Tyre News

Modern vehicles rely on a tightly coordinated set of moving parts to deliver power smoothly from engine to road . When everything works as intended, the process feels effortless from the driver’s seat. Beneath the surface, however, a fair amount of mechanical choreography is happening at once. Somewhere within that system sits the CV Drive Shaft, a component responsible for transferring torque while the suspension rises, dips, and pivots through corners. 

Tyres are round and black, as friends and family never grow weary of pointing out. While they’re literally right, the underlying implication is that one tyre is much the same as any other. Of course this isn't true, but the argument gained some traction when the latest Cooper winter tyre arrived. Haven’t we seen it somewhere before?

Cooper Tires literally invites drivers to drag its name through the mud. But don’t worry, this is part of a new image overhaul that also includes updates to the brand logo, a refined colour palette, and a more contemporary design language – all with the aim of helping the brand cut through in crowded retail environments and digital marketplaces. Consumers will begin seeing the new branding from March 2026 on Cooper website updates across the globe, Cooper social channels updating identity and content, and in paid media activity launching in selected markets. Retail points of sale will transition over time.

There are several ways to explain the growing popularity of all-season tyres. There are those who point to changing weather patterns in Europe, while some view these products as a cost-effective guarantee of safe mobility throughout the year. For others, increasing all-season tyre sales reflect improving product performance and quality. But no matter what factors are at play, figures show that all-season tyres have trebled their share of Europe’s passenger car tyre market over the past decade.

The tyre size 195/55 R16 is frequently a standard fitment on small cars such as the Fiat 500, Hyundai i20 and VW Polo. These are vehicles that typically spend most of their lives driving around town, conditions in which aerodynamic drag doesn’t significantly affect fuel economy and battery range. But rolling resistance does, particularly in heavier electric vehicles. For this reason, modern tyres must reduce this to a minimum while simultaneously meeting all safety-related requirements. With this in mind, Auto motor und sport (ams) examined eight tyres in this size for its summer 2026 test, giving each candidate an overall score and an EV-specific score.

Introducing its latest summer tyre test, German publication Auto Zeitung commented on what makes a good tyre. Safety is paramount, but it must also be economical, quiet, comfortable, long lasting and environmentally friendly – all while providing driving pleasure. At the lowest possible price. A tall order indeed, and Auto Zeitung has looked at ten tyres in size 235/45 R18 to see how they’ve managed.