29.04.2015 02:11
A couple of test cars - stockings with non-switchable stabilization system. Tires were tested at the end of last summer in order to have time to capture all the novelties of the upcoming 2015 season. The weather during the tests did not bake with heat: the thermometer showed 20-25 degrees Celsius.
Higher speed - less holes
There is an opinion that tires with a higher speed index are preferable for driving on bad roads. They are said to be stronger than the slow ones. This is wrong. High indexes of speed and carrying capacity do not at all mean increased resistance of tires to impacts in pits and curb rubbing.
The design of high-speed tires is such that it does not allow centrifugal forces to break it apart into pieces. high speed. Often this is achieved by using an additional reinforcing tape between the breaker and the frame. As a rule, retribution for this is increased rigidity, and sometimes noise. But the sidewalls remain almost the same as those of less high-speed tires. Namely, they are damaged on impact.
There is no need to rely on tires with an increased load index (tires with an index of 90 can carry 600 kg, with an index of 91 - 615 kg, 92 - 630, 93 - 650, 94 - 670 kg), even when it is supplemented with the letters XL or the words Extra load. Yes, tires with a high index have reinforced sidewalls and carcass, they are more durable, but their task is to carry more weight, evenly distribute the load in the contact patch, and not keep the sidewalls intact during a powerful impact. As our experience shows, after a wheel gets into a hole with sharp edges, tires with different load-carrying capacity indexes are destroyed in the same way. The difference is only in the size of the damaged areas. A stronger tire has a smaller wound, but it will still have to be thrown away.
Sometimes, more often in the spring, when the pits are especially deep, we raise the tire pressure by 0.3-0.5 bar above the recommended one. This worsens the grip of the wheels with the road and the smoothness of the ride, but adds to the tires resistance to breakdown.
SIX OF THE BEST
A serious struggle unfolded among the leaders. The milestone of 900 points, which we consider an indicator of excellent tires, was overcome by six models at once. Rare case. It is noteworthy that five of them boast the highest efficiency. The difference between the braking distances is measured in decimeters, and the speed at the rearrangement is measured in tenths of a kilometer per hour.
Having scored 944 points, she rose above all updated model Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue, which on wet surfaces showed the best braking properties and the highest speed on the rearrangement. In addition, it provides clear handling and excellent directional stability.
Cinturato also had the best price-quality ratio among the top six - 3.81. Indeed, for an eminent tire, the price of 3600 rubles is quite modest.
Having lost 18 points to the leader, the Nokian Hakka Blue model is on the second position. This tire matched the Pirelli speed in the wet and set the record in the dry. Slightly saved in braking on dry pavement. Those who choose this tire will certainly appreciate its positive impact on the handling and directional stability of the car. Price - 3650 rudders apiece.
Tire took third place Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance(conceded to Hakka only one point). The experts gave her the palm in the "Comfort" nomination. Grip properties are high both on dry and wet roads. Goodyear let us down only in handling on dry roads: the difficult behavior of the Golf during extreme maneuvering limited the speed during a sharp lane change at a rearrangement. If you put EfficientGrip Performance on a car without ESP, then in such situations you need to be extremely careful.
Price - 3700 rubles, value for money - 3.99 (average value among top tires).
Tire Michelin Primacy 3 scored 926 points and took a high fourth place. Primacy has good grip properties; it provides clear handling and directional stability. But what Michelin has surpassed everyone in is the price: 4,000 rubles apiece. A well-known name is always expensive.
The Ventus Prime 2 delivers high traction and keeps you on course. Not the most prevented to reach the podium best performance fuel efficiency and small comments from experts regarding ride comfort and handling in extreme conditions. Hankook is offered for 3400 rubles.
Tire is in sixth position with 913 points Continental ContiPremiumContact fifth generation. Leading braking properties on dry roads and high fuel efficiency. Other indicators are from good to excellent, but not record-breaking. Sold for 4000 rubles. The Germans, like Michelin, keep the mark.
Asphalt sprinkler with water provides a water layer of up to two millimeters. 100% imitation of moderate rain.
LET'S BE Humble
In seventh place - Nordman SX domestic production with 890 points. Shortfall to the coveted mark "900" - only a dozen, less than two percent. Almost all indicators are above average, we did not encounter difficulties and surprises in driving a car on these tires. With such indicators - only 2800 rubles apiece. The value for money of 3.15 is the best in the test. Nordman deserves the title of crisis fighter.
Toyo Proxes CF2: 876 points and eighth place. Braking performance on dry pavement is equivalent to Nordman, on wet pavement these tires are inferior to Nordman by about half a meter. A little faster on dry, a little slower on wet. It can boast of exemplary economy. But the level of ride comfort on Proxes tires CF2 is low. I guess not everyone is ready to put up with it. The price of 3500 rubles is considered too high.
In ninth place with 857 points - Bridgestone Ecopia EP200. Good for fuel economy, but in our test, seven tire models gave the same result. In all other respects, far from being a leader. The EP200 has poor dry traction, but the Ecopia failed in the wet. In extreme conditions, the handling of the Golf with these tires kept our test riders on their toes. You will have to steer on a winding highway with special care. Usually Bridgestone brand tires are very expensive, but the price tag of this tire is relatively modest: 3550 rubles.
Tenth place and 849 points - result Cordiant Sport 3. Braking on wet pavement is above average, on dry pavement - second from the bottom. Handling on a dry surface is difficult, on a wet one it is problematic, so a sharp change of lane will be successful only at low speeds. Fuel consumption was the highest in the test.
The directional stability on these tires is not the best: driving at high speed requires extreme concentration, you can not relax for a second. The price does not seem to be the highest - 3100 rubles, but there are better and cheaper tires.
in the eleventh position Kama Euro 129. She has only 806 points in her piggy bank. Not enough for a modern tire. All measurement results, with the exception of the average fuel consumption, are the worst. In braking on dry pavement, it loses to the leader by almost six meters, on wet pavement - four and a half. Under no circumstances would I sharply maneuver on these tires: the car can break into a slip, and even ESP will not help. I am silent about the ride comfort, here it does not smell like that. The most pleasant indicator is the price, the lowest in the test: 2600 rubles.
Your boyfriend
The Volkswagen Golf is the most massive test car of all tire companies, and for good reason. Its immediate responses and crisp, easy-to-understand handling make it easy for experts to assess tire performance.
The Golf has a fairly "transparent" suspension that does not hide road noise and vibrations - it is enough for our testers to evaluate both the smoothness of the ride and the contribution of the tires to the sound background.
The stabilization system on this machine is not disabled, but this is more of a plus than a minus. We tried to remove this feature initially with our custom hardware and found that the Golf with ESP disabled became excessively fidgety. The car had to be brought out of the skid in the initial phase, instantly and with precise movements. A little delayed or overdone - and Volkswagen could turn 180 degrees in a second or fly far to the side. Scary!
We are currently testing tires without disabling ESP. The Golf's electronics are set up very loyally, in no hurry to take action at the slightest hint of drift or drift, as, for example, in Volvo. Our experts are able to evaluate and predict the behavior of the car and the initial phases of sliding.
Together with the author, Anton ANANIEV, Vladimir KOLESOV, Yuri KUROCHKIN, Evgeny LARIN, Anton MISHIN, Andrey OBRAZUMOV, Valery PAVLOV and Dmitry TESTOV took part in tire testing. We express our gratitude to the tire manufacturing companies that provided their products for testing, as well as to the employees of the AVTOVAZ test site and the Togliatti companies Volgashintorg and Premiera for technical support.
The tire test group "Behind the Rulem" tested eleven models summer tires in size 185/60 R14, designed for compact cars, such as, for example, Lada. The speed index of the tested tires is 190 km/h (T) and 210 km/h (H).
Now manufacturers are trying to practically not produce 14 inch tires and for budget cars very often they supply 15 inch "shoes". Therefore, no premiere models are observed in this test. Almost all new developments are produced in larger sizes and are designed for more expensive vehicles with larger diameter wheels. However, this can also be seen as a positive point: the less effort and energy invested in development, the lower the price of the tire.
For the first time, ZR experts tested the Matador Stella 2 and Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 models. The rest of the test participants also showed considerable interest, since they all turned out to be very popular models.
All test events were carried out at the AvtoVAZ test site, not far from Tolyatti. The 106 strong Lada Priora, which was equipped with ABS system. As the testers noted, the observed minor flaws in the behavior of the miracle Russian car industry fully compensated by the installation of high quality tires. The tests were carried out at a temperature of 20–25 ºС.
First echelon
First, the Behind the Rulem expert group analyzed the success of the most expensive tire of the test. , taking first place with 927 points, justified its high cost. One of the main advantages of the tire was the high speed at the rearrangement, as well as the short braking distance, which, when braking from a speed of 80 km/h, is a whole meter less than that of the nearest competitor, and when braking on a dry road from a speed of 100 km/h, less three meters.
Just one point behind (926), the Nokian Hakka Green finished second. The testers called the “green” tire a good product, noting that the balance of characteristics of the Finn is somewhat different from Conti: a car “shod” in Nokian tires behaves more confidently and clearly when cornering at high speed, there is high directional stability and excellent Feedback.
far from new model Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 fell into the hands of the test group "ЗР" for the first time and took ... the last 11th place (835 points). The reason for this is the weak grip properties when braking. On dry pavement, the difference with the leader of the competition was almost five meters, which is comparable to the length of the Priora, and in wet test conditions, this figure approached the mark of four meters.
Ecopia EP150 testers recommend not even thinking about sharp maneuvers with tires, as any quick changes will come out sideways, and literally. The only positive aspect of all the performance qualities of the Bridgestone model was modest fuel consumption, and that in country mode. Possible cause of such an unsuccessful tire performance, ZR experts named the place of production, while noting that “Made in Japan” is always better than that made in Thailand, from where the Bridgestone Ecopia EP150, which participated in the test, actually arrived.
Second line
In a cheaper, but still far from the budget segment, there were also tires that failed the tests, but for some reason they strive to sell them at a higher price.
Japan's Toyo Proxes CF2 finished third on the podium with a total of 907 points. Its excellent braking properties, which testers put on a par with the braking ability of Nokian's "green Hakka", ensure confident extreme maneuvering. Yielded to Proxes CF-2 only in comfort. According to the testers, the tire cannot be called quiet and soft.
Michelin subsidiary brand representative obvious shortcomings they do not have, although in almost all indicators they barely reach the average level. However, they somehow scored 870 points and placed seventh overall.
The Formula Energy model developed by Pirelli engineers clearly does not live up to its name, since, according to ZR experts, it is absolutely unsuitable for extreme maneuvering. To keep the vehicle in corners, the driver will have to show extraordinary skill. At the same time, during rectilinear motion, even at high speed, such problems are not observed. As a result - 876 points and the eighth line of the rating.
"Behind the wheel" called the average model without failures and ups, which, however, did not prevent the tire from scoring 888 points and taking sixth place in the standings.
The Russian shinprom, presented by Cordiant Road Runner, did not make much impression. The testers noted that the Cordiant tire is very close to Formula Energy in terms of performance, although it is inferior to it in terms of comfort and course clarity. However, due to the fact that the Russian development is more predictable in extreme conditions, the expert group still gave these two models one final position.
Budget
Everyone understands perfectly well that chasing cheapness is especially not worth it. But, as practice has shown, even in the budget price segment there are some pretty good tyres. For example, Yokohama BluEarth. The Tokyo corporation, with an eye on Bridgestone, always sells its tires at 15% cheaper, and this despite the fact that often performance characteristics Yokohama products are much better, which, in fact, was confirmed by the “Behind the wheel” test.
BluEarth has demonstrated faster rearrangement speed and better braking properties in wet conditions. The model name was also reflected in the test results: BluEarth has the lowest fuel consumption at a speed of 90 km / h. As a result - fifth place with 889 points.
The model is not in vain liked by many motorists. The ratio of its price and quality leaves almost no chance. The tire scored 905 points and took fourth place. By the way, a score exceeding 900 points is considered by ZR experts as a criterion for excellent tires. The testers especially liked the handling of the car equipped with Nordman SX tires in extreme conditions, which was at its best.
Matador MP16 Stella 2 tires have very modest braking properties, so they will have to be driven slowly and with increased distance. It will also be necessary to exclude sharp changes from the “motorist’s diet”, since in any situation the steering wheel must work smoothly and gently. However, the manufacturer compensated for all this low resistance rolling, which implies good savings fuel at any speed.
Decided to update tires for the warm season? Let's see which summer tires are better, according to experts, have shown themselves this year. What did drivers expect from the new products in 2015, and to what extent were these forecasts justified?
Those who are not lucky enough to be winners
Before the start of the summer season of 2015, the ratings of many print and online publications predicted the prizes for the products of the leaders - Bridgestone and Continental. The first brand, according to analysts, due to a balanced selection of material, as well as a special tread pattern, has the best performance when braking on wet surfaces, not to mention that when driving on dry asphalt, the grip will be perfect. Basically, tires of the Ecopia series with the index EP150, EP200, EP850 stood out for the summer, whose properties were significantly improved just in time for the market.
The second contender - Continental - also entered the summer market in 2015 with a claim to the economy of its products, presenting the main type with the name Conti.eContact with a reduced rolling coefficient. The main "chips" were supposed to be a reduced noise level, achieved through special jumpers, as well as 3D sipes designed to improve traction when braking. ContiSportContact 5 tires were intended for fans of a sporty driving style, which boasted a special rubber compound that was resistant to heavy braking and improved vehicle handling.
But, unfortunately, these were only assumptions. This summer, tire testing by the technical services of highly respected Russian publications for motorists delivered a set of summer “shoes” Continental only in 10th place. Despite the promises of the manufacturers, handling on wet pavement left much to be desired, and the tires themselves turned out to be harsh. The cost of one tire averaged for diameters: R15 - 3400 rubles, R16 - 4500 rubles, R17 - 7100 rubles.
Bridgestone was able to take 8th place in 2015 thanks to the model called Turanza T001, showing better stability during braking and driving than its competitor Continental. Placement in the rating list was affected by excessive stiffness, low handling and increased noise. The price of this option was for R15 - 3500 rubles, R16 - 3900 rubles, R17 - 7000 rubles.
The products of the Philippine company Yokohama, which took 9th place, were also predicted to take 5th place at the beginning of the season. The forecast was also not confirmed. The C.Drive2 AC02 model, which showed economy, directional stability and exceptionally reliable behavior on a dry road surface, nevertheless “gave up” during maneuvers on a wet roadway and repeated the main drawback of competitors' samples: excessive rigidity. The cost of one unit of the set: R15 - 2900 rubles, R16 - 3200 rubles, R17 - 5100 rubles.
On the 7th place in the rating was the "favorite" of our motorists, a tire under the Nokian brand - Nordman SX. This, of course, is not an elite product, and the model belongs to the "middle" class tires. However, in a test run, the set of tires showed excellent performance during braking and when driving at different speeds. Tires took their place "thanks" to a rather tough reaction to road bumps and control resistance. The preliminary rating did not take into account the summer “shoes” of this Russian manufacturer at all, so even 7th place is a very significant result. Although this is not the last appearance of tires of the company of the same name in the final ranking. The average price in stores for one tire R15 is 2400 rubles, R16 is 2800 rubles, R17 is 5100 rubles.
The 6th position was taken by the Japanese company Toyo Proxes with the T1 Sport model. The spring rating also did not see this manufacturer as a participant, and therefore its presence in the list was a surprise. On dry pavement, the tires showed fairly tight grip, and on wet pavement, they were quite good. braking performance. Minor flaws that prevented the applicant from taking a higher line are small flaws during wet handling and poor resistance to road bumps. The average cost of R16 tires is 3500 rubles, R17 - 5900 rubles.
The "predictors" guessed the company whose products will take the 5th place, the error was only in the name of the model. It turned out to be tires from the Hungarian manufacturer Hankook with the name Ventus Prime2 K115. Excellent braking behavior regardless of the type of road condition, a significant reduction in fuel consumption - this is what the consumer can please the choice of a set of these tires for his car. The disadvantages are the same as those of other applicants - lack of directional stability and handling, as well as quite sensitive discomfort when driving on rough roads. There is a unit of the set in stores R15 - 3300 rubles, R16 - 4100 rubles, R17 - 5500 rubles.
In the spring of 2015, specialists named the domestic manufacturer Nokian Nordman SX (which took 7th place in our rating) as the fourth contender, but missed again. And the point here, most likely, is that the brand was simply lost in the abundance of others, and this is not surprising with so many competitors. And the products are worth it. At least the price-quality ratio works well in this case.
In reality, the 4th position was taken by the products of the company with the well-known world brand GoodYear called EfficientGrip Performance. As they say, a leader is a leader. During the test, the tires performed well on the road, demonstrating efficiency, stability, and handling. The tires did not reach the top three leaders only because they found disadvantages in comfort when driving on uneven surfaces, as well as when trying to skid while maneuvering on wet pavement. The cost of one tire does not differ from that offered for competitors' products: R15 - 3200 rubles, R16 - 3900 rubles, R17 - 7000 rubles.
Attention! They are the best!
So we come to the leaders of the "prize three" - tire manufacturers, who turned out to be the most reliable in the summer of 2015, and whose characteristics correspond to modern conditions operation. Third place still went to domestic manufacturers Nokian and their product called Hakka Blue. It must be clarified that this is a novelty, and quite successful, it is not inferior in quality to world manufacturers.
By the way, the 3rd place was won not from anyone, but from the Japanese. The preliminary rating suggested that Toyo Proxes CF2 would occupy it. During testing, it turned out that Nokian tires excellent behavior on any kind of surface, both when driving and during braking. A small fly in the ointment that kept the Hakka Blue from finishing in 1st or 2nd place were the comfort notes. The price of one tire is R15 - 2800 rubles, R16 - 3600 rubles, R17 - 6200 rubles.
According to the results of the rating, the Italian Pirelli tires Cinturato P7. In general, the official supplier of spare parts for Formula 1 should be on top. The behavior on the road of a car that is shod in such “boots” is beyond praise and, if it were not for the comments of picky experts who found some discomfort during sharp turns, the manufacturer could well have been a winner. There are only two types of these tires in stores, or rather, two radii of the same type: R16 - 3700 rubles, R17 - 7000 rubles.
And finally, the winner of 2015! The ones made at the Michelin Primacy 3 factories are recognized as flawless. During the tests, these “lacquered shoes” for the car behaved absolutely flawlessly, showing high stability, very efficient braking and fuel economy. True, there were some comments on comfort here, but against the background of the advantages, you can ignore such a trifle. Like the runner-up kit, the set Michelin tires only suitable for cars on which wheels with 16 and 17 radius are installed. One tire for the first type costs an average of 4,000 rubles, for R17 - 8,000 rubles.
It is hardly worth trusting those ratings that are held before the start of the season. They do not exist to mindlessly run to the store and buy a set of "leader" tires. Rather, it is an attempt to give direction in the search, to understand the trends and novelties that will definitely be presented in the next summer season.
What summer tires do you prefer?
Before seasonal tires, be sure to look for manufacturer's recommendations in technical documents to the car. And if you don’t really want to delve into the papers, look at the signs that may be on inside gas tank door or on the end of a car door.
Now many people want to equip a car low profile tires, however, you should not chase fashion, and if you are not a street racer, then you should not engage in experiments. With this rubber, it is easy to make turns at high speed or rush along the track, squeezing the accelerator pedal to the metal, but you will fully feel the recklessness of your choice when you have to drive on a country or gravel road. Every hit of the bump will be on the suspension and you'll feel like you're riding a tank.
If you really care about your car and don't belong to a racing association, it's better to use high-profile tires: the suspension will be healthier and healthier.
And since you travel mainly in the warm season, pay attention to wide rubber. The car will be more stable on the road, the braking distance will be shorter, and skidding on a wet road when low speed will be effectively excluded.
In Finnish Ivalo, specialists from the Test World test center tested 15 models summer tires in size 205/55 R16. Various types of tests were carried out in wet and dry road conditions. The test car was the VW Golf VII.
As you know, creating a tire that is balanced in terms of all performance characteristics is not an easy task. Usually, when one running parameter is optimized, another one worsens. For example, very often tire manufacturers, when improving the grip properties of a model, lower their eyes to increased rolling resistance, or sacrifice comfort for the sake of strengthening the internal structure of the tire. Nevertheless, tire manufacturers are trying their best, while not forgetting that the price of their products should be within reasonable limits.
To determine how balanced the performance of each of the models, comparative tests of tires are carried out. Last test summer tires from "Test World" showed that many manufacturers are on the right track, and their products can rightfully be called well-balanced.
There were also tires with obvious shortcomings in certain disciplines in the test, however, as the expert jury decided, they did not see frankly bad tires. At the same time, the testers once again emphasized that saving on safety is not worth it and the low cost of tires should not be a priority for motorists when choosing tires for the summer period.
Test results
Continental Premium Contact 5. Competition leader. It is characterized by excellent grip and handling on wet roads, resistance to aquaplaning and good grip on dry surfaces. At the same time, motorists will be pleased with maneuverability and low noise. At the same time, experts also found a drawback - high rolling resistance. This, perhaps, is a sacred sacrifice, for the sake of other first-class characteristics.
Nokian Hakka Blue. The testers noted the first-class grip of the model (both longitudinal and transverse) on wet road surfaces, where stable handling was observed even in an emergency. The tire was pleased with adequate reactions on dry pavement during sharp maneuvering. The experts did not go unnoticed by the high fuel efficiency of the Finnish design, its low noise and smooth running.
Pirelli Cinturato P7 Blue. The model that shared second place on the podium with the Nokian tire. The grip performance in wet conditions of the Italian, according to experts, is slightly lower than that of the test leader. However, what bribed the testers was the predictability and accuracy of the reactions to the steering wheel turns of the "blue" Cinturato P7. On dry pavement, the model from Pirelli, demonstrating grip stability when passing sharp turns, brought testers simply into indescribable delight. Probably, against this background, the relatively low rates of smoothness and acoustic comfort did not seem to the expert group to be a significant drawback.
Goodyear Efficient Grip Performance. A very quiet tire, which also became the most fuel-efficient model in the test. The performance of the tire on wet roads did not cause any complaints from the experts, while on dry pavement slow reactions were noted during emergency maneuvering, however, in general, the tires are quite predictable in their behavior.
Kumho Solus HS51. Sufficiently comfortable, quiet summer tires with relatively high rolling resistance. On a dry road, they are characterized by slow reactions to steering turns, while, as testers note, you should not be afraid of a sharp loss of grip during emergency maneuvering. In wet conditions, the performance of the Korean is commendable, especially the resistance to hydroplaning, for which she alone got the maximum 10 points.
Hankook Ventus Prime2. A tire with predictable behavior on dry pavement when maneuvering, as well as good grip and efficient braking in wet conditions. Experts had no questions about comfort and noise, while the rolling resistance was called unreasonably high.
Dunlop Sport BluResponse. The quietest tires in the test with low rolling resistance. On wet pavement, complaints arose about weak lateral grip, but braking performance is at a fairly high level. Testers noted good resistance to aquaplaning with somewhat nervous behavior in extreme situations. In "dry" road conditions, the Dunlop tire is characterized by maneuverability and quick reactions to steering turns.
Landsail LS588 UHP. "Pig in a poke" test. With an absolute imbalance in performance, the tire was able to overtake a competitor from Michelin! On a wet track, there is unstable handling with effective braking, sensitivity to aquaplaning and the worst behavior during emergency maneuvering. On dry land, again, it slows down quite well, but “sluggishly” reacts to steering, and in order to perform sharp maneuvers at high speed in these tires, you need to try very hard. However, Test World does not recommend doing this, as the lateral grip of Landsail tires is very poor. With all this, the model, thanks to the softness of the rubber compound, effectively absorbs all road bumps, thus providing a high level of comfort.
Michelin Primacy 3. Test loser. Not otherwise. In general, as the testers noted, the model does not have a bright pronounced shortcomings. while all the performance characteristics of the tire at an average level. It remains then a complete mystery why in the overall standings the "bears" were behind the competitor from Landsail. On wet roads, Michelin tires make it easy to control the vehicle. When maneuvering, control over the track is not lost, and turns are overcome slightly slowed down. On dry pavement, things are somewhat more confident, although even here the tire cannot be called the best. Comfort and noise are also C-grades, in general, the experts decided, the tire is mediocrity.
Vredestein Sportrac 5. Dutch development with acceptable braking performance on wet pavement, which at the same time are easily aquaplaned. When making sharp maneuvers, it hardly retains traction, although handling, according to testers, is good. On dry pavement, the tire is generally predictable, but in emergency situations, a car equipped with Vredestein tires again easily goes into a skid. The disadvantage of the model can be called high noise, although the testers claim that it does not particularly interfere.
Barum Bravuris 3 HM. The usual "through" tire with average performance characteristics. In wet conditions, tires with relatively low traction performance brake well and confidently cope with emergency situations, while quite easily going “in the swim”. On dry surfaces, the model from Barum is completely apathetic. Her reactions to steering commands are too vague and slow, however, we are not talking about a sharp loss of grip. Braking efficiency is average, the ability to absorb bumps also does not cause any positive emotions. The noise level is relatively high.
Firestone TZ300a. Until the grip limit is reached on wet pavement, the model behaves quite predictably. At the same time, it stops the vehicle too slowly. The only positive point is the good resistance of Firestone tires to hydroplaning. On a dry track, there are sluggish steering responses and poor braking performance (the worst result of the test). Fuel efficiency of the model is average.
Goodride SA37. Unstable tires that are very difficult to ride in wet conditions, especially in emergency situations when there is a complete loss of grip. On dry pavement, Goodride tires exhibit too slow responses to steering commands, which again can lead to skidding, which is highly undesirable when overcoming road obstacles. With a relatively low noise level, this tire has a relatively rigid ride and high rolling resistance.
Nankang Econex NA-1. Wet asphalt is definitely not the "horse" of this tire. Here, weak lateral grip and a very long braking distance are recorded. When maneuvering, the model can eerily easily lose contact with the asphalt. But with all this, Nankang tires resist hydroplaning well. In "dry" conditions, things are better, but in emergency situations, the tires are definitely unlikely to cope well. The model does not absorb road bumps well, and the noise from it is clearly audible in the car. Tire economy is average.
Apollo Alnac 4G. Worst test tire. Poor braking on wet pavement, has poor lateral grip and low aquaplaning resistance. When cornering, it slips easily, and when avoiding obstacles, the rear wheels of the vehicle can skid “without warning”. On dry pavement, Apollo tires are quite predictable, although, according to experts, the overall level of grip is still lacking. The developers did their best with comfort and noise, but they did not begin to understand much about fuel efficiency issues.
We're going to summer. Eleven sets of 185/60 R14 summer tires for Lada and other compact tires | Speed index T (190 km/h) and H (210 km/h) | Authors Sergey Mishin and 3P tire test group and auto review
Modest 14-inch tires from manufacturers are now not held in high esteem. Even budget cars 15-inch shoes are often celebrated. Therefore, explosive premieres in this size should not be expected: emerging new products are created mainly by scaling larger tires designed for expensive cars with larger wheels. But every cloud has a silver lining: the less investment in development, the lower the price. By the way, it has already appeared.
There are no absolute novelties this year, but there are still fresh tires in our test. For the first time, we are testing the Bridgestone Ecopia EP150, Toyo Proxes CF2 and Matador Stella 2 models. The rest are also of interest, as they are running models. Prices are given taking into account the winter inflationary twists and turns.
We carried out tests near Tolyatti, at the AVTOVAZ test site, ironing its roads on one of the most popular domestic platforms: the aggregate carrier was a 106-horsepower, yes, yes, Priora, equipped with anti-lock braking system. According to our observations, some shortcomings in the behavior of the car can be completely compensated for by installing high-quality tires.
The air temperature was 20-25С.
First line
We start with the most expensive ones. Tires ContiPremiumContact 5 sell for 2655 rubles apiece. Not cheap! As if justifying the price, they took first place with 927 points. Among the main advantages are high speed at the rearrangement and a short braking distance: one meter less than that of the nearest competitor when slowing down on wet pavement from a speed of 80 km/h and as much as three meters when braking dry from 100 km/h.
Nokian Hakka Green goes for 2380 rubles. Born in Finland, made in Russia. Fresh tire: Comparable in development and time to market with the ContiPremiumContact 5. The green tire scored 926 points, only one point behind Conti. Good product. Moreover, Hakka is balanced differently than Conti: a car on such tires has a clearer behavior during extreme maneuvering and high directional stability at high speed, as well as good feedback.
Bridgestone Ecopia EP150 is a novelty for us, although this model has been in the manufacturer's line for more than a year. Price - 2370 rubles. For her 11th place (835 points) in our test - too much! Ecopia EP150 demonstrates the weakest “hook” when braking: the difference with the leader is almost four meters on wet pavement and almost five on dry pavement. This is the length of Priora!
It is better to forget about fast rebuildings: nimble maneuvers will come out sideways - in the truest sense of the word. The only bonus is modest fuel consumption in suburban mode. Perhaps the reason for the failure lies in the place of production? These tires came from Thailand, and Made in Japan tires have always performed better.
Modesty is not a vice
In the line of more modest tires, as well as in the top row, there are also wimps who strive to sell at a higher price and vice versa.
For the Japanese novelty Toyo Proxes CF2 they ask for 2180 rubles. And she scored 907 points in our test and took a decent third place.
Tires with good braking properties also provide the possibility of confident extreme maneuvering - everything is like in Nokian models haka green. You will have to give up only comfort: soft and quiet bus you won't name.
BFGoodrich g-Grip tires from the Michelin pedigree are sold for 2165 rubles. That is why, apparently, they are sold more expensive, despite the “slower” speed index T (190 km / h). There are no obvious failures, but in all respects this mid-range DOS bus falls slightly short. In our tests, it occupies only the seventh position, in its piggy bank 870 points.
The Formula Energy model, developed by Pirelli, is offered for 2150 rubles. But to racing formula you cannot tie this tire, you cannot call it energetic: it is unsuitable for extreme maneuvering. To keep the car in the corners, the driver will need extraordinary skill. Although on a straight line, the tires hold the car well even at high speed. As a result - 876 points and the eighth line together with domestic Cordiant tires.
The Korean tire Hankook Kinergy Eco (2135 rubles apiece) has all the characteristics of average. There are no failures, but no ups either. Nevertheless, in the aggregate of all indicators, she scored 888 points and took sixth place.
Russian Cordiant is sold for 2135 rubles. In terms of characteristics, the Road Runner model is close to Formula tire Energy: inferior to her in the clarity of the course and comfort, but provides more intelligible handling in extreme conditions. 867 points, the eighth line of the rating.
Almost for nothing
And so we dropped to the bar of 2000 rubles per wheel. It turns out that even for that kind of money you can buy good tires - for example, Yokohama BluEarth. Japanese Yoko always offers its tires 15% cheaper than its main competitor, which is Bridgestone - despite the fact that its performance is sometimes much higher. For example, in our Yoko test we got the lowest fuel consumption at 90 km/h. The result - 889 points and fifth place.
For Nordman, beloved by our motorists, the Nokian firms are asking for 1970 rubles. The value for money is one of the best in our tests: 905 points and fourth place! (We consider a score above 900 points as a criterion for excellent tires.). The controllability of the machine in limiting modes is at its best.
Matador Stella 2 tires with a speed index T (190 km / h) are offered for 1800 rubles. On these tires you will have to force yourself to drive slowly and with an increased distance, since Stella has very modest braking properties (however, 1-3 meters better than the Bridgestone tire). And abrupt rebuilding should be excluded: in any situation, the steering wheel must be operated gently and smoothly. As compensation - fuel economy at any speed.
On the second line - mid-price tires: BFGoodrich, Sava, Gislaved, Matador, Formula, as well as tires from fast-growing companies such as Yokohama, Hankook, Toyo and other Asian manufacturers.
Field players
Who participates in our tests? First of all tires of the leading manufacturers. This is the so-called Top Five, the first five: Michelin, Bridgestone, Goodyear, Continental and Pirelli. Another important player is the Finnish company Nokian Tires: the capacity of its plant in St. Petersburg will soon reach 18 million tires per year. In total, these six attackers sell the lion's share of all passenger cars on the Russian market.
On defense - budget tires, including domestic ones, for example, Cordiant. We are closely examining the tires of the young Chinese companies: they do not make the weather on the field, but sometimes we take them in our tests - what if a brilliant newcomer appears and beats everyone?
Brake already
How do we measure stopping distance? First of all, we limit the braking zone with cones. To obtain reliable results, it is important that all tires brake along the same trajectory. We braked six to eight times on the “technological” tires until the results begin to repeat (stabilize), thus clearing the braking lane.
the value stopping distance measured using a special measuring complex Vbox, based on GPS. Measurement accuracy - 1 cm.
On a dry road, we measure the stopping distance of a car at 100 km/h. This is the most modern technique. After all, “weaving” is the real speed of movement along a suburban highway. The car is measured at a speed of 103-105 km / h. The driver depresses the clutch and hits the brake pedal at the same point (marked with cones) to avoid extreme displacement along the trajectory.
The tester determines the speed of the car not by the arrow of the standard speedometer, but by digital indicators at the time of the Vbox complex.
We measure the braking distance not at a complete stop of the car, but until the moment when speed will drop up to 5 km/h. This avoids the scatter in the results associated with incorrect operation of the ABS at low speed, often leading to prolonged wheel lockup. The number of brakings for each set of tires is eight.
After each test, it is necessary to cool the brakes, so we go to the starting point, braking with the engine or coasting.
When processing the results, we discard the pop-up values (with a deviation of more than 2%), and for the remaining ones we calculate the arithmetic mean.
On a wet road, the procedure for preparing, taking measurements and processing the results is the same, but braking is from 80 km / h. We intensively water the strip both in the braking area and in front of it (8-10 meters) - so that the tires have time to get wet.
Winter tire tests:
Well, we had to come to Sweden twice. The first time we sat for a week, skated the entire test program on snow and ice. And then, already in April, on roads that had just cleared of ice, they measured the braking distance on wet and dry pavement - and assessed the acoustic comfort and smoothness of the ride. Well, then using traditional system converting the results into points, summed up.
In the next big test"studded" we collected six sets of 15-inch tires from Western and Eastern manufacturers. Some of the trump cards - experience and the latest technology, others - the will to win and affordable prices. Whose will take?
This time we have chosen one of the most popular sizes - 195/65 R15, which suits many small and inexpensive cars. different markets, different understanding product, different design schools. What distinguishes tires from the East and the West from each other, what are their strengths and weaknesses, and what should a Russian buyer pay attention to?
If you are reading this article, then the words “winter is coming” are a call to action for you. Moreover, we have collected for you the best of 80 winter tires and invited you to vote for the best in our ranking. Check out the results. And so, we will make a rating of the TOP-20 tires winter 2018 and consider non-studded tires for crossovers and SUVs.
In the next comparative test of winter tires of the popular "crossover" dimension 215/65 R16, 23 models converged - absolute record mass character in the entire history of tests Autoreview! Not only did we manage to embrace the immensity, but along the way, we also stopped the shipment of one of the consignments of Nokian tires ...
Summer tire tests:
Recently, the size of tires in the original equipment of cars has increased significantly. The time of tires R13 175/70 for Zhiguli has gone, now the priorities are "huge bast shoes". This is due to the latest trends in the world and the increased demand for SUVs. Let's take a look at the test in which the Autoreview staff tested Tiguan's native sizes 215/65 R17 and 255/45 R19. In the first size, 6 models entered the starting grid, the second size was presented by 5 models.
Models in different sizes are different, because. most tires in large sizes are made in UHP format. These changes are dictated by sporty style large sizes wheels.
The cheaper the tires, the easier the choice? No, harder! We tested twelve sets of 185/60 R14 summer tires for the most affordable cars. And not only put all the participants in their places, but also found out what an attempt to save money on a purchase could result in.
Tires 185/60 R14 are bought, as a rule, by owners of Lada cars and older foreign cars. For tire manufacturers, small sizes are not of great interest due to low profitability. Worthy novelties in this segment are a rarity. However, tire manufacturers, who seriously care about the image, try from year to year to improve even though they have become familiar, but quite successful models.
We test 195/65 R15 summer tires for relatively inexpensive cars and see how their performance has changed dramatically over the past ten years.
Nowadays, even small cheap cars roll off the conveyor on 15-inch wheels. Many Russians and quite expensive cars they put “tags” with a higher profile - they are preferable on our roads. Tire manufacturers, for which income depends more on the sizes of tires sold than on their number, are indifferent to budget dimensions. New items are offered at least in the seventeen-inch segment, and small sizes are sluggishly updated, usually slightly reducing rolling resistance.
However, there are companies for which Russian market is very important, and they literally fight for the leading positions, annually “grinding” their products, trying to get ahead of competitors in grip properties on dry and wet surfaces. Therefore, there is always intrigue in our tests.
