The number one ultra-high performance summer tire is the Goodyear Eagle F1 GT Asymmetric. Or the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx. Or the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.
So says "Consumer Reports" in its November 2010 issue.
"CR” tested 21 UHP tires in three-season (not winter) driving categories: dry braking, dry handling, wet braking, wet handling and hydroplaning. They also were tested for noise and ride comfort. Finally, rolling resistance and tread life were compared.
Each of the top three brands scored 82 points, and received the highest marks (“excellent”) for dry braking. The Goodyear Eagle F1 and Michelin Pilot Sport also received top scores for hydroplaning resistance.
The Goodyear Eagle F1 GT Asymmetric, however, received top ratings in dry handling and wet braking as well. Perhaps that is why “CR” lists Goodyear on top, as No. 1, despite the scoring tie. For the record, the Dunlop SP Sport Maxx was listed No. 2, followed by the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.
Cost for the Goodyear tire was $185, which compares to $184 for the Dunlop and $220 for the Michelin.
Two tires finished with 80 points: the Continental Extreme Contact DW and the Hankook Ventus V12 Evo. The Continental tire was graded excellent in the dry braking and hydroplaning categories, and cost $163.
The Hankook tire was excellent in both dry and wet braking; and cost only $112. “That’s considerably less than the $184 or $220 we paid for some models, which scored only slightly higher,” wrote the magazine. “That type of difference can save you $200 or more if you shop around.”
The top five tires were the only UHP summer tires to be classified as “recommended products” by “CR.” None of the tires were labeled a “Best Buy,” however.
Seven tires (in the order they were listed) scored 78 points each: Pirelli P Zero, Dunlop SP Sport Maxx TT, BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW, Kumho Ecsta SPT, Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position, Nitto NT 05 and Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec.
“CR” also tested 17 UHP all-season tires. Two tires came out on top with 82 points each: the Pirelli P Zero Nero All Season and the Sumitomo HTR A/S P01. They were both listed as “recommended products,” along with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus (80 points) and Continental Extreme Contact DWS (80 points).
