Auto Bild has compared 10 tyres in its 2021 SUV all season tyre test. The renowned German magazine has chosen the size 215/65 R17 for compact SUVs such as the Volkswagen Tiguan.
Volkswagen Tiguan braking in the wet during the 2021 Auto Bild SUV all season tyre test © Auto Bild
2021 Test of the 10 best all season tyres
All season tyres continue their ascent on the European market. They offer a real alternative to winter tyres given that they are better able to balance safety performances while providing an easy solution for drivers. With this in mind, Auto Bild has compared the best all season tyres for its 2021 tyre test. The tested tyre size was 215/65 R17 for compact SUVs such as the Volkswagen Tiguan:
- Bridgestone Weather Control A005 Evo
- Continental AllSeasonContact
- Cooper Discoverer All Season
- Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV
- Hankook Kinergy 4S2 X
- Imperial All Season Driver
- Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3 SUV
- Michelin CrossClimate 2
- Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2
- Vredestein Quatrac Pro
Can all season tyres offer the perfect compromise?
With this test, Auto Bild aims to find the all season tyre which offers the best balance and safety performances, approaching those of winter tyres. This challenge has become a real issue for tyre manufacturers and their engineers. Tyres are a clever mix, where each performance criteria can have a negative impact on the others. Until a few years ago, this is why all season tyres were not a reliable alternative to winter or summer tyres.
© Auto Bild
Cheap all season tyres: Auto Bild’s opinion on the Imperial tyres
For each test, Auto Bild tries to add diversity to the products compared. It is for this reason that among the 10 products tested we find the All Season Driver from the Chinese brand Imperial, up to half the price of the other tyres.
And, not surprisingly, Auto Bild does not recommend this tyre which provides very low grip on wet surfaces, has an almost dangerous tendency to understeer, and above all, has much longer braking distances than the other tyres. Nevertheless, the magazine notes its good braking performance on snow but what good is an all season tyre if it only inspires confidence in one driving condition?
6 satisfactory tyres but not yet enough to meet Auto Bild expectations
The German magazine notes the improvement in all season tyres but underlines the weakness of certain tyres in specific criteria and a tendency to understeer on snow and wet roads.
This is the case of the Cooper Discoverer All Season which despite its short braking distances on snow and a good resistance to aquaplaning shows weaknesses on wet and snowy surfaces. The same can be said of the Maxxis Premitra All Season AP3 SUV, more at ease in dry conditions, the Pirelli Cinturato All Season SF 2, good on snow, or even the Vredestein Quatrac Pro which offers a good balance on wet and dry surfaces but whose handling on snow prevents it from ranking higher.
Very good on snow, precise and dynamic in the wet and offering good aquaplaning safety, the Bridgestone Weather Control A005 Evo only lacks slightly shorter dry braking distances for it to be considered “good” by Auto Bild. The findings are the same for the Continental AllSeasonContact SUV which obtains the best scores in wet conditions and snow but falls short in dry conditions, particularly in braking tests.
© Auto Bild
A top 3 with high performance brands
Only 2 tyres obtain the “good” rating from Auto Bild in this comparison test. The Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV is very versatile, delivering a balanced performance and safety in all circumstances. But, it still does not dominate any category.
For its first official appearance in a test since its launch, the Michelin CrossClimate 2 stands out. Apart from a few minor wet handling trends, it proves to be exemplary on snow and dry roads, according to Auto Bild. With its short braking distances and low rolling resistance, Michelin seems to have found the winning combination with its new tyre.
But that was without reckoning on the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 X, the only tyre to obtain the “exemplary” rating from Auto Bild and which wins the title of best SUV all season tyre for 2021. According to the German magazine, this tyre is very convincing in all weather conditions and offers the best compromise, never at the detriment of safety. With its stable and safe handling in wet conditions, it also has the advantage of a very attractive price, much below its competitors.
The 5 best all season tyres for SUVs in the size 215/65 R17
| Tyre | + | – |
| 1 – Hankook Kinergy 4S2 X | Very good price, exemplary performances in all conditions, high safety | |
| 2 – Michelin CrossClimate 2 | Snow, the best in dry conditions | Handling on wet surfaces |
| 3 – Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 SUV | Balanced performance in all conditions | Braking in dry conditions |
| 4 – Continental AllSeasonContact SUV | The best on wet surfaces, good on snow | Braking in dry conditions |
| 5 – Bridgestone Weather Control A005 Evo | Very good on snow, safe in the wet | Braking in dry conditions |
