In its comparison of 10 all season tyres, AutoBild awarded the top spot to the Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2. This year also saw the Continental AllSeasonContact take part for the first time.

By Published On: 8 June 2021Categories: Tyre reviews631 words3.3 min read
AutoBild has compared 10 all season tyres in different weather conditions
AutoBild has compared 10 all season tyres in different weather conditions © AutoBild

25 All season tyres tested

At the start, there were 25 tyres. But after a qualification lap based on wet braking performance, only 10 remained. Wet and dry braking were key criteria for the German magazine AutoBild in its 2017 All season tyre comparison test, and tyres whose dry braking distance was over 90 metres were eliminated directly.

AutoBild fully tested the following tyres in size 205/55 R16, including Continental’s latest tyre, launched in the spring:

  • Apollo Alnac 4G All Season
  • BF Goodrich g-Grip All Season 2
  • Continental AllSeason Contact
  • Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2
  • Hankook Kinergy 4S
  • Kleber Quadraxer 2
  • Michelin CrossClimate +
  • Nexen N’blue 4 Season
  • Pirelli Cinturato AllSeason
  • Vredestein Quatrac 5

To test these 10 tyres, AutoBild drivers took to the Southern Alps, not in Europe, but in New Zealand. AutoBild conducted its winter tests at an altitude of 1650 metres, at the SHPG (Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground). Summer tests were conducted at the Dekra centre (Deutscher Kraftfahrzeug-Überwachungs-Verein or German Motor Vehicle Inspection Association) in Germany. On the agenda, 15 tests on different surfaces to assess the all season tyres’ performance in a range of conditions. The tests were: traction, slalom, handling and braking on snow; straight line and curved aquaplaning; wet steering precision, braking and cornering; dry steering precision, braking and road noise. And that’s not to mention mileage, price and rolling resistance, which were also taken into account.

© AutoBild

10 All season tyres, 3 considered exemplary

Following these tests, the tyres were categorised based on their performance, according to AutoBild. 

The Goodyear Vector 4Seasons Gen-2 took 1st place in the ranking thanks to its excellent results in all weather conditions. According to AutoBild, the Goodyear tyre – 2nd last year – is very good in snow, offers dynamic handling in wet conditions, has a low rolling resistance and a high level of comfort. This was enough to make it the overall test winner, with the tyre receiving the magazine’s “exemplary” rating.

Just behind, in 2nd place, was the Michelin CrossClimate + which also received an “exemplary” rating. According to Autobild, it delivers balanced performance, adapting quickly to winter conditions while offering dynamic handling in dry conditions. The CrossClimate + also had the shortest braking distance in wet and dry conditions.

In its first test since its launch, the Continental AllSeasonContact left a good impression. It ranked 3rd and was also rated “exemplary” by AutoBild. Above all, the new Continental took 1st place in 3 out of the 4 tests on snow. Its low mileage performance and high rolling resistance were the only points that prevented it from taking a higher place in this ranking.

Just behind, the Kleber Quadraxer 2 and BF Goodrich g-Grip All Season 2 ranked 4th and 5th respectively in this comparison and were rated “Good”. Both tyres, from Michelin subsidiary brands, also received an honourable “Eco-champion” rating, for being the cheapest tyres in the test. For AutoBild, these tyres offer very good winter performance but remain average in terms of wet and dry grip.

The Nexen Nblue 4 Season, the Pirelli Cinturato AllSeason, the Vredestein Quatrac 5 and the Hankook Kinergy 4S were ranked 6th to 9th respectively and rated “Satisfactory” by AutoBild. The Nexen tyre, ranked 6th, was considered to have good winter performance but limited dry handling. The Pirelli Cinturato All Season came joint 7th overall but performed poorly in wet cornering, ranking 9th in this category. The Vredestein, sharing 7th place, delivered balanced performance in wet and dry conditions but for AutoBild, was severely limited in snow. 9th place Hankook Kinergy 4S had some shortcomings in snow and wet handling tests. 

In 10th position, the Apollo Alnac 4G All Season received the “recommended with restrictions” rating from AutoBild due to its poor performance in winter conditions, especially in snow. 

You can find the entire test (in German) on the AutoBild website.

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