WhatTyre

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.

When looking at the 13 nominees for our What Tyre summer Tyre of the Year category, it quickly became apparent that our TyreScore had done its job superbly. It also serves us well when identifying the category finalists, all of which bring together high levels of performance, safety and economy/mileage in various combinations. Our five finalists are taken from the three top summer tyre sizes in the UK (205/55 R16, 225/45 R17, 195/55 R15), and we set a TyreScore of 8 as a minimum prerequisite. A test win or a recommendation of ‘good’ or better in a 2020/21 tyre test is also a must have.

It is now time to name the finalists for the WhatTyre UHP Tyre of the Year, and again we’re looking at the popular sizes 245/45 R18, 245/35 R19, 265/35 R20 in Y or higher speed ratings. We have added the requirement that our finalists should have at least one original equipment approval to their name – car makers have exacting requirements when selecting OEM tyres, and manufacturer approval thus serves as a useful barometer of tyre competence and quality.

What are the best electric car tyres in 2021? The recent boom in electric vehicle sales has meant that tyre manufacturers are paying more attention to the demands of this market. While new car demand has stalled in most segments during the pandemic, full electric car sales have continued to grow. In Europe, estimates put full electric or hybrid car sales at around 12 per cent of the full market. And with various countries around the world introducing legislation to bring petrol and diesel production to an end over the next two decades, growth is certain to continue. Likewise, this will inevitably mean more manufacturers will provide replacement tyres tuned to these vehicles, especially as the second-hand market blossoms.

When it comes to tyres the term ultra-high-performance has lost some of its cachet, but in doing so has grown in significance. No longer synonymous with the supercar posters found in many a teenaged bedroom in the 70s and 80s, chances are good that UHP tyres are available for the car you drive. Evidence of the UHP tyre segment’s evolution into the volume market can be seen in our long-list, which includes products ranging from strictly performance-oriented tyres to those with a greater emphasis on comfort and economy. Today’s super and hypercars run on UUHP (no prizes for guessing what the second ‘U’ stands for) rubber, and these products are also included in this category.

Winter tyres may be a small part of the UK market, but there is still an incredible array of quality products to choose from. We suggest that every tyre mentioned on our longlist is worth considering, especially since prices (which you can find on WhatTyre) can vary hugely even within this list of the top products. For the purposes of our ranking, we focus only on the tyres’ performance qualities. We will announce our top five recommended products and the winner of the WhatTyre Winter Tyre of the Year 2021 in around a week’s time, alongside our other five Tyre of the Year categories and the overall winner.

Evidence from a number of sources agrees – UK drivers are increasingly choosing all-season tyres. Earlier this month, GfK data found that all-season tyre sales have shot up 19 per cent in terms of value and 13 per cent in terms of volume during 2019.