Tyre News

Season-specific winter tyres may be niche products in the UK but make a lot of sense in certain situations. For example, high-powered performance cars may benefit from the added grip they offer when temperatures drop. Auto Bild Sportscars has evaluated 11 brands of tyre in size 225/40 R18 to gauge performance in snowy, wet and dry conditions. Four tyres gain the motoring publication’s highest recommendation, but Auto Bild Sportscars also warns that some winter products aren’t up to the job.

Hyundai has approved Hankook’s Ventus S1 evo 3 ev in size 225/55R18W as original fitment tyres for its Ioniq 6. The tyre is developed specifically for electric cars, featuring low rolling resistance, which helps to increase range on a full charge, and a lightweight, robust construction to meet the specific requirements of all-electric vehicles, such as the Ioniq 6.

Auto Bild has shared the results achieved by the 20 finalists in its 2023 winter tyre test. While the motoring publication’s test team found that most of these size 225/45 R18 tyres offered “really good performance” when snow and ice were present, the situation changed somewhat in conditions that motorists more typically encounter. After experiencing “surprisingly large differences in performance potential” on wet and dry roads they awarded only three tyres their top ‘exemplary’ rating. One of the 20 receives a non-recommendation.

The Auto Bild tyre test team has been busy, and in addition to evaluating 35 all-season tyres they’ve put 54 winter tyres through their paces. After a preliminary round of testing – braking from 80km/h in the wet and from 50km/h on snow – 20 tyres continue on as finalists.

As promised, Auto Bild has subjected the 16 remaining tyres in its 2023 all-season test to further and more intensive scrutiny after booting out 19 products that didn’t make the grade in a preliminary round of wet and dry braking tests. The motoring publication’s expert testers gave five of these size 225/45 R17 tyres their highest recommendation – an ‘exemplary’ rating – and declared a further three ‘good’ tyres. The remaining eight finished testing with ‘satisfactory’ or ‘conditionally recommended’ ratings.

Tyre safety organisation TyreSafe has unveiled a collaborative initiative with Operation Pennine promoting road safety through vital vehicle checks and awareness campaigns on key road links between the North-West and North-East of England, kicking off with events at Ferrybridge Services (3 October) and Hartshead Services (5 October) on the M62. TyreSafe is playing a crucial role in supporting Operation Pennine, underscoring the importance of maintaining roadworthy tyres to ensure safe journeys. TyreSafe member Micheldever Tyre Services and retail network Protyre are supporting the events, providing tyre guidance, checks and advice.