Tire Rack Compares 4 Premium Grand Touring A/S Tires

Sept. 16, 2019

In its latest test of top tire models, Tire Rack Inc. identified a product that “could signify a paradigm shift in the grand touring all-season landscape.”

Tire Rack compared the grand touring all-season offerings from four premium manufacturers: the Bridgestone Turanza QuietTrack, Michelin Primacy Tour A/S, Vredestein Quatrac Pro and Continental PureContact LS.

The tires were tested at Tire Rack’s facilities in South Bend, Ind., on a six-mile mile loop of expressway, state highway and county roads and 1/3-mile per lap test track course that includes 90-degree street corners, a five-cone slalom and simulated expressway ramps. The test vehicle was a 2020 BMW F36 430i Gran Coupe.

For the on-road tests, Tire Rack reports the Turanza QuietTrack and the Quatrac Pro tied at the top. The testers found the ride of theTuranza QuietTrack to be “a pleasing blend of comfort and control, with firm damping that rounded over large impacts while essentially eliminating small bumps. Sound comfort was another high point, as Bridgestone's engineers did a good job designing tread features to create tones that, while not completely silent, blend together into a muted, white noise.”

The Quatrac Pro “exuded a luxurious persona that was arguably as refined as anything we have tested.” The ride was nearly as well controlled as the Bridgestone, but where that tire felt taut and sporty, the Quatrac Pro was slightly softer and gentler, further removing road imperfections from the driver's awareness. Over the smooth sections of our route, the only audible noise came from the engine and the wind, and the Quatrac Pro merely created a slight hum on the worst patches of road.”

On the Dry Track

The top performer on the dry track was the PureContact LS. Testers reported the the PureContact LS “felt surprisingly adept during our on-track evaluation, almost as if it was built for performance driving. Sharp turn-in and precise response to inputs made it easy to turn down to the apex, and the impressive ability to handle steering and acceleration at the same time allowed the driver to pick up the throttle quickly and confidently.”

A Dominant Performance

However, wet testing saw significant separation within the group and the Quatrac Pro delivered “a dominant performance.”

Tire Rack testers note that while the Quatrac Pro “was remarkable in all aspects, what stood out most was the ability to put the power to the pavement, allowing the driver to use full throttle sooner and in sections of the track where it was not possible with the other tires. We often find highly capable tires feel edgy or nervous at the limit, but that behavior was absent from the Quatrac Pro, and it felt stable and planted, even while pushing as hard as the driver's abilities would allow.”

Tire Rack boiled its conclusions for the Vredestein Quatrac Pro to three bullet points:

  • What We Liked: Resets the category benchmark for wet performance, impeccable on-road manners, and it has the three-peak mountain snowflake mark.
  • What We'd Improve: No real changes needed.
  • Conclusion: This tire could signify a paradigm shift in the Grand Touring All-Season landscape.

For complete results and video footage from this and other tire tests, visit www.TireRack.com, where you’ll find information on this evaluation, dozens of other comparisons, and thousands of relevant consumer surveys.

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