Tires - wheel elements in the form of special rubber products that are installed on the rim of the disk. These important components of the safe operation of the vehicle consist of several parts: carcass, tread, etc. They provide contact between the vehicle and the road surface, absorb vibrations and vibrations when driving through pits, potholes and other defects.
Tires are winter and summer. The former are made from softer rubber compounds compared to the latter, have a different tread pattern, behave differently on dry and wet roads in warm weather and severe frost. There is also a special class of tires - all-weather, designed for year-round operation in the southern regions of the Russian Federation with a mild climate.
When the snow melts and the onset of stable positive temperatures, it is necessary to replace winter tires with summer ones. Not all tire models provide reliable grip and good ride, contribute to efficient braking and reduce fuel consumption.
Video: TOP 10 Best Summer Car Tires 2016
To feel confident and comfortable behind the wheel, you need to choose and buy high-quality tires for the summer.
Our today's rating is dedicated to the best examples of the tire market in 2016, suitable for passenger cars. But first, let's talk about the general points that you should pay attention to when choosing a new "car shoe" for the summer season.
Learn to read and decipher the markings (at least European). This is a useful skill that will allow you to quickly navigate the variety of tire models, independently (without additional questions to sales consultants) learn about the size, load limit, speed potential and other characteristics of rubber from domestic and foreign manufacturers.
Size
Tire markings - basic designations
Selected for each car individually. Available tire sizes can be found in the vehicle operating instructions, on the official website of the automaker. One or more options are specified.
- The appearance of errors on the speedometer.
- Friction of the front wheels on the arches with a strong turn of the steering wheel.
- Accelerated .
Tread pattern
It can be symmetrical or asymmetrical, directional or non-directional. The most common is symmetrical non-directional. Differs in good characteristics of acoustic comfort, stability and reliability in management. Often provided in original equipment tires for cars (from the factory).
Asymmetrical and symmetrical directional patterns are highly resistant to hydroplaning. The tread of such tires quickly and effectively removes water from the contact patch.
Asymmetric non-directional - the most sporty pattern. The protector is resistant to heavy loads. Provides a short braking distance. Allows the car to sharply enter turns, actively rebuild. Suitable for sporty-aggressive driving style.
Low profile or high profile tires?
Tires with a low profile look more presentable. They are installed regularly on sports cars, used during tuning together with cast or forged wheels. Differ in the increased rigidity. Better suited for active and high-speed driving on smooth asphalt tracks. They have high braking performance and improved traction.
Full profile tires are durable and wear resistant. Better adapted to uneven road surfaces (holes, potholes). More practical and less expensive. . Contribute to a smoother ride of the vehicle, saving on suspension repairs.
Less precise in control. Especially manifested at high speed. They do not have high traction characteristics compared to low profile ones. Tires with a standard (full) profile do not look so stylish.
Maximum payload and speed
Two indexes. They are indicated by digital (101, 103, 106, etc.) and letter designation (H, V, etc.). Each number and letter corresponds to an indicator in kilograms and km / h. High-speed sports summer tires are marked with indices V (up to 240 km/h), W (no more than 270 km/h).
Rating of the best summer tires in 2017
6th place. Cordiant Sport 3
In our rating, this is the only representative of domestic tire products. Produced by the Russian holding Cordiant. In 2016, the size range for the Sport 3 has expanded significantly with 12 new sizes. This gave a new impetus to sales of Cordiant's flagship summer tire.
It has an asymmetric tread pattern developed on the basis of the 3D modeling method. The tire is based on a SPORT-MIX rubber compound with 2 types of rubber.
In the production of tires, two proprietary technologies are used - WET-COR and DRY-COR. Improve hydroplaning resistance, improve contact patch stability when cornering.
Advantages
- Affordable price compared to competitors.
- Good machine stability on high-speed straights.
Flaws
- insufficient acoustic comfort;
- issues arise during active taxiing at high speeds. They do not have high grip properties.
5th place. Dunlop SP Sport FM800
Made from modified rubber compound. The addition of new components, including a special high-dispersion selica, has improved wet grip performance. There are 4 large longitudinal grooves in the tread pattern. They also work to improve wet handling and reduce the risk of hydroplaning.
Compared to its predecessor model, the new member of the SP Sport family has increased the rigidity of the shoulder areas. This was reflected in the stability and overall level of handling on dry asphalt.
Advantages and disadvantages
- According to the European Tire Label, it has the highest grade (A) for grip on wet roads.
- Large selection of available sizes (more than 40).
- High resistance to hydroplaning.
- Good brakes on wet roads.
There are also disadvantages:
- slightly noisy;
- low grip on dry pavement with more or less fast driving.
4th place. Yokohama ADVAN Fleva V701
Eco-friendly sports tires. A unique ingredient, orange oil, is added to the composition of the rubber compound (nanoBlend). Another special ingredient is a polymer. It helps to reduce rolling resistance, which means it improves fuel efficiency.
Tires of the Yokohama brand have a directional tread pattern with grooves of various shapes (lightning-shaped, in the form of claws, etc.). The unique tread design contributes to balanced performance in both dry and wet conditions.
Advantages
- Comfortable and soft ride.
- Allows you to feel confident on wet roads due to its high resistance to hydroplaning.
- Good braking performance in rainy weather.
Flaws
- "Blurred" handling at high speeds;
- not impressive acceleration-deceleration characteristics on dry pavement.
3rd place. Michelin CrossClimate
Tires of a unique class "Summer +". Now available in 17 different sizes from R14 to R17. Suitable for operation in the summer, but show good performance in light frost, with sudden snowfall. They have a directional tread V-shaped pattern, the central place in which is given to deep channels for drainage. It also contains special self-locking slats.
In the manufacture of Michelin tires, an innovative rubber compound was used. Retains optimal elasticity over a wide temperature range.
Video: How to choose summer tires? Which is better to buy?
The rubber of the German manufacturer uses EverGrip technology. It allows you to safely operate tires even with high tread wear.
Advantages
- Good grip properties in transverse and longitudinal directions on wet roads.
- Possibility of year-round operation in the cities of the southern regions of the Russian Federation.
- High precision steering response.
Flaws
- high cost;
- quite noisy.
2nd place. Nokian Hakka Green 2
A new member of the Hakka family with an asymmetric tread pattern. Replaced the first generation Green model in 2016. The main differences are an improved hybrid rubber compound, an optimized tread pattern design, and improved fuel efficiency.
The tire is also characterized by long mileage and a large number of wear indicators (a droplet in the central rib, a digital line and crosses in the side blocks), signaling a deterioration in performance and the need for replacement.
In wet tests, Nokian's new product received the highest rating of "A" according to the tire label in Europe. This result was achieved due to 4 main grooves and additional blade grooves in the tread blocks. The tires also feature Tires Coanda technology for more effective wet traction.
Despite the light weight of tires, Nokian engineers managed to make the sidewalls more durable due to reinforced fiber. The breaker has also been reinforced with steel wire protected by a brass coating.
Video: Nokian Hakka Green 2 - reviews after 10,000 km. wear test.
Advantages
- High road safety in rainy weather.
- Soft and comfortable.
- Hydroplaning resistant.
- Good grip on dry pavement.
Flaws
- increased wear.
1 place. Bridgestone Potenza Adrenalin RE003
High-speed summer tires with reckless handling. Designed for cars of the middle class with a sporty character (for example, Golf GTI, Subaru BRZ, Toyota GT86, etc.). The main competitor is ContiSportContact 6 from Continental. They replaced the RE002 model. Compared to its predecessor, there have been 3 major changes:
1. The tread design has been improved.
The pattern is asymmetrical, with an unusual structure. The changes affected the location of the 3 main grooves, the structure of the blocks. Thanks to this, the shape of the contact patch was optimized.
2. The content of silica in the rubber compound has increased.
The manufacturer has increased the inner layer based on silica. More evenly distributed silicon in the tire structure. This resulted in improved performance.
3. The tire structure has been improved.
A new zigzag half-groove has been added to the 3 grooves. Together they are responsible for increased tread stiffness and increased vehicle stability on the road. The center track has become wider, which contributes to more precise handling on a dry track.
Advantages
- Excellent traction on dry and wet roads.
- Precise and reckless handling.
- High course stability.
- Sidewall strength.
- Actively resist hydroplaning.
- Increased wear resistance.
Flaws
- tough on roads of medium and poor quality;
- high price.
On the difficulties of choosing tires
When choosing a new set of tires for the summer season, you need to focus on the specifics of their operation (urban or rural areas, climatic conditions, etc.) and your personal preferences. Some tires are more comfortable and softer, others have a refined handling and sporty character, and still others specialize in safe driving in wet weather.
It is impossible to find a tire with perfectly balanced performance characteristics. That is why you have to look for and choose the most suitable model from several options, coming to a compromise solution.
