- Difference between mainstream and cheap Chinese tyres when braking exposed
- Budget rubber have extra stopping distances the length of a double-decker bus
As the cost of motoring soars as a result of higher fuel prices, rising vehicle excise duty and skyrocketing insurance premiums, the last thing any driver wants to hear is that they need to buy new tyres.
With the nation’s roads in a state of disrepair and potholes rife across the country, many motorists face unavoidable cost of fitting replacement rubber as a result of punctures.
While it might be tempting to pinch pennies and opt for budget products, experts have showcased the risks drivers face if they choose to fit cheap Chinese tyres as the additional stopping distances equivalent to the length of a double-decker bus and increase the likelihood of being involved in a collision.
The stopping distance when braking in the dry from 62mph is longer by the length of a double-decker bus if you opt for cheap Chinese budget tyres compared to mainstream rubber, What Car? found during its controlled tests
What Car? has recently undertake a test of the latest summer tyres, which has revealed that choosing cheaper products could mean your car takes almost 10 metres longer to come to a halt from 62mph in dry conditions.
Its controlled tests found the same car – a VW Tiguan – when fitted with the best performing tyre – the Continental PremiumContact 7, made in France and costing £143 including fitting – could come to a standstill from 62mph in dry conditions in 34.5 metres.
In contrast, the worst, a Chinese-made GT Radial tyre costing £121, required almost 44 metres before it stopped entirely.
The Continental rubber scored the highest overall mark of 86 per cent after topping the standings for both braking and handling in all conditions.
It performed best in wet and dry braking tests, also bringing the test vehicle to a halt from 50mph in wet conditions in just 33.5 metres.
The GT Radial was also worst on wet roads, taking 44 metres to come to a standstill from a slower speed of 50mph.
‘Again, that’s around the same length of a double-decker bus, and in an emergency situation could mean the difference between avoiding a collision and having a nasty accident,’ the report said.
The £126 Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV tyre was the second-highest rated product overall (85 per cent) ahead of the £165 Michelin Primacy 4+ (71 per cent).
| Rank | Tyre name | Tyre manufactured in | Price including fitting | Stopping distance from 50mph in wet | Stopping distance from 62mph in dry | Overall score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Continental PremiumContact 7 | France | £143 | 33.5 metres | 34.5 metres | 86% |
| 2 | Hankook Ventus S1 evo3 SUV | Korea | £126 | 34.5 metres | 35.8 metres | 85% |
| 3 | Michelin Primacy 4+ | Italy | £165 | 35.7 metres | 36.4 metres | 71% |
| 4 | Firestone Roadhawk 2 | Italy | £129 | 38.2 metres | 37.8 metres | 70% |
| 5 | Yokohama BluEarth-XT AE61 | Japan | £146 | 37.8 metres | 37.9 metres | 59% |
| 6 | Triangle EffexSport TH202 | China | £93 | 40.7 metres | 39.2 metres | 57% |
| 7 | GT Radial FE2 SUV | China | £121 | 43.9 metres | 39.6 metres | 55% |
| 8 | Landsail LS588 SUV | Thailand | £113 | 38.1 metres | 39.1 metres | 47% |
| Source: WhatCar? | ||||||
The What Car? testing consisted of six track-based tests carried out in controlled conditions: wet and dry braking and handling, aquaplaning and noise measurement, plus a rolling resistance test to determine the impact on fuel efficiency, and a rating for price.
The scores were weighted so that the crucial braking and handling tests accounted for 80 per cent of the overall mark, and rolling resistance and price the remaining 20 per cent.
Despite having the longest braking distances, the GT Radial’s 55 per cent score wasn’t the lowest overall when considered across the full test parameters.
That unwanted award went to the cheapest tyre of all, the £113 Landsail LS588 SUV, which is a Chinese brand manufactured in Thailand and scored just 47 per cent.
The cheapest of the eight tyres tested, the £93 Chinese-made Triangle EffexSport TH202, was third from bottom with an overall score of 57 per cent.
This tyre was second worst for both wet braking (stopping in 41 metres from 50mph) and dry braking (stopping in 39 metres from 62mph). This means the car, when fitted with the Triangle tyres, was still travelling at 21mph when the same vehicle fitted with Continental rubber had been brought to a total halt.
Only the GT Radial performed worse.
It was also found to offer the lowest grip levels in wet conditions.
The test car used a controlled car in controlled conditions. The model chosen was a Volkswagen Tiguan – one of the best-selling family SUVs – fitted with a common tyre size for this segment: 235/55 R18
What Car? consumer editor Claire Evans said: ‘Tyres might seem like an expensive purchase, with some costing more than £150 each, but buying the best tyres can provide significantly improved handling and braking, potentially helping to avoid road accidents.’
The test car used was a Volkswagen Tiguan – one of the best-selling family SUVs – and using a common tyre size for this segment: 235/55 R18.
You can read the full What Car? summer tyre test results in full here
