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CONSUMER REPORTS RATES GOODYEAR ASSURANCE TRIPLETRED BEST IN TESTS OF 18 ALL-SEASON TIRES
Michelin X-Ice scores the highest in CR’s winter tire tests
YONKERS, NY — Consumer Reports rated the Goodyear
Assurance TripleTred best overall in tests of 18 different all-season tire models from the November issue. The Michelin
X Radial and Hankook Mileage Plus II H725 placed second and third respectively in CR’s rankings.
Consumer Reports has seen substantive improvement
in the performance of all-season tires since it last rated them in 2001.
For example, the Kelly Navigator Platinum TE was CR’s second-overall choice in 2001. In this year’s testing against other models with newer designs, the Navigator
Platinum TE dropped to ninth place overall. (CR rated the Michelin
X-One best overall in 2001; that model was subsequently discontinued.)
All-season tires are standard on most new
cars and light trucks, and they accounted for 83 percent of the replacement
market in 2004.
Consumer Reports’ overall tire
scores emphasize safety-related tests, including braking, handling, and resistance
to hydroplaning—where standing water causes tires to lift off the road surface, leading to a loss of grip and steering control. In a separate series of tests, Consumer
Reports rated the Michelin X-Ice best among 12 models of winter tires on
the market. The Viking Snow Tech placed second, and the Goodyear
Ultra Grip Ice came in third. The Michelin and Goodyear have excellent snow grip. The
Viking is best suited for all-weather use and more moderate winter conditions.
Full tests and ratings of the all-season and winter
tires appear in the November issue of Consumer Reports, which
goes on sale October 4. The complete
report is also available to subscribers at www.ConsumerReports.org.
For
the first time in decades, Consumer Reports also evaluated all 18 models
of all-season
tires for tread wear. The results show that the Uniform Tire Quality
tread-wear grades found on a tire’s sidewall and the manufacturer’s tire warranty don’t always paint an accurate picture of what consumers can expect. CR’s tests showed that tread wear ratings on some tires overstate their treadwear potential while other ratings underestimate that potential.
Consumers should be wary that tread-wear
information is supplied by manufacturers and may be different than real-world
tread wear. Consumer Reports’ tread-wear tests were not factored into overall tire scores; although tread wear is important, CR believes that it shouldn’t outweigh braking, handling and other critical safety factors and should be used as a tie-breaker when comparing tires with similar overall performance.
All-season and winter tires come in sizes
to fit everything from small cars to full-sized sport-utilityvehicles and
pickups. Consumer Reports selected a common size, P205/65R15 for its tests
of both all-season and winter tires. CR believes that its ratings can be
used as a yardstick for 14-inch through 17-inch sizes of the same model tires.
Consumer Reports selected the 18 models
of all-season tires from upper-midlevel and premium lines with S (112 mph)
or T (118 mph) speed ratings.
Tread-wear warranties for those tires run from 65,000 to 100,000 miles.
Prices ranged from $48 to $114 for the common P205/65R15 size.
Here are some
Consumer
Reports’ Quick Picks for all-season tires. Prices shown are retail paid by CR for the P205/65R15 tires tested:
Best for all weather conditions:
Michelin X Radial, $111; Michelin
HydroEdge,
$100
The Michelin X Radial is a very good all-around
performer, but is only available from shopping clubs. The Michelin HydroEdge performs
capably but is noisier, with mediocre hydroplaning resistance.
If icy
roads aren’t a factor:
Goodyear Assurance TripleTred, $80; Hankook
Mileage Plus II H725, $50; Yokohama Avid TRZ, $70
These tires do well in
everything except braking on ice. The Goodyear’s ride is very quiet.
If long tread life is important:
Yokohama Avid TRZ, $70; Michelin
HydroEdge,
$100; Dayton Grenadier PLE, $48; Bridgestone Turanza LS-T, $78
WINTER TIRES
Best for severe winter performance:
Michelin X-Ice, $84; Goodyear
Ultra Grip Ice, $75; Bridgestone
Blizzak WS-50, $86; Mastercraft
Glacier Grip II,
$54 The
Michelin X-Ice is the top choice for harsh winters. The
Goodyear and Mastercraft also provide excellent snow traction, though
not as good
braking
on ice. The Bridgestone is also very capable on
both snow and ice.
For moderate winter conditions:
Viking Snow Tech, $43
The Viking, distributed in the U.S.
by Continental, is worth considering where winters are moderate or roads
are
cleared
promptly. It handles and brakes very well on dry and wet pavement,
and it rides comfortably
and quietly.
Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted
sources for information and advice on consumer products and services. It
conducts
the
most comprehensive
auto-test program of any U.S. publication or Website; the
magazine’s auto experts have decades of experience in driving, testing, and reporting on cars. To subscribe to Consumer
Reports, call 1-800-234-1645. Information and articles from the magazine can be accessed online at www.ConsumerReports.org.
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