Today we are going to acquaint you with the results of the test of the new 2021 summer tires, which was made by the expert group of the Russian car magazine Za Rulem. The test took part in summer highway tires size 235/60 R18 in different price categories, suitable for off-road vehicles. Tires of this size are usually used for cars such as Nissan X-Trail, Hyundai Santa Fe, Porsche Macan, and many others in this class. Today we are covering the results of the Second test from Za Rulem because the First summer test was dedicated to 185/65 R15 car tires for mass-market cars.
A little more interest to the second test of the season is called by the Centara tires for all-road use, which has attracted attention by their affordable price. They participated in the test out of the competition, but the characteristics that they showed during the tests allow us to create a minimal impression about them.
Summer weather conditions are famous for their variety, especially in the northern regions, so the test disciplines took place in two “iterations”. One at normal summer temperatures of 17-23°C, the second at 8-10°C. Since “cold” summers are not so common in Europe, the weight of the tests at 8-10°C was much lower.
Tests were held in Germany on the test track Papenburg and in Finland, where there is a test track Nokian Tyres – a tire company, to which the experts have a special sympathy Over the Wheel (products of the Finns, both summer and winter, often leading in the final rating edition. An off-road car Mercedes-Benz GLS was involved as a test one.
A peculiarity of the test: the all-wheel-drive unit does not contribute to the unproblematic measurement of the resistance of the tires to longitudinal equitation. Therefore, you will not find these data in the summary table of results. But there is data on the initial speed of transverse aquaplaning on a circular track with a diameter of 200 meters, covered with a layer of water 6 mm.
So, with the top positions in the standings, everything was quite predictable. The most famous and expensive models shared the first three lines. Looking at the starting lineup of the test participants, it would be strange to think that any model except Continental PremiumContact 6 (925 points) would win. Premium German development deservedly headed the final standings. It led in the vast majority of disciplines and showed an excellent balance of properties. The only disadvantage of this model is resistance to aquaplaning, it was at a level even below the average. But even the low score in this discipline left no competition for the Continental PremiumContact 6.
Nokian Hakka Black 2 SUV tires (916 points) took second place in the rating. And this was due to the predictable adequate behavior and leadership in aquaplaning resistance. It is obvious at once that Finns were oriented, first of all, to the weather conditions of their country. And, consequently, these tires may be safely recommended to car owners living in rainy regions. Absolute safety.
Toyo Proxes Sport SUV tires took the honorary third place with the result of 910 points. That was the tire model that showed the most effective braking on both wet and dry roads in “normal” summer temperature conditions, high comfort, and excellent “wet” handling. But the testers noticed one peculiarity of these tires: as the temperature drops their “grip” weakens, as a result of which you should be careful with them in cool weather. Increased rolling resistance is unlikely to make these tires a viable option for long-haul travel.
The model Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 SUV from the brand name Goodyear crossed the finish line with the fourth result, scoring only 900 points. The Za Rulem expert group noted that they have high comfort (at the level of Toyo and Continental), excellent handling on dry surfaces, and a generally smooth balance of performance. The disadvantages were the decreased braking performance in the wet with the lowering of the temperature and the usual Goodyear expensiveness. EAGF1 A3S is the most expensive tire in this test.
Few tests show Russian-made models, but in Za Rulem’s test, there were some. The Russian Viatti Bosco H/T took fifth place with 858 points, which is much less than the fourth place model from Gordeurs. The ride comfort is not a strong point of the Russian tires; besides, they do not like puddles. Among the unambiguous advantages is the low price.
Landsail LS588 SUV (857 points) is the only representative of the Chinese tire industry, which managed to break into sixth place. It seized the lead in the test of fuel efficiency and showed a confident grip on cold asphalt. The testers also noted the sufficient level of comfort of these tires. Fear of puddles in corners and problems with stability and handling on dry pavement did not go unnoticed.
Zeetex SU1000 vfm and Triangle AdvanteX SUV finished in the seventh position with the same 837 points. Despite identical scores, the models are similar only in their ability to optimize fuel consumption and comfort level. Other categories showed notable differences: the Zeetex tire resists transverse aquaplaning very well and its grip is average, but the handling is the worst and most dangerous of all the test participants. At the same time, the Triangle tires showed poor traction and decent behavior.
The ninth and the last place in the final rating was taken by the Mazzini Eco saver tires (only 821 points). They were found to have problems handling and the weakest grip on wet surfaces. But some positive points were also found, in particular the relative energy efficiency at 60 km/h, the average level of comfort, and behavior in dry road conditions.
At the very end of the standings is the Adventure A/T Tires of the virtually unknown Chinese brand Centara. The model scored 809 points, which is significantly lower than the results of the other contestants. However, it is possible to justify the low marks of the tires by the fact that they are All-Terrain class and can be driven not only on asphalt roads but also on rugged terrain. So the Adventure A/T disadvantages are quite classical for its class: higher noise level, voraciousness, and poor controllability.
The experts also noted the low traction properties on asphalt, good resistance to aquaplaning due to the peculiarities of the tread design, and even a satisfactory ride comfort.
