Given
52%
while driving a
Volkswagen
(215/40 R17 W) on
mostly town
for 2,000
average miles
The P609 tyres came as part of a package when I bought new alloys. The marketing is surprisingly accurate - performance tyres for a very good price. They are very similar to Bridgestone Potenzas in terms of design and feel. For budget tyres, you won’t get much better in terms of performance. However, there are still some significant downsides. Firstly, no matter how carefully I drive, the tyres squeal a lot upon acceleration. And when cruising, there is always a whining hum. It’s loud enough that pedestrians turn to look. Secondly, braking/stopping distance is very poor. It grips the road decently when cruising, but when you push the brakes hard, the car slows down gently rather than this immediate, forceful halt I felt on my previous tyres. Thirdly, the ride is very uncomfortable. I like sporty dynamics, but they are just too harsh. And while the steering is responsive, they are a bit too light for my liking and don’t offer enough resistance. I suspect those issues could be solved by going up to a higher profile 45 or 50 aspect tyre (what I previously had). Lastly, the fuel economy is terrible. Easily a 20-30% reduction. I have never seen the fuel range reading go down so quickly with normal driving. I used to get about 650km range on a tank easily, now I get about 500km. In summary, if you absolutely can’t afford any more than budget tyres, these will do the job for a short while. Any set of tyres will result in a significant outlay - so invest that little bit extra to get a top brand when you can.