Grip is not everything
If car enthusiasts are looking to make their cars more powerful and affordable, they will likely start by adding power to the engine. Many people start with modifications to the engine, but a better option is an upgrade of the wheels and tires department. Tyre Reviews’ latest video examines 12 options for high-performing rubber at a reasonable price.
Tyre Reviews was granted access to Goodyear’s testing facility in south France. This is where the company tests its rubber on ribbons of asphalt. Because it is in the South of France, and not the North of France, the entire facility has sprayers that can be used to wet the track at any moment.
Despite this, dry weather performance was the first to be noticed. It is here that the top brands (Goodyear Bridgestone and Continental) achieved superior lap times and feel. The Maxxis performed better in the wet while Nokian, a budget brand, produced similar results.
The most popular size of tire is 205/55 R16 so that’s what the experiment used with all 12 tires. To avoid any irregularities, all the sets were placed on the same rim and at the same pressure. They were also fitted to the same Volkswagen Golf testing vehicle.
The video featured comfort and noise reviews, as these owners are unlikely to be on track days. Jonathan Benson from Tyre Reviews did a great job here. He used the same microphone array Goodyear uses for testing interior cabin noise levels. Although the Maxxis had scored well in its previous tests, it was unable to score last in this test.
Benson recommended Continental, Goodyear and Falken tires as the best all-around winner, aside from the Maxxis. These three tires have their limitations, as is the way it is in the tire industry. While the Falken was not the most comfortable, the Goodyear and Continental had trouble with aquaplaning.