Auto Bild summer tire test: which of the 50 are the best in the rain, and which can be dangerous? | Business

We look forward to the coming summer. It is already ready, because the test of the best summer tires for mid-range cars has already been done. Some test participants were surprised with good results, but some unexpected failures were inevitable.

Tested 50 tires from different manufacturers

Auto Bild’s summer tire test, for which 50 sets of tires were bought, including well-known premium brands and unknown outsiders from the Far East. Each participant of this test had an excellent and completely equal chance to reach the final stage of this test.

But among the many manufacturers with fantastic names, from Aplus to Zeetex, there are always white crows trying to establish themselves in the profitable tire market with inferior cheap products. A driver who buys new tires every four or six years asks himself the same question: “Did I hit it or not?”.

The so-called EU tire label or sticker with information about the rolling resistance and wet grip efficiency class is of no help, as the customer cannot verify the information received from tire manufacturers who independently certify their own tires.

That is why the Auto Bild test starts with a security check. For this purpose, three identically equipped VW Passat test cars were selected, which flew for days on the test tracks of the huge ATP training ground (Automotive Testing Pepenburg GmbH) in Germany.

At the end of the safety event, the exact results demonstrated by all test participants are presented, ie the exact braking distance of each test participant, both on dry and on wet asphalt.

Here is the first alarming result: the safety margins of some manufacturers’ tires when braking on wet surfaces are very worrying. Even when driving at 80 km/h. at speed, the difference in stopping distance of the test car was up to two vehicle lengths, which can be extremely dangerous when braking suddenly at the end of a traffic jam.

Only those tires with the lowest total stopping distance enter the final stage of the test. And then all the finalists demonstrate their skills in aquaplaning, car control courses, and the unforgettable and cost-related aspects. By the way, universal tires were also tested in the final part of the test. You can find all the results below in the text and tables. We hope that the test results will help you find the best choice.