WhatTyre Tyre of the Year awards

Supercars may turn heads and hog the social media limelight, but it’s an army of humble hatchbacks and saloons that keep the country moving. These underappreciated vehicles need tyres that are all things to all people, delivering safe and efficient performance in a range of conditions and at an acceptable price. The summer tyre, we salute you, and in this category of the WhatTyre tyre of the Year Awards we celebrate the best of the bunch.

Building on the in-depth research we did on the top 15 tyres in the SUV segment, we have also produced a ranking of the best all-season SUV tyres out there. The basic principles upon which the earlier research was based carry through to this project. SUVs are increasingly popular vehicles to drive and the most popular tyre sizes in the general SUV market are the same for all-season tyres since there are no replacement wheels involved.  

Thanks to a range of legislative changes, demand from consumers, and the desire to boost sustainability in all aspects of the business, tyres have never been as eco-friendly. While tyre manufacturers are continuing to push the limits of what they can achieve, tyre buyers can be assured that the products making WhatTyre’s list of the best eco tyres in 2022 offer the best in sustainable motoring. These tyres are all made by manufacturers that have proven the sustainability of their operations via independent accreditation of their environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) responsibility. In service, they offer low running costs and are designed to last.

Big is beautiful for tyre makers. Recent analyst reports tell us we can look forward to continued growth in the market for UHP tyres, with 17” and 18” and larger rim diameter sizes each expected to account for more than 50 million tyres sold in Europe annually by 2025. This means these larger rim diameters should account for a quarter of the region’s overall replacement tyre demand, with their proportion of total sales even higher in markets such as the UK.

The next few years will see an explosion in the replacement tyre fitment options available to electric car drivers. Sales of electric cars (EVs) in the UK and Europe are set to continue to accelerate up to deadlines dictating the end of new internal combustion engine-powered (ICE) cars into the next decade. For the replacement tyre market – the tyres bought at garages to replace the tyres originally fitted to the car from new – the effects of this will gradually become more important over the next five years.

All-season tyres have really grown in popularity in recent years. Perhaps due to our temperate climate, winter tyres have only really found their niche in the most mountainous parts of the country, on vehicles that really need theme (powerful rear-wheel drive cars on the one hand – and vets, doctors and emergency service vehicles on the other). All-season tyres, on the other hand, bring much of the benefit of winter tyres, but without the logistical challenges of changing and storing a second set of wheels and tyres. Here, WhatTyre offers insights into the best-performing all-season and year-round tyres on the market.

WhatTyre’s inaugural Tyre of the Year Awards are designed to celebrate the best tyres currently available for the biggest group of drivers. We have focused on the tyres that offer the best performance characteristics for regular drivers: the commuters getting to work and home in the busiest traffic, parents operating taxi services for their children, older drivers for whom motoring means extended independence, holidaymakers travelling (when possible again) to destinations in the UK, or in neighbouring countries, and the key workers, whose physical presence is required to do their jobs no matter what. Our winners, highly recommended finalists, and commended nominees all offer proven performance that leads the other 95 per cent-plus of tyres available for the cars most commonly driven in the UK.

Electric car tyres and tyres designed to offer greater fuel efficiency contain some of the tyre industry’s most advanced technology. Supporting fast growth in primarily battery-powered electric cars as well as car-maker’s legal obligation to produce more fuel-efficient combustion powered vehicles, tyre manufacturers have developed increasingly eco-friendly products for original fitment. More electric cars on the road means more demand for replacement tyres that perform similarly well. Our nominations process for this category set very high expectations for such products. We demanded comparatively high fuel efficiency and low noise alongside performance and safety characteristics in one of three sizes for Europe’s top-selling electric cars.

The UK tyre market’s interest in winter tyres may not be high, but there are many excellent products available, as WhatTyre’s list of “Commended” winter tyre products proves. While the UK’s moderate winter climate, the need to store a spare set of tyres (and wheels) year-round, the inconvenience of a seasonal tyre change twice a year, and the increasing quality of all-season tyres are all understandable reasons for not fitting winter tyres, the fact remains that if we are considering performance and safety above all else, specialist winter tyres will help you get the most out of your car when temperatures drop. Below, we crown our 2021 winner, and run down the other models we highly recommend.