All-season tyres: only one in sixteen convinces
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All-season tyres are winning over more and more drivers. For the third year running, the European automobile clubs, including the ACL, have put sixteen models through their paces in size 185/65 R15, a very common fitment on small cars. The result: only one tyre earns a “good” rating, and eight are not recommended.
The all-season principle is appealing: one set of tyres, no seasonal changeover, no storage. But the task is a balancing act. The same tyre has to hold on asphalt at 50°C in midsummer, keep its bite on snow at -15°C, and behave well in spring and autumn, when the road is soaking and the thermometer hovers around zero. All while wearing slowly and without pushing up fuel consumption. Is that balance really achievable? The tests give an unambiguous answer.
One preliminary observation is worth flagging. In this 15-inch size, some big names do not offer their most recent models. Bridgestone is limited to the Weather Control A005-Evo, while its successor, the Turanza All Season 6, is already available in the larger sizes. Michelin does the same: no CrossClimate 3 in 15 inches, only the CrossClimate 2 tested here. In other words, buyers of a small car do not have access to the latest technology available from these manufacturers.
The full ranking
|
Tyre |
EU label | Overall | Safety | Dry | Wet | Winter | Environment |
|
Continental AllSeasonContact 2 |
B/B/B 71 dB | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
2.6 |
|
Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 3 |
C/A/B 71 dB | 2.6 | 2.7 | 2.3 | 2.4 | 2.7 |
2.4 |
|
Michelin CrossClimate 2 |
C/B/B 69 dB |
2.6 | 2.8 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.1 |
2.2 |
|
Vredestein Quatrac |
C/B/B 70 dB | 2.9 | 3.1 | 2.5 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 2.4 |
|
Hankook Kinergy 4S 2 |
C/B/B 71 dB | 3.0 | 3.2 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 3.2 |
2.5 |
|
Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 |
C/B/B 70 dB | 3.1 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 2.2 | 1.8 |
2.5 |
|
Nokian Tyres Seasonproof 2 |
B/A/A 68 dB | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.2 | 1.8 | 2.8 |
3.0 |
|
GT Radial ClimateActive |
C/B/B 69 dB | 3.2 | 3.2 | 2.7 | 2.4 | 3.2 |
3.1 |
|
Nexen N’Blue 4Season 2 |
C/B/B 71 dB | 3.6 | 3.6 | 3.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
3.0 |
|
Dunlop All Season 2 |
C/C/B 71 dB | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 3.0 | 1.7 |
2.9 |
|
Milever All Season Versat MC545 |
C/C/A 67 dB |
4.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.9 |
3.4 |
|
Norauto 4 Seasons 2 |
C/B/B 71 dB | 4.9 | 4.9 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 4.9 |
2.3 |
|
Bridgestone Weather Control A005-Evo |
C/A/B 70 dB | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.5 | 1.9 | 5.3 |
2.5 |
|
Mastersteel All Weather 2 |
C/B/B 71 dB | 5.3 | 5.3 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 5.3 |
3.2 |
| Roadhog RGAS02 | C/B/B 71 dB | 5.4 | 5.4 | 2.8 | 3.1 | 5.4 |
3.2 |
| Tomason Allseason | D/C/B 71 dB | 5.5 | 5.5 | 3.3 | 3.3 | 5.5 |
3.1 |
How to read the scores: the scale works like German school marks, where the lowest figure is the best. From 0.6 to 1.5: very good. From 1.6 to 2.5: good. From 2.6 to 3.5: satisfactory. From 3.6 to 4.5: adequate. From 4.6 to 5.5: poor.
