Auto Express

Continental WinterContact TS 870’s strength in wet and dry conditions was enough to win its second Auto Express Winter Tyre Test in a row. Competing against six other global manufacturers’ products, the Conti tyre narrowly finished ahead of the Bridgestone Blizzak LM-005 – WhatTyre’s Winter Tyre of the Year – by only 0.3 points overall. All seven tyres tested showed a good level of winter performance, with the last-placed Vredestein Wintrac Pro only 3.2 points out of 100 behind the Conti tyre. The performance differences between the top four winter tyres in the test especially were minimal, and the winner was selected as a particularly good tyre for UK winter driving conditions. The tyres were tested in size 225/45R17 in northern Sweden and in Germany.

More 205/55 R16 tyres are sold in the UK than any other size, and this is the dimension Auto Express chose for its summer 2023 tyre test. In association with Blackcircles.com, the Auto Express team headed to the Contidrom proving ground in Germany and compared the performance of 11 tyre brands.

Déjà vu aplenty in the 2021 Auto Express all-season tyre test. This year the publication returned to the 205/55R16 size it last looked at two years back, and the Hankook Kinergy 4S2 that participated in the 2019 test was back as a contender in 2021. Same tester, same tyre, same size. But this is where the similarities end; whereas the Hankook tyre finished seventh in 2019, this year it won.

More than a year after its counterpart for conventional saloons came to market, Goodyear is introducing the UltraGrip Performance+ SUV. This addition to the range covers the growing SUV and crossover market by offering consumers a “technology-packed winter tyre that increases the versatility and contributes to the safety of their vehicles.”

At the end of November Auto Express published its latest test comparing the performance of leading year-round tyres. Continental’s AllSeasonContact won but Goodyear’s Vector 4Seasons Gen-3 and Hankook Kinergy 4S2 were hot on its heels in second and third place respectively.