PS91 | |
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| Acceptable handling on dry surfaces (although nervous behavior), good resistance to aquaplaning Poor grip in the wet, low comfort Conditionally recommended Read Reviews Buy from £96.95 |