All-season tires in the test: Serious differences in braking
The ADAC tested 16 225/45 R17 all-season tires. Some are quite good, some are simply dangerous.
(Image: ADAC)
The performance of tires is often underestimated. Four 225/45 R17 tires have a contact area with the road that is not even the size of an A4 sheet of paper. On this truly not large surface, they have to ensure grip between the car and the road in as many conditions as possible, while being low-friction, comfortable and wear-resistant. Tires tend to get better and better, after all, a lot is being invested in their development. Just a few years ago, all-season tires were mostly optimized for winter. Nowadays, there are tires that also perform well in summer. This is the conclusion of a recent ADAC test.
Unsurprisingly, such top performers are not to be found at the lower end of the price list, and this applies even more to the economic view. The ADAC has identified an average price range of 72 to 145 euros per tire. Current offers, some of which differ significantly from the prices determined by the ADAC, can be found in our price comparison.
Empfohlener redaktioneller Inhalt
Mit Ihrer Zustimmung wird hier ein externer Preisvergleich (heise Preisvergleich) geladen.
Ich bin damit einverstanden, dass mir externe Inhalte angezeigt werden. Damit können personenbezogene Daten an Drittplattformen (heise Preisvergleich) übermittelt werden. Mehr dazu in unserer Datenschutzerklärung.
However, the purchase price is a first indication of what a tire actually costs. For the most durable tire, which comes from Goodyear, the club predicts a mileage of just under 68,000 km, while the loser from Superia should manage around 35,000 km. In this respect alone, it is therefore pricier per kilometer. It also has a higher rolling resistance, which ultimately increases fuel consumption.
(Image: ADAC)
Test winner?
As we have often done on this channel, we strongly recommend two things. Forget the test winner chosen by the ADAC, or rather find your own. Do you prefer an all-season tire with good properties on a snowy road? Then the Michelin Crossclimat 2 may be preferable to the Goodyear. Do you mainly drive in summer and suitability on snow-covered roads is secondary? Then the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 3 could be the best tire for you.
The second tip is immediately clear from the first glance at the test results: A supposedly low price itself has a price – in the form of considerably poorer properties. For a decent all-season tire in the 225/45 R17 size, you need to budget from around 120 euros. Tires that are significantly less than this are blatantly weak in at least one discipline. This becomes drastic when braking on wet roads, among other things. The test car, a VW Golf, came to a standstill after 31.3 meters during emergency braking from 80 km/h, provided it was fitted with the Continental Allseasoncontact 2. The worst candidate comes from Arivo, which was still traveling at 41 km/h after 31.3 meters.
(Image: ADAC)
Pay attention to weighting
It is important to note that test results cannot simply be transferred to another dimension, although results will not be completely reversed. A loser in this dimension will not be a champion as a 16-incher. You should also bear in mind that a shift in the weighting of individual criteria can also change the testers' recommendations. This is another reason why we recommend looking at the results and then deciding. This may also save you a few euros.
Videos by heise
Better not to save money
All-season tires are better overall and save on conversion costs and a second set of rims. The specialists for summer and winter are not better in terms of their properties, at least not at present, says the ADAC. The club recommends that in really difficult road conditions, it is better to opt for pure summer and winter tires. If you don't have any extreme requirements in your driving profile, you can't really go wrong with a really good all-season tire. However, these are only available from a certain price level upwards. But cheap tires are not a smart idea anyway, regardless of their specification. In the test environment, around 160 to 200 euros lie between the best sets of tires and the losers. Spread over three years with around 15,000 km each, that's less than six euros a month. Good contact with the road should be worth that.
(Image: ADAC)
(mfz)